jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,154
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Post by jamesp on Nov 3, 2019 3:02:59 GMT -5
The HDPE makes the best tumbler barrel in the world IMO rockbiter. Here is an 8 inch sch 17 end cap and 8x6 reducer. They will make a +20 pound barrel. You need a 6 inch Fernco rubber end cap, makes for quick access and big opening. Bulges instead of popping off when gas issues occur giving you a day or two's warning. Way better than PVC. Should last a lifetime. I prefer the 6 inch made of sch 17 HDPE to have batches separated into two smaller barrels. The 6x4 reducer costs $34 and end cap $35. Makes about a 10 pound barrel. Easier to weld on stove top. Use a 4 inch Fernco cap. It too will bulge if gas issues occur. They all run well against each other on a long set of shafts without damage, even the 8 inch against the 6 inch. Cleans as if teflon. I even tumble much heavier steel parts in them as a ball mill which is brutal treatment.
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rockbiter
having dreams about rocks
Member since October 2019
Posts: 60
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Post by rockbiter on Nov 4, 2019 1:32:08 GMT -5
jamesp I'm sold. Boy those fittings sure seem overpriced though! The only way I can see to get the price down is to order in bulk straight from China, and I don't want that many tumblers! Guess I'll pony up the dough.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,154
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Post by jamesp on Nov 4, 2019 7:37:27 GMT -5
jamesp I'm sold. Boy those fittings sure seem overpriced though! The only way I can see to get the price down is to order in bulk straight from China, and I don't want that many tumblers! Guess I'll pony up the dough. You will have one thick walled tough barrel. The pay off with this barrel is long life when using **SiC 30 or larger. And the time savings to remove/clean/replace cap with one screw. I usually remove the cap every 2 days, pour off some slurry if too thick, add back some water, add a half dose of coarse grit, clean cap and barrel neck, and then replace cap. A 2 gallon pan full of water is kept next to the tumbler to immerse the cap for cleaning. The cap is used to add water back to the barrel which also cleans the cap. Then do a total clean out every week. This way a fresh load of abrasive is working away at the rocks speeding the monotonous coarse grind step. I found the Lortone and Thumler barrel too time consuming to remove/clean/replace for adding coarse grit every 2 days. **Larger than silicon carbide 30 - metallurgical grade 90% pure SiC for 45 cents a pound was a great long time investment. Shapes fast but requires a durable barrel.
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Post by TheRock on Nov 5, 2019 1:56:01 GMT -5
jamesp You Rock! I'm hard to Impress but I gotta say you never cease to amaze me!
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,154
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Post by jamesp on Nov 8, 2019 8:25:56 GMT -5
jamesp You Rock! I'm hard to Impress but I gotta say you never cease to amaze me! Thanks Bob. It looks like the experimentation stage has finally come to a halt. Of all the things I tinkered with I found these to be most helpful for tumbling: clay based slurry for coarse in rotary, various slurry additives for vibe cheap tile saw grinder fitted with 7" Advanta tuck diamond wheel HPDE 6" and 8" barrels cheap bulk silicon carbide One long shaft heavy duty large rotary tumbler unit with slow and fast shaft set The modified Vibrasonic that also does loads of glass. Plenty of Aluminum oxide grades for finishing in vibe I pretty much tossed all the other experimental stuff like king kong grinder, PVC barrels, misc abrasives, misc slurry additives, etc.
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terrys
off to a rocking start
Member since October 2020
Posts: 2
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Post by terrys on Nov 6, 2020 14:14:55 GMT -5
Just got my Carbolon ordered, I only asked for 500lbs. @ 0.52 cents a pound its a great deal. Shipping not so much to California. about $500 total, still 450 dollars cheaper than small batch orders from other suppliers
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,154
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Post by jamesp on Nov 6, 2020 16:15:46 GMT -5
Just got my Carbolon ordered, I only asked for 500lbs. @ 0.52 cents a pound its a great deal. Shipping not so much to California. about $500 total, still 450 dollars cheaper than small batch orders from other suppliers
Smart move. I love my Carbolon terrys. I too spent about $500 but had no freight charges so I bought 1000 pounds. A distributer was 100 miles away. I can not seem to put a dent in the supply even when using it irresponsibly. I sift the big pieces and fill the barrel 25% with them. Doses that more resemble ceramic media lol. Or double the dose of the smaller grits. I used to worry about using coarse SiC due to it's cost. Not any more. Just beware with faster step 1 shaping your tumbler barrel will wear faster. Rubber Lortone barrels can handle the aggressive abrasive. But the rubber sheet disc that protects the cover will need replacing more often. No matter. It is still cheaper because the time is cut shorter saving electricity use. You will need to run a bit faster and/or use a slurry thickener to suspend the bigger 3/8" particles. I screen mine into 3 grit sizes.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,154
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Post by jamesp on Nov 6, 2020 16:19:09 GMT -5
jamesp I'm sold. Boy those fittings sure seem overpriced though! The only way I can see to get the price down is to order in bulk straight from China, and I don't want that many tumblers! Guess I'll pony up the dough. Check EBAY. I often see them selling 2nd hand way cheaper than new. End cap/reducer 6 inch SDR 11 or SDR 17 8 inch SDR 17(you can get 8 inch SDR 11 but they are really thick)
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Post by Mel on Nov 7, 2020 14:52:57 GMT -5
I LOVE threads like this. I want to see how other people are working, gives me ideas. So many ideas.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,154
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Post by jamesp on Nov 7, 2020 16:40:32 GMT -5
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garock
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2006
Posts: 1,168
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Post by garock on Nov 8, 2020 17:06:45 GMT -5
Mr James, I have a question about tumbling. I have a 6 in old style 6 sided barrel I purchased over 50 years ago from Grieger's. Never used them in all these years. Question is what rpm does the barrel needs to go to get a tumble for the next stage. I am having not luck grinding the stone much at all ! All ways read they it should take about a week to get the rough edges smoothed out. I must be doing something really wrong. I am using a dc variable speed motor direct drive. In no hurry for an answer. Just "cyphering" 'bout it !
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EricD
Cave Dweller
High in the Mountains
Member since November 2019
Posts: 1,142
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Post by EricD on Nov 8, 2020 17:33:19 GMT -5
Mr James, I have a question about tumbling. I have a 6 in old style 6 sided barrel I purchased over 50 years ago from Grieger's. Never used them in all these years. Question is what rpm does the barrel needs to go to get a tumble for the next stage. I am having not luck grinding the stone much at all ! All ways read they it should take about a week to get the rough edges smoothed out. I must be doing something really wrong. I am using a dc variable speed motor direct drive. In no hurry for an answer. Just "cyphering" 'bout it ! I have a six sided barrel like this:
It's 8" on the outside rim and 6" lid/inside diameter and I turn it at about 32rpm. Maybe yours is similar?
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,154
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Post by jamesp on Nov 8, 2020 22:50:19 GMT -5
Mr James, I have a question about tumbling. I have a 6 in old style 6 sided barrel I purchased over 50 years ago from Grieger's. Never used them in all these years. Question is what rpm does the barrel needs to go to get a tumble for the next stage. I am having not luck grinding the stone much at all ! All ways read they it should take about a week to get the rough edges smoothed out. I must be doing something really wrong. I am using a dc variable speed motor direct drive. In no hurry for an answer. Just "cyphering" 'bout it ! Under normal conditions it takes about 8 weeks to get really nice rounded edges using 46-60-80 SiC garock. Most tumblers spinning 6 inch barrels run anywhere from 30 to 40 rpm. 5o years ago ! Wow, that's a long time. That barrel should last another lifetime.
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garock
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2006
Posts: 1,168
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Post by garock on Nov 9, 2020 7:59:47 GMT -5
Thank you Mr James
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panamark
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2012
Posts: 1,343
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Post by panamark on Nov 9, 2020 14:03:48 GMT -5
Just ordered 2 of them. I'll let you know how they work. Thanks Jim!!! Again. 😀
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Post by MrP on Nov 9, 2020 15:02:30 GMT -5
Just got my Carbolon ordered, I only asked for 500lbs. @ 0.52 cents a pound its a great deal. Shipping not so much to California. about $500 total, still 450 dollars cheaper than small batch orders from other suppliers
terrys Where did you order it from?
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Post by oregon on Nov 9, 2020 15:55:00 GMT -5
wow, found these on EBAY. They are likely preowned looking at the price. I believe they are fusion weldable.--not sure-- I have found this company(AGRU) selling other super heavy duty fittings on EBAY that were weldable. This 6 to 4 reducer is SDR 11, meaning it is real heavy thick plastic. A end cap would be the other half of a barrel. These same fittings cost me $50 each in black HDPE. Just ordered 2 of them. I'll let you know how they work. Thanks Jim!!! Again. 😀
My reading of that is that there are two "lots" of 5 each - if you get 10 and want to sell one or two drop me a msg...
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panamark
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2012
Posts: 1,343
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Post by panamark on Nov 13, 2020 18:36:25 GMT -5
[ My reading of that is that there are two "lots" of 5 each - if you get 10 and want to sell one or two drop me a msg...
Received the reducers. It was for a lot = 2 items , not lot =5 items. Too bad, but it was still a heck of a deal. They are hdpe, so now when I get some hdpe end caps and figure out how to butt weld them, then I will be in business! The SDR11 is very thick!!!
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,154
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Post by jamesp on Nov 14, 2020 16:14:50 GMT -5
[ My reading of that is that there are two "lots" of 5 each - if you get 10 and want to sell one or two drop me a msg...
Received the reducers. It was for a lot = 2 items , not lot =5 items. Too bad, but it was still a heck of a deal. They are hdpe, so now when I get some hdpe end caps and figure out how to butt weld them, then I will be in business! The SDR11 is very thick!!! Mining operations use HDPE pipe for pushing highly abrasive mining slurries over long distances at 200+ psi Mark. The pumps used are often reciprocators like diaphragm and piston types creating a lot of pressure surges. HPDE is some tough plastic. You may have to call the supplier to find out if this white HDPE can be fused to black pipe grade HDPE before purchasing black end caps. I had never seen white HDPE pipe. It shouldn't be much different than the black.
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panamark
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2012
Posts: 1,343
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Post by panamark on Nov 15, 2020 12:15:43 GMT -5
You may have to call the supplier to find out if this white HDPE can be fused to black pipe grade HDPE before purchasing black end caps. I had never seen white HDPE pipe. It shouldn't be much different than the black. I'm guessing it is the same and fuses, but I better check before investing/buying the black. I was thinking about fusing 2 reducers together if I can't find the right end caps. Would look odd, but should work???
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