gerard
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since April 2011
Posts: 218
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Post by gerard on Aug 2, 2011 17:21:32 GMT -5
I am thinking of tumbling larger (2.5" x 3.75" x 1/4) slabs to use as belt buckles. Any of you pros here do that? or have any suggestions as to how to best proceed?
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snuffy
Cave Dweller
Member since May 2009
Posts: 4,319
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Post by snuffy on Aug 2, 2011 17:32:08 GMT -5
I tumble lots of slabs that size.These are done in lortone 12 lbers.Important to have a smooth saw cut to begin with. One coarse charge,60/90,run 2 weeks. Then I go 3 days 1000 in lot-o,then 3 days polish in lot-o.Just my method.
snuffy
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,466
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Post by Sabre52 on Aug 2, 2011 20:48:37 GMT -5
Yep, I've done them in my UV-10 vibe too. Do a short run in the rotary first to round them a bit and use mostly tiny stones in the U-10 with relatively few slabs. I suspect you can comfortably increase the number of slabs and reduce the number of small stones if you want to do more at once but I like to keep a lot of smalls to increase surface area for polishing and act as buffers to prevent edge chipping on the slabs....Mel
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gerard
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since April 2011
Posts: 218
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Post by gerard on Aug 3, 2011 10:12:50 GMT -5
"Then I go 3 days 1000 in lot-o,then 3 days polish in lot-o" Scuse my ignorance, but what is lot-o?
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Post by johnjsgems on Aug 3, 2011 11:08:55 GMT -5
Lot-O is a brand of vibrating tumbler. UV-10 is another one. I've seen plenty of rotary finished slabs also. Again, you would need plenty of grit carrying media (small stones, ceramic media, etc.).
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Post by gr on Aug 3, 2011 13:08:58 GMT -5
I've used aquarium gravel in my rotories thru 600 and then small pre finished quartz rounds the rest of the way and got good results.
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Post by deb193redux on Aug 14, 2011 18:01:16 GMT -5
2.5x3.75 is about all large as you will get without going to at 15lb or larger barrel. For est results do all but the course stage in a vibe tumbler. For wind chimes, it is OK to have the edges as rounded as a rotary will make them - but for belt buckles, or any slab put into a finding, you want the edges less rounded.
The advise about small stones and media is good. Keeps the slabs form sticking, and gives plenty of surface area to get good action.
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