Polishing Horn Coral by Hand

[@occipitalneuralgia2339]

I like that this was done by hand. We all can’t have lapidary equipment like cabbing machines. Thank you.

[@MichiganRocks]

I have tried to make videos for people with different levels of equipment for just that reason. I’m glad you liked it.

[@Abpgsetiloincawdyubkolmbrs]

The polishing really brought out the details in the fossils!

[@MichiganRocks]

It sure does!

[@mowerparts3824]

Never seen them polished. Thanks as always. Great video 👍

[@sheilafranklin186]

Thnx for such a great video. I always learn so much.

[@MichiganRocks]

You're welcome, Sheila.

[@patriciawilliams4314]

Those were beautiful, Ron’s starting to do rock tumbling for me. Can’t wait. Thanks for the video.

[@MichiganRocks]

Cool! Have fun!

[@meMiner]

Excellent results! Great explanation.

[@ridgerunner66]

Those turned out really nice and shiny. Beautiful specimens. Thanks again for sharing this with us. Davin

[@MichiganRocks]

You're welcome!

[@ryanlawson9439]

Those are gorgeous!! I have a whole bucket full of them if various sizes and shapes

[@NurseMickiLea]

They look awesome can’t wait to see the other specimen polished, interesting to see what the lake has out there.

[@charlottebeck6292]

These turned out great! Thanks

[@robertkreiling1746]

You never cease to amaze me !

[@wendy3992]

Incredible! Thank you!

[@PingerProspecting]

Rob, you had a lot of elbow grease into that little project. Thanks for the show and lesson, they looked amazing !!!!

[@alczek]

Wife and I learn something with every one of your videos. I've not tried the hand polishing on fossils but will now. Petosky and some other stones have come out exceptional doing by hand. I'll go to 3000 grit in steps. It takes a bit longer but the stones look like glass.

[@MichiganRocks]

I really need to get some finer sandpapers. It couldn't hurt to add in a couple more grits before hitting it with Zam.

[@icatz]

Beautifully done. I have almost everything you listed. Wish I could use this method on my fire agate. I'll try it on the Petoskey. Thanks!

[@MichiganRocks]

Good plan!

[@EDLaw-wo5it]

I enjoy hand polishing for some reason. Maybe a sense of accomplishment I feel or the art of just working with my hands. I don't have a flat lap so I get quite a bit of practice. Nice work Kev. Havagudun Bud.

[@wyomingadventures]

Wow! They look fantastic polished.

[@SouthernOntarioSasquatch]

So inspiriting! Thank you MR! Loved it.

[@andreareeder1030]

So cool to appreciate them smooth and shiny. You would enjoy fossil hunting on Cayuga lake NY

[@MichiganRocks]

I probably would, but then again, I’m up to my ears in fossils here.

[@lynettepavelich7540]

Found a 4” horn coral, some smaller ones and about 30 petoskey stones in the yard around our new cabin! Looks like someone had lake stones hauled in years ago. You can imagine my excitement! After seeing how nice yours turned out, I’m gonna try your hand method! Thanks!

[@MichiganRocks]

Good luck, Lynette!

[@noelleglenn7552]

Thank you so much! My son just started polishing and he loved it! Great video.

[@MichiganRocks]

You're welcome. Glad you both enjoyed it.

[@susansmith6680]

I have horn coral sitting in a bowl, I might try this. Cool results!

[@einienj3281]

My nieces thought I'm insane when they found out what I was looking at! 😄😄😄 They know I'm the crazy aunt with the rocks, but now that they are a bit older, they are slowly starting to realize just how crazy rock-lady I am.. 😄😄😄😄 🤘🏻 Great episode, Thank You ♥️

[@MichiganRocks]

There are a lot of crazy rock people around, so you’re in good company.

[@einienj3281]

@@MichiganRocks The best! I have a "heavy metal-family" and a "rock-family".. ♥️😘😍

[@freedomdove]

Those turned out nice. I can't wait to see the third one. It's very interesting.

[@MichiganRocks]

You guys are putting the pressure on to polish the other one. It wasn't in the immediate plans, but I guess I'll have to make time to do it.

[@freedomdove]

Lol, sorry. It's just so pretty. Take your time, of course. We know you're busy.

[@1sec2midnight]

Excellent video and fossils! Thanks for sharing.

[@jacobbeke50]

I love all of your videos! Please keep making them I will always support them. I will have to try this with some of my own rocks

[@MichiganRocks]

Jacob Beke this is a method for very soft rocks. It would take forever with harder rocks.

[@jacobbeke50]

@@MichiganRocks I have some sedimentary rocks I carefully polished, petoskey stones but have yet to do it with this coral. And yes it does take forever with harder rocks I've got a very pretty piece of granite that took me roughly 3 hours

[@jade-wr9pn]

So pretty. The polished one sort of looks like a class ring style in the thumbnail.

[@storytimewithunclebill1998]

They look awesome. Looked like a lot of work. Really made the coral pop. Was fun to watch. Great video

[@MichiganRocks]

Thanks, Bill. You can hurry the process up a bit with a tumbler, but these are hard to tumble when you get to the finer stages.

[@CarolynMcPherson-r3z]

I've concluded that hand-polishing rocks is like knitting: a meditation. Certainly lowers my blood pressure!

[@dawnmorning]

Could u use dermal instead of sand paper to save time? Have u used bench grinder to polish? Such a wealth of information. Thanks.

[@MichiganRocks]

I have a flat lap (like a record player with sandpaper on top) and a six wheel cabochon machine (like a bench grinder). Both machines have diamond abrasives on them and both save a lot of time. I made this video for people who don't have tools. You could use a Dremel, but I have not since I have those other machines. Of course, you'd need to find grinders in different grits. I do use a Dremel to do the final polish with a felt wheel and Zam on soft rocks like these.

[@dawnmorning]

@@MichiganRocks Thanks you. I have horn coral and Petoskey stones and so many others things to polish. Have black, grey, brown, white, and green compounds. Wasn't sure what to use on coral. Web recco,emed this video fyi. U rock.

[@MichiganRocks]

@@dawnmorning Zam is one of the more popular polishes for Petoskey Stones. Aluminum oxide polish works well too.

[@pirateprospecting707]

They turned out perfect!!✅👍

[@debbieblick5403]

When you said that you could polish petoski stones the same way, did you mean that you could also use the dremel and that green polishing compound?

[@MichiganRocks]

Yes, Zam works great on Petoskey stones.

[@karenpacker8862]

I have both of these. Need to get them polish thou!!!!

[@tashacano3324]

The small one came out really well. It would make a lovely piece of jewelry

[@MichiganRocks]

I suppose it would.

[@emdee7744]

Wow, what a great idea! They look fantastic polished. Thank you for the how-to.

[@MichiganRocks]

You're welcome, Em. Are you working your way through all of my videos?

[@emdee7744]

@@MichiganRocks Yep!

[@lindakile1229]

Wow! Both are beautiful! Small one would make a great drop necklace.

[@temperhollow7716]

They are stunning and I adored rock hunting on Huron as a child and plan on going back. I never found fossils like these ones but maybe because I didn't know how to identify them then. Thanks for sharing.

[@MichiganRocks]

These are pretty easy to find at Rockport.

[@LadyYoop]

Beautiful! Where did you learn all your rock info? Did someone teach you, was it trial and error? You are magic. Plain and simple!

[@MichiganRocks]

I learned almost everything from a site called “Rock Tumbling Hobby”. There are a lot of people there with a whole lot mor knowledge than I have. forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/#category-5

[@LadyYoop]

@@MichiganRocks Which truly surprises me!

[@deniseview4253]

Worked out real nice.

[@MichiganRocks]

Denise View I was happy with them.

[@jefflawrence67]

Just discovered horn coral earlier this winter whilst looking for petoskey stones! They're now my newest favorite obsession!

[@MichiganRocks]

Yeah, they're pretty cool. There are quite a few around here.

[@malcolmsplace]

Looks great. How much of the shine is down to the wax? Or, is it all surface polish? Very nice though!

[@MichiganRocks]

Zam is not wax, it’s an abrasive. It doesn’t leave a wax coating that can be washed or rubbed off. You can use aluminum oxide to get the same results if you’re worried about Zam.

[@russsherwood5978]

yup, once you get them smooth, i use a old wash/face cloth that is damp, use a thooth paste with baking soda in it to polish / shine.. be blessed and safe

[@MichiganRocks]

Probably fights tooth decay in the rocks too. I have heard of using toothpaste for cleaning coins when I was a kid. I guess it does have abrasive in it. I haven't tried it on rocks.

[@markreetz1001]

Nice work. The fast motion sounds like a sander. Beautiful turnout.

[@MichiganRocks]

Unfortunately, my hands don't work nearly that fast in real time.

[@jamesferry6717]

Looks great! I've been finding lots of horn coral in SE Texas. I've got one in the tumbler as an experiment right now. The range of colors I'm finding is wild; tan is the most common with red and white less common and occasionally I'll find jet black with red, white, and clearish.

[@MichiganRocks]

I forget where it's found, but there's someplace where you can get agatized red horn coral that's just awesome.

[@ZyanZik]

Beautiful polish work! Tumbs Up!

[@MichiganRocks]

Thanks!

[@chuckkowalski6360]

Outstanding... thank you for sharing the process

[@MichiganRocks]

Pretty much the same as the Petoskey Stone video you watched.

[@oscarmedina1303]

Fantastic results. How do you know when it's time to move to the next finer sandpaper?

[@MichiganRocks]

Dry the rock off. Use a fan to get it really dry. The scratches will really show up if there are any.

[@oscarmedina1303]

@@MichiganRocks Thanks!

[@patriciawolanski3458]

Great explanation. Thank you for sharing your technique.

[@MichiganRocks]

You're welcome!

[@darlabuchmeier135]

Beautiful coral. Think the small one would make nice pendant. Appreciate the how to..

[@MichiganRocks]

Thanks, Darla.

[@michelinemorin7056]

Really appreciate your videos. I want to do some myself as soon as I can.

[@MichiganRocks]

Good luck! They're a lot of work, but fun too.

[@paulcarder8032]

They look great! I've polished Petoskey stones, but not Horned Coral. I'll have to try my Dremel sometime soon. When I hand polished the Petoskey, I used 80, 220, 600, 1000, 1500, 2000, 2500, and 3000 wet / dry sandpaper. Perhaps a bit of overkill. I also polished them by hand with a piece of denim and Cerium Oxide. When I use my Dremel, where did you get the polish? Keep up the informative and helpful videos.

[@MichiganRocks]

A friend of mine gave me the Zam, but you can buy it at Kingsley North.

[@CarolynMcPherson-r3z]

Hey, Rob. What kind of polyurethane would you recommend to accentuate the shine? And degree of shine? Thank you! [Or perhaps you have a KZbin channel you recommend for this. Thanks!--signed, a grateful fan. PS: we're taking the grandkids to Lake Huron in April.

[@MichiganRocks]

I have never used polyurethane or anything like it on my rocks. The closest I have come to that is oiling rough Lake Superior agates with mineral oil, but that doesn't make them shine much. I just polish rocks until they're smooth enough to shine.

[@CarolynMcPherson-r3z]

Thank you very much. You are a true friend.@@MichiganRocks

[@pedrochip]

Thanks for the amazing video

[@MichiganRocks]

You're welcome!

[@mary-anneswanson9931]

Lovely stones . How rough is the hand polishing on your hands ? My Dad use to use a pumice based soap when he was a mechanic and it was really harsh on his skin. Do you find that a problem or does it just look harder on the hands than it is ?

[@MichiganRocks]

Just doing one isn't bad. I do sand my hands here and there. I think if I did these all day long my hands might get a little raw. I'd say give it a try and stop if it starts to bother you.

[@mary-anneswanson9931]

@@MichiganRocks I may have to try that when I feel comfortable enough going to the hardware store for the sandpaper .

[@MichiganRocks]

@@mary-anneswanson9931 Good point. I have wanted to go to Home Depot for a couple things, but resisted the urge. I'm not a germaphobe in the least, but going grocery shopping was terrifying.

[@vlrose07]

How much sandpaper do you use? I have a bunch of small sheets this size and feel like I go through it way too quickly. Like in the first stages I’ll need a new sheet after 60 seconds. Is this normal or am I using bad sandpaper or doing it wrong

[@MichiganRocks]

A piece of sandpaper lasts for a very long time. Make sure you're buying wet/dry automotive sandpaper. Just go into an automotive parts store and buy a variety pack.

[@northernrocks543]

I am sorry to bother you again with another question but I need your expert advice again. I just received my loto tumbler and it is to cold to use cement for the cinder block. Would it be ok just to glue two or three cinder blocks on top of each other, or glue two or three solid cinder blocks together. these solid blocks are a little thinner their maybe eight inches long by four to five inches tall they don't have holes but are made out of the same stuff as cinder blocks. Or do you know of some thing else? I really would appreciate your advice. Thank you so much. Oh how rude of me I love your horn corals. You do such great work and this is why I love your help.

[@MichiganRocks]

Congratulations on the new Lot-O. I think you’ll really like it. I have been participating in the Rock Tumbling Hobby forum for years, and I have seen a lot of different ways that people mount them. Some people glue several blocks together to make a stand so they don’t have to get down on the ground to use it. I think a single concrete block with holes is a bet too light. I filled the holes with concrete on mine. I’d just make sure that whatever you build is heavier than a single concrete block.

[@northernrocks543]

@@MichiganRocks When they stacked the blocks on top of each other did they fill in the holes with cement Or leave them empty? Thanks for your help. I cant wait to use my new lot o tumbler.

[@MichiganRocks]

Northern Rocks I think it’s just the weight you’re after, so it shouldn’t matter if they’re filled. I’m not sure if the people who stacked them filled them, but I doubt it.

[@virginiarocks]

Very nice! ZAM. I think my dad had ZAM in his work room. Just ordered some. Thanks!

[@MichiganRocks]

You're welcome.

[@therealron5573]

What works better zam or aluminum oxide polish?

[@MichiganRocks]

I don’t notice much difference. Zam is for softer rocks though. Aluminum oxide works great in tumblers too. Zam is not for rock tumblers.

[@yeswing10]

Omgosh, you're sanding those by hand? That's a lot of work! I'll just watch !

[@MichiganRocks]

They're really soft, so it's not that bad. I have machines that do this quicker though. This video was for people without the machinery.

[@yeswing10]

@@MichiganRocks you really turned that fossil into a diamond. It's beautiful.

[@tonymonicasplanbmichigan5842]

Could these be tumbled--if they were the only kind in the barrel? What about other coral and fossels--with same items in their own barrels? Would you tumble all stages including polish or tumble then hand polish? Also, would you tumble with just Borax towards the end? Thank you!

[@MichiganRocks]

You could tumble a bunch of limestone fossils together. Limestone is very soft though and requires special tumbling methods. Here are a couple ways to tumble them: How to Partially Tumble a Petoskey Stone: kzbin.info/www/bejne/f3O1omqahaljgs0 Petoskey Stones in Corn Cob Media: kzbin.info/www/bejne/naO2nY1uaJqJetE

[@tonymonicasplanbmichigan5842]

@@MichiganRocks thank you!

[@dianegreen6635]

Holy moly...would these do well in a tumbler ? Lots of work but looks great.

[@MichiganRocks]

Diane Green maybe with a really good one. I have not had much luck with them in the tumbler though. Usually there are some spots that end up developing a hole. They’re really soft too. Softer rocks are harder to tumble.

[@theresaguy-tippie7986]

This is exactly what I needed help with. Thank you!

[@MichiganRocks]

Hey, I'm glad to help!

[@jimknarr]

Which polishing method was faster? Dremel with Zam or Aluminum Oxide with elbow grease?

[@MichiganRocks]

Both methods are pretty quick. I guess the Zam is probably a little faster and less messy.

[@heatherlawrence1896]

Nice job! Very beautiful fossils ❤

[@wafflehoarder2666]

When you use the Dremel to polish, do you wear protective gear to avoid getting dust in your eyes and lungs, or is the Zam waxy/wet enough to prevent dust from flying everywhere? I'm hoping to find my childhood rock collection (somewhere in storage) and perhaps try my hand at hand sanding since I don't have space for a tumbler!

[@MichiganRocks]

It flings around a little, but it is a waxy paste. I don't worry about inhaling it. I do wear a respirator when I use my saw or grinders.

[@tiffanyobetts4197]

What speed do you have the Dremel on? We have a variable speed option and I’m not sure. Thank you!

[@MichiganRocks]

The one I use for this is not variable speed so I don’t know. I don’t think it should matter as long as you’re not heating up the stone too much.

[@minnowdeswayze374]

Thank you for sharing 💓

[@CarolynMcPherson-r3z]

And what jeweller's rouge do you use? Brand? Except that rouge--Jewellers' rouge--means "red." and his rouge is apple green: "vert de pomme"? Thank you!

[@MichiganRocks]

The green polish is called "Zam". I have it listed in my Amazon storefront, which you can find in the description of any of my videos. You need to have some sort of buffing wheel to use it, you can't use it by hand. I use a felt wheel on a Dremel.

[@CarolynMcPherson-r3z]

Bless you. Can't wait to get my hands of some of those finds. This is a whole new fascination for me: I used to be an English professor!@@MichiganRocks

[@illuminotmereloaded6896]

Zom Zam, man! Those look fantastic!

[@MichiganRocks]

Thansk!

[@RavenousMedicine]

Pretty neat! an option for the impatient like myself, lol.

[@MichiganRocks]

I find that this method takes patience. It's a lot of hand sanding. I prefer tumbling rocks because it doesn't require as much effort, although it takes weeks or months. So I think you and I both have patience, but in different ways.

[@susanmatako8469]

Going to Alpena on the 15th of Feb can you give me a few good places to go for Petosky and pudding stones? We don't have a 4 wheel drive. Thank You!

[@MichiganRocks]

I haven’t been to the beach in about a month. Chances are everything will be frozen. My best spots require going through private land to get to, so I can’t share those. There are Petoskey stones at Rockport, but the quality isn’t usually very good. Did you see my Harrisville video? That might be your best bet, although the rocks are kind of small there. I did find both puddingstones and Petoskey stones.

[@susanmatako8469]

@@MichiganRocks Thank's!

[@adventuregal9575]

Thats awesome. Makes me want to polish some I have found!

[@MichiganRocks]

What are you waiting for? Do it!

[@adventuregal9575]

@@MichiganRocks I have to wait for a day off work...one coming up soon! Thanks for sharing your vid!

[@karenh2945]

OOooo - those turned out so nice! Without having any of the big saws or lap pad (?) sander equipment, and starting to have arthritis in my thumbs… could I use a little dremel tool like you used in this video, with different grit # sanding attachments - instead of the hand sanding? This might also be the cure for my impatience with the thought of using a tumbler :)

[@MichiganRocks]

I don’t see why that wouldn’t work. Give it a try.

[@jimSP500]

Is this just a tutorial on how to do this by hand. Just curious why don't you use your cabbing machine.

[@MichiganRocks]

Because a lot of people don't have cabbing machines. This was to show how they can be done without machinery (except the Dremel). I would much prefer to do these with power tools.

[@Surrender17]

Ok. I totally need to do this to mine. The only problem is I have a lot. I have a question though, can you do a video on identifying the different types of coral? I don't know any of the names of mine.

[@MichiganRocks]

I’m not great at identifying them, I just know a few common ones.

[@Surrender17]

@@MichiganRocks It's ok. I managed to figure out which type I have the most of. The brachiopods being Spirifer and a majority of my coral being solitary Rugose. All of them were found in different areas of Indiana.

[@isabeedemski3635]

Thanks!

[@ettena93]

What hardness of gemstones can you polish by hand with sandpaper? I have heard hardness of 6 is the limit, some say even more.

[@MichiganRocks]

There’s probably not a limit as long as the silicon carbide of the sand paper is harder than the rock. Limestone is a three. I wouldn’t want to sand something much harder just because it would take forever. I usually use a grinder of some sort or a tumbler. Hand sanding is just too slow and tiring.

[@ettena93]

@@MichiganRocks Thanks for answering me! I'll invest in some tools then, wouldn't want to get tired of polishing rocks just because it takes too long.

[@jamesburke6078]

I need dremel...and sandpaper...and everything else 😂 been using sandpaper and my dad's Whetstone! Big-time amateur here, but I like rock's

[@MichiganRocks]

Sandpaper works great for soft rocks like these.

[@WagonPilotAdventures]

Those turned out great. I have a bunch of horn coral I found in Indiana last summer that I've been experimenting with in the rock tumbler. Going to try my Dremel for a final polish now.

[@MichiganRocks]

This horn coral is limestone, which is very soft. I know there's some red horn coral that can be found out West somewhere, which I believe is a much harder material, like agate or jasper. That would be much different to polish than my local stuff. It would be useful to know what kind of rock you're working with. Zam (the stuff I used with my Dremel) works best on soft metals and rocks.

[@WagonPilotAdventures]

@@MichiganRocks They are soft, so I only dropped them in the tumbler for 8 hours at a time through the different stages. Cleaned them up nicely. Excited to see how they look after polishing. I'll wet sand the next batch to compare.

[@CplSkiUSMC]

Do you have a rock collection displayed at home on shelves or a mantle? Obviously they would be your best and favorite samples, I'd be curious to see.

[@MichiganRocks]

Not as many as you might think. I have a plate of tumbled rocks on the coffee table, there are a few Petoskey Stones around, and my son has quite a few in his room, although he is away at college. Most of my rocks are in the basement.

[@ashleybedgood]

Could you have used your cab machine to do this? If so would it have been quicker?

[@MichiganRocks]

Yes, it would have been a lot quicker. I try to make some videos for people who don't have a lot of equipment.

[@ashleybedgood]

Thats really cool that you do that! Good to know you can use a cab machine too. :)

[@doandinh3639]

So good.

[@davidhile5363]

Another outstanding video ! Where can you buy the Zam ? Do you still have snow up there?

[@MichiganRocks]

Yes, we are having a mild winter, but February is still very much winter. We usually don't lose our snow until late March.

[@davidhile5363]

Michigan Rocks Where can you buy the Zam ?

[@MichiganRocks]

David Hile looks like Kingsley North has some. I’m sure you can buy it other places, this is just the first place I found it. kingsleynorth.com/zam-buffing-compound.html

[@davidhile5363]

Michigan Rocks Thanks Rob !!!

[@littledabwilldoya9717]

I think I’m just about on the opposite side of the ‘mitt’ right now, and we definitely have snow!😁

[@CityRockhounding]

Awesome. What's the lowest area in MI you can find these.

[@MichiganRocks]

I don't know. I haven't hunted the southern half of the lower peninsula.

[@CityRockhounding]

@@MichiganRocks that sounds like vacation time for me then! Love it.

[@jwilson2723]

Do you wear a mask when doing this? I’ve seen a few people say you should. Wasn’t sure if I should or not.

[@MichiganRocks]

I don't wear a mask when wet sanding by hand. I wear a respirator when doing any dry grinding, cutting with a saw, or grinding on my flat lap or cabochon machine. With high speed tools, I can feel the rock dust on my skin and in my hair when I'm done working. If it's in the air, I can sure breathe it in and that's really, really bad for your lungs. If in doubt, wear a mask or respirator. When sanding by hand and keeping everything wet, I don't think much dust can actually get in the air.

[@jwilson2723]

@@MichiganRocks Makes perfect sense. Thank you!

[@313graphs7]

I’ve really enjoyed watching your videos during quarantine me and my dad go rock hunting at seagull point in Rogers city

[@MichiganRocks]

How are the rocks there? Should I go check it out?

[@313graphs7]

Michigan Rocks there so many different rocks, I don’t really know all the names of the rocks but now that now that I watch your channel I’m learning, when I’m uo next maybe we’ll run into each other

[@MichiganRocks]

@@313graphs7 Say hi if you see me!

[@313graphs7]

Michigan Rocks I will!

[@outdoorsy01]

Just made our first fossil hunt video. Reserving a lot of the tips you share for when I attempt to smarten up our finds

[@MichiganRocks]

Good, I hope they come out nice and shiny for you. I just watched your video. My fossils are limestone, which is very soft and therefore easy to sand by hand. If your fossils are a harder material, this may not work for you.

[@cory546]

Im guessing you can use sandpaper from a hardware store too?

[@MichiganRocks]

Just get the wet/dry kind.

[@cory546]

@@MichiganRocks thank you

[@terryrgee]

I bought some of that Zam like you use and it came lidless, hard as dried plaster. Do you know of a way to soften it or should I just toss it and order from another source?

[@MichiganRocks]

It’s hard stuff. Mine hasn’t had a lid for as long as I’ve had it. You need a buffing wheel of some sort to apply it. I use a Dremel with a felt wheel as you saw in the video.

[@terryrgee]

@@MichiganRocks I tried. It threw pieces like shrapnel and ate my buffing wheel LOL.

[@MichiganRocks]

@@terryrgee My Dremel wheel throws some off the stick too, but most of it sticks to the wheel and turns it green. It's hard to tell what you're dealing with without seeing it in person. Someone gave me my stick that had already been used and I've had it uncovered for about 8 years. From that experience, it doesn't seem to dry out.

[@reneebarrett1161]

Beautiful

[@CraigsOverijse]

Super video and wish I could sand at the speed your speeded up film was

[@MichiganRocks]

I wish I could too!

[@mazcats66silver34]

Thanks for another great informative video...I will definitely be trying this technique out..the corals look even more beautiful when polished ☺👏

[@MichiganRocks]

Yep, that's the point!

[@patriciamckean4186]

Zam is great stuff!

[@paleocat6354]

I love your videos

[@MichiganRocks]

Thanks, Darth.

[@johnharrison7178]

Great video. Didn't even know you could do that to a fossil.

[@MichiganRocks]

I'm glad I could teach you. Give it a try, it's fun.

[@pdub2762]

More fossils please!

[@MichiganRocks]

kzbin.infoGLBT3GqXA2M?feature=share kzbin.infop417znRsUPI?feature=share kzbin.info/www/bejne/q6C5kGOBf7d_sMk kzbin.info/www/bejne/poeZpHSoaa1jY7s kzbin.info/www/bejne/npvOZJKBgrGMjtU There's more, but that's a start. Go to my channel page and look around or do a search.

[@Smallathe]

Nice work!!!

[@pinayinsklee]

soo pretty , beautiful.

[@JOELJOELJOELish]

Is that zam safe?

[@MichiganRocks]

Safe in what way? I wouldn't eat it.

[@JOELJOELJOELish]

@@MichiganRocks meaning once its on the rocks it isnt sludgy or sticky or anything like that

[@MichiganRocks]

@@JOELJOELJOELish Zam is an abrasive. It's not a wax or a coating. The abrasive is in a wax like substance, but there is no residue left on the rocks.

[@pennyhoward3438]

Beautiful ! Good thing you don't have arthritis in your hands

[@MichiganRocks]

Yes, good thing I don't have that anywhere. My wife has it in her big toe and it hurts all the time.

[@fourtimezthru]

I soaked a couple in vinegar just as an experiment.... they turned out beautifully.

[@MichiganRocks]

I've never understood soaking in vinegar. I know a lot of people soak Petoskey Stones in vinegar. It seems like that would just start dissolving the rocks. Vinegar is acidic and limestone dissolves in acid. I'm not sure if I'm missing something or if it's one of those things that people do just because someone said it was a good idea. Of course, if you were trying to make horn coral pickles, that would be the way to go.

[@fourtimezthru]

See that’s what happened... I saw it on KZbin. Petrosky wouldn’t work... but some of the horn coral or what I thought was horn coral dissolved away like clay. And these great bones appeared like sharp pillars. It sort of looks like a flower pod before it flowers. I would only soak the fossils that have two colours to them. The ones here I find in clay that comes off lime stone Bluffs. The fossils are always two-toned in colour.

[@MichiganRocks]

@@fourtimezthru oh, that could be cool. Did you see my chain coral video? I dissolved all the matrix away with acid leaving only the chain coral behind.

[@fourtimezthru]

Michigan Rocks I loved that video... it’s the reason I subbed. 🔔

[@littledabwilldoya9717]

fourtimezthru I tried soaking one that had two colors, also. It looked like there was a clay sediment around the fossil itself. It took some of that away, but I guess the “clay “ was harder than the fossil. Or at least, tougher than the vinegar! 😄

[@MACorrupt]

Can you use the same polishing technique on stones and if so what hardness level does that work with? Thank you for the video.

[@MichiganRocks]

This is very soft limestone. This method would be very, very slow with harder rocks.

[@MACorrupt]

Michigan Rocks OK thanks. I’ve tried some etching in rocks with a diamond tip but even that’s not very easy

[@MichiganRocks]

Prevent PA for hard rocks, my preferred method is tumbling. You could also use a flat lap or a cabochon machine to grind rocks.

[@MACorrupt]

Michigan Rocks I like the idea of the cabochon machine I’ll have to check it out. What’s your preference for tumblers? Something medium not too big.