Polishing Rocks with hand held Polisher/Sander - Part 2, a more detailed look

[@Water_Rat]

I really enjoyed watching this process and it just goes to show what can be accomplished with low cost solutions. Your finished pieces looked great! Loved seeing all the plants on your property as well. Thanks for posting this.

[@kevshomemovies8100]

glad you liked it robert, thanks for comment 👍

[@randallsummers6551]

Thanks! This video answered several questions I've had that no one I've watched has address. Take care and God bless.

[@kevinnix6531]

cheers randall

[@sdridnor]

Thanks Kevin this was an excellent demonstration. I will use you instructions with my rock cutting through to polishing the final project. Steve

[@kevinnix6531]

glad you liked it steve, thanks for comment 👍

[@delsakelly1456]

Hi Kiven, I'm a coin collector and stone/rock on the side. It's fun and fascinating to admire the beauties of them. I have stone from Ireland, Guam , Japan and USA the most. The hobby is rewarding. Keep up your passion. Thumbs up.

[@kevinnix6531]

thanks for watching this one Delsa, nice to hear you collect rocks alongside you coins, youtube can be a handy tool for us collectors, cheers, kev

[@askalice7222]

Very nice, thanks so much for the information. You've got a lovely place there, dreamy set up. Why anyone would dislike this video is mind boggling.

[@kevinnix6531]

thanks for comment alice !

[@polemicaseverdades7963]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZmGQlHmalr-qb68 💎💎🇧🇷🇧🇷

[@davidtaai6576]

amazing tutoring with a good sign on the shed. I BELIEVE I'LL HAVE ANOTHER BEER, good on ya mate

[@kevinnix6531]

glad you liked the video david, thanks, kev

[@Orpheous34]

Thank you so much for posting these two videos! I ended up getting a sander/polisher and ordering some diamond pads like yours. Now I'm able to cut and polish stones at home for jewellery making!

[@kevinnix6531]

good one orpheous, hope you find the process as rewarding as I do

[@Orpheous34]

@@kevinnix6531 I'm hooked mate! I scored a set of 6 pads to start with and just ordered a set of 18 to keep me going lol. With my little rotary tool flex shaft diamond blade I'm able to cut up some beautiful little slabs and crystal clusters to set in the silver jewellery I make. Thanks again Kevin. Your videos have been a game changer for me!

[@brendanmartin2124]

Amazed you still have all of your fingers. Beautiful job you did there!

[@kevinnix6531]

Brendan Martin thanks for watching, the pads are soft and dont really hurt my fingers. I suppose you have a point though, gloves can be worn if preferred, waterproof gloves better. kev

[@SRLGemstone]

Very informative and detailed video. Thank you. I must say, the setting is great. Cool.

[@kevinnix6531]

glad you enjoyed video SRL, thanks, kev

[@js4540]

One of your other viewers asked about polishing petrified wood and I second that question. Great video and thank you for sharing mate!

[@kevinnix6531]

hi John Schoenfeld , thanks for watching video, and thanks also for comment. (Most of the time) there isnt really any discernable difference between shaping and polishing minerals or petrified wood, the main thing is to enjoy doing it, (even your mistakes !) cheers, kev

[@derekcomer4858]

This was so relaxing to watch as well as really informative. When you started polishing the action looked so natural to you, many hundreds of hours practice I guess 😊

[@kevinnix6531]

hi derek, yes i guess its like everything we do repetively, we get comfortable with the actions. I do know that there are lighter sander/polisher units available out there, I must look into that one day ..

[@rconabudget7530]

Very nice videos! subscribed here in the land of rocks Arizona. Your hands speak of your experiences! Thanks!!

[@kevinnix6531]

thanks for watching RC, would love to visit the geology of Arizona before too late !

[@oneflyinggirl]

Thanks for sharing since my yard is full of such pieces. My cabin was built in 1948 along Thomas mountain and the previous owner hunted and collected great pieces before fences existed.

[@kevinnix6531]

that comment is stirring, it makes me imagine your property, where is thomas mountain located ? cheers for watching, kev

[@oneflyinggirl]

@@kevinnix6531 Mountain Center ca. Thomas mountain is next to Lake Hemet and gorgeous!

[@delsakelly1456]

Hard work . I admire your passion for rocks The finish product is beautiful. Thank you for the video.

[@kevinnix6531]

hi delsa, thanks for watching video, glad you liked it. I am still a learner, its good for me to make the video, it helps me get better, cheers, kev

[@josephastier7421]

Nice way to get the job done quickly and easily with common tools.

[@kevinnix6531]

and also good for polishing domed or uneven surfaces

[@_Per_Aspera_Ad_Astra_]

Nice collection. Powerful grinder, a bit too heavy. I wonder, I have watched so so so MANY videos, how comes that so many guys have Tattoos ? I am 70 now, but nothing on my body, guess younger folks must have liked it back then. Great video and explanation 👍

[@kevinnix6531]

if you follow through my videos to the more recent ones, you will see i now use the battery rechargeable model, only half the weight and size, kev

[@doloresbarlocco9682]

Beautiful ! Thanks . I love your garden and your rock . Queensland is a dream.....!!! Hi from Italy🙋👍👍👍

[@kevinnix6531]

Dolores Barlocco hello back ! thanks for watching, kev

[@BackYardGardeningTip]

Very useful information and your demonstration was great. Thanks. I am just starting my first day as a rock cutter. Now I see what other tools I can use. I also ordered a rock tumbler for the beach stones I find on my walks.

[@kevinnix6531]

hi James Mann , thanks for watching, I havent tried tumbling yet, but am certainly interested in trying it one day. Good luck with other techniques and skills, its a great hobby, very rewarding, cheers, kev

[@huemanexperience1738]

Loved watching the whole process. Was hoping I would be able to do this but just watching made my neuropathy in my fingers start acting numb and dumb. Guess I better stick to smaller rocks and a tumbler 😣. Really enjoyed this video.

[@kevinnix6531]

U do it Yahway I do it Mahway yes, i must learn tumbling as well, it looks fascinating, kev

[@slamhappyfuntime2782]

Awesome, thank you. Maybe next time somehow lower the sound of the power tools... I liked seeing each step played throughout though. In real time. Good work man

[@chrisdoolittle4204]

Thanks for the video. I just started polishing with a similar setup but I think my rocks aren't perfectly flat, so those areas aren't getting polished. What should I use to get the surface perfectly flat? Or is there something else i am doing wrong?

[@kevinnix6531]

hi chris, not being perfectly flat shouldnt be too much of a problem, as the wet diamond pads are slightly flexible, if you wish to flatten the surface more, try using velcro attached flat lap discs, I think I show there use in Part 3 ? They are available from THK diamond tools online, kev

[@karenrichardson3432]

Thank you for this lesson. I have been wanting to polish my big rocks 10 pounders, maybe 8-10 inches long/wide and not too thick. What do you do about curvy edges that you want to keep that way?

[@kevinnix6531]

hi karen, the soft diamond pads are quite flexible, you can just follow the curves on the rocks surface, it just taks a little juggling with the sander/polisher, it also takes a little arm strength, I rest from a large job often, take a break, have a cuppa, then back on the attack. Just be sure to spray the work surface with soapy water now and again. Its not absolutely critical if it dries out between sprays., kev

[@Thracium]

Good job. Congrats!

[@kevinnix6531]

@@Thracium thankyou, appreciate comment 👍

[@emeltea33]

Very cool, thanks for sharing. I wonder if a potter's wheel could be re-purposed, or a DIY potter's wheel inspired build could serve your purpose of having a continuous flood? Thanks again.

[@kevinnix6531]

hi doug, good point you make, in our facebook group i have seen quite a few home made machines in various designs, people are quite creative, cheers, kev

[@miketrusky476]

Clamp the grinder to the bench. Use 2 hands to contol the stone.

[@kevinnix6531]

hi mike, thanks for comment, clamping the grinder might suit certain work, but I need the flexibility and accuracy of freehand. Clamping also prevents me from working on very large pieces such as petrified wood logs weighing 10+ kilograms. The new sander/polishers are battery rechargeable now and only half the weight and very flexible in what work can be done with them, kev

[@BiggestKev1960]

Hi Kev, great video's, I'm new to the hobby just got myself a Rubi Wet Tile Saw. My first rock will be cut at dawn, I have a piece of Blue Quartz to play with. Where did you get the rock display craddle at the end of the video? I would like to get some they look awesome. Cheers Kev

[@kevinnix6531]

hope your cutting is going well, it’s addictive, be sure to follow through and polish a few up as well ! I got the display stand from ebay, if you search you will find one, (smaller) kev

[@BiggestKev1960]

@@kevinnix6531 Thanks Kev, yes I have just received my polishing pads in the post. Thanks for the reply Kev, and thank you for sharing your video's. Cheers Kev

[@صقرالجنوب-ف4ش]

Thank you for your comment. By the way this piece of rough diamonds if you want it I do not mind

[@gtrjazz]

Great video ... thanks! Which bar compound do you use on your buffing wheel?

[@kevinnix6531]

dont usually use any compounds, I dont like the slight discoloration I was getting, I dont usually use anything now, just buff item until warm/hot on a stiched sisal wheel. If the item does need extra I will apply Autosol metal polish to the surface before buffing, it has a very fine grit cutting action, allmost like 20,000 grit, kev

[@gtrjazz]

@@kevinnix6531 Thanks Kevin. That's very helpful!

[@larissapin]

loved your channel, i am just learning about rocks and stones, and start do anything , small scultures and ither works. congrats!

[@kevinnix6531]

hi larissapin , thanks for commenting, and good luck with your rocks hobby, youtube is one of the tools you can use to learn more, rocks are a great interest, cheers, kev

[@larissapin]

@@kevinnix6531 I Hope haverá you like a friend for It, thank you! You were a gentleman.

[@kevinnix6531]

larissapin and you ! thankyou

[@ericcheng3143]

Thanks. Do you know how can I polish a herkimer diamond? There are rough parts on it. I dont know if dremmel is ok. Good day.

[@kevinnix6531]

there are methods for polishing rough surfaces, I dont use a dremel much, but i’m sure that would be the best way, maybe a youtube search for videos on the subject could help, kev

[@LivingBGLegend]

So I have a dremel and tons of different petrified wood and jasper, different kinds of quartz and so on.... trying to figure out the best way to polish it using a dremel. I have diamond bits for carving but am having difficulty finding something to smooth and make em shiny

[@kevinnix6531]

hi benjamin, i’m not real familiar with dremel work, the only thing you might try is the sandpaper discs that fit the dremel, you would have to start with the coarse grits and work thru to the finer grits. The coarse and medium grits could be a dry sandpaper, but i would suggest ‘wet n dry’ sandpaper (used wet) for the fine grits. A felt disc on the dremel could be tried for the final polish, kev

[@ebonypollard7171]

hi benjamin, I’m in the exact same position right now. just got my first dremel machine to pretty up some of my quartz and jasper found in the hills. the process i’ve been doing is first grinding down the rough edges and going over with a few different grits of sand paper then finishing off with a polishing wheel. they have came up looking real nice and shiny, but nothing really compared to the work in this video, I would love to reach this stage of rock work one day.

[@kevinnix6531]

ebony pollard hi ebony, try to find the wet and dry sandpaper, usually dark grey coloured, wet the rock with soapy water when using it. Sometimes the lack of shine is due to not using the coarse grits enough, after using coarse grits the rock wont be shiny, but will be very smooth, like a “soapy” texture, only then should you move on to higher grits. Wet and dry sandpaper should be available right through as high as 1200 grit, which should provide a great shine kev

[@LivingBGLegend]

Kevin Nix will that work on rocks such as petrified wood that have a high quartz content and what I remember to be an 8 on the hardness scale? I have a diamond grinding attqchments etc but will sandpaper really work? Do you get the kind for metal or the kind for wood?

[@kevinnix6531]

Benjamin Goulet as i said in my reply, use wet and dry sandpaper, i’m not sure what material its rated for. I also stated i’m not familiar with dremel work, but i have used wet n’dry paper on agates using hands only, no machinery, I wont repeat myself for other points, please just read replies above, cheers, kev

[@onemelissa2003]

Beautiful. I wish I could do this! Can you do this with all rocks or just certain types?

[@kevinnix6531]

hi melissa, its a case of trying out different rocks, some types are softer and easier to get the scratches out of, and polish. Others can be very hard, and take a lot more work to get good results. As you do morr and more, you get to learn which ones are best.

[@clockindollarz_712]

So glad I came across this video very well explained. I have so many raw pieces cant wait to get started! Thank you

[@kevinnix6531]

thanks for watching and commenting, hopefully has inspired you, very satisfying hobby, kev

[@jaikram]

Hello Kevin. One question - did you change the speed of grinder as you went from 50 to 10000?

[@kevinnix6531]

hi jaikram , no, no need to adjust speed, just stay a little bit higher than the lowest speed all through the process, its just a mix of the slow speed and pressure that polishes the rock, kev

[@jaikram]

@@kevinnix6531 Thanks, great learning video, stay happy.

[@gayedawn1]

If I needed to hold the grinder with both hands, is it possible to say rest the rock on a heavy ribbed rubber mat or in some special made clamp. My grinder arrived today but waiting on diamond disks. Any suggestions pls.

[@kevinnix6531]

gayedawn1 its a lot safer to hold the sander in one hand, and hold the rock in the other, I hold the sander in the crook of my arm. If you have a sander that doesnt have the trigget ‘lock on’ switch, you may need to cable tie (zip loc, or zip tie), the trigger on, and use a seperate power board to turn the sander on and off. I have used a rubber mat to steady a rock, but it can slip and move, you have to judge each seperate rock yourself. I have never had to use a clamp device, so i cant advise on that sorry. Your arm will ache a little when you first start to polish, be sure to rest in between polishing until your muscles get used to it. Hope you can develop a technique that suits, kev

[@gayedawn1]

Kevin Nix...I'm 71 so probably not as strong these days. 20 years ago I took all the paint off my weatherboard house with a heat gun and sanded it back to the original before painting, so do have a bit of tool experience. The wet/dry grinder with multi speeds is a little heavier at 2.5 to 2.9 kgs but my club would not tell me how to partly polish larger specimens which I have. My dad was a tradie and even he had a run in with a grinder years ago. Safety is my main concern and I was worried about holding it like you do because of your expert experience and my age. . At the club when they saw slabs they use timber bits to clamp the rocks in place for stability and balance, that was one of my thoughts. Thanks for your video as there is no one else doing this only people using only their hands or dremel.

[@suenetteedwards5965]

I'm a very Protection First person. What kindof gloves are you using? Would you recommend the bet safety gloves? I amalso a painter and could really stand to keep my fingers. ;-D

[@kevinnix6531]

Suenette Edwards , thanks for watching video, i use thick leather gloves. But if you have any doubts whatsoever regarding safety, there are various other methods used for polishing rocks. There are a lot of videos available on youtube to give ideas, cheers, kev

[@JustSayin001]

I have one of those😍😍😍 idk what grit is on it.. and I don't have that lovely velcro.. but I'm gonna give it a try! Thanks for showing me how!

[@kevinnix6531]

just sayin thanks for watching ! kev

[@cherylmcmurray5037]

Hi Kevin, I just finished polishing some petrified wood using you method. One issue that I had was when I started using the wet diamond discs (started with the 50 grit) I noticed many small hairline scratches all over the surface when dry. The continued work with each pad finishing with a 3,000 grit did not buff these out. I then returned to the PVA pad after the final polishing and was able to finally get those scratches out, the proceeding directly back to the 3,000 grit wet disc with good results. Was just wondering what I might have done wrong to cause the scratches with the wet 50 grit diamond pad. I did keep the stone wet and lubricated with ivory soap in the water. Any insight would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[@kevinnix6531]

Cheryl McMurray hi cheryl, a critical step that is probably not on the video is to work your lowest grit (whether it be 50, or 100 ) a bit longer than all the others. And then ALLWAYS dry the rock with a rag, or old towell is better, take it into the sun, or bright light, and inspect the dry surface carefully. You MUST be satisfied with the surface before you continue. It may mean repeating the lowest grit process again, if you do, ensure to dry and inspect again. I must find the time to make a follow up video, to include this tip, and a few others that i have learnt since making the last video. Note- sometimes you might have to make the decision to leave a deep scratch if it isnt viable to remove it, I make that call now and again. Hope this helped, also remember all rocks are different, hard, soft, dull, shiny, the more rocks you polish, the better you will get, cheers, kev

[@cherylmcmurray5037]

Thank You Kevin!

[@lindabower6315]

What is the green and white rock on the end of your work bench? And what are going to do with it?

[@kevinnix6531]

Linda bower , hi linda, thanks for watching video, the green/blue rock is Blue Chalcedony in Jasper. Its from Cloncurry, Queensland, Australia. It has been cut up into slabs and sold. If you need to get this type of rock and many similar to it (and you live in Australia), then take a look at the Facebook group “Mackay Fossils and Rocks”, similar materials are advertised for sale on that group regularly, cheers, kev

[@kevinnix6531]

bullshitdave good tip dave !

[@rickrickrick186]

Perfect for doing a matching set of bookends. Start with a heavy, good looking rock approx. 10" High, x 9" Deep, x 4" Wide. Cut the rock in half and polish the two exposed . sides. Those will go against the books. Cut a couple inches off the bottom of the two halves and polish so your bookends will now be about 8" high. Enjoy your hand made bookends that should take no more than 30 minutes to complete.

[@kevinnix6531]

Rick Crouch yes, i agree rick, the beauty is the simplicity, with minimal equipment the rock can be polished up and looking great. Thanks for comment, cheers, kev

[@saeedheydariyan4467]

Hello. What was the liquid that was poured into the water before polishing?

[@kevinnix6531]

dish washing detergent, use at same rate as when you wash the dishes

[@joanramonborra7380]

Great video, many tips, very useful. Hi Nick could you tell me with seller did you buy the soft disk for polishind from 50 to 10000, there is so many i don't know wich one choose?

[@kevinnix6531]

I just choose the most economic set, most of the different ebay suppiers are ok

[@joanramonborra7380]

@@kevinnix6531 thank you sir , that decided to me to by this set!! I see you on the next videos👍

[@lorrainelindley1782]

What grit did you use on the first diamond abrasive disc with the grinder?

[@kevinnix6531]

hi lorraine, i allways start with 50 grit, (or the lowest grit in your set), it also takes the most work of all the grit sizes, no scratches should be left after the lowest disc is used, (the rest of the discs are just for polishing the shine), kev

[@yenhachau8539]

Thank you! I enjoyed so much and learnt how to use hand tools.

[@MACorrupt]

Is that mookite on the end of your bench? If so where did you get it? Looks like you mined it.

[@MACorrupt]

Girl2skate I’m on the East Coast but I’d love to purchase a nice polish panties from you. I’ve been wanting to get myself a piece of mookite 💜🙏🏾

[@braddeem5735]

Very informative and professional. Thank you!

[@kevinnix6531]

hi brad, a hard process to describe to an audience, as it can be adapted and performed in various ways, depending in the person, but hopefully it will give some people a starting point, kev

[@shirineromankurth1633]

Thank you for your video and great explanations.

[@kevinnix6531]

thanks shirine

[@SouthernOntarioSasquatch]

You are an amazing teacher. Thank you so much!

[@kevinnix6531]

Southern Ontario Sasquatch glad you liked video, cheers, kev

[@oneflyinggirl]

We bought a place in the mountains that has large pieces of agatized petrified wood. I wish I had your dexterity and skill.

[@kevinnix6531]

hi oneflyinggirl , thanks for watching video. Nice to hear you live in a place where the agatized wood occurs, Do you collect any smaller pieces ? I have a few chunks in my garden areas, but our wood is mainly just brown or grey rock, not a lot of agatization. thanks for comment 😉 kev

[@marklewis4793]

WoW!..ur so lucky!..petrified woods better than gold to me, have fun with it.

[@kevinnix6531]

mark lewis , yes, certainly interesting stuff, ancient and beautifull ! kev

[@oneflyinggirl]

Kevin Nix yes I love collecting rocks.

[@Richard-mz1zk]

I couldn’t make out what type of stone it is…. I’m trying to identify one that I have. Please n thanks

[@kevinnix6531]

hi richard, its just a volcanic mix that has chalcedony, quartz, and other minerals, found on the coastline

[@krystalskyebrisson9512]

This is a fantastic video/tutorial :) Thank you for sharing your knowledge! I was wondering if you think I could produce a similar finish on pieces of petrified wood that are similar in size to the rocks you polished in this video, using a dremel tool? I hope to hear from you... Thank you for your time in advance! Kind Regards, Krystal Skye

[@kevinnix6531]

Krystal Skye Brisson , hi krystal, allthough i havent tried it, i would imagine the very basic steps are similar. keeping in mind the dremel has small attachments, so dont overeach, keep the pieces of petrified wood small. - decide what attachments you are going to use on the dremel. eg: sandpaper, or diamond abrasives, or other. (just make sure you have a set of them that start at a coarse grit, and gradually reach a fine grit.) - the most work is allways with the coarse grit, make sure you get as many scratches out as you can. (you may not get the very deepest ones out, but try, and leave them if you have to) - when you reach your finest grit, if your not satisfied with the shine, or glow, you can use a cream polish to enhance the final finish. you can choose from two types ... 1. cream metal polish (buy from auto shop) 2. cream wax polish just follow instructions on products hope this helps, thanks for watching video, cheers, kev

[@arronbingham3769]

Yes dremels work very well

[@JoebobbedGaming]

thank you so much for sharing. watching all the way from America

[@kevinnix6531]

FarmerJoeBob , thanks for comment, our facebook group has quite a few members from America and other overseas locations 👍

[@Lateralusaint.]

so its enough if i keep the stone wet.i dont need to buy an expensive polisher with watter?

[@kevinnix6531]

hi 7, as you may know, rocks have different hardness, some are really hard and can only be poilished with assistance from polisher or similar equipment. Softer rocks can be polished using wet and dry sandpaper (by hand), using soapy water, work your way through all the grits, from rough, thru to fine grit smooth. It gives you reasonable finish, kev

[@Lateralusaint.]

@@kevinnix6531 yes i remember when i was younger i was working in a firm where they carve toombtones and i had to use 7 different diamond grits. i just recentlly become a fan of gem hunting. i live above a silwer mine in a small town of slovenija started colecting jasper quartz and cinobarite we have that in abundance here. and things went so far now i want to make my pendants and mybe sell them and im just thinking do i buy a thumbller or i can do it manually i guess boot things needed for different stylle of work or as you said hardnes of material. Bt considering the prices i think is better if i buy small crystalls and work on them. and than as a hobby polish the ones i find and keep them for mysellf.will see its on im addicted i just wish i found this earlier in my life bt as they say newer to late for new things. Time to go rockhounding and watch wideos by night. tx

[@kevinnix6531]

hi 7 lateralusaint , sometimes its good to visit a local lapidary club, (if possible), you can get ideas of which way you wish to go ahead in this hobby, there are so many different choices and methods, kev

[@Lateralusaint.]

@@kevinnix6531 yes thank you . i just aplied for the onlly lapidary club i found in Slovenia. After i figured out what it means). thank you for this. they have meetings diggings gemshows and u can also learn about cuting and polishing. so thanx very much. i wish i suceed so this can be my main income.

[@elainebates6967]

What type and size blade do you use with your saw, please?

[@kevinnix6531]

on my angle grinder i use 4”/100mm dry diamond blade. on my wetsaw i prefer to use 9”/225mm wet diamond blade

[@igort8546]

Hi, which speed u use for polishing? Which RPM in average? Cheers, great work!

[@kevinnix6531]

Igor T i’m not sure, but its approx 1500rpm, (no.2 setting on a sander that is variable between 1000rpm and 3000rpm)

[@michaellaramee4215]

I think full speed works the best it's harder for the pads to hang up or drag uneven

[@smileysgarage8899]

learned a lot thanks

[@kevinnix6531]

@@smileysgarage8899 thanks for watching and commenting smiley 👍

[@jollyrogers14]

Do i need a rotary sander, orbital sander, or random orbital sander

[@kevinnix6531]

I use a normal rotary sander, with 4”/100mm velcro attachment. (the attachment usually comes with the diamond pads kit) important that attachment fits the thread on the sander (mine is 14mm) - most diamond pad kits on ebay have either 14mm attachments, or 5/8” attachments

[@alishashalders9450]

Mate im impressed why so many disliked i dont know.. tganl you very much for sharing

[@kevinnix6531]

Alisha Shalders , thanks for kind comment, I dont mind some criticism, can sometimes be benificial. Trying to bring an economical entry into polishing for those not ready to commit to more traditional polishing equipment, which can cost many hundreds, even thousands of dollars. Thanks for watching video ! cheers, kev

[@alishashalders9450]

An it's perfect maybe even a pro couldn't tell the diff with that little stand in an up market store... I wonder how many hundreds with som fancy names u could sell it for the. Buy yr equipment, an then realise, yr hands on method u liked better.... I'm being silly now....

[@ebonypollard7171]

I loves the informative video! I really appreciate it since I’m just starting to polish up my own stone findings and need a little guidance in the right direction. I was wondering what the name of this stone you were polishing up in this video? Thanks.

[@kevinnix6531]

hi ebony, it was just a beach rock, probably chalcedony, coloured with some other minerals, thanks for comment, kev

[@hajigulammuhamadi1912]

Hi Dear sir I found some menrail stones I cant reconaz will what is this and how Can I send the Photo of these stones I am waiting for your replay answer have a nice day

[@kevinnix6531]

Haji Gulam Muhamadi hi haji, you could join a facebook rocks group, that is an easy way to post photos and get help with identification, there are many groups to choose from, kev

[@said.skopal]

turning simple quartz stone splitted on two parts into a something beautiful...

[@kevinnix6531]

hi johny, yes, its an easy process, and very interesting to do, each rock is different, cheers, kev

[@carlitosway60]

Hi Kevin thank for the video , where did you get the turn table, I’m from Newcastle NSW.

[@kevinnix6531]

hi carlitosway60 , i ordered it from ebay, it was under $30 delivered, runs on USB chord, or, D size battery, thanks for watching video ! kev

[@jimmagill295]

fantastis and educational. I am surprised he still has all his fingers.

[@kevinnix6531]

Jim Magill , thanks for watching, yes, still have all fingers 😎

[@cactuswren9771]

He has fingers because I noticed the fingertips of his leather gloves are GONE!! :))

[@SolidGoldShows]

Can't help notice your cool tattoos!

[@kevinnix6531]

SolidGoldShows thanks for watching video ! yes, the old tats like to make an appearance on the screen, they try to steal the show ! kev

[@dennyps1]

Thank you both my honey and we loved your video! We are rock hounds and were looking for an inexpensive alternative to polishing our bigger rock cuts. Your video is an excellent teaching tool and thank you! BTW...what brand of polishing pads did you use in this video?

[@kevinnix6531]

thanks for watching, i use fairly inexpensive products avail on ebay, usually from taiwan, china or hong kong. Allthough I dont endorse products, you might have a look at THK diamond tools website, i use a lot of their lapidary tools.

[@janelemon610]

Could you please tell me what size the diamond polishing pads are. Thanks for the video, very helpful.

[@janelemon610]

4 or 5inch I mean

[@theoutdoorsywoman]

Kevin Nix could you please tell me what kind of rock you polished? I have several of those. Thanks :)

[@cassandra5011]

Chalcedony. He mentioned it at the beginning that his friend found it in a crevis.

[@kevinnix6531]

Brandy, i think it was a peice of water worn chalcedony, one of my facebook group members found it on the coast here in Queensland, Australia

[@ddiggerdan1]

What type of polish do you use on the buffing wheel,if any ?

[@kevinnix6531]

hi dan , I dont use any polish or wax, I like just the friction of the wheel to do the job. In saying that, since I made the last video, I have discovered that 4”/100mm felt wheels fit on to my sanders spindle (via angle grinder nuts), I run these at minimal speed, barely wet, with Tin Oxide powder applied. This gives a mirror finish, to top of your polishing processes. cheers, kev

[@joelrubin2759]

Can you use a Dremel for smaller rocks?

[@kevinnix6531]

JOEL RUBIN hi joel, yes, certainly, there are many youtube videos covering that skill as well, kev

[@robertgee4128]

The 4" dry diamond disc used in first step after cutting stone at about 3 minute mark, used to remove high edges & flatten stone before pva grinding. What is detail, where to buy & ebay link?? Could not find!

[@kevinnix6531]

its sometimes called a concrete grinding disc, found at Tilers outlets, or normal hardware shops, otherwise just do a search on ebay

[@dagmarak.lesiow7496]

Hi How long are you polishing the stone on each grid disc? thanks

[@kevinnix6531]

Dagmara K.Lesiow hi dagmara, thanks for watching video, usually just a couple of minites in each grit size. Make sure to turn stone around to different angles within them few minutes. After the very first grit, the lowest grit, dry the stone with a rag or towell and inspect for scratches remaining, if you see scratches, either work on them some more with the low grit, or, you might accept them if too deep. (many pieces i have accepted a deep scratch and left it there) kev

[@michaellaramee4215]

I count stokes I count to 27 back and forth is two I do this across the whole polishing surface with the three areas going of the pad start with the top of the pad like a half inch of the pad sticking up over the material do the 27 stokes across the surface u are polishing then repeat but using the center of the polishing pads basicly imagine the pad is a number 0 if u put a line across the middle of the zero thats the center area of the pad and ur line of movement as well 27 times. Do it one more time with the bottom area of the pads some types of stone don't always call for 27 stokes with all 3 pad contact areas I've come to feel how that it's ready to switch pads early when u can feel ur self sliding over the surface of the material real smoothly

[@tinkerbellblue5142]

Love the sign on your shed 👍👍😂🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@kevinnix6531]

Tinkerbell Blue yes, i often buy them signs when one catches my eye, getting a bit of a collection on the shed door now ! thanks for watching video, kev

[@htv3santos755]

lol

[@BillizMuzic]

When you do more then one part please link in description

[@rameshlallie2164]

Definitely caught my attention.

[@kevinnix6531]

its not the only polishing method around, but it is an option

[@rameshlallie2164]

Would like to talk to you 1 on 1.

[@jkiry]

Thanks for the great video. A lot of great information! John

[@kevinnix6531]

John Kiryanoff , thanks john, your video on the river journey was equally entertaining, the soundtrack carried the atmosphere, i’m guessing you own a drone ! I recently purchased a mid level drone, but i am still mastering the skills, thanks mate, kev

[@demonaxc4655]

Do you know what kind of rock the yellow and red ones are at the beginning of the video

[@kevinnix6531]

Demon Axc that is Mookaite, its a rock found in Western Australia, nice lapidary rock, here is a link to more info ... www.outbackmining.com/mookaite cheers, kev

[@demonaxc4655]

Kevin Nix thank you very much for the reply and link. I found some in my yard and was wondering what kind of rock it is. Though I'm not in Australia I guess it was brought here

[@bonesstones6584]

Demon Axc - If you live in the U.S. the stone could be what is known as horse creek chert, which is highly saught after $$$ by flint knappers and lapidary folks!

[@kevinnix6531]

bones&stones 65 yes, it is also prized here in australia, and it IS a type of chert, thanks for reply ! kev

[@richardradillo9779]

Great video n great work

[@kevinnix6531]

thanks richard, kev

[@Bizz420]

What’s are you using on the bench grinder?

[@zamplify5378]

Grass if your wondering grassguy 420

[@Bizz420]

Zamplify Riiight. It’s called a sisal thanks lol

[@kevinnix6531]

stitched sisal wheel, its originally for metal cutting back, but ideal for final polishing of rock, kev

[@DocGriffon]

What is the name of the disc you used on the bench grinder?

[@kevinnix6531]

DocGriffon , first a concrete grindind wheel (very rough), then a PVA wheel (abrasive suspended in plastic, softer), thanks for watching

[@billmackay8335]

I like this because of the Name, Thanks Bill Mackay

[@pattymcclusky3003]

Love, love, love this sonh.just heard last night 11.30.17, I about died. Great song, great story..

[@kevinnix6531]

great name bill ! thanks for watching

[@travisguide4516]

Excellent video beautiful rock

[@kevinnix6531]

hi Travs Guide , thanks for watching and commenting ! there aren’t many rocks that dont look good cut in half and polished, the one in the video was just a rock found at the beach by one of our facebook group members, it really suprises you how nice they come up, cheers, kev

[@daxadventure]

Great video, thank you.

[@kevinnix6531]

thankyou 👍

[@ronnimalveaux2491]

Would this work on something like blue lace agate or moonstone?

[@kevinnix6531]

hi Ronnie Trimble , yes, most certainly ! I would allmost say you can use this method on all rocks except the most porous, or most sandy or crumbly. I have polished maybe 50 different rock types like this (a guess at that number 😉) thanks for good comment ! cheers, kev

[@ronnimalveaux2491]

Kevin Nix awesome! Thanks so much. Your video was so helpful and I’ll be making my first raw stone purchase this week!! Fingers crossed for a good outcome!

[@kevinnix6531]

Ronnie Trimble , good luck with everything, you will make mistakes, and your early efforts will improve as you go on. Dont be scared to practice on rocks you can get for free, (I did), there are usually nice rocks around most beaches. If you are a facebook user, try joining our group, ‘’mackay fossils and rocks”, it is an easy way to communicate with others in this hobby, and questions are welcome. kev

[@ronnimalveaux2491]

Kevin Nix thanks so much! Going join now!

[@fayehermans188]

Thank you for posting. Lots of great info.

[@kevinnix6531]

faye Hermans , thanks for comment !

Very Nice Channel!

[@kevinnix6531]

Alê Garimpo de Pedras Preciosas thankyou, kev

[@AssA9Ash]

Oh and btw.... i dont use the table saw... i purchased a finger nail polisher because its a mini drill so i can create like little animals and stuff for my boys if you havnt tried that you should its fun in a way. Comes with 5 diff bits and works pretty well. Im not one to buy mani pedi crap for my nails but ill buy it for my rocks😂 but yeah i started by using the impact and 18v. Thanks for the video its cool. Im going to try these discs on a grinder though for sure!!! Thanks so much.

[@kevinnix6531]

Ash.Asher , yes, i own one of them, but never used it on rocks yet, i've seen some great youtube videos on them though

[@esthermarygold-lowe4403]

Wow. Awesome jasper pieces.

[@kevinnix6531]

Esther Marygold-Lowe thanks for watching !

[@michaelh.8280]

Is your saw homemade and if so, make another, make a video how-to and then sell it to me. I really like that setup!

[@kevinnix6531]

hi No One , thanks for watching video, and comment. I purchased the saw second hand, it is a tilers and stoneworkers ‘wetsaw’. I just changed the blade from a thick tilers blade to a very thin lapidary blade. It is a great saw, has served me well, some people dont like it, but it gives me complete freedom when cutting, cheers, kev

[@dlouhyjohnny6810]

Can you point me to that ebay listing,i can t seem to find it :(

[@kevinnix6531]

just use ebay search, diamond polishing pads, 4” 100mm velcro, it will return many results

[@brunildamarrero2095]

Love the finish!

[@kevinnix6531]

hi Brunilda , thanks for watching and commenting, kev

[@BIJIHALAM]

great greetings from bijih alam

[@heinzhubbuch5167]

wouldn't it be much easier if you fastened the power tool to the table to keep your hands free ?

[@kevinnix6531]

Heinz Hubbuch I have tried that, but it didnt give me the freedom i needed, especially on large pieces, eg : 5 to 8 kg

[@dipakshahane9466]

You are best ticher

[@kevinnix6531]

thanks for comment 😎

[@karapoole4070]

Use a tin Oxide paste to high shine???

[@kevinnix6531]

hi kara, yes, tin oxide paste can be used for even higher shine, (not advised to used on rock with cracks or pinholes, its allmost impossible to remove the white paste), but fine on smooth rock surfaces. I use felt velcro attached pads with the sander/ polisher i use, they buff up the surface well with the tin oxide. An alternate method is to apply the paste to the highest grit diamond pad you have, this works well also. kev

[@CJthedarkangel]

What if you don't have that machine

[@kevinnix6531]

hi cj, there are various polishing techniques apart from my method, just search through youtube videos, there are lots if ways, kev

[@marcelozanardi6673]

Top! Parabéns amigo! Que gema é essa?

[@kevinnix6531]

hi Marcelo, thanks for watching video, sorry I cant answer your question, my only language is english, cheers, kev

[@polemicaseverdades7963]

Enfim um brasileiro, convido-te a conhecer a minha coleção de pedras kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZmGQlHmalr-qb68 tenho três vídeos relacionados e mais de 130 postagens

[@averyandhunter6956]

tats are very nice dude,from Houston,Texas,oh and thanks for the info

[@kevinnix6531]

Kendra Taylor , thanks for watching kendra, cheers !

[@AssA9Ash]

Hey i just slipped on this as a suggested video. I got so tired of waiting for acid to beak some of my rocks down Plus some of these rocks i have arnt that pretty to where i accidentally learned to polish this way lol

[@kevinnix6531]

Ash.Asher , thanks for comment, i have never tried any chemical modification of rocks, but it sounds interesting.

[@thelastmarble2464]

Its funny that when you were talking about the grits of dimond pads you said you woukd change grits and move the 100 to just after the 50 grit but then when cou ting up you went from 100 to 400 to 200 to 800, I am sure its not because 200 is more then 400 lol

[@kevinnix6531]

The Last Marble yes, thanks, i have noticed that mistake, kev

[@snuffyscorner]

The video that showed up is the one I watched before I clicked on this video. Hmmm, KZbin is drunk again.

[@kevinnix6531]

hi snuffyscorner , yes, gets like that sometimes ... 😎

[@kevinburgess6112]

nice, thanks for sharing 🙂

[@kevinnix6531]

thanks kev