herchenx
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2012
Posts: 3,360
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Post by herchenx on Oct 22, 2012 17:30:13 GMT -5
I picked up a craigslist find today: The guy had a friend who passed away and had given him this. He thought it was a 3# but I suspect it is a 6# tumbler. I've been wanting to try one of these slant tumblers. For size reference: This one is loaded with a batch of Arizona Chrysocolla from Rock Hobbit (I never posted a thank you for this great stuff, and for the extra goodies you threw in!) It is much quieter than I thought it would be; the barrel is semi-hard - like hard rubber - versus really loud plastic (which I was assuming it was) Instead of having the barrel fixed to the stand, it is sitting in a copper tube, which acts as an axle housing. The bottom plate of the barrel rests on a small wheel driven by the pulley. The rubber wheel is pretty worn out, I need to find a replacement but I'll let it run a week or so and see how it does. I filled it to just below the bottom lip of the hole, and added water until it was sloshing around good, and then put 1/2 cup of 60/90 to see what it will do. Anyone seen a tumbler like this before?
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Post by johnjsgems on Oct 22, 2012 18:36:13 GMT -5
I have two of them, John. They were made in Joshua Tree CA. The first one ran well until the bearing wore out. I never could find a bearing that wouldn't swivel (it needs to be rigid to drive the barrel. Then I found another one and figured I could make at least one good one out of the two. Then I sold my house and we got on the full time show circuit. Funny, I just came across them the other day and put them where I might remember to see if I can get them going to sell at Quartzsite next year.
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Oct 22, 2012 19:13:22 GMT -5
Good luck with it John, you have just about every kind of tumbler now.
Chuck
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Post by Jugglerguy on Oct 22, 2012 19:59:28 GMT -5
He doesn't have one like yours, Chuck.
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herchenx
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2012
Posts: 3,360
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Post by herchenx on Oct 22, 2012 19:59:39 GMT -5
Thanks Chuck.
John, did they seem to tumble any faster? I know that is one of the assertions I hear about this style, which is why i bought it.
Any idea on capacity or how much grit to use?
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The Dad_Ohs
fully equipped rock polisher
Take me to your Labradorite!!
Member since September 2012
Posts: 1,860
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Post by The Dad_Ohs on Oct 22, 2012 20:57:43 GMT -5
I know they still sell tumblers like these... I've seen them on eBay there is always 1 or 2 for sale.
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jspencer
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since March 2011
Posts: 929
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Post by jspencer on Oct 22, 2012 21:46:24 GMT -5
I have actually been wondering how well these work. I thought of making a larger scale version. I`ve seen some crude ones made using conduit and straps for the shaft and soft rubber cart wheels driving the base plate. I would use better materials if I built it but curious to whether or not it is worth spending money on.
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Post by johnjsgems on Oct 22, 2012 22:23:02 GMT -5
John, it was my first tumbler but seemed to work pretty fast. I never measured capacity or grit either for that matter. I filled like you to the bottom of the opening. I could check slurry just by slipping lid off and add more grit if it didn't look like the slurry was thickening. I know I never ran rough longer than two weeks. The theory behind all inclined tumblers is the rocks move around like all rotaries but also move up and down. All designs I've seen have large flats on the barrel which is supposed to make rocks change direction. Covington calls this "triple action tumbling". If you are worried about capacity fill empty barrel with water and measure amount. 1 qt equals 3 lbs in tumbler world.
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herchenx
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2012
Posts: 3,360
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Post by herchenx on Oct 22, 2012 23:14:50 GMT -5
Well jspencer, I'll post updates in a couple weeks once i see how it goes. For reference, here is a pic of all the moving parts. I like how simple it is. John, i was thinking if you ran a single rod all the way across into a second bearing, on the opposite side of the barrel, and just put the rubber wheel on one side, it would solve the single bearing problem. I'd just need to find a way to replace the barrels, that is the only piece i wouldn't know how to track down.
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Post by johnjsgems on Oct 23, 2012 21:55:22 GMT -5
Good luck with that. I'm sure they have been out of business a long time.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,178
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Post by jamesp on Nov 2, 2012 5:11:59 GMT -5
That tumbler design w/the 'faceted' barrels blow my mind.The tumbling action is so different.I think the old school lapidary folks were way advanced in technology.My mentor is almost 90 and had a rock shop in Tampa Florida for 50 years.He and his wife have to put up w/me and my curiosity and questions.I must ask him about that machine.Just to own a 'vintage' tumbler is vogue.
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