tropidale
starting to shine!
Member since October 2016
Posts: 46
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Post by tropidale on Oct 17, 2016 11:57:56 GMT -5
Hi all,
To my surprise, I am brand new to tumbling, after attending a Rock and Gem show this weekend. I was admiring some gorgeous cabs at a booth, and the maker indicated that all of the smoothing and polishing was done in a tumbler using preforms. I had no idea! I thought that all you got from a tumbler was round rocks. These cabs were way shinier than what I have done on my cabbing equipment, except for softer stuff like Fluorite and Sodalite. Now, I am thinking I want a small tumbler for the modest amount of cabbing that I do.
So after quite a bit of reading, I am a little unsure of what type and size tumbler to invest in- rotating or vibe. If I go with rotating would I simply shorten the coarse grit or skip it to preserve my shapes? Or would a vibe be better? I don't "think" I am interested in round rocks, but you never know so I am not sure I want to limit myself. I would be happy with the rotating, as long as I can preserve the shapes that I have precut.
Second question is the size. I don't expect my volume to be very high. Maybe up to 5-15 cabs at a time. But, the 3 lb and 1.5 lb cannister dimensions seem really small. Can anyone tell me about how many cabs can comfortably be done at once in each size, with a range 1-2 inches square and up to 1/4 inch thick in preform size at most?
I will probably go with the recommended Lortone or Diamond something to make sure I have a good quality machine that won't die in 6 months. But would like to keep the whole investment under or near $200, if possible. I understand that a dedicated barrel for at least polishing is wise and there is also the grit and who knows what else to buy within that $200 budget. So I am happy to consider other quality brands. But I think I will avoid Harbor Freight on this purchase. Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Dale
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Oct 17, 2016 12:17:58 GMT -5
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tropidale
starting to shine!
Member since October 2016
Posts: 46
|
Post by tropidale on Oct 17, 2016 18:51:22 GMT -5
Thanks, Chuck. I am a little uneasy with what I read about the extra monitoring needed and the seeming fussiness of the process for vibratory. Is it correct that you have to check it hourly or did I read that wrong? I would like to sleep at night.. LOL. Does the Lot-O also have to be anchored to something heavy? What is the cement block thing all about? I was hoping to be smallish and portable. Is there greater wear on the bowl since it appears to be plastic? What makes the vibratory superior beyond speed and less grit needed? Is it a much better polish? While the efficiency certainly is appealing, I guess it's pretty obvious that I was expecting to get reassurance that the 3 lb Lortone would meet my needs for trying this new hobby..... This is something new to think about..
Thanks again for your comments!
Dale
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Post by Garage Rocker on Oct 17, 2016 19:21:36 GMT -5
Chuck is the Lot O expert and he can answer all your questions, but here's what I can tell you as an owner of both. The Lot O is way more forgiving than a rotary in a couple ways. 1) easier to get the slurry right. 2) gentler on softer or varied hardness materials. I can run all varying hardness preforms together in the Lot O without worry. Rotary bangs them around more. Beyond that, it is quicker, takes less grit AND you get to see the rocks rolling around when you take the top off. The anchoring onto blocks thing means it is not easily portable, but not difficult to set up. And no, you don't have to monitor the machine every hour. The 120/220 stage can dry out a bit, but it can run overnight without disaster. Ideally, I like to check it every 4-5 hours in that stage, so I start a Lot O batch on the weekend. After that stage, a quick check in the morning and one at night is enough. Hope this helps. And listen to Chuck if he says something different.
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tropidale
starting to shine!
Member since October 2016
Posts: 46
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Post by tropidale on Oct 17, 2016 19:34:57 GMT -5
Thanks, GR!
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