Want polish for polishing rocks such as sandstone. Must be clear and either hard, tough or both.

I do not want to polish the rocks by sanding with finer and finer grits – that’s way too slow and doesn’t work for porous rocks.

Any suggestions?

How big are these rocks? Clear nail polish? if they are small.

mollwollfumble said:

Want polish for polishing rocks such as sandstone. Must be clear and either hard, tough or both.

I do not want to polish the rocks by sanding with finer and finer grits – that’s way too slow and doesn’t work for porous rocks.

Any suggestions?

clear acrylic spray?

mollwollfumble said:

Want polish for polishing rocks such as sandstone. Must be clear and either hard, tough or both.

I do not want to polish the rocks by sanding with finer and finer grits – that’s way too slow and doesn’t work for porous rocks.

Any suggestions?

clear acrylic spray?

buffy said:

How big are these rocks? Clear nail polish? if they are small.

Good idea :-)

Can clear nail polish be bought in bulk? Or, to put it another way, roughly how many sets of 10 nails can you get out of a single bottle?

mollwollfumble said:

buffy said:

How big are these rocks? Clear nail polish? if they are small.

Good idea :-)

Can clear nail polish be bought in bulk? Or, to put it another way, roughly how many sets of 10 nails can you get out of a single bottle?

I can’t help with quantities. I don’t use nail polish.

mollwollfumble said:

buffy said:

How big are these rocks? Clear nail polish? if they are small.

Good idea :-)

Can clear nail polish be bought in bulk? Or, to put it another way, roughly how many sets of 10 nails can you get out of a single bottle?

I don’t think people ever get through a whole bottle, it usually goes gross before you finish it

party_pants said:

mollwollfumble said:

Want polish for polishing rocks such as sandstone. Must be clear and either hard, tough or both.

I do not want to polish the rocks by sanding with finer and finer grits – that’s way too slow and doesn’t work for porous rocks.

Any suggestions?

clear acrylic spray?

Hadn’t thought of that. Something like a 450 g spray can from Officeworks perhaps.

• This Micador Crystal Clear Spray can be applied to your completed artworks to give them a finishing touch. It provides a protective, permanent barrier to dirt, stains, moisture, tarnish and more.
• It provides a protective barrier against wear and tear, moisture, tarnish and more.
• The bottle has a nozzle so you can direct the spray where it needs to go.
• It dries clear and will complete your artwork with a glossy finish.
• This spray can be used on drawings, artwork, prints, photographs, ceramic and more.
• There is 450 g in this bottle.

Arts said:

mollwollfumble said:

buffy said:

How big are these rocks? Clear nail polish? if they are small.

Good idea :-)

Can clear nail polish be bought in bulk? Or, to put it another way, roughly how many sets of 10 nails can you get out of a single bottle?

I don’t think people ever get through a whole bottle, it usually goes gross before you finish it

That’s because you let the air at it each time you udse it to do your nails.

Increlac is a a pressurised spray on laquer for brass. It works well to shine rocks.

Arts said:

mollwollfumble said:

buffy said:

How big are these rocks? Clear nail polish? if they are small.

Good idea :-)

Can clear nail polish be bought in bulk? Or, to put it another way, roughly how many sets of 10 nails can you get out of a single bottle?

I don’t think people ever get through a whole bottle, it usually goes gross before you finish it

It multiplies by 144?

Pressure impregnate with polishable clear setting liquid (eg clear epoxy).

Arts said:

mollwollfumble said:

buffy said:

How big are these rocks? Clear nail polish? if they are small.

Good idea :-)

Can clear nail polish be bought in bulk? Or, to put it another way, roughly how many sets of 10 nails can you get out of a single bottle?

I don’t think people ever get through a whole bottle, it usually goes gross before you finish it

Mrs m doesn’t use nail polish, but has a bottle of clear that I can use to try out. Excellent.
She also has a bottle of silver, I have a use for that as well – covering bad grouting :-)

mollwollfumble said:

party_pants said:

mollwollfumble said:

Want polish for polishing rocks such as sandstone. Must be clear and either hard, tough or both.

I do not want to polish the rocks by sanding with finer and finer grits – that’s way too slow and doesn’t work for porous rocks.

Any suggestions?

clear acrylic spray?

Hadn’t thought of that. Something like a 450 g spray can from Officeworks perhaps.

• This Micador Crystal Clear Spray can be applied to your completed artworks to give them a finishing touch. It provides a protective, permanent barrier to dirt, stains, moisture, tarnish and more.
• It provides a protective barrier against wear and tear, moisture, tarnish and more.
• The bottle has a nozzle so you can direct the spray where it needs to go.
• It dries clear and will complete your artwork with a glossy finish.
• This spray can be used on drawings, artwork, prints, photographs, ceramic and more.
• There is 450 g in this bottle.
  

I must ad a disclaimer that I have never used it myself. I usually go for ordinary varnish for my woodwork projects. I have seen clear acrylic for sale in Bunnings but never actually tried it. I do actually like the aged yellow finish that varnish eventually produces.

sibeen said:

Arts said:

mollwollfumble said:

Good idea :-)

Can clear nail polish be bought in bulk? Or, to put it another way, roughly how many sets of 10 nails can you get out of a single bottle?

I don’t think people ever get through a whole bottle, it usually goes gross before you finish it

It multiplies by 144?

yes, it multiplies by 144…

you and Boris are like those two old guys on the balcony in the muppets

roughbarked said:

Arts said:

mollwollfumble said:

Good idea :-)

Can clear nail polish be bought in bulk? Or, to put it another way, roughly how many sets of 10 nails can you get out of a single bottle?

I don’t think people ever get through a whole bottle, it usually goes gross before you finish it

That’s because you let the air at it each time you udse it to do your nails.

Increlac is a a pressurised spray on laquer for brass. It works well to shine rocks.

Will look it up. I don’t think it can be spelled “Increlac”, because that’s a lactation aid for buffalos.

Found it.
Wattyl Incralac Metal Lacquer – Gloss Aerosol 300g
$31.31
An acrylic resin-based protective coating containing special tarnish and corrosion control additives designed especially for the protection of copper, brass and similar alloys.

> Pressure impregnate with polishable clear setting liquid (eg clear epoxy).

I don’t actually have any equipment for pressure impregnation, Michael V, but you would know, being a geo specialist and all.

Arts said:

sibeen said:

Arts said:

I don’t think people ever get through a whole bottle, it usually goes gross before you finish it

It multiplies by 144?

yes, it multiplies by 144…

you and Boris are like those two old guys on the balcony in the muppets

You take that back!

party_pants said:

I must ad a disclaimer that I have never used it myself. I usually go for ordinary varnish for my woodwork projects. I have seen clear acrylic for sale in Bunnings but never actually tried it. I do actually like the aged yellow finish that varnish eventually produces.

I tried varnish on the viola project and on the table out the back. Not a clear product, it turned out that even three coats of marine varnish wasn’t weatherproof, and had to discard that viola as not strong enough.

There is a clear polyester resin (used for casting bugs in resin and suchlike) that I’m not game to try.

No-one suggesting a clear car polish?
Such as
“Duragloss 111 Clear Coat Polish is a synthetic polymer sealant that has designed to add shine and seal it in. It is a non-abrasive synthetic formula, which delivers an incredible ‘wet look’ shine and durable protective coating. Duragloss Clear Coat Polish is a paint sealant offering a protective coating over the top of the paint’s clear coat. This coating is then durable not only against the elements but also against most acid and alkaline washes, the ones used by commercial car washes. Easy to apply and buff off.”

mollwollfumble said:

party_pants said:

I must ad a disclaimer that I have never used it myself. I usually go for ordinary varnish for my woodwork projects. I have seen clear acrylic for sale in Bunnings but never actually tried it. I do actually like the aged yellow finish that varnish eventually produces.

I tried varnish on the viola project and on the table out the back. Not a clear product, it turned out that even three coats of marine varnish wasn’t weatherproof, and had to discard that viola as not strong enough.

There is a clear polyester resin (used for casting bugs in resin and suchlike) that I’m not game to try.

No-one suggesting a clear car polish?
Such as
“Duragloss 111 Clear Coat Polish is a synthetic polymer sealant that has designed to add shine and seal it in. It is a non-abrasive synthetic formula, which delivers an incredible ‘wet look’ shine and durable protective coating. Duragloss Clear Coat Polish is a paint sealant offering a protective coating over the top of the paint’s clear coat. This coating is then durable not only against the elements but also against most acid and alkaline washes, the ones used by commercial car washes. Easy to apply and buff off.”

Price?

Will start with nail polish, and see how far that goes.

Then acrylic, and see how “wet look “ it really is.

mollwollfumble said:

Will start with nail polish, and see how far that goes.

Then acrylic, and see how “wet look “ it really is.

I’ve used both on opal matrix sample rocks.

cooking opal matrix

roughbarked said:

cooking opal matrix

Sounds like a very good way to increase profits. An amazing transformation.

PermeateFree said:

roughbarked said:

cooking opal matrix

Sounds like a very good way to increase profits. An amazing transformation.

Yes but the stones don’t polish well. Due to the nature of matrix some granules will polish differently and there will also be a grainy surface that is difficult to get a good polish on. Any opal appraiser will know that it is matrix rather than real black opal. It is a way of making low grade opal more saleable though.

rb, you had a small prostrate wattle a couple of days back, I did respond but think you have been elsewhere. Anyway, it looks to be Acacia maxwellii that grows a little inland from Esperance and around Albany.

http://worldwidewattle.com/imagegallery/image.php?p=0&l=m&id=3436&o=1

roughbarked said:

PermeateFree said:

roughbarked said:

cooking opal matrix

Sounds like a very good way to increase profits. An amazing transformation.

Yes but the stones don’t polish well. Due to the nature of matrix some granules will polish differently and there will also be a grainy surface that is difficult to get a good polish on. Any opal appraiser will know that it is matrix rather than real black opal. It is a way of making low grade opal more saleable though.

Damn, always a downside.

PermeateFree said:

rb, you had a small prostrate wattle a couple of days back, I did respond but think you have been elsewhere. Anyway, it looks to be Acacia maxwellii that grows a little inland from Esperance and around Albany.

http://worldwidewattle.com/imagegallery/image.php?p=0&l=m&id=3436&o=1

Thanks muchly :)

roughbarked said:

PermeateFree said:

roughbarked said:

cooking opal matrix

Sounds like a very good way to increase profits. An amazing transformation.

Yes but the stones don’t polish well. Due to the nature of matrix some granules will polish differently and there will also be a grainy surface that is difficult to get a good polish on. Any opal appraiser will know that it is matrix rather than real black opal. It is a way of making low grade opal more saleable though.

Amazing transformation, I agree.

I sort of get the impression that 90% of the opal business is making the stones more saleable? Perhaps I’m wrong.

If difficult to polish – what about nail polish?

mollwollfumble said:

roughbarked said:

PermeateFree said:

Sounds like a very good way to increase profits. An amazing transformation.

Yes but the stones don’t polish well. Due to the nature of matrix some granules will polish differently and there will also be a grainy surface that is difficult to get a good polish on. Any opal appraiser will know that it is matrix rather than real black opal. It is a way of making low grade opal more saleable though.

Amazing transformation, I agree.

I sort of get the impression that 90% of the opal business is making the stones more saleable? Perhaps I’m wrong.

If difficult to polish – what about nail polish?

Oops, you said that already.

mollwollfumble said:

mollwollfumble said:

roughbarked said:

Yes but the stones don’t polish well. Due to the nature of matrix some granules will polish differently and there will also be a grainy surface that is difficult to get a good polish on. Any opal appraiser will know that it is matrix rather than real black opal. It is a way of making low grade opal more saleable though.

Amazing transformation, I agree.

I sort of get the impression that 90% of the opal business is making the stones more saleable? Perhaps I’m wrong.

If difficult to polish – what about nail polish?

Oops, you said that already.

i have a pendant from the 1970s that is opal chips on a black background with a blob of clear epoxy over the top. It’s not especially great, but it works for cheap jewellery. I don’t remember where I got it from.

buffy said:

mollwollfumble said:

mollwollfumble said:

Amazing transformation, I agree.

I sort of get the impression that 90% of the opal business is making the stones more saleable? Perhaps I’m wrong.

If difficult to polish – what about nail polish?

Oops, you said that already.

i have a pendant from the 1970s that is opal chips on a black background with a blob of clear epoxy over the top. It’s not especially great, but it works for cheap jewellery. I don’t remember where I got it from.

There seems to be a bit of confusion between applying a polish (a formula with a grit that you use to polish a surface) and applying a polish (like a nail polish or epoxy that gives a layer of protectio which you can then polish to a shine)
The 2 are not the same thing.

Stumpy_seahorse said:

buffy said:

mollwollfumble said:

Oops, you said that already.

i have a pendant from the 1970s that is opal chips on a black background with a blob of clear epoxy over the top. It’s not especially great, but it works for cheap jewellery. I don’t remember where I got it from.

There seems to be a bit of confusion between applying a polish (a formula with a grit that you use to polish a surface) and applying a polish (like a nail polish or epoxy that gives a layer of protectio which you can then polish to a shine)
The 2 are not the same thing.

Yes, there is always that confusion when using the word “polish”. For example in the mythbusters can’t polish a turd episode.

Nobody’s mentioned a car “cut and polish” yet. Does that include both, or just grit?

Nobody’s mentioned “wax” either. There there’s a confusion between real wax such as paraffin / beeswax and wax substitutes that contain no wax at all. Is car wax actually a wax?