Tumbler abrasives

I have several tumblers, abrasives that came with them and abrasives from
telescope making.

The stuff that came with the tumbler is simply coarse, medium, fine and
polish with not a clue what they really are.

I also have 80, 120, 220, 500, 12 u, .5u and cerium oxide.

Would someone please lay out the steps usually used for tumbling stones?
How many and which ones.

Thanks,

js

Check out the EasyGem http://schmidling.netfirms.com/eg.htm

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&i...=Google+Search

took less than a second.

--

Don Thompson

~~~~~~~~

"Jack Schmidling" wrote in message
...
I have several tumblers, abrasives that came with them and abrasives from
telescope making.

The stuff that came with the tumbler is simply coarse, medium, fine and
polish with not a clue what they really are.

I also have 80, 120, 220, 500, 12 u, .5u and cerium oxide.

Would someone please lay out the steps usually used for tumbling stones?
How many and which ones.

Thanks,

js

Check out the EasyGem http://schmidling.netfirms.com/eg.htm

Depending on the hardness of the rocks you are tumbling determines the
length of time for each grit. Also how round you want them. I usually keep
each grit for about 7 days at a time. Mostly because I forget about when I
started. 7 days is a fair time. wash stones between each grit to remove each
coarse grit from before. About 2 hours in Tide soap at a tumble. Each tumble
use a finer grit until polish. I also, on the last tumble use Tide soap for
about 5 days. It does bring out a nice shine.

Joe
"Jack Schmidling" wrote in message
...
I have several tumblers, abrasives that came with them and abrasives from
telescope making.

The stuff that came with the tumbler is simply coarse, medium, fine and
polish with not a clue what they really are.

I also have 80, 120, 220, 500, 12 u, .5u and cerium oxide.

Would someone please lay out the steps usually used for tumbling stones?
How many and which ones.

Thanks,

js

Check out the EasyGem http://schmidling.netfirms.com/eg.htm

If all anyone is ever going to do is admonish people for not
"googling" their questions, there really isn't a reason for this
group. I would imagine that any and everything can be googled, so
what's the point of posting a question here? I've thought of posting,
but I don't because I don't relish the thought of someone simply
saying "don't you know how to google?" Perhaps I'm confused (there's
your opening Abrasha) maybe someone can tell me what the purpose of
this group really is.

wrote in message
...
If all anyone is ever going to do is admonish people for not
"googling" their questions, there really isn't a reason for this
group. I would imagine that any and everything can be googled, so
what's the point of posting a question here? I've thought of posting,
but I don't because I don't relish the thought of someone simply
saying "don't you know how to google?" Perhaps I'm confused (there's
your opening Abrasha) maybe someone can tell me what the purpose of
this group really is.

Think of it this way. The purpose of this group is the same as if it were a
perpetual conversation in the local coffee house. The difference is that the
people who come here for the first time are exceptionally rude. They seldom,
if ever, bother to read the whole list of postings that inevitably show on
their newsreader when they first subscribe to this group. Some of which
might well answer their "burning" question. Instead they barge right in with
their question expecting an instant answer. None of them would even consider
doing that at the coffee house ( or would they? Some people are born
idiots.), instead they would listen in to the ongoing conversation and only
upon being accepted as a legitimate participant AND when an opening presents
will they ask their question. Generally they will have contributed something
of themselves to the ongoing flow and thus they will receive their answer.
They give. First. Then they ask. Simple politeness you see. One sure way to
be excluded from the conversation in the coffee house is to insult the very
person who might give you the best answer, or even the third best answer,
right off the bat. The information you want has some value to you or you
would not ask the question. But what value do YOU place on that information?
High enough to work at finding the answer? If so what work have you done to
find that answer? If you are not willing to work for the answer just exactly
why do you think someone else ought to work for free to provide you with the
answer? Why should I, or anyone else for that matter, patiently explain
common courtesy to you? Why didn't your mommy teach you some manners before
she let you loose on the world? If she had you most probably would not have
posted this particular piece.

--

Don Thompson

~~~~~~~~

If all anyone is ever going to do is admonish people for not
"googling" their questions, there really isn't a reason for this
group....

Thank you. I was going to say something similar but after spending an hour
trying to get the answers (and failing) I was looking for on the links, I
lost my motivation.

One guy said to use a table spoon for the size of the tumbler or some such
nonsense. About repeating this about 5 times in 4 pages, later he
eventually
said.... if it's a two pound tumbler use two table spoons. Thanks but how
the heck do I know how many pounds my tumbler is? Pounds of what? That
include the motor and stand? Wouldn't tbs per pounds of stones make more
sense?

I never did found out what coarse, medium and fine mean in grit size. I did
learn that it takes weeks not days per grit but 3 sentences could have saved
me an hour.

js


--
Astronomy, Beer, Cheese, Gems, Sausage http://schmidling.netfirms.com

On Mon, 24 May 2004 22:34:24 -0700, in rec.crafts.jewelry "Don T"
wrote:

Think of it this way. The purpose of this group is the same as if it were a
perpetual conversation in the local coffee house. The difference is that the
people who come here for the first time are exceptionally rude. They seldom,
if ever, bother to read the whole list of postings that inevitably show on
their newsreader when they first subscribe to this group. Some of which
might well answer their "burning" question. Instead they barge right in with
their question expecting an instant answer.

Don, While this opinion certainly has a degree of validity, it should also be
pointed out that this approach, which tends to suggest that the 'regulars" in
the group have some greater right to be here, or that newcomers should confrom
to the standards of the regulars, also is the same type of thing that has given
many newsgroups a bad rap for being elitist and cliqueish.

Let me state it clearly. Usenet newsgroups, including rec.crafts.jewelry, are
totally public domain. nobody, newcomer or old seasond and revered regular,
has any greater right to post, or to direct the direction of the discussion.
Within the group, I'm about the only one with any suggested authority to do
that, and then only within the bounds of the charter restrictions of what's on
topic and allowed, and what's not.

Newcomers who wish to post a question to this group, even if it is something
that could easily be found on Google, are welcome to do so, and while I won't
reject a post for discouraging such posts (I can't, so long as they remain on
topic and are not personal attacks), I can point out that anyone who objects to
such posts has the freedom to just not reply.

While there is a wealth of information on Google, a search engine has one big
failing, which it shares with the internet as a whole. It's indiscriminate.
A search won't find the one best answer, it finds virtually all potential links
to a subject. More astute use of the search engines, perhaps several of them,
can narrow things down, but even then, while it can take but seconds to find
many many links to a subject, it can be time consuming and frustrating to try
and wade through all the links in what may end up as a futile search for the
information actually desired. I'm pretty good with a search engine myself, but
i've now and then wished that i could just find some human being who knew a
subject, to whome I could simply address my question, being then able to trust
that the answer I got was actually what I was looking for.

And THAT is one of the prime reasons this newsgroup exists, and one of the main
functions that makes it worth my while to volunteer my time as moderator.

One of the big problems with being a beginner in any field is that often you
don't quite know which questions to ask, or how to ask them, nor do you yet
know how to weed the extrainious information from a broad field of potential
answers, to find the best answer. Info on the net is often conflicting or
inclomplete, or poorly enough written that it's hard to understand.

A simple question on a newsgroup, with hopefully a followup thread of replies
from a number of people who believe they have a helpful answer can be a LOT
more useful to a beginner than Google.

And we, the folks who've hung around this group for a while, and enjoy the
sometimes more complex issues and conversations, should not downplay the
importance of simple questions to those who ask them.

Also, Don, a newsgroup is NOT like that coffee bar. A person coming in and
asking a question that they might find answered in archives (if their news
server keeps posts long enough to be useful, not all do) is NOT doing the same
thing as interrupting an ongoing in person conversation. They are instead,
coming to an appropriate and right place on the net to find a bunch of
jewelry enthousiasts, craftspeople, and sometimes experts, who often could
easily answer their questions.

Their queries, even if simplistic or easily answered elsewhere, would be better
just answered, rather than met with dirision, scorn, or elitist attitudes.

I would suggest that there are two types of posts which reference Google.

One type is when a suggestion to google a question is based on the
understanding that the wealth of links to be found is far more than the
responder is personally willing or able to retype, and that the searcher might
be much better and more richly served with that google search. This answer is
given in the spirit of helping out, pointing the way to the required
information. this is the same as a teacher, faced with a student question,
reaching over to a bookshelf, handing the student the appopriate text and
mentioning which chapter they should read. A useful and helpful answer.
Our job, as those regulars and perhaps experts, is to avoid becoming so sure in
our own self importance as to forget that we too, were all once absolute
beginners, needing then to have the simplest things explained at least the
first time.

The second type of answer is the self important one, belittleing the questioner
with the suggestion that they should not have bothered coming to the group, and
how come they were too lazy to check google, etc. This type of answer does not
serve to constructively help a student or beginner. it just drives them away
from the group, and perhaps from the field, making them feel unwelcome and
inadequate.

Now, telling the difference between these two may not be easy since either type
of response might be a post with just the google link. It's the spirit in
which the sender of that post hits the send button in their newsreader, and
only they know that.

Every one of us no doubt owes much of our own knowledge and ability to the help
and teaching of others who took the time and effort to share their knowledge
and ability with us, either in person, or over the net, or in a book, or simply
by example in finished work from which we could learn.

So then, not as your moderator, but just someone who feels strongly about the
role of peer to peer education, and helping others learn this craft, hobby, or
profession, whichever it may be, might I suggest that we all try to shape our
replies to a question not in the manner which serves our egos, but rather in
whatever manner we feel will best serve the interests of the person asking the
question. Only each one of you will know your own motivation in how you
answer a post. For some of you, it will seem obvious that the best and
simplest answer to a question will be to give the poster the suggestion to
check google, and that's fine. For others, the best answer will be clearly a
post in which you actually choose to answer the question. That too is fine.

But lets not get into an argument over whether or not one should always check
google first. Lets try to just be charitable here. After all. it's not like
this group is so busy that a few extra questions are gonna kill anyone, or
waste too much valuable time. Nobody is forcing anyone to answer any posts.
if you're not interested, or don't have the time, then let it go. This
isn't rocket science, folks.

Just try to be reasonably civil, and try to help instead of judge, when you've
got the time and inclination to do so. The group will be better for it, and
those folks who come here for help will be better served.

Peter

wrote in message
...
If all anyone is ever going to do is admonish people for not
"googling" their questions, there really isn't a reason for this
group. I would imagine that any and everything can be googled, so
what's the point of posting a question here? I've thought of posting,
but I don't because I don't relish the thought of someone simply
saying "don't you know how to google?" Perhaps I'm confused (there's
your opening Abrasha) maybe someone can tell me what the purpose of
this group really is.

P.S. Google will sometimes have conflicting information. When it does is a
good time to ask for clarification. That *might* be what the purpose of
this group _really_ is.

--

Don Thompson

~~~~~~~~

Google. .033 seconds. http://www.rockpeddler.com/pg31.htm All you need to
know about grit. Grit sizes. Which grit to use on which stones. Which to use
to cab, vibrating lap. tumbler, and faceting.

--

Don Thompson

~~~~~~~~

"Jack Schmidling" wrote in message
...



If all anyone is ever going to do is admonish people for not
"googling" their questions, there really isn't a reason for this
group....

Thank you. I was going to say something similar but after spending an
hour
trying to get the answers (and failing) I was looking for on the links, I
lost my motivation.

One guy said to use a table spoon for the size of the tumbler or some such
nonsense. About repeating this about 5 times in 4 pages, later he
eventually
said.... if it's a two pound tumbler use two table spoons. Thanks but how
the heck do I know how many pounds my tumbler is? Pounds of what? That
include the motor and stand? Wouldn't tbs per pounds of stones make more
sense?

I never did found out what coarse, medium and fine mean in grit size. I
did
learn that it takes weeks not days per grit but 3 sentences could have
saved
me an hour.

js


--
Astronomy, Beer, Cheese, Gems, Sausage http://schmidling.netfirms.com

"Don T"

Google. .033 seconds. http://www.rockpeddler.com/pg31.htm All you need to
know about grit. Grit sizes. Which grit to use on which stones. Which to
use
to cab, vibrating lap. tumbler, and faceting.

Thank you for the link. Much more useful than pointing to google.

BTW, .033seconds sounds really slick but some of us country folks still have
to deal with phone lines.

I didn't look at the link yet but if it does not equate coarse, medium and
fine to numbers.... you lose as that is still my unanswered question.

js


--
Astronomy, Beer, Cheese, Gems, Sausage http://schmidling.netfirms.com