JKowalski33
spending too much on rocks
Member since August 2004
Posts: 451
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Post by JKowalski33 on Aug 3, 2004 21:48:19 GMT -5
Hi everybody, I am new to rock tumbling and before I started I just wanted to know what the hardesses of some common rocks that get polished. The ones I had in mind were Rose Quartz, Green Aventurine, Amethyst, Citrine, Quartz, Petrified Wood, Pudding Stone, Turretilla Agate, White Quartz, Prairie Agate, Dalmatian Stone, Sodalite, Hematite, Golden Tiger-eye, Blue Tiger-eye, Emerald in Matrix, Blue Jasper, and Brazilian Agate. If you hadn't noticed, these are all the course rocks from the rockshed website. I just wanted to know the hardnesses of these so that I can decide which ones can be mixed in the same barrel. Thanks -Jackson Kowalski
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Post by docone31 on Aug 3, 2004 23:30:23 GMT -5
With these stones, I might just toss the whole thing in one cycle. With the jaspers you will have to burp them and when I took off the bbl., I would also check the progress. I am not sure I would tumble the emerald matrix, and the pudding stone I would make into cabachons. The rest are pretty close to the same mohs, about mohs 7 so ordinary tumbling would do the job. Good luck, have a ball, Lettttttsssss tumble!
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Post by rockyraccoon on Aug 3, 2004 23:58:56 GMT -5
citrine, amethyst, quartz, agate, jasper, tiger eye, petrified wood - 7 (dalmation is a jasper)
emerald - 7-8
adventurine - 6.5-7
sodalite - 5.5-6
hematite - 5-6 (makes water red - best tumbled alone)
i don't know about pudding stone or turretilla. i'm running some turretilla but not in a mix and started it on 60/90.
i haven't done any citrine or amethyst but i've mixed my quartz, jasper, agate, adventurine together and they did fine. i think i'd run the others alone but now that's just me - somebody else might do different. hope this helps.
kim
p.s. welcome!
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Banjocreek
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since March 2003
Posts: 1,115
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Post by Banjocreek on Aug 4, 2004 0:06:53 GMT -5
Turretilla Agate, is agatized Turretilla and runs fine with Quartz, Jasper and the rest of the stuff around mohs 7. Amethyst and Citrine are basically the same stone with a different mineral contaminent causing either Purple, or Orange, and it can be tumbled the same as the stuff around mohs 7-8. I may use different polishes on some of them, and definitely run the sodalite by itself or with some Obsidian, or Adventurine, and seperate them out at the polish stage. John Sands (Sandsman1) had a link to a list of rocks and their hardness, and I think someone can drop it in here for you. Good Luck!!
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JKowalski33
spending too much on rocks
Member since August 2004
Posts: 451
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Post by JKowalski33 on Aug 4, 2004 0:13:42 GMT -5
Thank you everybody who has responded. I have been getting advice from reading other posts and the amount of info in these forums is incredible. There are so many different factors that could go wrong in tumbling that it makes me think I won't be able to do this! I just wanted to polish the rocks I have collected over time! But thanks again. -Jackson ps. which polish would you guys suggest to use with these stones?
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Banjocreek
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since March 2003
Posts: 1,115
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Post by Banjocreek on Aug 4, 2004 0:44:04 GMT -5
I use Titanium Oxide, or Dioxide on everything except Obsidian. For that I use Tin Oxide. I usually run large mixed batches in polish, (6-12 pounds). Then I pull out what didn't shine up to par and run it in a 1.5 or 3 pound with Tin Oxide, or Cerium Oxide. If they still come out dull and I have run them at least 7 days, and I did use the 1000 grit step as a prepolish, and I really love the stuff, I may actually try to figure out what kind of stone it is, if I don't know, and look on a Lapidary Chart for a recommended polish. More often than not I throw them in my 'Dull' bucket and move on. Maybe in a year or so I'll get back to them, but I have enough interesting rock to keep me busy for at least that long.
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Post by sandsman1 on Aug 4, 2004 2:00:21 GMT -5
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James
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since October 2003
Posts: 876
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Post by James on Aug 4, 2004 2:29:28 GMT -5
It looks like you've been shopping at therockshed?
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JKowalski33
spending too much on rocks
Member since August 2004
Posts: 451
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Post by JKowalski33 on Aug 4, 2004 12:00:32 GMT -5
well actually I havn't bought anything yet, I wanted to find out the hardnesses before so I could buy rocks that worked well together. -Jackson
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Post by hermatite on Aug 4, 2004 12:19:15 GMT -5
Hi Jackson and welcome to the board. I was just reading your post and let me assure you that sure, a lot of stuff can go wrong. but tumbling is EASY! It really is. And I know it's been said here before, but even if you screw up a batch? It's usually fixable but running them through a cycle again and hey...then you've learned something for next time. I was a little trepidatious at first too...but man...when you see those rocks come out of the rough grit and their shape has changed and you know how lovely they're going to be...well...you'll be hooked. Just take the plunge and we'll help you with any questions along the way. Happy tumbling!
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Post by hermatite on Aug 4, 2004 12:22:22 GMT -5
OH and if you get a mixed batch from the rockshed you really can't go wrong. I love those guys and my loads have all turned out really nice... I get the smaller mix from there since I don't have the right hammer for breaking stuff up and it all comes out wonderfully. Plus you'll get a good idea for what stones you like this way. I thought I'd go gaga for the rose quartz...imagine my surprise when I found myself consumed by turetilla agate and sodalite. Jump on in and we're here to prop you up.
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Post by sandsman1 on Aug 4, 2004 19:42:30 GMT -5
hi again and welcome JK --you dont have to worry about therockshed.com the rock and the service is excellent!! i prob orderd stuff from them maybe 10 times allready and they amaze me everytime with the fast ship and the rock looks even better in person and if you have a question about there rock they are more then helpfull and answer with a smile ya cant see it but i just know shawn is smilin hahaha-- thats why i keep goin back
POLISH LIST
somebody had this list in alpha. order i dont have that excell thingy on my computer to make it so ---so whoever it was can you post it again so i can save it in alpha.order
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Banjocreek
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since March 2003
Posts: 1,115
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Post by Banjocreek on Aug 4, 2004 20:55:48 GMT -5
See if this works- [ftp]http://www.users.qwest.net/~hmichael31/_vti_txt/Recommended Polishes.htm[/ftp] or this- [ftp]http://www.users.qwest.net/~hmichael31/_vti_txt/Moh's Hardness.htm[/ftp] or this one- [ftp]http://www.users.qwest.net/~hmichael31/_vti_txt/Names.htm[/ftp] Maybe these are helpful to some one. Good tumbling!!
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Post by cookie3rocks on Aug 4, 2004 21:34:42 GMT -5
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RiverOtter
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2004
Posts: 339
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Post by RiverOtter on Aug 5, 2004 0:15:54 GMT -5
I agree to what everyone is saying. But if your still apprehensive, may I suggest a nice quartz mix. (Citrine and amethyst are a type of quartz also). Quartz is a nice stone to work with especially for someone just starting out. You usually don't have too much trouble with it. I commend you for doing some research first Jackson. At least your not doing what many of us did by starting on those dreaded-hard-as-nails rubies and sapphires (9 on the Mohs scale!). Good luck and welcome to the forum!
Otter
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