Batch 51: Tumbling the Last of Kakanui Stones

It was bound to happen. I am tumbling the last of the Kakanui stones from my fossicking trip to Oamaru. Oh well, that just means it must be time to start planning another trip there. I also really like to get up to Birdlings Flat Beach just outside of Christchurch. The beach is well known as a place to find small agates and a variety of other attractive rounded pebbles. I have long been envious of fellow rockhounds who post their agate finds!!

The 17 stones added to Stage 2 were originally in Batch 49 (Hampden Beach) and were ready for 220grit when the rest of Batch 49 needed another few tumbles in 80/100grit. I don’t like mixing stones from different places but it’s highly unlikely that I will be doing another batch from Hampden Beach.

Batch 51: 3lb Tumbler 2

Stage 1: 80/100grit

Number of Stones: 38
Weight in: Forgot to weigh (am doing this a lot lately)
4 Tbspns of 80/100grit
1 Tbspn Borax
No pellets added
Days Tumbling: 10
Weight out: 698g

Stage 2: 220grit

Number of Stones: 28+17=45
Weight in: 472g + 140g = 612g
4 Tbspns of 220grit
1 Tbspn Borax
Pellets added
Days Tumbling: 11
Weight out: 104g – loss of g

Stage 3: 400grit

Number of Stones: 45
Weight in: 508g
4 Tbspns of 400grit
1 Tbspn Borax
Plastic Pellets added
Days Tumbling: 9
Weight out: 430g – loss of 78grams

Batch 51: Pre-tumble

Batch 51 - Kakanui — NOTE: The top mid large tan stone removed as well as top yellow-brown stone (barrel was full)

Batch 51: Added to Stage 2

Hampden Beach — Originally from Batch 49 – these stones were ready for 220grit before the rest of the batch (in Holding box)

Batch 51: After Stage 1

B51 - after 80/100grit — Stones on left ready for 220grit – stones on right – need another round of 80/100grit

After 400grit Batch 51 (48 stones) was combined with Batch 49 and transferred to 4lbT1 to do a tumble in 600grit because quite a number of stones in both batches had small grooves or pits that I thought might come out in the 600grit.

Transfer to 4lb Tumbler 1

Stage 4: 600grit

Number of Stones: 48+62=110
Weight in: 1256g
7 Tbspns of 600grit
1½ Tbspn borax
Days Tumbling: 10
Weight out: 1109g – loss of 147grams

24 hour soap tumble in preparation for polishing.

After close inspecting many stones did not go through to polish because they were still bruised or pitted or not smooth enough to polish. Quite a few were removed completely and will not be tumbled any further.

12 Gemstone Beach slices + 46 stones did go through to polish (with 17 stones put in the Kakanui redo box). Along with those stones went Batch 53 (38 stones) and Batch 52 (44 stones)

Stage 5: Tumble Polish Mix

Number of Stones: 12+46+38+44=140
Weight in: 1991grams
Polish Mix (NEW): 9 Tbspns of polish mixed with 600mls of clean water.
Plastic Pellets added.
Days Tumbling: 11

From 4lbT1 — B49 (Hampden Beach) + B51 (Kakanui) plus the cut stones from Gemstone Beach. The stones on the right are not going to polish because they are bruised or pitted or not smooth enough to polish. Quite a few won’t be tumbled anymore as they are too small to continue any further or their pits are too deep to tumble out.

Polish Complete

B49 B51 B52 B53 complete — B49, 51, 52 and 53 complete – tumbled and polished

Polished Stones of Interest: Batch 51

I really have no idea what these stones are. My best guess is most are quartzite (or chalcedony – pronounced cal-sed-a-nee). “Chalcedony is a cryptocrystalline form of silica, composed of very fine intergrowths of quartz and moganit e.” There is also the odd beach agate in the mix too. They caught my eye in their unpolished state on the beach and I am more than happy with the shine polishing them in the tumbler has given them.