TIGER
starting to shine!
Member since August 2014
Posts: 46
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Post by TIGER on Aug 3, 2014 12:11:46 GMT -5
I really didn't know which area to post this question in so please forgive me. I have recently purchased a rock tumbler second hand for £8. It works wonderfully, well i've only be tumbling for 3 days lol. anyway. at the moment i have mixed rocks from the beech and river. I have 3 tubs on right now, one for course, one for medium and yes one for fine. I sorted them in the hardness as best i could with very basic hardness kit(penny, 3 inch nail and a lathe tool) lol. So i put rough rock in the course, slightly rounded in the medium and almost smooth in the fine. My question is, and yes i am aware this does take a good deal of time but how will i know if the tub needs more grit? In the course pot these rocks may take some smoothing but i'm sure that one tablespoon would not last the entire time it takes to smooth the rocks. Is this the same for medium, as i'm sure fine wouldn't need extra, but maybe it does, like i said very new to this and still learning. from what i have read i should only have one shot at polishing as another spoon of polish would just start all over again. would be grateful for any help and please try and keep it simple till i have learnt more terminology lmao
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Post by Starguy on Aug 3, 2014 12:29:07 GMT -5
TIGERIf you charged it correctly, the barrel shouldn't need more grit. You will need to clean out the barrel approximately weekly. You will likely need to run the stones through more than one batch of coarse grit to get them shaped and smoothed enough. I could be more specific about the initial charge, but I would need to know the size of your tumbler. Welcome to the forum. You will get lots of help from the people on here.
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Post by braders on Aug 3, 2014 12:36:48 GMT -5
Everyone has a way that works best for them . Myself for my coarse grit run I always let it roll for 7days then I check my stones . If they are not rounded or cleaned up to what I want them to be , I wash them and start the cycle all over again, check in seven days . Also I have just added more coarse grit when it breaks down and im to lazy to wash ..I just stick my finger to the bottom of drum and you should be able to feel whats going on if it feels like just mud give it another shot !! Iv noticed tho after that many days that the grit is normally broke down and needs replaced if your gonna tumble longer on this stage .
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TIGER
starting to shine!
Member since August 2014
Posts: 46
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Post by TIGER on Aug 3, 2014 13:02:54 GMT -5
wow, thanks for the speedy reply's and great advice already, thank you thank you. Like i said i'm not being impacient but didn't want to be tumbling for days only to find i should top up or as you pointed out, clean and re-grit. Starguy - yes should have said my little tumbler has 3 x 1.5lb barrels braders - you said 'just stick my finger to the bottom of drum and you should be able to feel whats going on if it feels like just mud give it another shot !! did you mean let it carry on or clean or re-grit if it feels like mud?
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Post by braders on Aug 3, 2014 13:08:26 GMT -5
You can just add more grit sometimes the mud "rocksnot" is a nice cushion for stones but I feel it slows your grind if its to thick so I will drain a little of it and add a little fresh water ...thats if we are still talking in a hurry or in lazy mode dont drain into your plumbing by the way lol . . Im sure others on here have better info!!
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TIGER
starting to shine!
Member since August 2014
Posts: 46
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Post by TIGER on Aug 3, 2014 13:22:54 GMT -5
Ah right, yes i did read not to 'flush' I have a very fine filter, then shall dispose of properly so it's just either or then, clean out and new grit or 'lazy mode' tip out a bit and re-grit, ok got it thanks. still got 3 days to go but have got some already for polishing i think, very smooth already. My next task will be to try and id every rock i collect, thats going to take some time.lol
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 3, 2014 17:41:01 GMT -5
One thing I really like doing and I've said this a few times already in other areas.. is doing a pre-tumble just to verify that all the stones are close to the same hardness.. and to the pre-turmble would round or even smooth the stone a bit more before you actually start to full process. Some say tea spoon or grit while i'd prefer a bit more.. But the main thing it to set the level of the stones correctly.. too much or not enough can make a difference. Then there are the grits.. and lastly the polish.. and I'm assuming the tumbler you purchased came with a variety of stones as well as a few grits needed to get started. So yes.. it will take one approx one month to get to a point where you can say finished or do a bit more tumbling.
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Post by Starguy on Aug 3, 2014 23:01:37 GMT -5
TIGERMy smallest barrel is a 3 lb. In it, I use 2 oz water and 5 Tbsp grit. You want the slurry to be fairly thick after a week of tumbling in coarse grit. You won't get much of a slurry with the finer grits. For the best results, try to keep the stones close to the same hardness. Tumble agates with agates or jasper. Try to stay away from glass, obsidian or apache tears until you get a little experience. They can be difficult to polish and they tend to pressurize the barrel which can result in the top popping off mid tumble. That makes a real mess. Since you have three barrels, you might consider dedicating one of them to polish only. If not, make sure to clean out the barrels really good between grits. Using plastic pellets in the finer grits and polish helps keep the stones from chipping each other.
I can't wait to see pictures of,some,of your tumbles.
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TIGER
starting to shine!
Member since August 2014
Posts: 46
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Post by TIGER on Aug 4, 2014 3:44:56 GMT -5
thanks stone whisper, my tumbler was second hand so no goodies came with it but seeing as it was only £8 i'm not too bothered. purchased online for grit and got 200g of silicon carbide course 80, medium 220 and fine 400 then 100g of polish pumice powder. I just went to a local beach and collected some pretty rocks, just to try
thanks to starguy, I will certainly be keeping 1 barrel for polish only once i have some to polish as i have read on here that one lot of polish and water can last a couple of batches, so not to discard the once used, unless i read it wrong.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 4, 2014 6:58:48 GMT -5
Relating to your other question in the other topic area.. I feel if you're going to tumble a few of the stones found on the beach. one would need to be mindful of the salt and sand content within the stones cracks or seams as this could contaminate the tumbling process. One may have to do a little dental picking to remove anything not desirable. Otherwise, You sound as if you off to a good start..
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TIGER
starting to shine!
Member since August 2014
Posts: 46
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Post by TIGER on Aug 5, 2014 3:02:26 GMT -5
Thanks very much, just did wonder about sand from the beach. Must admit i had a good look and a good clean before starting, will be keeping an eye for that in the future. ty
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 5, 2014 19:03:21 GMT -5
Greetings [tiger] If your tumbler looks like this below you may be interested in the cleaning instructions. Evans CR2 Tumbler cleaningJust scroll down to the 3rd on the list & click it, (the direct link to that page no-longer works). Do you have Evans rubber barrels (with a "E" at the base) or plastic pipe barrels? Personally all rocks go through F80 (60/90) even if they appear to be smooth in a rotary tumbler see Sticky #5 below. Please check out my Sticky's below. -- Please click images to open larger images in a new Tab, same with everything that is Underlined! I currently have a 3lb Beach (UK), Lortone QT 12/66 (USA) rotaries & 2x Viking Vibrasonic (Diamond Pacific) (USA) virbrating tumblers, with Silicon Carbide grit F80, F220, F600, F1200, with Tin Oxide (1.0 micron) & Aluminum Oxide (1.0 micron & 0.3 micron) polishes. I hail from (The Barony of Seabegs) Bonnybridge, Stirlingshire, U.K, where aliens (15mb) sometimes come for a visit & about 4 miles west from that monstrosity & 7 miles west of this new monstrosity! Sticky's: their contents are resource information 1#: Vendors worldwide (2mb), 2#: How to use the forum, 3#: How to identify rocks & minerals, 4#: Save money on expensive grits & polishes, 5#: Aussie Lapidary Forum: Rock Tumbling Guide!
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Post by connrock on Aug 6, 2014 8:42:41 GMT -5
Welcome Tiger,,, Many of us start tumbling with pretty rocks we find along the shores of lakes and the ocean because they all look so pretty to us.In many cases,depending on geographic location,many of these rocks are too soft to get any sort of shine to them.These softer rocks will only cause you a lot of time and effort for nothing and should be avoided. I say this because you have 3 different hardness rocks running in 3 different barrels,,soft,harder and hardest. Although you did a scratch test with a penny a nail and a lathe tool you may find that a sharp piece of quarts will help you to determine weather a rock is a keeper or (what we call) a "leverite"!,,,,a leverite is what it says,,,leave-er- rite where she sits! LOL Any rock,,especially for someone new to tumbling,that can be scratched with a piece of quarts is a leverite. There is a scale of hardness we use that is called Moh's Scale of Hardness,,,, If you try to tumble rocks that are a "7" in hardness it will give you a better chance for success. Something that hasn't been mentioned here and that is V E R Y important is that at LEAST 1/3 of a barrel full MUST be very small rocks.Being that your barrels only hold 1.5 lbs of rocks this may seem like quite a sacrifice as you will only get a small amount of finished polished rocks but it IS necessary.Why? The answer is "surface contact"!You want as much contact between the rocks as they tumble as possible and if you have all bigger rocks in the (barrel),, or as you call it the "tub" ,,you won't get a lot of surface contact between the rocks and they won't get rounded of nicely. You also mentioned something about a "filter" while discarding the slurry (mud) from rock tumbling. If I understand you correctly,,,you are filtering the slurry before pouring it down the drain? If so DO NOT do this!!!!!!!!!!! Please believe me when I say that ANY amount of slurry WILL clog the drain no matter how much it is filtered.Unless you are willing to drink the water after filtering it DO NOT pour it down the drain! Good luck,,,have fun and ask away! connrock
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TIGER
starting to shine!
Member since August 2014
Posts: 46
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Post by TIGER on Aug 10, 2014 13:16:00 GMT -5
thanks very much for the advice connrock, i will note this info and really appreciate your guidance. I have just now emptied my polishing barrel, rinsed and left to dry my collection and yes very little shine. They have been in for 5 days but i'm using pumice powder, not really sure if this is any good, it came in the pack with the other grits. Trouble is for me i guess is to id rock before starting, but i'm sure this will come with time. I will have to re test my rocks i think lol. I do have a varied selection of sizes in the barrel, i did read about filling in the little spaces but i really do take this all in and many thanks I have changed my 'filter' ideas, im pouring into a big bowl to discard and leaving in the greenhouse to evaporate the water then i will discard the dry powder into the bin. is this a better idea? if not what do you guys do with it?
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TIGER
starting to shine!
Member since August 2014
Posts: 46
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Post by TIGER on Aug 10, 2014 13:17:18 GMT -5
Thank you asi, mine is a lortone tumbler, but thanks as i'm sure maintenance is very similar if not the same.
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Post by iant on Aug 11, 2014 2:00:58 GMT -5
As regards waste, I pour my barrel contents into a collander at my outside tap, which is over a patch of garden filled with landscape stone chips. I then rinse this through with water. Doing this has started to discolour my garden stone chippings but my wife hasn't complained yet so I don't have a problem!
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TIGER
starting to shine!
Member since August 2014
Posts: 46
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Post by TIGER on Aug 11, 2014 17:58:16 GMT -5
cool, i can find a little place, and the garden is currently under a change, so no problem there, thanks for the tip
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TIGER
starting to shine!
Member since August 2014
Posts: 46
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Post by TIGER on Aug 31, 2014 16:37:52 GMT -5
thought I would continue on this thread rather than starting a new one so hope it gets seen. My barrels are 1.5lb. Is this a weight for an empty barrel or for total weight when full? I really didn't want to over load the motor. Also I have seen a lot of mention about burnishing, heads up would be great. and finally, what would you guys recommend for 'thickening' for finer and polish stages? I have seen mention plastic beads and wall paper paste? many thanks again
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Post by Starguy on Aug 31, 2014 17:29:26 GMT -5
TIGERDon't worry about the weight. For coarse grit, load your barrel 2/3 full. For finer grits through polish, you can load 3/4 full to reduce the amount of hard hits in the barrel. Stick to agates and jaspers until you have a good polish or two behind you. It it sounds like you are making progress on your first polish. Can't wait to see some photos. Later. Brent
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TIGER
starting to shine!
Member since August 2014
Posts: 46
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Post by TIGER on Sept 1, 2014 2:45:33 GMT -5
thanks starguy, hopefully they will be soon out. I'm being more selective of what I use, putting to one side anything with big holes, now I have a choice. First lot was just to see what happens. I have just started some onyx, not really sure if it will work tbh.
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