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Post by mrbrett on Mar 1, 2005 9:17:57 GMT -5
As we all know that the plastic pellets we use suck! They work great put are a pain in the behind to remove and pick out of cracks. I have used the ceramic pellets and not very impressed with them. I am wondering if there is another plastic pellet anybody has used or maybe seen at the hobby store or where ever and thought it might work. It would be nice if the beads were a little bigger. ( I think) Scratch your head an post your thoughts.
Brett
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Post by docone31 on Mar 1, 2005 9:20:48 GMT -5
If you go to Home Depot, and get a bag of the smallest tile spacers, you will have some Jim Crackey fillers. Easy to seperate, inexpensive, and work great!
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phoenix1647
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2013
Posts: 186
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Post by phoenix1647 on Mar 1, 2005 9:46:32 GMT -5
I use pony beads and like them.
Pho
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Post by mrbrett on Mar 1, 2005 10:12:33 GMT -5
where do u get pony beads?
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Post by Cher on Mar 1, 2005 10:16:44 GMT -5
Doc, do the tile spacers float?
Pho, do the pony beads float?
It's so nice when the stuff floats so it's easy to scoop it out of the water.
Cher
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Post by Tweetiepy on Mar 1, 2005 10:25:58 GMT -5
where do u get pony beads? Pony beads are in craft stores very inexpensive - not sure if they float though, as I've only used them for crafts so far my daughter will freak out if I deplete her supply of those.... ;D
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Post by Alice on Mar 1, 2005 10:43:40 GMT -5
you can find pony bead just about anywhere... the dollar store, Walmart, etc... just head over to the craft section or kids section where they have beads.
No, Pony beads don't float.
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Post by Alice on Mar 1, 2005 10:57:15 GMT -5
Film containers float (that little black barrel you get when you buy 35mm film). Both the lid and the barrel float. You would of course have to break up quite a few to make a filler
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stefan
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,095
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Post by stefan on Mar 1, 2005 11:16:10 GMT -5
I use the polyfiller plastic pellets- They float and are a breeze to clean up!
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Voodoo Rage
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since February 2005
Posts: 127
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Post by Voodoo Rage on Mar 1, 2005 11:50:21 GMT -5
I think I remember someone in another thread recommending cut up rubber bands.
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Post by Tweetiepy on Mar 1, 2005 12:25:30 GMT -5
I think I remember someone in another thread recommending cut up rubber bands. They stick to everything hard to fish out (or maybe it was just my batch) - I'm assuming it works, but it does take a lot to fill it up
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llanago
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2004
Posts: 1,714
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Post by llanago on Mar 1, 2005 12:37:23 GMT -5
I use tile spacers and love them. You gotta get the right kind though. The ones that are completely flat and smooth on BOTH sides. The others will do, but are not as good as the totally smooth ones. I have been amazed at how many kinds of tile spacers there are!
I have so much scrap wood, I have thought of cutting some of it up in small pieces to try as filler. Have to get the mitre saw out this afternoon for another project, so might do that while I am at it.
llana
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Post by Alice on Mar 1, 2005 13:45:31 GMT -5
be careful with wood llana. Your wood will more then likely swell, and then eventually disintegrate into pulp.
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Banjocreek
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since March 2003
Posts: 1,115
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Post by Banjocreek on Mar 1, 2005 13:54:17 GMT -5
Alice is right on the wood. I tried it. It disintegrated, and just left a pulpy mess. Don't waste your time, and wood.
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stefan
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,095
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Post by stefan on Mar 1, 2005 14:52:48 GMT -5
I tried it also- MESSY MESSY MESSY!
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chassroc
Cave Dweller
Rocks are abundant when you have rocktumblinghobby pals
Member since January 2005
Posts: 3,586
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Post by chassroc on Mar 1, 2005 15:52:03 GMT -5
I always have lots of styrefoam popcorn..never thought about using it in a tumbler, just might do the trick
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joanna
spending too much on rocks
Member since November 2004
Posts: 385
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Post by joanna on Mar 1, 2005 18:03:39 GMT -5
The little pieces of wood worked fine for me (made small 1/4- 1/2 cubes on the scroll saw), but I use hard maple and cherry. I've used them for quite a few batches and their still holding up. I pre wet them so they don't suck up the moisture. If I could shine them up, they'd probably make some cool beads.
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Post by connrock on Mar 1, 2005 19:38:58 GMT -5
We've gone through the plastic pellet thing a while back and I was amazed at how many people have problems with them. Brett,,,,You say they get caught in "the cracks".What cracks are you talking about? I've been using plastic pellets for years now and don't have any probs at all with them. The easiest way to separate them from the rocks is to fill a bucket about 1/2 way and just dump everything in.The pellets float to the top and you just use a tea strainer to scoop them out.Swoosh the rocks around a little to get any pellets that are left and scoop again. That's it!! If you're using a colander (spelling) and the pellets are stiking to it.Put the colander or strainer or whatever in a container of water and off they come. Hope I'm not getting myself in trouble here again! Tom
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Post by Cher on Mar 1, 2005 19:46:46 GMT -5
Nah, your not in trouble again Tom. ;D That's what I do, only difference is I use a fish net to scoop them out with. Piece of cake ... my only thought was that maybe those tile thingy's were bigger. I have those poly beads from a craft store and they are smaller than the ones from the rock shed. Just have to make do cause I'm not going to order just a bag of plastic pellets. I won't need grit for quite awhile so I though the tile thingy's might work in the meantime.
Cher
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Post by stoner on Mar 2, 2005 2:10:52 GMT -5
Joanna is right. Use only a hard wood and they last a long time and work very well. I've used a 3/8" maple dowel, cut into pieces around 1/4"-1/2" long. Good protection for the rocks and the polish gets into the wood, and helps move the polish all around the rocks. And after a while, they do make nice beads. My biggest beef with the pellets is the fact that they stick to everything. Though I did find a bowl at a garage sale that has a divider down the middle and is about 1" below the top of the bowl that works well in separating the pellets. I put the rocks in one side and hold it under the faucet, and as the water rises, the water and pellets spill over to the other half of the bowl and when it gets full, I dump them into a strainer and start over. But it's still the little B#@%&** that sneak out that I wind up stepping on or get on my hands that I don't like. Ed
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