Tumble and Polish

Stage 1: 80/100grit

Number of stones: 60+12+10 = 82
Mainly Gemstone Beach plus some Papatotara Beach stones
Weight in: 1744g
7 Tbspns 80/100grit – no pellets
Days tumbling: 14
Weight out: 1427g – a loss of 317g

Stage 2: 220grit

Removed 6 stones to redo at Stage 1 – keeping an eye on 2 other stones that perhaps I should have also removed. I’m testing their progress to see if the imperfections smooth out during Stage 2. Added 14 stones from the holding box + 7 more to make up the barrel load.

Number of stones: 76+14+7 = 97
Weight in: 1676g
7 Tbspns 220grit – no pellets added
Days tumbling: 14
Weight out: 1350g – a loss of 326g

It is really hard to identify some stones at various tumble stages. I tried to re-create the three top photos and found it quite difficult! I think I was able to recreate the images of the “added” stones. As you can see quite a number of the stones have changed dramatically either in size or even shape with some features of the stone becoming more or less prominent! No wonder it’s so hard to identify them through the various stages.

I am now thinking that unless I am make a video of a batch of stones and their progress through all of the tumbling stages, I probably won’t try to take images of all the stones after each stage anymore. There might be the odd one or two stones that I track the progress of so hopefully they will be a little easier to spot and capture!

Stage 3: 400grit

I’ve removed 8 stones that need a redo at Stage 2. Included in those 8 are the two stones that I was keeping an eye on. I realise now that I should have removed them back at Stage 1 to redo 80/100g. Although, as the images show, the imperfections (pits and gouge) did smooth out quite a lot more but it wasn’t enough for me. Now they will do a redo at 220grit along with the six other stones. (Placed in the holding box for future tumblings at 220grit).

There’s another stone that I’m tracking now to see if the faint crack smooths out in 400grit. The crack, whilst barely noticeable to touch is quite visible to the eye.

Added 8 hydrogrossulars (too smooth for Stages 1 & 2). These hydrogrossulars were found by JP at Gemstone Beach during our third fossick and kindly given to me to keep.

Also added to the batch at Stage 3 was another 6 stones from the Gemstone Beach holding box. These stones were already super smooth so didn’t need any tumbling at 80/100grit or 220grit. (These stones were from Fossick 4 with JP).

Number of stones: 97-8+8+6=103
Weight in: 1323g
7 Tbspns 220grit – 21 Tbspns pellets added
Days tumbling: 14
Weight out:

Stage 4: Polish

103 stones – to polish.

Number of stones: 97-8+8+6=103
Weight in: 1051g
Polish Mix – 2nd use (9Tbspns polish mix with 600ml of clean water)
Days tumbling: 11
Weight out: 1051g – no loss.

Stage 5: Burnish

48 hours in 2 Tbspns of borax for final burnishing and cleaning for extra shine!

To be honest, there’s a larger number of stones than usual that I’m a little disappointed in. There’s lots of fine cracks and quite a number of stones that appear to have chipped in the polish and/or borax process. I’ve placed the handful of stones that I really like but aren’t happy with in a new holding box – perhaps I’ll pop these ones back into a barrel that is running either 400grit or 600grit to see if I can smooth them up a little more.

These are the stones – as you can see that large white/yellow/pinkish one I was tracking to see if the faint crack smooths out in 400grit, didn’t smooth out completely 🙁