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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 พ.ค. 2024
- As time goes on, we all keep learning new techniques and gain more experiences. In this video we take a fresh look at this method of Polishing.
We are allways learning from each other, please make Comments on video, I try to reply back to everyone.
This method of Polishing Rocks is only one of many, I have tried to explain all aspects of this method, but be flexible, you might discover ways to make it easier for your individual situation and equipment, thats what learning is all about !
Brought to you by the Facebook group
“Mackay Fossils and Rocks”
my latest video showing techniques for the variable speed sander/polisher is here -
Cutting and Polishing Peanut Wood
• Polishing Rocks with H...
to see my other polishing rocks with hand held polisher/sander videos, see link below ...
Lapidary Tutorials and Methods
• Lapidary Tutorials and... - วิทยาศาสตร์และเทคโนโลยี
Thanks Kev. Got my pads in earlier in the week and thought I’d watch your vids again. I think you style is of teaching is very clear and most helpful. Can’t wait for the weekend to get at it.
sounds good sboyd’, hope it all works out for you, stick with it at first and you will get better and better the more you do. It pays to start identifying the really hard rock types vs. the softer ones as this affects your efforts and results. Remember that most of your work is done with the coarse grits. Please keep me informed here of how you go over time, its a great hobby, kev
This is the video i was looking for, thank you so much!!!
thanks for watching and commenting delores, glad you liked it, just keep in mind that cordless battery polishers are now available and only half the size and weight, kev
Thanks Kevin for some fantastic videos. I polished my first rocks this week. Being under a government "stay home" order for the Covid-19 virus, I had plenty of time. Thanks to you and the videos, they turned out pretty darn good! I started on some small slabs and worked my way up to some 7 inch agates. You got me hooked on this. Fantastic fun!!! Thanks!!!!
thats good to hear tim, you did the right thing starting on smaller slabs, its a great way to develop confidence, kev
I finally got started on a custom drumhead for a cajon, some things you just can’t do til you got the time.
Thx mate, thanks to you i am using this cheap way of polishing my agates! Grtz from the Netherlands
good one marc 👍
Thanks for your videos, Kevin! I decided to give rock polishing a go and the info you are sharing is perfect for me !
Hi Mc Googlio ,
thanks for taking an interest in the video, hope you enjoy the polishing, remember to have fun doing it, use this information and the information from others to settle into a method that suits you,
cheers, kev
I have a stone table I’ve been trying to polish for years, tried hand polish first, huge mistake. Back ached for days lol. Next I tried orbital sander with polish pad and compound, and a bunch of stuff in between. However, I think this is the way to go. Great vid my friend.
Sasha Soule
yes, agree, wet diamond pads will do the best jobs, make sure to spend time on the lower rough grit sizes to remove scratches and prepare a smooth surface for the fine grits.
Great video Kevin always enjoy your videos. Thank you for sharing and your motivating information.
Robert Squires
thanks for kind comment curly 😎
Thanks, I always learn something from your videos.
glad you liked it 👍
Amazing results man, really nice job! Thanks for the vid
E G , thanks for watching video, glad you liked it, cheers, kev
I use neverseize on the spinal as the attachments can be difficult to remove. Also when doing thousands of slabs, a machine with a water attachment speeds things up and there is less chance of inhaling rock particles. Eye protection is a must. Paul Wray
Thanks for the video! I saw Rookie Rockhounding do this way and decided to give it a try . I've been collecting stones, but this is the 1st time I've tried polishing. I like all the little details like using detergent, most places I look at says to use regular dishsoap
good one sam, keep at it, you will get better over time, and start to develop your own individual method that suits you, kev
Thank you for the detailed explanations. I just started cutting rocks and was looking for a way to polish.
yes, many methods available michelle, its hard deciding which avenue to follow, hope it all goes well for you, cheers, kev
Beautiful. Great video. Love your work.
thanks trev, glad you enjoyed
Great job, great explanation for every single step, thank you .
thanks for watching and commenting omar, kev
Outstounding video, Thank you sir.
thanks for watching bob, glad you liked it, kev
Nice work. Great how to video... Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience in this helpful video
thanks for comments rob 👍
Great video. What a find: the rigid, center hole, hook and loop backed diamond disks, to make that difficult transition from a coarse cup wheel to the flexible polishing pads. You're the man. To my knowledge, no one but your cited source makes them, and when I went to their eBay site, the 60 grit were not shown. When I messaged, they gave me the link. Great work, great process. Thanks.
hi bill, thanks for watching video and commenting. Yes, its quite a simple process, but i suppose it does have its quirks. Some comments from other TH-cam watchers have opened my eyes to some imperfections, the main one being the arm strength needed to work the heavy tool, I think if i make another video I must be sure to make people aware of that fact.
I agree that the diamond tool supplier is quite helpfull and reliable, most parts needed are available there.
There are a few more tips I must show viewers in the near future, we are allways learning, me, you, everybody, - and I have discovered more handy uses for the
sander/polisher, by using “angle grinder” nuts on the 14mm spindle, it opens up the tool for use with “angle grinder” fittings, like diamond rigid sanding discs, and felt polishing discs. Used at the lowest speed, these are very handy attachments.
cheers, kev
Kevin, you are right, few have your obvious physical strength to one-hand the grinder and other-hand the rock. I use both hands on the grinder, and vice in the rock. Even better, for most rocks or slabs: using a plank or doubled 3/4 inch plywood, sink a few drywall screws around your work piece, sunk safely below your working surface. I keep 1 to 3 inch screws for use as needed. Works great. This tip came to me from one of the owners of Highland Park.
Lapidary Bill
good ideas bill, we allways find a way to get the job done, good luck with the polishing !
THANKS FOR THE GUIDANCE KEVIN I JUST BOUGHT YOUR SYSTEM AND IT WORKS GREAT!
good one dennis, the system is entirely flexible, as i’m sure you will find out, you will develop your own techniques around these basic steps. Good luck with it all, and please enjoy, kev
This is very informative video. Thanks! Bunnings should give discount for promoting Ozito lol
thanks VS, i find the ozito pretty good for the job, mine has polished countless rocks over years, i have only ever changed the contacts once, and they give you spare set.
@@kevinnix6531 is it noisy as angle grinder or not that bad? Considering Ozito or ToolPro… same price
@@VS-q slightly quieter than angle grinder, but still noisy
Beautiful good job
thanks michelle 👍
Fantastic video, I'm only 5 mins in and learnt so much, you explain it so clearly. Thank you #thefinders 👍🏼
thanks for comment, if the video gives you a start, then thats good, i think each person will develop their own methods as they go along,
cheers, kev
Santa was nice a got me a multi tool with variable speed and a little hand held sander. I'm having a time trying to find the sanding pads for the MT, tried bunnings and mitre10mega and both places look at me like I'm bananas haha will be trying the auto shops today because this is how want to spend my weekend. Beautiful piece BTW, you have great techniques. Thanks again
Tripping on Rocks
sometimes its easier to search on ebay, and delivered to your door also, might be worth considering, kev
I've been using my sander as a flat lap. I probably shouldn't but it sure makes things easier. I take precautions to keep it dry. It works really well. I even got the steel diamond coated flat laps (the big ones) but I found the diamond pads work just as well. I should probably get the flat laps you used in the video.
ElGatoLoco698 , hey if it works why not ! i did the same thing for a while, but when i found out they made 4”/100mm velcro I started using them instead. I now use my bigger ones on an old flat lap machine,
kev
@@kevinnix6531 Do you have a link to the Velcro pads?
This was a big help thank you
hi barclay, thanks for comment, kev
Hey buddy, I hope it’s okay but I put a link to your channel in the description of my latest video where I clean up the rocks with the spherical rhyolite. Thanks again for the ID!!! Happy Sunday brother.
Rookie Rockhoundin, thanks for that rookie, i appreciate the possible promotion it may give to our facebook group,
and of course, it may be helpfull to someone who is looking towards that method of polishing,
looking forward to watching your latest !
kev
Kevin Nix
For sure dude, I don’t have many subs but i just reckon more people should know about your vids. Oh and if I had Facebook I’d be joining your group too, I think I will make an account soon just for my rock stuff and to join more groups like yours so I can learn a bunch. Haha!
I have a heap of jasper on my property and have been working out what to do with it and how. Your videos have answered that! Thank you. I have bought everything you used in this video except a slab saw. What size saw are you using to cut the slabs and is there a standard thickness of slabs people buy? I like the cheap tile saw idea until I can afford a real lapidary slab saw.
I change my blades for different rocks, i use all sizes from 4” through to 12”,
a good size slab thickness is a range between 6mm through to 12mm
kev
Hey Kevin! So for my birthday my girlfriend got me the exact same ozito grinder polisher with all the right specs, because of your video, but I can’t seem to find where to purchase the diamond pads? I’m really sorry bother you but would you be able to point me in the right direction? I went to the thk web site but I wasn’t able to find the diamond pads... where do you purchase them from? Again sorry to bother you, but any info would help. I probably am looking in the wrong place. Human error is one of my downfalls.
Rookie Rockhounding
look on ebay rookie, various sets available there 👍
I found the same exact set on Amazon for $30
I've ordered 3 of these metal diamond discs with velcro, from Thk.hk
Awesome that you showed them, didn't know these exist. But please put a link for the discs to your videos description, so that people can find them more easily.
good one GBL, see how you go with them,
kev
THK disks seems overprices. Aliexpress have similar sets for like 2 times cheaper.
@@samuist9469 Yeah, but they don't have the metal discs with velcro, only ever plastic ones, THK is the only one who sells metal discs with velcro backing, which are amazing. And THK is absolutely not overpriced at all, the shipping costs from Hong Kong to Germany are really low and products arrive very fast after ordering, usually in about a week, Aliexpress orders usually take forever to arrive, if they arrive at all, and quality is typically pretty low there.
So many hardware questions I wish you would answer....is there a difference between an angle grinder and a sander? Can a 7" sander (the only size at HomeDepot) take a 4" pad?
hi randomgrinn,
angle grinder is too fast, as speed is set a one fixed high speed,
variable speed sanded /polisher can be turned down low and is suitable for job.
A 7” sander must be a variable speed to be suitable for job, if the 7” velcro backing plate can be unscrewed, then a 4” velcro backing plate can be screwed on (this allows use of 4” pads)
note : in australia the spindle that the velcro backing plate screws on to is 14mm, I’m (allmost) certain that USA spindles are 5/8””
Well done mate
thanks for comment 😉
Thank you 😊 always learning
best way to do it paige, look at everybody’s ways and work out your own unique way,
cheers, kev
Thank you 😊
Wonderful video! Thank you! A couple of questions for you…firstly, why do you go back in grit when you start the flexible disks? And secondly, would you use this technique for rounded stones? I would mostly want to work on Montana Moss Agate and Petrified Wood. I’d like to keep the general shape of the stones while giving them a beautiful shiny face. Any thoughts? Again, thank you!
hi heidi, this is a good method for rounded rock polishing, I know that sort of polishing as “freeform polishing”, and it works good. It also suits very large pieces of rock that cant be taken to traditional polishing machinery..
I go back in grit because of different pads being used, they dont align with one another,
cheers, kev
@@kevinnix6531 thank you!!
Nice work! I wonder if an air-powered 4.5" grinder would have enough guts to give the same results?
with a good air compressor it would be fine, you just have to fit a velcro backing plate
Joseph Astier you’ll néed about 5 hp and there is the issue of noise and low torque at low speeds. Not ideal.
@@mray1255 This is where "good air compressor" would come in.
Awesome video mate. Was just about to ask if you use the 4” or 5” pads….. but noticed you put in the video that you use 4”. Excellent video mate. Very informative
thanks vaderG,
the video is just a jump start for people, you will develop your own methods based on this as you go on 👍
Hi Kevin, great videos, thank you. I'm trying to make a smooth inside of a river rock, but I just can't seem to make it even despite going through the different diamond polishing discs. Wondering if I can send you a couple of pictures so you can see what I'm doing wrong and give me some pointers?
Sorry to be so offtopic but does anyone know of a method to log back into an instagram account??
I was stupid lost my login password. I appreciate any tricks you can give me
@Thatcher Collin Instablaster :)
@Titus Lian i really appreciate your reply. I got to the site thru google and im trying it out now.
Seems to take a while so I will get back to you later when my account password hopefully is recovered.
@Titus Lian It did the trick and I actually got access to my account again. Im so happy!
Thanks so much you really help me out :D
@Thatcher Collin glad I could help :)
Wow! 😳 what a beautiful piece man, just beautiful, the cut and the contrast from the outside to the polished part makes it just stunning! Nice work man and thanks for sharing the process. I want one of those machines!!!!!!
Silly question but .. it’s a sander not a grinder?
Rookie Rockhoundin , how have you been, thanks for watching video. Yes, its a variable speed sander/polisher, available in hardware stores, Ozito and Ryobi are available in Bunnings stores, and some lesser brands available in auto parts stores.
They are a versatile tool that take a variety of fittings, there are a few more ebay fittings that you havent seen on the video yet. Soon there will be another video posted here on “final polishing” that takes the shine even further, for the people wanting to take that extra step,
kev
Kevin Nix
hey Kevin, I’ve been keeping well, working and doing rock stuff haha!
Oh cool, that’s such a great way of finishing rocks and I haven’t seen it done other than your videos. I’m looking at where I want to go to next with working my stones etc. and it seems a really cool and effective alternative to a full lapidary machine with wheels and stuff.
I really like it hey.
I’m going to join a lapidary club here on the Gold Coast I think too, but it would be nice to have this gear at home to work with in my spare time.
Again thanks for the informative vid, and I’ll keep an eye out for the next video.
Good times and happy houndin Kev!
At the very beginning it doesnt show how you clamped the rock down when cutting? How did you?
hi loggerblogger, my work pieces are not clamped while work is performed, clamping is a personal choice of the operator, but I choose not to, kev
@@kevinnix6531 but the rock will fly off the table when the saw hits it ??? There’s nothing holding it ?
i bought a few of them sets of diamond disks and they all feel and look the same.....from the 50grit to the 3000 grit they all feel the same.....they feel like a plastic and smooth with no courseness to any of them .... is that how its subposed to be???
hi johnny, they may seem like that, but they are impregnated with diamond particles. Once you start working with them you will see the effect they have on smoothing the rock surface, kev
Thanks for the videos Kevin.
Do you have any tips for a complete beginner?
The first time I used my diamond disks (same as yours) on my sander I ruined the Velcro hooks on the sander, so I’ll need to get a new pad. After watching your videos I’m wondering if I had the sander turned up too high. I don’t want to keep making the same mistake, and it has be user error!
I’m using an orbital sander and attaching the pads directly.
hi shae, yes possibly the speed was to aggressive on the velcro, the discs dont need too much speed to be effective, hard to tell what caused the velcro failure
@@kevinnix6531 great, thanks. I’ll try to have a little more patience next time :)
@@shaehanson3364 could be because of orbital sander? That Ozito one is rotary. Did you manage to sort it out?
Gemstones in Oregon Washington where to find them
Brawo 👏👏👏
How i can buy this tools in the internet?
Can I ask where you got your pads from? Mine only has up to 3000, Thank you Larry
I buy mine on Ebay, but your right, you have to check out grit size range in the sets that are available, they are all different, kev
@@kevinnix6531 thank you
Have you tried just going through the process with the flexible disks? The grit progression is similar and it seems like a bit of a setback to work your way up with the rigid disks only to return to the starting point with the flexible disks.
Jason Slade ,
hi jason, good point you make,
if the rock you are polishing is allready flat and true, that is exactly what you would do.
However, if there are small depressions or really deep scratches it is allmost impossible to only use the flexible discs.
I played around with various techniques over a few years, and I put this method on the video because it was the easiest and cheapest way to get the result you saw.
It is also handy to own a set of the hard rigid lap discs because if your rock is small, you can polish with only the rigids, and get a nice finish. (by using all the rigids right through to 3000 grit)
Thanks again for a great question, its good for me to have to think about it,
kev
What is better. A electric drill or a grinder?
hi wally, i have tried both, drill is too akward, grinder is way too fast,
very best tool is variable speed polisher/sanded as shown in videos, it gives total control with speeds, and weight of units are comfortable.
kev
I have a 6 speed grinder. I just have to make a brace for it and buy the pad. I just seen the polisher and sander on Amazon. I mite have to wait and buy it later, but hoping the grinder works. Any advice about what a joolt tool is and what that runs on?
@@wallypaige8496
no wally, i’m not familiar with joolt sorry. If your grinder has variable speed it should be fine. You need to determine how to fit the velcro arbour backing plate to your grinder. Backing plates usually have a 5/8th inch, or 14mm metric female thread on them.
If your grinders spindle is a male thread of either if these sizes you will be ok.
@@kevinnix6531 Thank you for your awesome advice. I will be checking out what you said. Thank you so much, love your videos, love from Belleville Ontario Canada
@@wallypaige8496
thanks wally, good luck going ahead !
kev
I’ve just bought Ozito polisher and it doesn’t have a trigger lock 😮
no, the new models dont have it, I just put zip ties on the trigger, and have a powerboard in front of me to turn it on and off
@@kevinnix6531 I’ve just returned it and got Tools Pro from SCA which was on sale. It’s 1kg heavier but I think it’s a bit quieter
@@VS-q good one VS 👍
Tus videos son buenos, porque no , pones subtitulo en español
A GFI is a good idea for safety.
hi paul, if your refering to a power safety/distributor box, I allready use them in both my sheds, kev
@@kevinnix6531 Ground fault interrupter is probably the same thing, different terminology. My polisher has it built into the cord and kicks off the machine when water gets into it.
👍🏻🇨🇦
thanks peter
Think I'll go with a pneumatic sander or angle grinder. Get wet with electricity and you meet God.
they actually work well !