huskeric
spending too much on rocks
Member since May 2016
Posts: 353
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Post by huskeric on Jul 18, 2016 10:13:33 GMT -5
I have a QT12 with stage 1 that's been going for 3.5 days (just recharged last night), a 6# stage 1 that's also been going about that long, a 3# stage 1 that I started yesterday, and a 3# stage 4 that's been going for about 4 days. I'm going to be gone for a week. There will be multiple people home still, but none of them will want to crack open the tumblers and make sure they aren't dry or anything.
I'm not afraid of them bursting into flames or anything, but I'm a little concerned that something else might go wrong. If I was going to be here, I would have no concerns, but I could at least check on them.
I think it would be great if I could leave them rolling, unmolested by my curiosity for a week, but I would defer some judgement to those of you who have been doing this for many years, and probably have some REAL stories about what can (and does) go wrong. I don't want to be in the next new Farmers Insurance commercial. =)
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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 18, 2016 11:44:56 GMT -5
My 9 15lbs never stop running.
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Post by orrum on Jul 18, 2016 12:00:51 GMT -5
For overnite or a couple daz I let em rool. For a week or so I set them bottom down and let em roll when I get home.
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Post by Toad on Jul 18, 2016 13:47:56 GMT -5
I let them roll when I'm gone.
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Post by catmandewe on Jul 18, 2016 16:16:07 GMT -5
I let mine go all the time. Even when I am in Quartzsite I leave my tumbler running for 2 months while I am gone, it is usually ready for polish stage when I get home. I am down right now though because I wore a hole in the bottom of my 100# barrel and havent had time to fix it.
Tony
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meviva
Cave Dweller
Member since July 2013
Posts: 1,474
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Post by meviva on Jul 18, 2016 17:01:34 GMT -5
I let mine go all the time. Even when I am in Quartzsite I leave my tumbler running for 2 months while I am gone, it is usually ready for polish stage when I get home. I am down right now though because I wore a hole in the bottom of my 100# barrel and havent had time to fix it. Tony I'd like to see what comes out of a 100# barrel....got pics? Andrea
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Post by Garage Rocker on Jul 18, 2016 17:10:43 GMT -5
I'm on vacation and my tumblers are too. Last clean out, I filled them with water, put the lid on and sat them upright. One less thing to worry about and, besides, we're supposed to be the patient ones. Does one week off make a difference in the big picture?
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Post by pauls on Jul 19, 2016 18:16:20 GMT -5
I'm a great believer in Murphy's Law, "anything that can go wrong will go wrong" so I turn mine off when I am away. Bearings have been known to sieze up, and motors burn out, so I don't take a chance. If you have your house insurance paid up then let them roll.
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rastageezer
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since December 2013
Posts: 169
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Post by rastageezer on Jul 19, 2016 19:05:54 GMT -5
I'm with Paul. Why risk it? Shut 'em down and turn them back on when you return.
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ubermenehune
spending too much on rocks
Member since March 2016
Posts: 293
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Post by ubermenehune on Jul 19, 2016 19:25:58 GMT -5
I let mine run over my last vacation. No problems at all.
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huskeric
spending too much on rocks
Member since May 2016
Posts: 353
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Post by huskeric on Jul 26, 2016 22:16:59 GMT -5
Well, I let 'em run. The QT12 was pretty good, but my slurry was more like frosting, so it could have used a bit more water. My 6# barrel and 3# barrel didn't have nearly enough water, so it was a waste. I added some water and let them run for a bit and cleaned them out not knowing what to expect. I will know better next time.
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richardh
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2016
Posts: 391
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Post by richardh on Jul 27, 2016 9:54:06 GMT -5
Thanks for the update, interesting information about the slurry thickness. So many variables to keep track of!
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huskeric
spending too much on rocks
Member since May 2016
Posts: 353
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Post by huskeric on Jul 27, 2016 11:44:06 GMT -5
Yeah, I still have a LOT to learn. I had been dealing with the opposite problem, that my slurry was not slurry, rather it was foamy, so this time, I put considerably less water in, and that was the right thing to do IF I would have been home to check it every couple of days and then add a bit of water.
There is a fair amount of science to this, but there's plenty of "art" as well.
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Post by orrum on Jul 27, 2016 15:17:12 GMT -5
I only empty my rotary tumbler barrels once a month. That way I feel my grit goes farther.
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Post by accidentalrockhound on Aug 16, 2016 0:28:45 GMT -5
Like Kenny Rogers said you need to know when to hold and when to roll them! Oops wrong lyrics, I let my Qt6 run for a week while We went on a 1500 mile fishing , rockhounding, camping trip! Got home all was fine and has been running since the first day I found RTH.
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