Tommy
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Member since January 2013
Posts: 12,652
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Post by Tommy on Nov 6, 2017 11:24:02 GMT -5
Has or does anyone use a stainless colander for rinsing the grit off tumbles? Does it transfer any metal or otherwise harm the rocks?
I tried an aluminum colander once and it was a disaster - got aluminum all over the rocks.
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Post by manofglass on Nov 6, 2017 11:29:50 GMT -5
I used a milkcan funnel worked good Holds a lot of rocks to
Walt
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,155
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Post by jamesp on Nov 6, 2017 11:32:35 GMT -5
Has or does anyone use a stainless colander for rinsing the grit off tumbles? Does it transfer any metal or otherwise harm the rocks? I tried an aluminum colander once and it was a disaster - got aluminum all over the rocks. Yes yes and yes stainless will streak them bad. it is actually a soft metal. removing stainless ? run them back thru polish. No chemical will remove SS. Not any chemical you want to put on your rocks anyway. Tommy the Tumbler ? Far out.
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Post by captbob on Nov 6, 2017 11:41:03 GMT -5
What could a plastic colander cost - like 2 bucks?
Why even put up with the rocks on metal noise for 2 bucks?
Get crazy and live extravagantly!
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Post by Garage Rocker on Nov 6, 2017 11:43:31 GMT -5
Well, if anyone SHOULD be tumbling, it's you. Can only imagine the fodder you have to throw in there. Look forward to seeing what you come up with.
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Tommy
Administrator
Member since January 2013
Posts: 12,652
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Post by Tommy on Nov 6, 2017 12:15:13 GMT -5
Haha thanks all. I've actually been tumbling the whole time. I'm just not very good at it and rarely feel anything I create is worthy of photographing or talking about. I do a lot of reading though and try to emulate you guys. As I trim slabs for cabbing I take the better scraps and smooth the edges over and toss those in a bin. When the bin fills up about every six months or so I run a tumble load and will maybe come up with 20-30 pieces that I feel are adequate to give away as gifts. Anyway, my gifts bin is getting low and its time to fill it back up. What stops me from tumbling more is the clean out procedures - I don't know why it gets on my nerves so bad but it does. The reason for this post is I want to build a washout station like someone here posted a while back (sorry I don't recall who it was) that he built out of an old sink with a bucket below it. I want to build a two stage washout - the top level with large holes that let all the fill fall through and the lower level colander sized holes or such that will only allow the grit through. The waste gets caught in a bucket down below, separate the grit, dump, done. I can do it with plastic but I was thinking of having it more mounted in the table and sturdy if that makes sense. Just something to change it up and simplify the process a bit.
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Wooferhound
Cave Dweller
Lortone QT66 and 3A
Member since December 2016
Posts: 1,423
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Post by Wooferhound on Nov 6, 2017 14:01:29 GMT -5
I love the plastic colanders from Kroger Grocery. They have 1/4 inch holes that keep the rocks in and let the plastic beads easily pass through to the sink and then to the metal screen under the sink before the settlement tank. The second screened colander catches the beads and other small small pebbles. Never had a problem with marked up rocks. Cleanouts in this sink is a pleasure. This morning I cleaned out two 6 pound barrels (beads in one) and a 3 pound barrel and it took less than an hour including rolling them for 15 minutes each in plain water for cleaning before the next stage, and sorting rocks for the next stage. Easy and not messy at all It's actually a three step separation . . . 1- colander with large holes 2- screened colander 3- settlement tank then on to the waste bucket I am so surprised that I don't see anyone else doing something like this. Maybe it could be a tutorial ? forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/thread/77707/built-sink-cleanout-grit-recovery
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Post by wigglinrocks on Nov 6, 2017 14:10:33 GMT -5
I made my rock wash screen with 1/8 hardware cloth , gave it several coats of spray rubber because the galvanized screen left streaks also . Made it big so it just fits inside an old laundry sink , an old rain gutter drains it out a ways .
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Nov 6, 2017 14:32:10 GMT -5
Last time I was up at the cottage I ran into the hardware store and seen one of these for $75. First thing I thought of was cleaning tumbler barrels. garden hose hook up for faucet and drains into bucket. fish cleaning station Chuck
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Tommy
Administrator
Member since January 2013
Posts: 12,652
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Post by Tommy on Nov 6, 2017 15:16:11 GMT -5
There it is! thank you sir - I will try to add your build to the DIY page next time I do updates on it. This is the one that has been stuck in my head and it's time to get around to doing something about it. My other "problem" is my cabbing generates a massive amount of little offcuts - corners and such - and I use them for tumbler fill. I also keep them segregated by what grit step they have been used in - I have about a gallon of fill scraps for each grit up to pre-polish. Ideally, for my first strainer step I would like to find something that lets everything under say 3/4" through. If I can find the right mesh material to do this with I think I can separate out about 90% of the fill and put it back in it's container without worrying about washing it much.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
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Post by Deleted on Nov 6, 2017 22:03:12 GMT -5
@shotgunner is grateful for this thread. He has a similar need for a similar reason.
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Post by amygdule on Nov 6, 2017 22:37:02 GMT -5
It's nice to have a hot water tap outside for washing tumbles.
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Post by Peruano on Nov 7, 2017 4:52:38 GMT -5
amygdule. Now that is cool (or should I say hot?). I use gravity feed on my cabmachines and have to warm water in the winter months with an electric kettle.
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Post by grumpybill on Nov 7, 2017 7:25:33 GMT -5
Maybe I'm just lucky, but I've started using stainless steel mesh strainers for 500 grit and finer stages without any problems. My thought was that if grit can become embedded in plastic pellets, it can also embed in plastic colanders.
I also use stainless steel bowels for a second rinse before tumble cleaning between stages. Again, without noticeable marks/streaks.
Stainless shows any remaining residue after it dries and makes it easy to wipe off, making it less likely I'll cross-contaminate.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,155
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Post by jamesp on Nov 7, 2017 9:04:06 GMT -5
Removing/reinstalling caps is one of my bigger complaints with clean outs. And cleaning the seals before reinstalling. Must say, the Fernco caps on PVC barrels make that job easy. A nut driver and one screw is all it takes.
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Post by Pat on Nov 7, 2017 10:06:26 GMT -5
Dollar Tree has biggish plastic strainers.
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Post by pauls on Nov 7, 2017 15:12:09 GMT -5
I use Aluminium and stainless sieves at each stage, I get marks but who cares, next stage removes them and nothing leaves marks when they are polished.
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ubermenehune
spending too much on rocks
Member since March 2016
Posts: 293
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Post by ubermenehune on Nov 7, 2017 20:07:55 GMT -5
I use a stainless and don't have any issues with marks. But it sounds like YMMV.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,155
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Post by jamesp on Nov 8, 2017 6:08:31 GMT -5
1/4" Perforated buffet trays are probably 304ss or 18/8 18% chrome 8% nickel and will mark polished rocks in a hurry. May be the high nickel content. These trays are strong and work well for coarse grind where muddy slurries are encountered. Large enough to give a lot of space to spread 12 to 15 pounds of rocks out for thorough cleaning and culling. Or cleaning out multiple 6 pound barrels at the same time. Available cheap at used restaurant supply companies. 2.5 inches deep. Since using 40 cents/pound raw silicon carbide I need the 1/4" holes to separate the rocks from the few larger particles of leftover raw SiC. Most colanders have smaller holes and don't let the leftover chunks of SiC pass. [You guys would like the cutting speed and time release value of the raw SiC.<game changer>] Buffet trays bridge fit well over a poly concrete mixing pan which can be tilted to pour off water into sink. After pouring muddy water off it allows observation of possible left over grit in bottom of the pan. Raw SiC sifted to 3 grades here at home. Love this stuff.
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