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Post by snowmom on Jul 22, 2015 5:53:00 GMT -5
they looked better after 24 hours than they do now at 3 days in my Lot-O. They have been in 120/220 and are undercut and frosted. Using quartz fish gravel and SIO with a little squirt of dish soap, just wet. Need to add Sugar, I think. Switched to 500 SIO this morning, checking minimum of every 12 hours. The chalcedony in with it seems to be doing better, slight shine to it.
patience is a virtue, doesn't come naturally to me. Still learning. thanks for looking.
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Post by orrum on Jul 22, 2015 6:15:29 GMT -5
They will go frosty and crinkly on you!
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Post by captbob on Jul 22, 2015 9:18:08 GMT -5
Why did you move them on to 500? Did you start at 120/220? No coarse grit cycle?
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Post by snowmom on Jul 22, 2015 18:27:29 GMT -5
120/220 is coarse for a Lot-o most rocks here are already well rounded due to beach wear, coarser grit in the rubber bowl of a Lot-o is not recommended due to damage it can do to the bowl. What should I do, go back for more hours at 120/220? I am worried about undercutting, at this rate the jasper is already sticking out of the matrix pretty bad. Wish I'd thought to take before photos... Just checked the bowl, it is 12 hours since starting in 500, the rocks are starting to shine a bit in places... we'll see what happens by morning.
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Post by orrum on Jul 23, 2015 8:12:43 GMT -5
Are you doing them in only the Loto. You need to round and smooth in a Lortone or other rotary. Chuck/ Drummond Island has the best mixed group or soft group Loto recipe. I go his wsy now. It's 24 hrs at 120 200 and then 48 hours at 500 and the 48 hours in AO polish.
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Post by captbob on Jul 23, 2015 8:47:02 GMT -5
snowmom, do you have a rotary tumbler for the coarse grind / shaping stage? If not, I have a used Thumblers single 3 lb unit that I will never use and would be happy to ship your way. Nothing wrong with it, I just tumble much larger loads. PM me an address if you would like it.
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Post by Jugglerguy on Jul 23, 2015 9:06:16 GMT -5
I agree that you should start those in a rotary. They can take a long time to rotary tumble before going to the Lot-O. The matrix never looks perfect, except in Chuck's new avatar.
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Jul 23, 2015 9:39:45 GMT -5
You have a handful of really good PS for tumbling there. A few weeks in the rotary would do a world of good. I have about 30 pounds of those in rotaries right now using 46/70 grit.
Chuck
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Jul 23, 2015 18:37:36 GMT -5
I just realized I have some pudding stones that I pulled from 46/70 last weekend. These will go into 120/220 when I have enough pulled for a full batch. I took a picture so you can see exactly what I expect mine to look like before they ever see 120 grit. I do realize that we are not all after the same look and some may like a natural look vs rounded look. Keep in mind that my tumbles are teh roughest around to start with because I bust them with a sledge hammer. Your beach rocks should be way easier to smooth than mine. Your rocks have got great potential so dont give up on them. As for how long these spent in 46/70. I could not tell you and it really don't matter. They are in there until they pass my weekly inspection and get my approval sticker to move on. Chuck
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Post by Jugglerguy on Jul 23, 2015 22:12:55 GMT -5
Wow, those are some beauties in that last picture.
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Post by snowmom on Jul 24, 2015 5:22:18 GMT -5
very encouraging everybody, thank you! Captbob PM coming your way. Can't thank you enough for your generous offer. Put the stones back in the Lot-o and continuing, I know I am way too impatient... but I'm trainable. Thanks again all, more pictures when progress is evident.
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riverrock
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since April 2010
Posts: 1,395
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Post by riverrock on Jul 24, 2015 7:07:16 GMT -5
another stone that I have not done. looking forward to seeing the end results.
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Post by snowmom on Jul 29, 2015 4:53:30 GMT -5
update not glass-like but some are getting quite shiny! I received a like new Thumler's tumbler from captbob yesterday. I will get it going in the next few days and put the ones worthy of continuing in it along with some more I found the past couple of days... might be a summer long pudding stone saga. I am overwhelmed by captbob's generosity and by the kindness of his gesture. He sent beautiful amazonite and ruby in zoesite, also some banded hematite.. and a huge bag of grit for the polisher. No way to express the depth of my gratitude and appreciation. Thank you so much! I'll be able to do so much with it- Looking forward to the learning.
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Post by orrum on Jul 29, 2015 6:33:00 GMT -5
Roll Snowmom roll#!#!#
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Jul 29, 2015 12:40:59 GMT -5
way to go captbob If you thought patience was difficult with your loto just wait till you start roughing in the rotary. lol
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Post by gingerkid on Jul 29, 2015 19:00:49 GMT -5
Congrats, snowmom, on your 'new' Thumler's and a shout out captbob for his generosity! Imagine the tumbler looks brand new since CaptBob takes very good care of his equipment after seeing pics of his tidy workshop. Now, as Fossilman would say, get er done! Just kidding and looking forward to seeing your tumbles.
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Post by snowmom on Aug 2, 2015 5:29:14 GMT -5
everything transferred to Bob's rotary, started up fine and continues to be fine, slurry beginning, not too much foam. May have to add more filler (polished fish tank quartz pebbles), I'll check it again in a few days. Nice not to have to check every 12 hours as I do with the Lot O vibe. I could get hooked on rotary tumbling.
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Post by Jugglerguy on Aug 2, 2015 7:37:34 GMT -5
Don't add aquarium gravel as the rocks wear down, add something you want tumbled. Add more puddingstones if you have them, but you can add just about anything you want tumbled in the rough stage. You'll have to add quite a bit by the time they're done, so you may as well be doing rocks you want polished. I mix lots of rocks together in my rotaries and then separate them as they get done. I try to do homogeneous loads in the Lot-O, but sometimes I don't have enough so I do mixed loads.
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Post by snowmom on Aug 2, 2015 9:06:39 GMT -5
tips from the master, I will follow your instruction! Thanks!
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Post by captbob on Aug 2, 2015 13:12:28 GMT -5
I'm with Rob here. Life is too short to waste tumbler space on worthless gravel.
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