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Post by Nancy Willson on Aug 21, 2004 21:20:38 GMT -5
My rocks are in final polish. They are really churning fast. Do you turn down the speed/intensity at all in final polish? When do you change the speed/intensity on the vibe tumblers? It seems I am always on "high" when I tumble. thanks for any help!!! Nancy Willson
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Post by cookie3rocks on Aug 21, 2004 22:47:28 GMT -5
Hi Nancy, My vibe (RayTech #5) doesn't have a varible speed. What do you run, as I've never heard of one that has. All grits should run at the same speed, as far as I know. When you get to pre polish/polish, you cut back on the water a bit. In a vibe, you really want a paste on the stone. It should roll like a washing machine, around the circumference, and over itself as well. (does that make sense?) I just put some flint in 600, used 3 heaping tablespoons of grit and five level tablespoons of water and it's rolling exacly the way it should. Frankly, I was mesmerised by it, could have sat there and watched it roll for hours. Such is the adiction Good luck and let us know, cookie
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llanago
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2004
Posts: 1,714
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Post by llanago on Aug 21, 2004 23:29:29 GMT -5
3 heaping tablespoons of grit and five level tablespoons of waterTablespoons? ? Sheesh, I use 2 teaspoons of grit and 2 tablespoons of water if the rocks are wet and 4 tbls. water if they are dry. Why do you use so much? Does it work faster or what? llanago
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Post by cookie3rocks on Aug 22, 2004 0:03:23 GMT -5
Llana, it's probably overkill, but pre polish usually takes 24 hours that way.. I use less in polish, it takes 24 as well. I'm still experimenting, so maybe I am using to much I also bumped up the volume with "junk" rock to get it back to 3 lbs, so it's pretty full, I don't use pellets so I let the paste do the buffering. Pellets are probably better than extra grit, but I just hate 'em so! By morning (12 hrs) I know it will need more water. This is your flint, by the way, and the colors are going to be perfect for fall/winter jewley! How have your batches done using less grit? cookie
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llanago
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2004
Posts: 1,714
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Post by llanago on Aug 22, 2004 4:12:41 GMT -5
Cookie, I don't use pellets in the Vibe, not even in the polish stage. Using 2 tsps of grit and 2 tbls water, I haven't had any build up/sticking the bottom problem and usually run each stage for at least two to three days, cleaning bowl and rocks every twelve hours. I took a batch out today that I ran the coarse stage in a combination rotary/vibe, then everything else in the vibe. Got a nice polish on them, but ended up sending at least half of them back to 60/90 because on closer inspection, there were some cracks in them or I just want to shape them a bit more. I am getting picker and picker with each batch. I think I would have been happier with them had I kept them in the rotary in 60/90 at least another week before moving them along. Just got impatient to have a finished batch. Checked 2 six pound barrels and 4 three pound barrels today. Sorted thru them, picked out those I thought were ready to go to medium, put them in a wash for 3-4 hrs., sorted thru them again. After close inspection I ended up with barely enough to go into the vibe in 100. All the rest, plus the ones from polish I wasn't happy with went back in 60/90 for another week. This is the second batch I got thru polish then ended up redoing most of it. I just gotta start being more patient with that 60/90 stage. Of course, had I not been seeing all the wonderful batches everybody else has been turning out, I would have been happy with this batch. llana
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Post by connrock on Aug 22, 2004 12:23:59 GMT -5
Hi Nancy,,,, The vibe units look like their action is violent but in fact it's very gentle. If you put your finger right into the rolling rocks you'll see what I mean. I don't change the amplitude of my vibe unit no matter what cycle i'm running!! Tom
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Post by Nancy W on Aug 23, 2004 0:36:08 GMT -5
Thanks for all your good info. I cracked up when I read the reply about watching the rocks in the vibe. My is on the ground on the patio right now and my husband says if I spent as much time doing housework as I do bent over watching the rocks in the tumbler, our house would be spotless. NOT!!! Which is more fun? That is a "no brainer". I checked this load this evening and by the morning it should be done. When I get a chance I will take pictures and tell the fun story how we got these rocks. It is a hoot! xo, Nancy W.
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Post by puppie96 on Aug 23, 2004 3:11:30 GMT -5
I've got the Raytech TV-5, and the proportions I use are the ones in the directions that came with the tumbler, which call for 2 teaspoons of product and either 2 or 4 TEAspoons of water depending upon whether the rock is wet or dry. I admit that I add a bit more water than that, but nowhere near double, so others are using much more than I am. Everything I've read tells you to use a minimal amount of water as long as the unit doesn't dry out because you don't want the rocks sticking to the mud in the bottom. I do the same on the polish step. I see no advantage in using more water, as far as I know it just slows down the process, and in my experience, makes a big mess (splashes up and runs down the sides of the bowl). I've been using the Raytech proprietary product (Raybrite TL, I think) for polish in the vibe and currently I'm also using a half teaspoon of another Raytech product called luster-something-or-other, I forget and it's way down there in the basement. Stuff I've read tells you not to use plastic pellets in the vibe -- they don't accomplish anything. The Rock Shed's web site has an article on vibe tumbling which is useful and informative. They suggest using more water in the polish stage, saying that the water itself acts as a cushioning agent making pellets or other filler unnecessary. However, when I try this I get the splash mess. I believe the problem here is that they are using a different manufacturer's vibe which can handle adding water. llana, I've also had the problem of not liking the surfaces after completing a polish and going back to 60/90. An occupational hazard, I believe. Patience and self control are helpful.
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Post by cookie3rocks on Aug 23, 2004 22:43:48 GMT -5
Think I got carried away with the 600, I just got a new shipment and just went nuts, but the water was proportionate. about 1 to 1 1/3 . I didn't get any instructons with my vibe, so I've been listening to puppies, she's the vibe queen I'm in polish now, cerium oxide, and used 2 teaspoons CO, 1/2 teaspoon CO optical greade and 4 teaspoons water on dry stone. We'll see... ;D cookie
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llanago
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2004
Posts: 1,714
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Post by llanago on Aug 23, 2004 23:54:29 GMT -5
puppies, I have discovered by trial and error that what works best for me is 2 teaspoons of grit/polish and 2 tablespoons of water or 4 if the rocks are dry. If I use less water than that I end up with dehydration and rocks stuck in the yuck on the bottom. I think 2 tablespoons work for me maybe because it's so hot here and the water evaporates so fast. I have to check it at least every 12 hours, clean the rocks and bowl and recharge. I can't go 24 hrs. without having the rocks stuck in the yuck.
llana
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Post by puppie96 on Aug 24, 2004 0:14:15 GMT -5
llana, interesting observation about the environmental conditions. Hadn't thought of that. Mine's in the basement, next to the furnace/air conditioner, so in the summer it's the coldest place in the house. Changing humidity and temp might explain why I have unexpected bad days when it all sticks. I do agree with you about the 12 hour limit, I really can't take it past that without getting muck. Another oddity I'm noticing right now is that the rock can be slippery wet with mud and still be stuck on the bottom. Why that should happen is beyond me.
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