I could be wrong, but I seem to remember reading that "granite" and "quartz" worktops for kitchens etc aren't actually pure quartz and granite at all. I think I read that they crush an amount of the original rock down and then mix it with some sort of medium before moulding and machining the (now fabricated) slabs to size. If it's true, it could account for the way some of your tumbles came out. To back it up, I've tumbled beach granite many times myself, and it does seem pretty hard. Easily surviving 7 days in coarse with just a minor reduction in size (I've found). Of course it might depend on the make up of the granite as well, as it can have varying levels of elements in it.
Hi Colin, I can assure you the granite I tumbled was real natural granite. The process you are talking about is generally called reconstituted or agglomerate, granite or marble bonded with resin. I too have successfully tumbled rocks from the beach that certainly look like granite but not any granite I have ever seen in slab form. So I wonder if these are granite or simply a form of chalcedony or basalt? You are right about the make up of the granite being a factor, I am sure the finer grained granites will tumble the best. thank you for the interesting input and thank you for watching.
Thanks so much for doing this work with the granite. I really like the look of it. I think if I pick some up and try it I might use the plastic from the beginning just to keep the stones from beating each other up right from the beginning.
Hi Lisa, give it a go and please let me know how you get on, You may be right about the plastic beads, I will bear that in mind and try it out, perhaps on all softer stones. Keep safe and thank you for your thoughtful contribution.
i've had horrible luck tumbling obsidian(only tried it once, and didn't really know what i was doing at the time), but i wonder if a tumbling recipe for something softer like obsidian would work better on your blue and green granite? You do have to use quite a lot of buffer material (apparently a lot more than i did) to keep the stones from smacking into each other quite as much in the tumbler and be really cautious on the rough grit stages, but once you get to the finer grit pre-polish and polish stages as long as you have enough buffer material you can let them run for quite a while, from what i understand
Hi Spencer, my impression is that it is the granular structure of granite that is the problem, I suspect that on any stone like this (granular) we will have the same problem. I will try other things though and your idea is as good as anything I have come up with. I have only just started using the plastic beads as a buffer but so far I am impressed. I have polished Obsidian, or what I think is Obsidian but only as part of a general tumble of beach stones and they polished really well. I was thinking of polishing a black pebble load and will probably give it a try. Thank you for thoughtful the input and for watching. Keep tumbling and keep safe!
Can I ask a side question. I get great polish with Cerium Oxide on faceting and Cabochons. Have you tried a final polish with a slurry of CeO, not a flood but more a paste in the barreling process?
Hi Morris, I have not yet tried cerium oxide but when I do I will try your idea. I am already using less water generally. Thank you for the interesting input!
@@thestonecraftingworkshop7490 I tried my first tumble using all your tricks of borax etc. Took 4 weeks of going through the grades of abrasive. Then I ended with a cerium oxide and plastic pellets polish, plus water to 40% full. After 3 days they came up very shiny! The cerium oxide seems to work very well
Hi, you are right, I now no longer worry how long a tumble lasts, fast or slow I am only interested in getting the best result I can. I am always cheered up by how thoughtful so many peoples comments are, so thank you.
I really enjoy your videos, they are very informative and helpful.
Glad you like them!
I could be wrong, but I seem to remember reading that "granite" and "quartz" worktops for kitchens etc aren't actually pure quartz and granite at all. I think I read that they crush an amount of the original rock down and then mix it with some sort of medium before moulding and machining the (now fabricated) slabs to size. If it's true, it could account for the way some of your tumbles came out. To back it up, I've tumbled beach granite many times myself, and it does seem pretty hard. Easily surviving 7 days in coarse with just a minor reduction in size (I've found). Of course it might depend on the make up of the granite as well, as it can have varying levels of elements in it.
Hi Colin, I can assure you the granite I tumbled was real natural granite. The process you are talking about is generally called reconstituted or agglomerate, granite or marble bonded with resin. I too have successfully tumbled rocks from the beach that certainly look like granite but not any granite I have ever seen in slab form. So I wonder if these are granite or simply a form of chalcedony or basalt? You are right about the make up of the granite being a factor, I am sure the finer grained granites will tumble the best. thank you for the interesting input and thank you for watching.
Thanks so much for doing this work with the granite. I really like the look of it. I think if I pick some up and try it I might use the plastic from the beginning just to keep the stones from beating each other up right from the beginning.
Hi Lisa, give it a go and please let me know how you get on, You may be right about the plastic beads, I will bear that in mind and try it out, perhaps on all softer stones. Keep safe and thank you for your thoughtful contribution.
Didn’t think of granite! Looks good
Hi Morris, As you saw I had mixed results but like all tumbling experiments it was interesting and fun. Always worth trying new things! All the best.
Awesome video! Thanks for the tips! Always looking to improve my batches! Subbed!
Thanks for the sub!
thank you for the tips!!
You are of course welcome, Thank you as always , all the best.
i've had horrible luck tumbling obsidian(only tried it once, and didn't really know what i was doing at the time), but i wonder if a tumbling recipe for something softer like obsidian would work better on your blue and green granite? You do have to use quite a lot of buffer material (apparently a lot more than i did) to keep the stones from smacking into each other quite as much in the tumbler and be really cautious on the rough grit stages, but once you get to the finer grit pre-polish and polish stages as long as you have enough buffer material you can let them run for quite a while, from what i understand
Hi Spencer, my impression is that it is the granular structure of granite that is the problem, I suspect that on any stone like this (granular) we will have the same problem. I will try other things though and your idea is as good as anything I have come up with. I have only just started using the plastic beads as a buffer but so far I am impressed. I have polished Obsidian, or what I think is Obsidian but only as part of a general tumble of beach stones and they polished really well. I was thinking of polishing a black pebble load and will probably give it a try. Thank you for thoughtful the input and for watching. Keep tumbling and keep safe!
Can I ask a side question. I get great polish with Cerium Oxide on faceting and Cabochons. Have you tried a final polish with a slurry of CeO, not a flood but more a paste in the barreling process?
Hi Morris, I have not yet tried cerium oxide but when I do I will try your idea. I am already using less water generally. Thank you for the interesting input!
@@thestonecraftingworkshop7490 I tried my first tumble using all your tricks of borax etc. Took 4 weeks of going through the grades of abrasive. Then I ended with a cerium oxide and plastic pellets polish, plus water to 40% full. After 3 days they came up very shiny! The cerium oxide seems to work very well
When we are younger we tend to be impatient. As you get older you realise there is no real rush
Hi, you are right, I now no longer worry how long a tumble lasts, fast or slow I am only interested in getting the best result I can. I am always cheered up by how thoughtful so many peoples comments are, so thank you.