tkvancil
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2011
Posts: 1,546
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Post by tkvancil on Feb 26, 2013 10:52:20 GMT -5
I got a new QT66 and am in my 5th week of running it. I'm totally thrilled by how fast it rounds and smooths the rough compared to the 33b's I have been running. Weeks 1 & 2 I ran both barrels at @2/3 full per lortones instructions. Weeks 3 & 4 the barrels were closer to 1/2 full but the rocks were chipping where there wasn't much chipping at 2/3rds. I decided week 5 that 2/3rds volume is what I want to keep the barrels at. I loaded the first one and checked the weight. It weighed 8lbs. 11 1/4 ounces. I did not put the second barrel on because it would have put like 17 1/2 lbs on a 12lb rated tumbler and that seemed to be too much weight for the motor. My 33b's run a little heavy when loaded to 2/3rds but only by a pound or so.
Having said all that here's my question .... does anyone using a QT66 know how much weight they routinely put on the tumbler with no ill effects?
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keystonecops
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since October 2010
Posts: 957
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Post by keystonecops on Feb 26, 2013 11:11:14 GMT -5
To be honest, I've got a 4lb ana 12lb. I never weigh em. 2/3 full an run em. I have noticed they get a little lighter as the rock grinds down, an by close to end of cyle using a lot of filler. Best I can add here. Later Clyde
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Henry
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2013
Posts: 452
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Post by Henry on Feb 26, 2013 11:56:47 GMT -5
Me personally, I just use one of the 6er's because I run heavy all the time. I just make sure everything is cleaned and oiled after every "long" cycle. (took me 1 month+ for my beach rocks at 60/90).
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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 Feb 26, 2013 12:12:54 GMT -5
I hve an older QT66 and run many loads thru it... I don't even bother to shut it off anymore, I just refill and away it goes!!lol
Anyways.. The reason for the chipping/frosting (white along the edges) is too much room in the barrel for the rocks to bounce around and hit each other.. remember this is tumbling but what you actually want is more a an agitated sliding action so that the grit can get between the stones and grind them smooth!! What you are experiencing is normal for a "not enough material" situation and you have 2 options....
1) when the barrel reaches the next stage and you don't have enough to avoid chipping/frosting, stop and put them on the side while you bring another batch to the same point and then combine them together to make a new batch with enough material in it to tumble properly. or 2) when you get ready to move to the next cycle and notice that the barrel is low, add filler to the barrel to bring the level back to that 2/3 or 75-80% full mark. Ceramic filler is best as it wears very slowly and can be reused as long as it is cleaned well between batches. Some use plastic pellets but they wear down very quickly and can cause contamination in other batches... they should be used as a dedicated media to each grit only... I use them for polish only. I usually move the ceramics right along with the stones all the way to pre-polish, and use dedicated filler for the polish cycle. hope that helps!!
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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 Feb 26, 2013 16:06:15 GMT -5
I used to buy QT 66's but ran into the same problem you did. Two 3/4 full barrels are way overweight. In past years, Lortones seemed to have stronger motors but in recent years, the overweight loads have seemed to wear out the motors very quickly. I finally went to a different rig MJR, that is rated for the heavier loads but even those, when they get old, will not turn the one twelve, one six pound lortone barrel set ups they will turn when brand new as 3/4 full barrels are pretty darn heavy....Mel
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LarryS
freely admits to licking rocks
SoCal desert rats
Member since August 2010
Posts: 781
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Post by LarryS on Feb 26, 2013 18:17:47 GMT -5
I have (2) QT6's and a (1) QT12 which I run both 6's and the 12# on. I'm know for breaking the rules and run up to 2" size rocks in the QT6 and up to 3" inside the QT12. Tumble nothing under 1" in size. They end up loosing 1/3rd their size anyway. Start out with 60 grit which shortens the first stage quite a bit, like 10-20% less time than the standard 60/90. Ends up grinding down to much finer than 90 after a few days anyway. Only tumble hard jasp-ag and fill to 3/4's full and add a little more water than suggested. Use to use ceramics but they wore down too quick and became expensive. Use chips left over from trimming and smaller ugly rocks. Never had motor issues except on one machine that is around 50 years old. The rocks that start out never get advanced to the next stage together. I hand inspect each rock. Have bowls set up with rocks at different stages and keep the barrels 3/4's full through all stages. Last 2 stages I'll use ceramics, finishing off with cerium oxide. I completely rinse the rocks weekly and start out with fresh grit. Also use Covington's Old Miser power during the first 2 stages which makes a great slurry. Larry
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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 Feb 26, 2013 18:48:28 GMT -5
Aye God Larry! You've got to run the cleanest tumblers I've ever seen. Your's look nicer than my Lortones did out of the box. Wow!.....Mel
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Minnesota Daniel
freely admits to licking rocks
A COUPLE LAKERS
Member since August 2011
Posts: 891
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Post by Minnesota Daniel on Feb 26, 2013 18:50:31 GMT -5
... I have noticed they get a little lighter as the rock grinds down, an by close to end of cycle using a lot of filler... Later Clyde What? As the rocks grind, the volume of the rock decreases and the volume of the slurry increases. The rocks themselves get lighter, but the slurry gets heavier. The total mass inside the barrel remains the same. Anytime you top off a barrel with more rock or filler, you need to remove an equal weight of slurry or you're adding weight to the barrel. It's the same thing if you add more grit to a slurry. However... I'm pretty sure the specific gravity of ceramic filler is less than most rock, so if you keep replacing rock (in the form of slurry) with ceramic media, then the barrel will keep getting lighter as you move the rocks through each stage of tumbling. Oh... that's what you mean isn't it?
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Minnesota Daniel
freely admits to licking rocks
A COUPLE LAKERS
Member since August 2011
Posts: 891
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Post by Minnesota Daniel on Feb 26, 2013 18:52:41 GMT -5
Those are Larry's tumblers? I thought that was a page from the Lortone catalog!
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LarryS
freely admits to licking rocks
SoCal desert rats
Member since August 2010
Posts: 781
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Post by LarryS on Feb 26, 2013 20:49:36 GMT -5
I admit, pic was taken when they were almost new about 3 years ago. But they actually don't look much different now. I use a very handy object called a "rag." I do probably over oil the bearings and motors so they are a little greasy now. But at least they won't rust!
You can ask 20 people how they tumble and you'll get 20 different answers for sure. I started out by following instructions from the manuals along with Internet suggestions. Those didn't work for me. Experimented a lot and came up with my own thing that works. They say to add water to the bottom of the top layer of rocks? I add to middle of the top rocks or a little higher. On some rocks, I've ran 3-4+ months during the first stage too. Could shorten that by sawing/grinding off some of the defective parts but I'm lazy. I actually stopped tumbling because I'm buried in polished stones. Running out of room.
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Minnesota Daniel
freely admits to licking rocks
A COUPLE LAKERS
Member since August 2011
Posts: 891
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Post by Minnesota Daniel on Feb 26, 2013 21:29:39 GMT -5
The first instructions for anyone new to the hobby and asking about their rotary tumbler should be to throw away the instructions.
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electricface
starting to spend too much on rocks
First fish of the day
Member since August 2012
Posts: 211
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Post by electricface on Feb 26, 2013 23:16:02 GMT -5
It came with instructions!?
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Tommy
Administrator
Member since January 2013
Posts: 12,679
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Post by Tommy on Feb 27, 2013 0:47:12 GMT -5
Like someone said you'll get 10 different answers from 10 different people - I love my QT66 and probably fall in the category of blissfully ignorant - I've been running it at half to three quarters full non-stop since last summer(ish). Just be sure to keep oiling it every chance you get and enjoy it while it lasts which is hopefully a long time :-)
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tkvancil
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2011
Posts: 1,546
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Post by tkvancil on Feb 27, 2013 11:27:35 GMT -5
Thanks for the input everybody. I think that moving forward I'll use 1 or 2 barrels as I have ready available sorted rough and not obsess over the weight. Afterall my 2 33b's have been running non stop for 2 years "overweight" and don't seem to have been harmed.
It is however,curious and aggrevating, to load a tumbler correctly and exceed manufacturers specs. when they tell you not to.........
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