Has anyone had success tumbling BlackJack /Black Spinel?

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joe

joe

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Hi Guys, if any of you would like to share tumbling black spinel success experience that would be greatly appreciated. Have a collection that I would like to give a go and dont want to use the trial and error method due to the cost of the diamond powder #600 grit ($1/gram)

Thank you Joe
 
Got kilos of the stuff and never even thought of trying them Joe. Might stick a kilo in the tumbler this week and will keep you informed of the progress mate. I think Liz will be able to do something with them. :D

Cheers Wal.
 
Thanks Wal, I've read it can take up to 6 weeks, maybe 3.5 if you use vibratory and would you be mixing them with sapphires low grade?
 
Heres a few I did a couple of months ago. I've been a bit lazy they need to go back in for a burnish

1400312977_dscf7701.jpg


1400313068_dscf7700.jpg


Cheers

Col
 
joe said:
That's awesome Col, what grit are you using?
Click to expand...

Hey Joe,

I put them through 7ish days at 80, 220, 800 then a 14k polish I should stick them in for a day with some hand soap to clean them up a bit :8

The two course grits are silicon carbide I think.

Cheers

Col
 
Colin&Lee said:
joe said:
That's awesome Col, what grit are you using?
Click to expand...

Hey Joe,

I put them through 7ish days at 80, 220, 800 then a 14k polish I should stick them in for a day with some hand soap to clean them up a bit :8

The two course grits are silicon carbide I think.

Cheers

Col
Click to expand...

Thanks for sharing mate, not many people get good results - you've seem to have the right formula.

These stones are gaining popularity in jewellery world being the closes thing to black diamond. I'd say keep collecting them :)
 
They look nice mate. Gotta keep the good bits of Spinel, I've been flicking heaps too lately though, gets annoying sorting it from Sapphs, you think you have more than you actually do.
 
Wow,,I love finding spinels
And the saphs are a bonus...
They sure come up very nice col
 
Wow Colin, they came out wonderfully shiny. I would definitely bring everything home, you never know what the future of the stone market will bring!
 
Thanks for showing your tumbled Spinel Colin, I must say they are fantastic looking stones, with a hardness of 8 I guess they would hold their luster for many years.

Gordon :)
 
I should have been a bit clearer in my grit usage instruction it's 7ish days on each grit about a month total tumbling.

Cheers

Col
 

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