mrflake
having dreams about rocks
Member since August 2003
Posts: 58
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Post by mrflake on Oct 4, 2003 5:24:45 GMT -5
Just opened a barrel of stones in the cerium and found it full of froth, the froth was a fine bubble and brilliant white almost shiny, and did not dissipate. Is this normal?
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Post by Original Admin on Oct 4, 2003 16:21:21 GMT -5
MrFlake,
I have had this too, I put it down to me not rinsing soap out of the stones thoroughly during the previous grit tumble.
This may not be the answer in your particular case, but I strongly suspected it to be the problem for me in that instance.
It didn't cause any damage to the polish though and they came through fine.
The less amount of soap remaining - the finer the bubbles will be.....
Andy.
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mrflake
having dreams about rocks
Member since August 2003
Posts: 58
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Post by mrflake on Oct 4, 2003 18:52:43 GMT -5
Hi Andy, must be some other reason in my case, I didn't put any soap in the 400 grit stage (nothing added other than plastic pellets in fact). I am wondering if it is anything to do with haveing a mixed batch of stones of which some were jasper and the asscoiated gas release that goes with it. Does jasper alone give frothy polish? Cheers mrflake
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Post by docone31 on Oct 4, 2003 22:11:09 GMT -5
All the cerium oxide I have used has been orange. I too have had this white froth on my finer tumbles. I suspect their is some coloidal seperation at this point and it ends up in a foam. When I facet, no matter what the stone is, the residue is white. This includes emerald and ruby. I have just taken for granted the white foam is a part of the fine polish. There are some pretty knowlegeable folks on this site. This is a question I would love to have answered. I supposed the fracture from the grit, and diamonds on the stones produce a whiteish residue. Larger chips would retain the hue of the stone. This is a good one.
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mrflake
having dreams about rocks
Member since August 2003
Posts: 58
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Post by mrflake on Oct 5, 2003 11:39:19 GMT -5
Just found the nswer in a facetting book, "too much powder will make the lap sudsy", so the next question is does it matter in a barrel, will it make polishing any quicker, perhaps the froth will help to cushion the stones anyway.
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mrflake
having dreams about rocks
Member since August 2003
Posts: 58
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Post by mrflake on Oct 5, 2003 11:45:03 GMT -5
meant to add, the powder is kind of orangey, but only just off white orange if you know what i mean, also put "canadian balsam" into googlr search engine and one of the fiurst finds for the phrase was a cream for piles (haemorroids), is that what youv'e been using Doc? lol, also for any one in the UK who has come across the term "denatured alcohol", well over it is is known as methlyated spirits, funny how we have the same things under different names.
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Post by docone31 on Oct 5, 2003 17:20:19 GMT -5
Too much grit. That makes sense. I have been using Canadian Balsam, and boiled linseed oil. Both are mediums for artist oil paints, and oil paints for houses. The Canadian Balsam is clear, an the linseed oil is dark. I do like the effect of linseed oil on some stones.
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