kelley
starting to shine!
Member since March 2005
Posts: 27
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Post by kelley on Mar 16, 2005 8:07:08 GMT -5
I had read somewhere on-line that these are re-usable. Are they only re-usable with the same kind of grit, or can it be used with other stages of grit? Do you label the used pellets?
Thanks again! Kelley
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Rose
Cave Dweller
Member since November 2004
Posts: 875
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Post by Rose on Mar 16, 2005 8:18:55 GMT -5
Yes only re-use them in the same grade grit, as lots of grit gets caught in them and will contaminate your load.
I keep them in a little tub labelled for which grit they belong to
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kelley
starting to shine!
Member since March 2005
Posts: 27
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Post by kelley on Mar 16, 2005 8:52:40 GMT -5
Thanks Rose! Kelley
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kelley
starting to shine!
Member since March 2005
Posts: 27
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Post by kelley on Mar 16, 2005 9:01:06 GMT -5
I will be receiving 1/2 pound of plastic pellets. How many batches will this approximately do if you fill a 3lb tumbler 2/3 full?
Thanks! Kelley
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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 16, 2005 9:18:47 GMT -5
Half a pound ought to be plenty. You don't need the pellets in the 60/90 stage. Some folks use them in the 220 stage, some don't. ALWAYS use them in the prepolish and polish stage. I use ziplocs marked with the grit stage to store my pellets in.
You will discover that you hate those pellets! Most of us do and have experimented with using other things for cushioning and fill. I have started using the plastic tile spacers and really like them. Others have used ceramic bits, cut up rubber bands, walnut shells and I can't remember what all else.
llana
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Post by creativeminded on Mar 16, 2005 9:44:31 GMT -5
Yes they are really only good for that stage, I imagine if your pellets for the rougher grit get too worn down you can go down in grit but I would go up in grit, because then you would be cross contaminating. I keep my pellets in zip-lock bags that are labeled with the grit they were in. I am still using the same pellets that I got when I first started tumbling 1 1/2 years ago. I generally only use the pellets in the 1000 grit, tripoli and polish. I have a bunch of smaller rocks that I can fill my tumbler with in the 60/90 and120/220 grits. That is what I have done with the red jasper and the blood jasper I am tumbling right now. I put my rocks and pellets in a seperate plastic bucket, fill it with water so the pellets float and then I skim them off with a small wire mesh strainer. I then stir the rocks with my hands and release any pellets trapped in the rock and skim those. I really like using plastic pellets. Tami
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