From Start to Finish: Wet Polishing a Large Rock

[@bokunokintama5523]

I will never understand how you don't have WAY more subscribers... You make quality content infused with beautiful scenery and incredible rocks/gems, plus you brighten up my day!

[@donnalantz7981]

That was so beautiful. Rob from Michigan Rocks has his wet polishing table out in his yard and uses wood pieces for blocking and holding the rocks. You should check it out. Then you could stand to do it. Just a thought.

[@anniegironne8444]

Polished rock are so beautiful. Love the displays in your Shop. Welcome to the family Lola 😍

[@wyodino6245]

I like the thick slabs and halves. No thin ones for me. You did a great job. You made that agate shine and strut it's stuff! Thanks MRM! Shine on!

[@MontanaRockMom]

I don't know why polishing is so hard for me! I totally agree...thick slabs and halves! My favorite is just cutting the face off a rock and polishing it, leaving the rest rough : )

[@justjulee9135]

I loved seeing you polish that beautiful agate, but what I loved even more was meeting beautiful Lola!! I love all dogs! The agate turned out really well!

[@largent45]

That was pretty awesome. For somebody without patience, you did a marvelous job. Thanks for sharing that!

[@sandmaker]

What a beautiful shine on that rock. You did a great job. Choppers sister is supet cute. I think i would use a bit less water. About the same amount as a flat lap. All in all, you found rock, fed rock to Drogon, and polished rock to a beautiful shine. JOB WELL DONE! Keep the fun coming. Be happy, safe and stay healthy 😷⚒ You get a gold star 🌟

[@MontanaRockMom]

Yeah, I did go a little crazy with the water 🌊🌊🌊

[@mitchgillilan]

Great job Kim! I'm going to give you a pro tip on how to get those scratches out faster. Stay on the lower grits a little bit longer, and then the higher grits will be very quick work. Every time you try and remove scratches with a higher grit like 800 it means you should have stayed on 120 or 220 or something in that area a little longer. I'm sure you figured this out pretty quickly. The polish came out real nice, you will be a pro in no time!!

[@jwiz778]

I had someone in a rock shop in Deming show me how he uses one of these. He has a small washtub filled with gravel that he grinds the rock into to hold it place. The tub has a hole in the side near the bottom to drain off the water. The tub also acts as a splash shield so you don't get soaked.

[@treasurelife6922]

Mid level patience is a great balance. It opens the door for the times you fall short of patience and the times patience isn't needed. Good job beautiful! Rock on!

[@406findings]

I need to get me one of those for the big face polish on some of my cut rocks and I'm sure it's time consuming. Great job Kim 👍

[@hockeyrace]

Great job! What an awesome rock! Nice find! I use the same polishing pads for my big specimens too. Skip the 50 on clean cut rocks. It’s just too rough and that’s why you had those deep scratches. Drogon does a gorgeous job cutting. I go right to 100-150 from the saw. Plus, bonus!, for us impatient peeps. 😆 Love your channel 😍 Trying to be patient for your next adventure is hard. 😉😆 Stay Crystal 💫 Mari

[@michaelgrimes1131]

Hello Miss MRM ... Mom for short I've really enjoyed watching your videos and how to tutorials. Your enthusiasm in how you come across is great 👍 You've inspired me to get into Rockhounding here in Tennessee. I know gold can be found in the mountains of East Tennessee and up into North Carolina. Rubie's and Emerald can be found. I'm sold on Montana Agate and already got info on the lower Yellowstone to begin to put together a trip there some time into the future. Thank you for sharing! Michael Grimes Nashville Tennessee

[@kennyhollidayjr5206]

Great set up there! Thank you for inviting us in!

[@NinoMalana-w8v]

Greetings to you mom rock thank you again for another episode may you find more interesting rock in the future and good luck good day!

[@notinmanitou]

What fun! Lola is a sweetie. She'll be a great friend for Chopper. I would do this polishing in the grass. At least the water would not be totally wasted then.

[@MontanaRockMom]

Good point!

[@grokeffer6226]

Nice!!! Lola's a sweetie. Chopper has a good friend.

[@christopherort2889]

I started off with these types of wet polishers years ago. They work, but can take a lot of time. Always wear rubber gloves when using it. It nakes holding your piece easier and can insulate you from getting a shock. Cool video.

[@mysticalrockhoundingfossil5464]

Good job with that machine Nice polish with those pads . And quick on a big Agate , Women with Machines always cool too . I also use those pads they work well. Cool video thank you.

[@janketza0206]

What a Rock Shop you have! You can open a Store! So awesome.

[@1sec2midnight]

WOW! nice collection. I could fit my entire collection on one of your shelves. Incredible shine on a beautiful Montana agate. Thanks for the great tutorial.

[@resdid805]

Your shop looks soooo fun! Playground with best toys. Thanks for sharing. Also, super cute haircut, love it.

[@scottowens1535]

Youza! 👍 Right On! ,I know what to get next 😉 I get the paitance Thing. Instant gratification Virgo here and I understand grinder's 😂😎. Carry On nice Ladies😉

[@michaelbearss371]

Awesome! I have those same pads but I just use my angle grinder for the meantime and dip in water as I go to keep it wet. I'm still a beginner lol. That's a nice polish you ended up with. Nice pup you go too! Great addition!

[@MontanaRockMom]

I first tried with an angle grinder but it wasn't variable speed. I learned the hard way you need to have variable speed to get the best results! My angle grinder was very powerful, my pad went flying across the street and I couldn't find it for days, lol.

[@wernberli]

I use a wet grinder similar to that but the hose attaches to the end so I can lay it upside down. Then I can hold the rock on the pad and move it around and apply pressure as needed. I also have a 5 inch stainless steel plate and pads to reduce the rounding on the edges of my rocks and speed up the process. Especially helpful on a bigger rock. Also got a 6000 grit pad for my final pass. Some people can't tell but I can and it makes me feel better. The down side to this method is it sometimes makes my fingernails shorter.

[@MontanaRockMom]

Does the stainless steel plate attach just like the other pads?

[@wernberli]

@Montana Rock Mom it replaces the rubber pad the polishing pads are mounted on. The one I got on Amazon is called Stadea ASBP103Q 5 Inch Hook and Loop Backing Pad With Rigid Aluminium Backing.

[@MontanaRockMom]

@@wernberli thank you

[@valsummers5330]

Love your joy and enthusiasm….. SAFETY FIRST This is rock grandmomma here! Where are your long narrow pants and runners at least What if the rock spun and hit your ankle Or the polishing pad? Nice rock and polish

[@MontanaRockMom]

Yeah, I need to work on that. ⛑️

[@edwarde8524]

Awesome video I was often wondered how you get a polish Rock now I understand a little bit more so thanks. I have a lot of things I got to get to get started $$$ 😫😫😫😂🤣😂. Work work work

[@annettesmith6358]

I do hope everyone using these grinders are using a face mask at a grade of N95 or better. That fine silica that you are taking off will end up in your lungs and in 20 years, just like a smoker, you may end up with lung problems that could have been avoided. It is fine enough you need the N95 or better, not just a simple mask. Any time you are grinding rocks you should wear one, not with just the grinders. Even wet polishing you should wear one.. how much "powder" do you feel on your face after you have finished and are dried off? that same amount is going down your lungs!!! be safe! ear protection and eye protection is a must also!!!

[@RockhawkNB]

I hear you . When I first started using a bench grinder for my rocks I did a solid 5-10 rocks without a mask and I felt it . Mask is a must 🫡

[@OidHunter]

Silica dust will kill you in months not years

[@stevezozuk9622]

Beautifully done , with just the right amount of patients . Well deserved results M R M . Cheers

[@keithcunningham7925]

I do have one and I take it to 6000 and it just adds a polish like no other and Montana agates take the best shine I think great job and I use mine like a flat lap

[@MontanaRockMom]

I thought about getting a 6,000... you sealed the deal.

[@SurpassingGravity]

Great result! What are best RPM to polish? And how do people fix small rocks to sticks to polish them, using wax or something? Thanks

[@danaberger7809]

Awesome job on the polishing. Looks amazing. Thanks for sharing

[@deniseveiw7992]

Beautiful polish for a beautiful rock. Very nice job Kim.

[@pagens39]

for someone who had no patience you did an amazing job and it shows

[@nancywilson9380]

I use a Makita wet stone polisher I recommend cross hatching the face of the rock during the first two grits so you can see right away if you missed a low spot. You still need to dry the face to check for scratches before the third grit. I use a Minwax pencil because the ink from Sharpies run into cracks and it's hard to get out. The wax pencils in cracks can be scrubbed out with a toothbrush. There's someone on KZbin who puts his rock in a bucket/tub to catch most of the excess water

[@annettesmith6358]

I use a Makita as well, but still have problems esp with white or clear agates.. I still have very fine small swirls that show up at the higher polishes even though I have spent so many times going back trying to get rid of them. They how up in daylight but not artificial light, that is how fine they are. do you have any suggestions? am I pressing too hard, too soft?? any tricks?

[@nancywilson9380]

@@annettesmith6358 I bought 6k and 8k grit disks and get a mirror shine on about 80% of my rocks. I finish the other 20% with a cerium oxide polish

[@nancywilson9380]

@@annettesmith6358 Other tip is to completely dry the rock to examine it before the last grit to make sure the swirls are

[@nancywilson9380]

Also wash your rock between grits with soap and a brush to make sure there's no debris on the rock or in crevasses before going to the next grit

[@annettesmith6358]

@@nancywilson9380 Thanks for the tip about soap and water, will try that. I do dry the rocks, and work on them only in bright daylight outside for the best light to see the swirls, I even get a magnifying glass out on those clear ones to try to see those swirls! I have not tried a polish.. maybe that will take them out.

[@sfbfriend]

Awesome job, I have the same pads but I use a drill motor. I recently bought a used AC motor which runs at 1725 RPM and I will be building my own flat lap. I don't think you needed to have the water on that high but on a hot day that looked like a fun way to stay cool. Really like your content, I have watched a few of your videos and thought I had subbed! I have now. Love the new addition to your family, Lola is so cute, and so are you! Rock on.

[@debbiewilson6806]

Been looking into one of these, thanks for the timely demonstration! BTW we love our sun shirts you recommended they work great and are very comfortable.

[@MontanaRockMom]

They are the best!!!! Love those shirts!

[@bunk9991]

MRM, after Drogon eats, the finish is much finer than your starting grit of 50. Unless you have to grind ridges raised on the face of yo0ur slab, I think you should start with 100 grit. or even 200 grit. The 50 grit is leaving deep scratches that take considerable time to get out. You did a great job for a first timer! Beautiful polish regardless of your A.D.D. traits in the patience game. Excellent vid!

[@jefftrag1956]

I read about how to make an industrial tumbler out of a rear axle of a big semi truck with the rims and tires in place. You want to cut an opening in the highest part of the rim to load rocks. The article said a cover is not needed but I always thought if I was going to do one I would have a hinged door sealed with inner tube rubber. The idea is to set up a motor geared down so the tires rotate slowly and all the rocks stay in the lowest part of the tire at all times tumbling over each other. Each tire can hold about 100 lbs of rocks and you have 4 tires going at all times each one with a different grit. Always use the same tire for the same grit. You rotate the rocks once a week and you have 100 lbs of polished tumbled stones each week. I have been wondering if you could use quartz sand as grit for the first stage to do the rough rounding off? I am posting this on all videos about rock hounding to spread the idea, if this is you channel and you do not like that let me know. The fact that the tumbling will all take place in a rubber tire should help keep the noise down. The rocks should never touch the rim. I have suggested to people that they make a soundproof shed just big enough to be practical so the noise will be minimized. Plus the rubber in a tire is thick and should absorb a lot of the noise. Also you should have a small fan on the motor to keep it cool. A high quality motor will be a must as it will run 24 hours a day. I am no expert but with the proper gearing the motor should not be under too much stress. I would sell the tumbled stones. Once tumbled, you grade them by quality and type. Some would be really valuable. I bet you could average $10 usd per pound with just good found material and more if you have high grade material. Definitely not for the weekend rock hound but if you sell stones or want to, what a cheap way to start. You could tumble other people's rocks for a fee or shares too. You could make one with car tires for a smaller scale operation. There has to be a lot of people with 30 year in the making, 3 ton pile of rocks out behind their house. With this they could see results from all that collecting.

[@nocturnalsimulacrum6385]

My god that is an amazing collection 😍 jealous, jealousy over 9000😂 great video

[@jeanettegarrett4383]

I have found a piece just like this one only flatter. Waiting to learn how to polish better before tackling it

[@rockandfound]

Great video I think I have a crush. The wet towel definitely helps but if you fold it a few times it holds it real nice.

[@mamachard5288]

Thank you for all the explanations! I really appreciate :) BTW, you look amazing!

[@senorlaverg6667]

That 50 grit step can be a long one, especially if you have saw marks. I ended up buying a vibra-lap for that very reason. It preps the stone better than I ever could.

[@MontanaRockMom]

I had to send my vibratory lap back to the manufacturer to fix the motor! It's been a while...I hope they fix it. I miss using that.

[@silverback5033]

Nicely done MRM. 👍

[@markrouse2416]

Lower grit number for lower speed, fine grit associated with the higher numbers allows for a higher speed. If you removing lots of material with 50 grit your problem is with the heat produced which can cause small shallow fractures.

[@silverback5033]

That’s an interesting bit of kit Kim. I’ll have to have a look over here to see if we have something similar. 👍

[@terrydoucette6037]

I have one similar and yes definitely a summer thing yours has a better splash guard than mine ,works well with patience and dont rush ,love little LOLA

[@AustrianRocks]

Wow, great finish! Thanks 4 the video!

[@veteransgrowgarden]

Love your videos. Just a few tips that ay help you and speed things up. First, make a box out of 2X4 and plywood scraps that is just slightly larger than your rock(nice rock by the way). Fill the box 2/3 full of runny plaster of Paris. Coat the back side of the rock with Pam or Elmer's glue and let it dry I bit. Push your rock into the plaster to the point that the rock surface is just above the plaster and let it dry. The rock won't move at all and you can put more pressure on the grinder and keep the pad flush with the surface. The fixture won't move around on you while grinding. Second tip, use a wide sharpie and color the stone before you start grinding and polishing. The marker gets into the scratches and it is really easy to see when that step is complete, marker gone move on. Third, turn your water fliw down some, the mud you will create on the surface will actually grind or polish the surface faster and you will make less of a mess. Finally, if all else fails, and in the winter just come throw the rocks on my vibratory lap and walk away. Leaves time to cut more rocks, and it's much warmer in the winter. Covington sells a vibratory lap for little money, watch their used refurbished listing. Keep the fantastic videos coming, I love em

[@offyarocka]

awesome outcome!!!! thanks for sharing

[@Ken_G.]

I had a Baby Plucky moment with this. Water come out the hoooooole.😁 I love your display cases, are those bread boxes from a supermarket or something like that? Those rings are super cool, do you think that's the center of a limb? I've got a friend that does great work with one of those grinders, he uses rolled up wet towels around his rock to keep it from moving around. OMG a Lola Dog!! So cute!! Nice shine on that, aren't new toys so much fun.

[@joeturner2335]

Wow, what an awesome rock shop.

[@RockhoundingLife]

Awesome job Kim!! This is by far my favorite way to polish rocks. Can't go wrong with the polishing pads. They always come through with the mirror shine. Do you have a vice? I put my rocks in the vice when i'm doing this to prevent the awkward movement. That agate is killer!! Hope all is well in Montana!

[@MontanaRockMom]

I need a vice!

[@kylaabegglen1275]

Awesome mirror shine Kim!✌️🤠

[@seanbarg7858]

I benchmount my ZFE to an outdoor table with a metal clamp and it becomes much easier to work with. Holding the stone is much easier than holding the grinder for smaller pieces like this. Mounted vertically so it's more of a vertical high speed flat lap of sorts.

[@hollynoelleAbductedUfologist]

Rockgasm...that is just beautiful.

[@Kerrsartisticgifts]

That turned out fantastic! I'm going to have to find a polisher like that in Canada. I'm collecting stones and rocks and want a tumbler too. Lately I've been buying some cheap rough opal and wondering about polishing that too. I only mean cheap compared to gem quality opal, it's still too expensive me to destroy it with my grinder. I live next to Lake Huron, so there's lots of interesting rocks around here. The big slab saw you have is probably really expensive, maybe I can find something cheaper to start with?

[@fenix02008]

Great post Kim❣️Glad you were patient ENOUGH ❣️ I wondered about the total time for that job? Must have been a while if you had to break for dinner❣️Welcome Lola❣️ Keep on Rockin❣️

[@MontanaRockMom]

I probably spent most of my time drying the agate off and trying to see if I had scratches. I didn't spend more than 5 minutes on any one polishing pad. There are 7 polishing pads though. So, if you are drying your agate off and analyzing it between steps, etc... you will likely spend at least an hour from start to finish. I also had to cut it. It took my saw approximately 15 minutes to cut through... then you have to clean it and get all the saw oil off. Boy, the time starts to add up... and then you are hungry!

[@AgateAngler]

Love that shine!

[@MontanaRockMom]

Montana agates are hard to polish, right Alex!!!! Well, I shouldn't say hard... how about time consuming if you are going for perfection....

[@WorldofRockhounds]

That shine is superb!

[@oneofakind6313]

. I want to make lamps with the big jaspers and basalt .. Ill see if you like that kind of polisher.. I am looking to get one also..

[@stuartkeithguitars4251]

I'm coming out next week to look at properties. There's a place north of Worden RIGHT near the river. I won't buy that house but it sure was RIGHT in the middle of rock central. I'm dreaming of a giant yurt right on the river....but not too close. High ground would feel good.

[@MontanaRockMom]

What about Custer, Forsyth....

[@stuartkeithguitars4251]

@@MontanaRockMom yes....that's on edge of how far I want to drive every other day into Billings.. That whole stretch of river from Billings to Custer is where the highest concentrations of these types of rocks will be....in the whole state That's from a geology lecture I couldn't find again if I wanted....but I DID hear it from an actual geologist. There Is a place in Custer for sale....I get a REAL "meh" vib from it but it IS $150K less than I want to spend. That would be a 50 minute drive into downtown

[@stuartkeithguitars4251]

Basically, in this valley...if you dig straight down you'll find everything that is in the gravel banks near the river. I'm more apt to dig in my backyard for the exercise. An exercise project. If I got a small backhoe I'd set up a trammel to get at that stuff.

[@derekclement7323]

Wish I could find someone like you. Your like my dream girl. Lol. We think a like I see in your videos lol. I'm wanting a rock shop too , was just looking at those wet polishers myself last week, nice , I'd rather be finding rocks always too, I could watch you all day if I could.. Lol. I did find some cool crystals recently, I made a video, it sucks lol but it's just under my name made it to show a buddy. I call them pineapple crystals it's calcite and I guess some fluorite crystals too... anyways always love your videos. 🪨 🤘

[@jefftrag1956]

Super impressive polish!

[@theyuha]

I added this to my Amazon list, this looks really nice.

[@jefftrag1956]

Have you thought about making a vibrating lap? Especially for the first few grits, I have heard of people using an old washing machine as the core of a lap.

[@marknorthrup4897]

with a smooth cut like this from Drogon it would be best to use a flat lap if you have one. where this wet polisher comes into it's element is when you use it to polish curved surfaces on a speciman that you plan to leave a rough side on, especially something large. this is a great tool but don't wear yourself out on it with the wrong rock. heh like you said definitely a job for the hot months and when you can enjoy getting mostly soaked. heh some of your crazy looking jaspers is where this machine can be amazing i think. imho

[@josephtilly8033]

Your videos are so helpful. You're truly amazing, just like your beautiful rocks. Hopefully, one day, I will some of mine to share!

[@veronicamoore3777]

Wow! Nice job!

[@aydamercado6798]

Bravo!!! Beautiful!!!!

[@letitialouison7311]

Kim, you've been hiding from us😱😱 what a nice pic of your shop.❤️❤️

[@patriciamckean4186]

Awesome...I need to get myself some rock tools.

[@tott3457]

I totally understand, I’m not patient either! Now that you know how beautiful your patience has rewarded you, will you polish again? Lol

[@oddanneout]

You can see God in that Agate polish! 👌🏼

[@jayalejandro324]

I have no patience either. Maybe I'll invent something to go with that gadget and I'll let you know. Maybe you should try sculpting those rocks like I will. To polish, I'll throw it into a tumbler. Will let you know.

[@kevinunger433]

Wow what a collection.

[@hollynoelleAbductedUfologist]

Tortie Shell Rock Slabs...Fabulous.

[@gingermackeen5741]

Actually, I think you were more patient than Theo was with that polisher! 😂

[@lildpropmsv]

Just get a flat lap, eliminates all that work....and getting wet. It appears like there are some ridges on the face of the rock as it comes off the saw. That suggests that sharpening your blade (make it cut faster) might eliminate that, and if it doesn't, then you may have an issue with worn bearings allowing minor movement of the blade as it's working. Before a full bearing replacement though, make sure the bolts holding the bearings are tight since loose bolts could also be the culprit. To check for bearing wear, grab the nut holding the blade, then the flywheel, and wiggle them, if there's movement, either those bolts I mentioned need tightening, or the bearings are getting worn and will need replacement at some point to stop those ridges from forming. But then again, maybe it was just the way the face of the rock looked in the light and there weren't any ridges there at all?

[@DG-kq8zf]

I happened to have bought that exact polisher but have been apprehensive because of the water/electrical factor. Has the gfci built into the cord ever tripped, or have you felt any tingling? Thanks for posting this.

[@dennislandstrom6904]

You can cut back on the water a bit. Only need enough to flush the cuttings from the disc.

[@larryrhodes7300]

Wow. Next level fun right there.

[@mariavictoriatantau1156]

Hola Guapísima!!! Impresionante colección!!!

[@craigciola6548]

Do you have a setup to do this in the winter months inside? Here in Ohio (like where you are) it gets way to cold to be wet polishing outside. Love to see an inside setup.

[@towonajohnson3484]

Fo you have a store for purchases? Would love to have some of your beautiful creations.

[@amigadoalpha]

I love your methods 😍👏👏👏👏👏

[@pagens39]

do you sell slices ?? it's amazing 🤩 everyone's opinion of perfect is different

[@MontanaRockMom]

I don't have a store or anything- I mostly just trade rocks with anyone who likes to trade 🤗

[@jaredmeeks4491]

Absolutely beautiful

[@AngelLopez-ef6zt]

Great job beautiful rock!

[@seachers6124]

Cut it to shape . Diamond blade . Tumble to polish and patience . = Beautiful agets .

[@lisamills-wv6nc]

Beautiful job! 😊

[@joehhurly]

Do you have any trouble with mineral oil getting in cracks and becoming permanent? I've used another oil and I never completely gotten rid of the leaky oil, so I'm wondering how it compares. Thanks, and beautiful agate!

[@MontanaRockMom]

No problems with the mineral oil

[@kevinunger433]

Awesome shine , good job

[@montanalivin8248]

I found what I think is an agatized jasper on my jobsite the other day, a large specimen of around 25-30 lbs... but I'm not sure exactly...

[@brianlee4691]

Very cool i am impatient i rough cut do 80on angle grinder very cool lady

[@stanislavbratusek7814]

Such a pretty Lady Makes beautyfull stones❤

[@beckysmith3660]

Kim…how would you rate the sander? I have a whole bunch of slabs to polish. Lola is adorable she will be a great pal for Chopper

[@MontanaRockMom]

As a beginner...I'm still learning the right speed and amount of pressure/water. Once I get this down, it will be much better for the face of large rocks. For large slabs, I would say a large vibratory tumbler would be easiest....

[@marknorthrup4897]

Lola is very cute btw! i always thought that maybe you should equip Chopper with saddle bags...i think he has about a 15 lb capacity what do you think? heh

[@MontanaRockMom]

If he wasn't so busy rolling in dead things.

[@marknorthrup4897]

@@MontanaRockMom heh, well there is that.

[@OidHunter]

That's so beautiful! Nice toes BTW 😉 Thanks from England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿