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Techniques for CollectorsTrying to figure out how to polish this inner hole in Quartz drilled with an ultrasonic drill.

26th Nov 2011 05:25 UTCRyan Lay

Greetings Everyone,

I'm trying to figure out a way to polish the inner hole on this pendent? It is clear Quartz and the inner hole is drilled out using an ultrasonic drill and the problem is polishing the inner hole. If anyone has any ideas it would be greatly appreciated as these keep breaking from polishing attempts. I would also consider sending this work to someone if someone was interested in polished a couple of hundred of these?

Thanks and have a nice weekend everyone.

26th Nov 2011 05:43 UTCRyan Lay

Hopefully your able to see this pictures to see what im talking about. They keep breaking as a result of polishing.

26th Nov 2011 15:09 UTCRock Currier Expert

Why do they keep breaking? Too much heat generated? Even quartz can be thermally cracked. The holes look to be of irregular character like they were drilled with primitive techniques. I would think that a spinning shaft covered with some sort of fabric impregnated with increasingly fine abrasive would eventually smooth out any grind drill marks and then finally a shaft impregnated with a polishing compound would finish the job. The stone would need to be kept fairly cool and probably a lot of patience would be required. How many of them do you need to polish?

26th Nov 2011 15:18 UTCReiner Mielke Expert

Isn't something going into the hole like a stud? If so, why do you want to polish the hole?

26th Nov 2011 16:10 UTCWilliam C. van Laer Expert

Ryan:

Try a series of silicon carbide grits with water (as a slurry) then acord or sturdy string small enough to pass through the hole....draw back & forth and cover all surfaces until smoother...then thoroughly wash & go to the next finer grit. Polishing can be done in the same manner....just be liberal with the slurry so as to not generate too much heat...this is why they break, too much speed from a rotary power tool!

Chris

26th Nov 2011 16:17 UTCReiner Mielke Expert

Hello Chris,

The hole doesn't go all the way through a string won't work.

26th Nov 2011 19:09 UTCRyan Lay

There's going to be small gems placed inside and the goal is to have them magnified when there sealed with a liquid and be able to see them clearly.

1st Dec 2011 17:22 UTCKelly Colberg

Ryan

If you ever get it figured out, please post a pic of the finished product. I for one would like to see how it turns out.

Thanks

Kelly

13th Dec 2011 22:36 UTCTim Jokela Jr

Quite fine diamond-impregnated bits are available for Foredom or Dremel tools. They can be bought individually or as a set of different grits. Used for grinding and polishing irregular opals. Try Diamond Pacific. Something like $6 each, prolly need at least 4 grit sizes. Use under a water flow.

Having said that, however, I'd strongly suggest that unless you're selling these things for a large sum, surely it's not the kind of job you really want to spend the entire winter doing. Outsource it to India or China, they'll do it for peanuts.

T

14th Dec 2011 10:47 UTCRoger Curry

Hi Ryan,

If the refractive index of the liquid you're going to fill the quartz pedants with, is the same as that of quartz (R.I. 1.53), then you may find fine polishing is not required. Try filling one with glycerol (also called glycerine), it may have a close enough R.I. (1.47) to make the solid / liquid interface disappear.

Just a thought,

Regards,

Rog

1st Feb 2012 22:16 UTCBoris Kolodny

If you are really set on polishing get some diamond powder, if you can;t find it I will supply.Ge some toothpicks or wooden dowels smaller in size than the holes are. Get some lamp oil on the toothpick and dip in the diamond. Place the toothpick in a drill press chuck and use slow speed to polish. You may have to use several grits increasingly finer.

Good luck.

19th Jun 2013 16:49 UTCNick Prince

Ryan,

You mentioned sending them out. If you decide to do this I have someone who might be interested in doing the work. Send me your email and I will send you the details and contact info.

Nick

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