shermlock
has rocks in the head
Member since August 2011
Posts: 612
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Post by shermlock on Nov 17, 2011 20:40:52 GMT -5
My hose is frozen and my hands are too. How do you folks who live in the north clean your tumbles in between grits? Thanks, Scott
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grayfingers
Cave Dweller
Member since November 2007
Posts: 4,575
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Post by grayfingers on Nov 17, 2011 20:51:54 GMT -5
I use 2, 5 gal buckets. I set a wire strainer that fits on the top of a bucket, dump the load into it. I put water in the 2nd bucket, dump part of it over the rocks in the strainer in bucket # 1. Then stir the rocks and dump a bit more water over them.
Continue until they are pretty well washed off. I then put more water in the 2nd bucket and dump the rocks into it for a final rinse. Finally pour off the water into the 1st bucket, take it outside and slowly dump it so any remaining grit settles into the bottom. Then I dry that out, and reuse it.
P.S. I start by dumping some water into the empty barrel, scrub it out and dump that over the rocks in the strainer a time or two and then proceed as described above.
Bill
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Post by jakesrocks on Nov 17, 2011 22:42:31 GMT -5
I do my cleanups indoors on the breakfast counter. I lift the rocks out of the tumbler barrel into a 5 quart ice cream bucket which is about 1/3 full of water. When all of the rocks are out of the barrel I dump the mud and grit in a 5 gallon bucket to dry. I wash just the rim of the barrel and put the rocks back in with water to just cover them, and a heaping tablespoon of borax. I tumble again for about an hour and then lift the rocks back into an ice cream bucket of warm water. The borax tumble makes barrel cleanup quick and easy. I move the rocks into a fresh bucket of water. After 3 or 4 times doing this the water in the ice cream bucket is clear, and the rocks ready for the next tumble stage.
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Post by Rockhobbit on Nov 17, 2011 23:27:47 GMT -5
Most of them drive or fly to Arizona for the winter! LMAO!!
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Post by Jack ( Yorkshire) on Nov 18, 2011 3:03:12 GMT -5
Washing rocks I Run of the thick goop put a few drops washing up liquid in barrell and add water run for a few minuits
Turn out onto a wire bottomed tray run water over them , they are clean in a jiffy ! !
This reduces the time and agony of working in the cold
jack Yorkshire uk
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quartz
Cave Dweller
breakin' rocks in the hot sun
Member since February 2010
Posts: 3,341
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Post by quartz on Nov 18, 2011 21:19:02 GMT -5
Granted, I suit up for the cold, but the washing goes pretty well. I built a 5-foot long, countertop high workbench {on wheels and steerable} with a stainless steel double kitchen sink set in it. This sets under the edge of our covered patio, and I run a hose from the utility room so as to have warm water. Our average run nets out at about 45 pounds, so this would be a little difficult inside. The water and washings go out to a settling tank, then to an underground perforated drain pipe.
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