dolomite media prepping question

[hadrosauridae]

OK, I have a question for the learned members of the forum.  I finally got some dolomite powder for my blaster (absolutely love it so far!!) and put in a few hours of using it last night, and it raised this question:  Do I need to bake my dolomite to dry it before using (or storing)?

 

I have read that dolomite is hydroscopic, and I have noticed this brand new powder has a strong tendency to "bridge" in my media canister. I also had several instances where it seems like a clump of it would exploded on the fossil being prepped.  I'm not getting blocked, its not plugging the line or the stylus, so I was wondering if its just trying to stick together into a fluid "clump" as its moving through the line and then exits as a massive hit.

 

I've also noticed how much dolomite loves to stick to EVERYTHING.  The inside of my blast box was completely white, even though I have a good air system.  This also makes me think it may not drop out in my cyclone as completely as soda, so I may have to add a water trap to keep my vac from cratering. 

 

But I digress.... any thoughts on baking the powder?  Side question, should I put silica gel in the storage bucket also?

[Thomas.Dodson]

I've always had to bake my powder before using and storing it. I haven't had to store it with silica gel myself but I store it in canning jars after baking.

[hadrosauridae]

3 hours ago, Thomas.Dodson said:

I've always had to bake my powder before using and storing it. I haven't had to store it with silica gel myself but I store it in canning jars after baking.

 

Thank you.  Can you recommend a temp and time that should be sufficient?  I'm used to drying silica gel, but I can visibly see the change when its dry again.

[Kane]

3 minutes ago, hadrosauridae said:

 

Thank you.  Can you recommend a temp and time that should be sufficient?  I'm used to drying silica gel, but I can visibly see the change when its dry again.

Spread on a cookie sheet and bake at 250 F for about half an hour. That should remove any residual moisture. Store and seal shortly after taking it out of the oven. 

[Thomas.Dodson]

16 minutes ago, hadrosauridae said:

 

Thank you.  Can you recommend a temp and time that should be sufficient?  I'm used to drying silica gel, but I can visibly see the change when its dry again.

I do the same as Kane and bake at 250 F for 30 minutes or so.

[hadrosauridae]

49 minutes ago, Kane said:

Spread on a cookie sheet and bake at 250 F for about half an hour. That should remove any residual moisture. Store and seal shortly after taking it out of the oven. 

 

35 minutes ago, Thomas.Dodson said:

I do the same as Kane and bake at 250 F for 30 minutes or so.

 

Thank you both!

[Ptychodus04]

That doesn’t sound like much fun to use at all.  I almost bought some before I switched over to iron powder. I’m glad I didn’t do it. The baking soda was hard enough to clean out of my system.

[jpc]

Yes, dolomite sticks to everything inside the work chamber.  And it can be cloudy to look through, but it is worth it when you need it.  

 

I have dried dolomite in the past, but the climate here is dry enough that I rarely have to.  And store it with silica gel in a small ziplock with pinpricks in it.  I have an old toaster oven in the lab for the drying.  Let the powder cool off before you put a ziplock in with it.  

[hadrosauridae]

1 hour ago, Ptychodus04 said:

That doesn’t sound like much fun to use at all.  I almost bought some before I switched over to iron powder. I’m glad I didn’t do it. The baking soda was hard enough to clean out of my system.

 

Well, I think its fun to watch the limestone matrix melt away when the bicarb wouldnt touch it.  I'm about ready to hit that bottom-cap mio with it (fingers crossed).  One of these days I'll move up to something like iron powder, maybe I'll also have a professional unit like a comco then too.  And Santa will bring me an articulating boom arm microscope. Hey, I gotta dream, right?

 

32 minutes ago, jpc said:

Yes, dolomite sticks to everything inside the work chamber.  And it can be cloudy to look through, but it is worth it when you need it.  

 

I have dried dolomite in the past, but the climate here is dry enough that I rarely have to.  And store it with silica gel in a small ziplock with pinpricks in it.  I have an old toaster oven in the lab for the drying.  Let the powder cool off before you put a ziplock in with it.  

 

We can often hit 99% humidity overnight here, so it will probably be best for me to dry it and put some silica in the storage container too.

[Ptychodus04]

5 hours ago, hadrosauridae said:

Well, I think its fun to watch the limestone matrix melt away when the bicarb wouldnt touch it.  I'm about ready to hit that bottom-cap mio with it (fingers crossed).  One of these days I'll move up to something like iron powder, maybe I'll also have a professional unit like a comco then too.  And Santa will bring me an articulating boom arm microscope. Hey, I gotta dream, right?

A boy’s gotta dream. Santa usually brings me clothes… sometimes ammo, but never prep equipment.  
 

It is fun to watch a stubborn bit of matrix go bye bye. Very satisfying.