Post by iheartrocks on Sept 26, 2014 17:25:37 GMT -5
Hi Everyone,
I am so excited to have found this forum! My friend got a 3lb Lortone rotary tumbler last year at a garage sale and we've been trying our hand at polishing our found treasures She lucked out and scored a brand new double barrel rotary tumbler for a song at a garage sale and she was kind enough to give me the other one. I finally completed my first batch and couldn't be happier! We just purchased the Chicago Electric 18lb vibrating tumbler and I am getting ready to toss in my first round. I know that it isn't the best one, but I didn't have the $$ for a Thumler's. I plan on getting a Thumler's bowl for polish and can hopefully do it before this round is ready to polish (they are supposed to fit on the CE one.)
I don't have any ceramic media and am wondering if I have to use it, since I am chomping at the bit to get started and would have to wait for it to arrive in the mail! I didn't use it in the rotary tumbler, but I know there are differences in how they work. I know that 3/4 full is recommended for the vibes, add a little bit of water at a time til rocks are covered in grit, and check a few times a day to make sure rocks have not dried out. I have a lot of what I think is: jasper, agate or carnelian agate, petrified wood and flint. What combination/exclusion of any of these might work best?
Thank you in advance for any insight you can give me! While I await replies I will try to post a couple pics of some of my first round. It took 2 months because the tumbler kept stopping and we finally got it all adjusted between everyone's busy schedules. Polishing only took 36 hours!! I couldn't believe it and maybe I should've left them in longer, but the shine was unbelievable and only 1 didn't polish that should have. Ok, I'll shut up for now
Thanks,
Amy
I am so excited to have found this forum! My friend got a 3lb Lortone rotary tumbler last year at a garage sale and we've been trying our hand at polishing our found treasures She lucked out and scored a brand new double barrel rotary tumbler for a song at a garage sale and she was kind enough to give me the other one. I finally completed my first batch and couldn't be happier! We just purchased the Chicago Electric 18lb vibrating tumbler and I am getting ready to toss in my first round. I know that it isn't the best one, but I didn't have the $$ for a Thumler's. I plan on getting a Thumler's bowl for polish and can hopefully do it before this round is ready to polish (they are supposed to fit on the CE one.)
I don't have any ceramic media and am wondering if I have to use it, since I am chomping at the bit to get started and would have to wait for it to arrive in the mail! I didn't use it in the rotary tumbler, but I know there are differences in how they work. I know that 3/4 full is recommended for the vibes, add a little bit of water at a time til rocks are covered in grit, and check a few times a day to make sure rocks have not dried out. I have a lot of what I think is: jasper, agate or carnelian agate, petrified wood and flint. What combination/exclusion of any of these might work best?
Thank you in advance for any insight you can give me! While I await replies I will try to post a couple pics of some of my first round. It took 2 months because the tumbler kept stopping and we finally got it all adjusted between everyone's busy schedules. Polishing only took 36 hours!! I couldn't believe it and maybe I should've left them in longer, but the shine was unbelievable and only 1 didn't polish that should have. Ok, I'll shut up for now
Thanks,
Amy