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Glass polishing in tumbler


sterling-archer

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Does anyone have any tips of what grit to use, how long to finish etc for sea glass tumbling ?

 

Im struggling to get beyond a bluish sheen and achieving that true shine in the glass. I tried longer finish Polish but its the same if not a to tad worse as the polish fills with glass debris.

 

Im 2 stage polishing with 400 grit for 24-48 hours and zinc oxide to finish for 24-48.

 

Any tips or sweet spots etc would be mucn appreciated :)

 

Ive ordered more grades and plan to play around but i will not rest until my glass is smooth as a babies lol

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  • 2 years later...

A|re you polishing by hand or machine ?     I would have thought since most glass is porous with a micro pitted surface achieving a high lustre would be achieved by closing the top surface ? 

 

If so a wet polish with higher grades 1000 upwards to around 3000 would be final wet sanding prior to cerium oxide machine polish.    A dremmel works wonders,  i use this very method for cutting & polishing old car windows although i use various mops grades and rotary polishers.    I also use good old scrim cloth as nothing else works like it !!  

 

May alos be worth looking at headlight restoring compound but the glass version NOT the plastic one.     

 

I tend to stick with Farecla , 3M , Bilt Hamber as for me they work wonders.    

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4 minutes ago, OldFord said:

A|re you polishing by hand or machine ?     I would have thought since most glass is porous with a micro pitted surface achieving a high lustre would be achieved by closing the top surface ? 

 

If so a wet polish with higher grades 1000 upwards to around 3000 would be final wet sanding prior to cerium oxide machine polish.    A dremmel works wonders,  i use this very method for cutting & polishing old car windows although i use various mops grades and rotary polishers.    I also use good old scrim cloth as nothing else works like it !!  

 

May alos be worth looking at headlight restoring compound but the glass version NOT the plastic one.     

 

I tend to stick with Farecla , 3M , Bilt Hamber as for me they work wonders.    

 

Ignore me :)    i just noticed your tumbling ....... not polishing a tumbler lol          Yes i have used tumblers but not for glass,  talk to my friends at PDJ Vibro .... very very good tumblers / vibro polishers.    Very friendly too.   

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  • 5 months later...

have you tried levigated alunina for polishing?  thats what we use in the lapidery buisness  that or a very fine cerium oxide  low grade i believe

 

600 and 800 grit would give you the surface that your looking for if i remember corectly.  i dont remember the mohs reading for glass,  but the finer the grit you use the better

Edited by CBDGUY
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