Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on May 22, 2014 15:50:57 GMT -5
I wasn't sure just incase my barrel was overweight in the past....I don't have a means of actually weighing but my father said my barrel felt about 5 lbs rather than the 3 lbs capacity..... I guess it has felt a little heavier though since using pea gravel...I have been using a lot of pea gravel which compacts putting it in not by force just by the shape......but ive never went over 3/4ths full of my barrel space, I'm no scientist lol but am I using too many smalls leaving no space in between the rocks? even though they are small, enough small stuff could end up weighing a lot right? Thanks
|
|
|
Post by 150FromFundy on May 22, 2014 19:06:59 GMT -5
A 3 lb barrel typically holds 2 lbs of rock. By the time you add the water, grit, barrel and lid, the total weight should be around 3 lbs.
I don't think it is possible for you to exceed the maximum weight as long as you don't fill beyond the 2/3 to 3/4 full of rock range.
If you tumble really heavy rock (barite, uranium, gold), you may exceed the maximum weight. But why would you tumble really heavy rock?
Darryl.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on May 22, 2014 20:02:07 GMT -5
I didn't know, that's why I asked, I figured a barrel full of tiny rocks would make it heavier that a few larger sized rocks with more breathing room
|
|
stephent
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2014
Posts: 213
|
Post by stephent on May 22, 2014 20:06:00 GMT -5
My chinese 3 lb tumbler (blue instead of a red HF but basically the same) with "barely" over *1/2 full* (certainly not 2/3 or more) of 3 bigger thumb size stones and the rest filled with "smalls" from 3/8" to 3/4" sizes weighs 1228 grams (43.3 oz)...1/3 cup water (5 1/3 tablespoons water..a measuring cup I had handy) weighs about 70 grams...3 tablespoons of grit weighs 18 grams..1228+70+18= 1316 grams or 46.4 oz...or just barely under 3 pounds (48 oz). Measuring cups were not included in weight...I used "net" setting on the scale. Same barrel about 3/4 full weighs 1540 grams with just stones...no water at +70 g...nor grit at 18g more...then the total is about 57.4 oz or over 3 1/2 pounds with it all thrown in...I added the top/lid/nut into the weight when I measured. Seems the smalls will pack tighter and make it slightly over weight. Use less smalls and don't shake them down...loose fill with rocks..big stuff first...then add water and grit. And I used a rather accurate for it's age Edlund electronic weight scale. ..it's still within less then =/- 2 grams. I've been meaning to weigh my barrels for months now...seems I have been tumbling at over 3 pounds for a bit too. Maybe it's a good thing I cut back to 1/2 full with stones a couple loads back in rough grit to get a more aggressive tumbling action..
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on May 22, 2014 20:22:30 GMT -5
thanks guys, appreciate everyones opinion......I was starting to think all those smalls piled up on eachother just ends up as one big boulder
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on May 22, 2014 20:23:50 GMT -5
im dumb as hell by the way
|
|
stephent
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2014
Posts: 213
|
Post by stephent on May 22, 2014 20:24:10 GMT -5
Just weighed a barrel I had tumbling..only "1/2 full" with stones to start..1/3 cup water start..3 tbsp grit start...added 3 tbsp more grit and it now weighs 1384 grams or about 48.7 oz or just barely over 3 pounds. I did not clean out the barrel, just left all the stuff in it and added more grit. This barrel started with thumb sized stones (1" x 1 1/2" size) to finger sized (at mid joint) sized stones...and maybe a small handful of smaller stuff down to maybe 3/8" or so. And that's just barely below bottom of top rocks level of water in a 1/2 full barrel. It works in a rough 60-90 grit stage if ya don't have any softer stones then *most* quartz in the mix....softer stones will chip! @ tumbelon...I think I would use 1/2 full with mixed sizes stones (25% or less with really small stuff) and fill rest up to 2/3 full with those light BB's to stay under 3 pounds if you are tumbling softer stuff.
|
|
stephent
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2014
Posts: 213
|
Post by stephent on May 22, 2014 20:27:37 GMT -5
And you can quit calling yourself "dumb as hell" right now!...ain't a person in this forum or the world that was born tumbling rocks...or born with a set of blueprints in their hands like some Mechanical Engineer's seem to think.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on May 22, 2014 20:37:34 GMT -5
thanks=] i thought i would have gifts for everyone when i started this project...i guess they will just have to know i tried
|
|
stephent
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2014
Posts: 213
|
Post by stephent on May 22, 2014 20:47:11 GMT -5
Don't get discouraged...rocks are hard...but a bit of time, grit and patience will wear them down to a more purty shape and shine. It takes a slightly artistic eye ...which you have already shown.. to display or mount stones... don't worry..you will learn what you need to get this done. Just remember this... if it was rocket surgery this forum would be mostly empty.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on May 22, 2014 20:54:37 GMT -5
Thanks, ill let every know how this goes, I had like 1 1/2 tbspl (1/2 cup of water) of coarse left..its not slipping yet as of 2 hours ago.....if the tumber is still rocking I think all will be fine in a week
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on May 23, 2014 2:52:23 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by Toad on May 23, 2014 15:48:34 GMT -5
My 12# barrels end up weighing closer to 18 pounds by the time they are loaded with rocks, grit, and water (including the weight of the barrel). I always stay in the 2/3 to 3/4 range. If I were to keep the weight to 12 pounds, I probably wouldn't be half full. My tumblers always seemed to handle the load fine - a QT12 and a C200.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on May 23, 2014 15:53:15 GMT -5
Thanks everyone, yeah toad that was my problem I was like "how in the world am I supposed to keep the weight down and keep it filled correctly?" but I have good news knock on wood.......its been running since yesterday evening with no hiccups, lets just hope I don't jinx myself by getting too excited.....I replaced the belt with help from nick and remembered to use some wd40 to oil the bearings before I started =] It might be over 3 lbs but like you and tony told me don't worry about that too much.....I don't think it was weight as much as it was the belt even though the old one didn't look much different than the new one I expected a stretched belt to be really stretched it was just slightly larger.......but all is good for now
|
|