Tumbling question

[tailormarc]

Hey guys,
Ive gone through all the tumbling grits including aluminium oxide 1500 and im 3 days into cerium oxide polish. I just pulled a peice out to see how its coming along an while wet it looks amaizing but once dry it has a slight dull look, not much but not as good as you see in gem shops or as good as wet. Could this be that its only day 3 and after 7 days it will be fine? Is there another step after cerium oxide?

 

[LONEWOLF]

Pics could help.. :lol: ........... What 'Type' of Rocks are you Tumbling, tailormarc ?

This has worked for me with some Rocks in the Past..

Give them a few more days tumbling in Cerium, then a Very good wash with soapy water several times.. Rinse well..... Then, 1 or 2 days on the tumbler with water and a good amount of Dishwashing Liquid ONLY. check often to release pressure build-up... use heaps more washing liquid than water in the mix and it won't explode and make soapy bubbles everywhere. arty: ] .

Should work that way... if not, You could try lots of small pieces of Leather or Peanut Shells(if you love Peanuts ) in with the Rocks, Water and Dishwashing Liquid... :Y:

Do you use a separate barrel for each grit and 1 barrel ONLY for Final stage Polishing ?? Could they have been 'Cross- contaminated' with 'other' grit...?

Keen to see some pics.... 8)

Sometimes it can be very hard to get a Store Result... Big Dealers/Importers often 'Polish' their stones with other products to make them 'Shine'.... :N: or they are done by Laser Beam...
Last Year at the Tucson Show, There was a Rose Quartz Sphere that weighed over 6 ton... All done by Laser.... Look for the Zig-Zag affect on the stone/crystal/sphere.......Easy to tell after awhile....

LW......

 

[tailormarc]

Thanks for all that info, i pulled a few pieces out last night and its looking better but not quite what i was hoping for so i think a few more days (till Sat) and it should be good. I will post a few pics tonight when i get home from work

 

[tailormarc]

Pics could help.. :lol: ........... What 'Type' of Rocks are you Tumbling, tailormarc ?

This has worked for me with some Rocks in the Past..

Give them a few more days tumbling in Cerium, then a Very good wash with soapy water several times.. Rinse well..... Then, 1 or 2 days on the tumbler with water and a good amount of Dishwashing Liquid ONLY. check often to release pressure build-up... use heaps more washing liquid than water in the mix and it won't explode and make soapy bubbles everywhere. arty: ] .

Should work that way... if not, You could try lots of small pieces of Leather or Peanut Shells(if you love Peanuts ) in with the Rocks, Water and Dishwashing Liquid... :Y:

Do you use a separate barrel for each grit and 1 barrel ONLY for Final stage Polishing ?? Could they have been 'Cross- contaminated' with 'other' grit...?

Keen to see some pics.... 8)

Sometimes it can be very hard to get a Store Result... Big Dealers/Importers often 'Polish' their stones with other products to make them 'Shine'.... :N: or they are done by Laser Beam...
Last Year at the Tucson Show, There was a Rose Quartz Sphere that weighed over 6 ton... All done by Laser.... Look for the Zig-Zag affect on the stone/crystal/sphere.......Easy to tell after awhile....

LW......

I managed to get the video i posted on fb last night off my phone and upload it. Here it is.... Wait till the end to see the beautiful smokey
[video=480,360]https://youtu.be/A6YgqPxq0ZY[/video]

 

[LONEWOLF]

Nice....Love the Smokey.... :Y:

LW...

 

[tailormarc]

Nice....Love the Smokey.... :Y:

LW...

Cheers! Yep some of these are going to make good cutters!

 

[shivan]

Do you let your rocks dry between stages?
I find this helps to get an idea of where they are at and if they need any more time before moving on.

The only other thing i could add to what LoneWolf said, is don't add grit mid cycle. This can also lead to dull stones or scratches.

 

[tailormarc]

Do you let your rocks dry between stages?
I find this helps to get an idea of where they are at and if they need any more time before moving on.

The only other thing i could add to what LoneWolf said, is don't add grit mid cycle. This can also lead to dull stones or scratches.

Nope, i havnt let them dry before doing the next grit but i do let them tumble for 7-8 days strait.
Never added grit during the tumble.
I will try the detergent and ivory soap once done too

 

[Wishfull]

Something I have found and stupidly ignored is at the final grit stage defiantly change the plastic beads for new beads. The grit does imbed itself in the plastic beads and you will not get a good final polish.

 

[tailormarc]

Something I have found and stupidly ignored is at the final grit stage defiantly change the plastic beads for new beads. The grit does imbed itself in the plastic beads and you will not get a good final polish.

yep this is something i thought about, I washed the plastic beads off really well but it was in the back of my mind

 

[LONEWOLF]

I just rinse the beads and put them in a container marked with the Grit #.... Then I can use them again in the same grit.... You need to be Very Careful about Cross-contamination..

LW.....