zekester55
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2017
Posts: 111
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Post by zekester55 on Aug 23, 2017 5:31:21 GMT -5
So I was standing outside the other day and and the temperature dropped noticeably. Only for a few minutes in the early afternoon, but it made me realize that Winter was coming, and I started to think about that. What am I gonna do? Last Winter I only had the Thumler with its two wee little 1.5 lb barrels, so I rinsed and recharged using 5 gallon buckets in the basement. Now I've gone and accumulated a QT-66 and a Covington, and I can't see doing that level of rinsing for recharges - the old knees aren't up for that level of bucket brigade. What do you do? While I appreciate any suggestions, I will note that moving is not going to be a viable solution!
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Post by orrum on Aug 23, 2017 6:47:55 GMT -5
Gonna have to aquire a building with heat and air conditioning. Or coop the garage or something! Can't stop them tumblers!
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inbtb
Cave Dweller
Member since May 2016
Posts: 351
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Post by inbtb on Aug 23, 2017 8:31:10 GMT -5
I fought with winter tumbling last winter, not going to mess with it this year. Your right clean up is a BIG pain in the butt. Will shut down in late Nov.
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Post by coloradocliff on Aug 23, 2017 8:55:18 GMT -5
How about simple using a 5 gallon bucket and dumping the rinsate into the bucket for couple, three times and dumping the bucket outside. My fav way would be to winter in FLorida.. Hope this helps... grin...
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Post by orrum on Aug 23, 2017 9:56:18 GMT -5
Do like me and only clean out every couple of months!
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huskeric
spending too much on rocks
Member since May 2016
Posts: 353
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Post by huskeric on Aug 23, 2017 11:45:47 GMT -5
I'm not saying my setup is optimal, but I have two "sludgebuckets" and a third, smaller bucket that I siphon off the liquid into. I use pails that are soft-sided (google "tubtrugs") and I lay a panning screen into them. Then I empty my barrel into the panning screen and rinse. After a few days, the sludge will separate from the water, and I use a siphon from cleaning fish tanks to pull the water off the top into a separate bucket. Then depending on how much sludge is in there, I may just let it ride and build up, or you can let the water evaporate out of what's left (which happens fairly quickly in the winter) and then either pour the rest in with cat litter or just put it into a trash bag. Even if it's still semi-liquid, you can pour it into a kitchen bag (or double-bag it) and then put it out with the trash.
I keep a second bucket so that as one becomes full of goop, I can let it evaporate down and use the other one. Good luck!
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Post by orrum on Aug 23, 2017 13:02:12 GMT -5
Good idea!
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inbtb
Cave Dweller
Member since May 2016
Posts: 351
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Post by inbtb on Aug 23, 2017 15:27:28 GMT -5
Water + 20 degrees or lower = Ice
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Post by spiceman on Aug 23, 2017 18:31:04 GMT -5
The motors put off heat direct the heat on the barrels.
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inbtb
Cave Dweller
Member since May 2016
Posts: 351
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Post by inbtb on Aug 23, 2017 19:24:56 GMT -5
The motors put off heat direct the heat on the barrels. I used an old cooler that worked just fine and kept everything nice and warm. But there is still the clean up in freezing weather, not fun. In warmer weather I use a garden hose and rinse barrels and rocks right in my yard, hose gets put away for the winter. So if I quit for the winter I don't have to bundle up to go to the garage to clean rocks. But saws still work and I'll bundle up to cut rocks, and I'll get to spend more time on ebay looking for rocks to cut. Gotta keep the mail lady busy dropping off boxes of rocks.
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quartz
Cave Dweller
breakin' rocks in the hot sun
Member since February 2010
Posts: 3,339
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Post by quartz on Aug 23, 2017 22:38:18 GMT -5
I spent a winter ['69-'70] at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, MD and consider the weather not too different than here. I have a double sink with settling and drain system out on the edge of our covered patio. In the winter I hook a hose up from the utility room sink and have nice warm water to wash rocks with. I don't wash when the weather is really bad, but a little below freezing is very tolerable. The tumbler runs in an insulated shed, the motor keeps the temp. at 50F+.
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zekester55
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2017
Posts: 111
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Post by zekester55 on Aug 24, 2017 5:54:07 GMT -5
Tumblers are in the basement, no issue with them running year-round. Do have an issue with lugging buckets of water/sludge up the stairs, and see no solution for that thus far. There is no nearby indoor faucet from which I could run a hose to the out door sink, at least without loosing a lot of home heating at great expense. Thought about a drill powered pump to pump the water upstairs bit i can see a lot of opportunity for issues there. This old submariner is quite averse to water in the people tank.
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Post by spiceman on Aug 24, 2017 19:34:29 GMT -5
The motors put off heat direct the heat on the barrels. I used an old cooler that worked just fine and kept everything nice and warm. But there is still the clean up in freezing weather, not fun. In warmer weather I use a garden hose and rinse barrels and rocks right in my yard, hose gets put away for the winter. So if I quit for the winter I don't have to bundle up to go to the garage to clean rocks. But saws still work and I'll bundle up to cut rocks, and I'll get to spend more time on ebay looking for rocks to cut. Gotta keep the mail lady busy dropping off boxes of rocks. It sounds like your doing the right thing, keeping the hands warm. The cooler idea is a good solution, if the tumble barrels would bust open and get all over the beer can tops, that might ruin the taste. When you drink it.
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,680
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Post by Fossilman on Aug 25, 2017 8:53:01 GMT -5
I spent a winter ['69-'70] at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, MD and consider the weather not too different than here. I have a double sink with settling and drain system out on the edge of our covered patio. In the winter I hook a hose up from the utility room sink and have nice warm water to wash rocks with. I don't wash when the weather is really bad, but a little below freezing is very tolerable. The tumbler runs in an insulated shed, the motor keeps the temp. at 50F+. LOL,hey my friend,I spend the last part of "73' there and a few months of "74" too (mechanics school,Track and wheeled)....Mild winters for sure... As for the cold spells.. Sometimes I just get tired of the chills here and shut down my tumblers after they complete their cycles...Start them up when it warms up a bit..
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Post by youp50 on Aug 25, 2017 10:26:30 GMT -5
I spent a winter ['69-'70] at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, MD and consider the weather not too different than here. I have a double sink with settling and drain system out on the edge of our covered patio. In the winter I hook a hose up from the utility room sink and have nice warm water to wash rocks with. I don't wash when the weather is really bad, but a little below freezing is very tolerable. The tumbler runs in an insulated shed, the motor keeps the temp. at 50F+. LOL,hey my friend,I spend the last part of "73' there and a few months of "74" too (mechanics school,Track and wheeled)....Mild winters for sure... As for the cold spells.. Sometimes I just get tired of the chills here and shut down my tumblers after they complete their cycles...Start them up when it warms up a bit.. So you can recall the Maryland 'SNOW EMERGENCY' broadcasts and the stiff financial penalties for violating them.
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Post by coloradocliff on Aug 25, 2017 10:35:07 GMT -5
The motors put off heat direct the heat on the barrels. I used an old cooler that worked just fine and kept everything nice and warm. But there is still the clean up in freezing weather, not fun. In warmer weather I use a garden hose and rinse barrels and rocks right in my yard, hose gets put away for the winter. So if I quit for the winter I don't have to bundle up to go to the garage to clean rocks. But saws still work and I'll bundle up to cut rocks, and I'll get to spend more time on ebay looking for rocks to cut. Gotta keep the mail lady busy dropping off boxes of rocks. Maybe work on cabbing or do wrapping . Polish specimens..
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Post by coloradocliff on Aug 25, 2017 10:37:00 GMT -5
I spent a winter ['69-'70] at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, MD and consider the weather not too different than here. I have a double sink with settling and drain system out on the edge of our covered patio. In the winter I hook a hose up from the utility room sink and have nice warm water to wash rocks with. I don't wash when the weather is really bad, but a little below freezing is very tolerable. The tumbler runs in an insulated shed, the motor keeps the temp. at 50F+. LOL,hey my friend,I spend the last part of "73' there and a few months of "74" too (mechanics school,Track and wheeled)....Mild winters for sure... As for the cold spells.. Sometimes I just get tired of the chills here and shut down my tumblers after they complete their cycles...Start them up when it warms up a bit.. Was warmer weather on the gunline. Lots of pretty greens and blue ocean.
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melf77
having dreams about rocks
Member since July 2017
Posts: 70
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Post by melf77 on Aug 25, 2017 17:00:46 GMT -5
I was wondering about how I would be doing clean up too during the winter. I think I could get away with the 5 gallons buckets up and down the stairs.
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Post by spiceman on Aug 25, 2017 19:36:34 GMT -5
That is the right idea. Put the slurry in buckets and deal with that in warm weather.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Aug 26, 2017 21:01:08 GMT -5
Winter?
What's that?
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