Geode find in S. Korea

[hikeinmts]

I had a post here several months ago, about the possibility of having located some geodes, and how to open them up. Excellant info was given me.
Now, I have opened my third one up, and it is a keeper.....beautiful light blue and green and yellow colors inside.
So, I need some additional info.
How do I go about polishing this beautiful rock?
Are any of you familiar with Dremel tools? Do they have a polisher that will do the trick? I have two of their machines,
and have their catalogue.
Any help will be appreciated. (Will post pics of the rock in the stages of it being polished.)

 

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[allen_idaho]

Did you already run it through a rock saw to get a nice flat surface on your geode pieces?

 

[mamabear]

I have tried polishing with my dremel, but didn't have the best results. am watching this post so I can learn what to do. I usually find a rock hound & ask for help.

 

[hikeinmts]

Did you already run it through a rock saw to get a nice flat surface on your geode pieces?

Allen, thanks for the question. When I got into this pile of rocks/geodes, I noticed that this geode already had a small, pencil-lead thin line all the way around it. It was not made by man....looked to be natural. That's why I lugged it off the mt. and home.
Hit it about 5 or 6 small hits with a chisel, and the thing split open......and it is 99% a flat surface already. So, for this piece, I don't think that it will need a rock saw. I don't have one, anyway, and here in Korea, that is going to be a hard thing to come by. But, this hill of stones that I was looking for coins in, had so many geodes in it, that I am going back and going to take my chisel and ballpeen (sp.) hammer with me, and spend a day breaking as many of them in two as I can. (Getting them down off the hill would be a task for a truck, and there is only an old, old trail leading to the site.
Please give me your thoughts. I am completely new at this, and I don't want to mess up too bad my first time doing this.

 

[hikeinmts]

I have tried polishing with my dremel, but didn't have the best results. am watching this post so I can learn what to do. I usually find a rock hound & ask for help.

Thanks MamaBear, for your input. What accessory did you try with the Dremel? I know of noone in my city (in S. Korea) who does this kind of thing. And, if I did, I would be hardpressed to communicate with him/her.
Could I ask you a question, please? If you couldn't find anyone to help, how would you go about it? Would you try to use
the Dremel, or do you have another machine that you think would be better?
Thanks for any input that you can make.

 

[mamabear]

several years ago I found an article on hand poloshing cut pieces. the author said he wouldsit w/ a plate or tray that had sides & use sand or ? to polish. He said he did this while watching tv. I never tried it, & it seems like it would take forever to get a glass like polish. as for the dremel tools? I don't remember which ones I will have to look & see.

 

[Goodyguy]

I had a post here several months ago, about the possibility of having located some geodes, and how to open them up. Excellant info was given me.
Now, I have opened my third one up, and it is a keeper.....beautiful light blue and green and yellow colors inside.
So, I need some additional info.
How do I go about polishing this beautiful rock?
Are any of you familiar with Dremel tools? Do they have a polisher that will do the trick? I have two of their machines,
and have their catalogue.
Any help will be appreciated. (Will post pics of the rock in the stages of it being polished.)

Bill,

For polishing geodes, an economical way is to use a vibrating lap sander instead of the more professional/expensive rotating lap sander.

A vibra-lap is a round pan that vibrates. You place grit and water in the flat pan and then place your geode in on the grit. It vibrates and grinds down the surface. When vibralapping, you complete the process in 3 stages...coarse, fine, and polish. Each stage takes 6-8 hours. It sure beats doing it by hand.

A 10" "vibrating" lap sander costs about $250.00. A 16" "rotating" lap sander costs about $1,400.00
Look for a lapidary supply in S. Korea to purchase one.

Or maybe you can find a place that will polish them for you.
Hope this helps.

GG~

Vibra lap





Rotating lap

 

[hikeinmts]

I had a post here several months ago, about the possibility of having located some geodes, and how to open them up. Excellant info was given me.
Now, I have opened my third one up, and it is a keeper.....beautiful light blue and green and yellow colors inside.
So, I need some additional info.
How do I go about polishing this beautiful rock?
Are any of you familiar with Dremel tools? Do they have a polisher that will do the trick? I have two of their machines,
and have their catalogue.
Any help will be appreciated. (Will post pics of the rock in the stages of it being polished.)

Hey GoodGuy, It is good to hear from you. Finally got around to knocking a few geodes open, and the third one was a keeper.
Thanks for the pics and info of the lapsander. Now I have to find a dealer in Korea that has them for sale. And then, get them to sell me one. I think I am out of room, so will sign off with this for now. But will repost when I have info on the sander.

Bill,

For polishing geodes, an economical way is to use a vibrating lap sander instead of the more professional rotating lap sander.

A vibra-lap is a round pan that vibrates. You place grit and water in the flat pan and then place your geode in on the grit. It vibrates and grinds down the surface. When vibralapping, you complete the process in 3 stages...coarse, fine, and polish. Each stage takes 6-8 hours. It sure beats doing it by hand.

A 10" "vibrating" lap sander costs about $250.00. A 16" "rotating" lap sander costs about $1,400.00
Look for a lapidary supply in S. Korea to purchase one.

Or maybe you can find a place that will polish them for you.
Hope this helps.

GG~

Vibra lap






Rotating lap