raunchy
off to a rocking start
Member since May 2019
Posts: 4
|
Post by raunchy on May 8, 2019 1:27:55 GMT -5
I've been tumbling for about a year. I have a double drum Loto and two Lortones, a 33a and a 33b. I have a good quantity of small gem stones, Peridot and Garnet that we have collected. My question is, what technique is used to tumble such small stones?
|
|
jimaz
spending too much on rocks
Member since July 2018
Posts: 461
|
Post by jimaz on May 8, 2019 15:31:26 GMT -5
Welcome to the forum. How small are you talking about? I've ran some fairly small stones (5mm) in my 45C. If they are well shaped you may start with 120/200.
|
|
raunchy
off to a rocking start
Member since May 2019
Posts: 4
|
Post by raunchy on May 12, 2019 21:28:04 GMT -5
They are about that size 5mm, I was wondering about about having a problem with the small stones sticking to the walls of the tumbler drum. do you add some 10 mm or 15mm stones to agitate the smaller rocks? do you have to wash them more often?
|
|
jimaz
spending too much on rocks
Member since July 2018
Posts: 461
|
Post by jimaz on May 12, 2019 21:45:54 GMT -5
The 45c has ridges and I’m unaware of any problems with the stones sticking to the sides. You might try adding some ceramic media, or the 10 to 15mm stones you mention. I normally run rough for 7 days. Someone recently mentioned the grit is spent after 5 days in the 45c, so I may be running unnecessary days. Your eye barrels won’t break down the grit as quickly. From a learning standpoint you may peak at 3 days, pulling the stones out, not dumping, and rinsing them off. If they need more shaping put them back in and run some more. Be sure and clean the lid and rim so you get a good seal.
|
|
|
Post by greig on May 13, 2019 13:22:21 GMT -5
I have had no issues tumbling small hard stones. With softer material, I need to take a peek once in a while to make sure the slurry is not to thick. I have missed that step a few times and had a barrel full of "clay" and the little stones were no longer rock'n and a roll'n.
|
|
quartz
Cave Dweller
breakin' rocks in the hot sun
Member since February 2010
Posts: 3,341
|
Post by quartz on May 13, 2019 23:18:45 GMT -5
I too, have tumbled a fair amount of small rocks, never any trouble with sticking in round barrels [homemaders], but as greig said, watch that the slurry doesn't get too thick with softer material. You will find the garnet especially will take a long time to get rounded up and eventually polished, hard stuff. I ran some small pieces for months in a one quart size barrel.
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,154
|
Post by jamesp on May 18, 2019 7:10:24 GMT -5
Small stuff does well with average size tumbles. If they are hard stones and slow to shape set them aside after course grind and run them again in coarse with the next batch of average size tumbles. If you run all small stuff without average sized tumbles it sure takes a long time.
|
|
|
Post by pauls on May 19, 2019 17:17:28 GMT -5
Garnets of all sizes I just add to a normal tumble as filler, they take a while. I am tumbling mainly Agate and need smalls and the Garnet is perfect. I would do the same with the Peridote, hardness 6.5 to 7 so should do well with most tumbles.
|
|