Before & after shots

[stinger haut]

This pontiled taper top Farland was dug in a privy back in the northeast (can't remember where).
I have had quite a few of these over the years, but oddly enough this one is missing the small a in Pa.
Here is the before it was worked on picture and then in the next post is the bottle after I finished it.
I worked on this one earlier in this year.
Stinger

 

[stinger haut]

Here is the after picture.
Stinger

 

[GuntherHess]

It looks good, what was the procedure? Cutting? Polishing? How long?

 

[stinger haut]

Thank you for the compilment about the bottle.
This bottle required a lot of hand work before it went into the tumbler to remove any scratches, pitting, casewear, etc.
Then the inside was cut with 600 cutting oxide for about 24 hours.
After the inside was done, 1,000 cutting oxide was run for about 30 hours both on the inside and out.
A polish was used on the inside, while the outside received 1,200 slow cutter for about 4 days.
Then I had some 1,200 left over from another bottle that I tumbled, the 1,200 had turned into polish by that time, so it was used to polish the outside, while the regular polish was used on the inside. This took about 2 more days and the bottle was finished.
RPM's were about 30 throughout the entire tumbling process and I used a 4" canister. The stopples were Jar Doctors using a 3 prong for the base and both a cone and open stopples for the mouth.
Some of the embossing had a little damage, that still exists. Luckily, it is very minor.
I completely forgot to protect the iron on the pontil, so its just about all gone.
I keep a log on all my tumbling with dates, RPM's, cutting & polishing types and how long each process takes. This helps me with future tumbling.
Stinger

 

[BRIAN S.]

Looks great !
What did you use for your hand work ? Sand paper ? I have a killer straw yellow Dyottville Whiskey that has some pretty good scratching on it . I would like to try to remove them , and was wondering what your hand prep was before hitting the tumbler .
Thanks , Brian

 

[zanes_antiques]

Hey Stinger,
It's good to see you post!

 

[capsoda]

Hey Pono, Welcome back brother man. Been a while. Hope all is well.

Great job on the bottle as usual.

 

[stinger haut]

Hi Brian,
Thank for the compilment on my bottle.
Most of the handwork that I do before I put the bottle into the tumbler is done with a glass sandpaper. The glass sandpaper leaves less sanding marks. I usually start with 300 grit and will end up using 1,200 to 1,500 grit to further smooth out the sanded area. When sanding out a scratch, I will sand in one direction and then go the opposite way, alternating as I sand. Try and sand the area as flat as you can so you don't create dips and more sanding marks in the glass.
I use duct tape to protect the areas around the sanded areas. This is especially needed around any embossing.
It can be slow and frustrating work and you have to ask yourself if its worth your time or if the bottle is worth it as well.
The age of the glass and color will also be a factor in how hard or easy sanding will be. Just like when you tumble a bottle, some colors and age are major factors when you choose want cutters and polishes to use on your bottle.
I have tumbled enough bottles to know when I can remove the scratches with a cutting oxide and when It requires some handwork because the oxides won't do it.
You'll find that not every bottle will look better with the scratches removed because the sanding might take anyway some unique features of the bottle, mainly character and crudity. Also, some bottles just look best just the way they are.
I usually will only do this type of prep work on a bottle that is worth much more money and if it will improve the bottle's appearance.
The Farland in the picture (money wise) wasn't worth the time it took to prep. However, it was in such bad condition when it came out of the privy, I thought that it would be a good challenge to see how far I could get it to mint. I am also retired and have plenty of time to work on bottles that require a lot of work.
You might want to try sanding a cheap bottle first before tackling a bottle that is worth more or is one of your favorites.
Stinger

 

[stinger haut]

Hey Zane and Warren,
Thanks for the welcome back.
I had a surfing injury caused by some idiot kid who somehow ventured on on a pretty big day out in the water last winter. I went for surgery and then they found some other stuff that was wrong with me, so more surgery.
Well, that is all over now. I actually went out and surfed last week and helped judged our local pro/am contest yesterday.
Here is a picture of that day I was injured of me on the biggest wave I rode last winter. This was the last wave I rode before I got injured.
Its at a favorite reef break called Tombstones and breaks about a third of mile out. I actually made this wave.
Stinger

 

[capsoda]

Wow, And I thought our little 10ft hurricane waves were big. Glad to hear your ok now Pono. Could have been bad. I envy you though. Can't manuver a board with out a pair of ankles.