jimgsmith
starting to shine!
Member since September 2022
Posts: 37
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Post by jimgsmith on Sept 20, 2022 10:30:17 GMT -5
Hey everyone, newbie here. New to the forum and rock tumbling. I have been using my rotary for about a year with good results for stage 1, but as with many others, I just cannot get the Lot-O to move the rocks for stages 2-4. I have read everything I can find, and tried just about everything, but no luck. Here is what I am doing: - i was not getting good movement with the factory dowel setting, so I adjusted it according to the instructions here. See pic below for current placement - i also made sure the fan weights were lined up - tumbler filled with water, then added 75% rocks and 25% ceramic media, to a little higher than the line across the barrel - turned upside down and drained the water and gave it a little shake to make sure no standing water - placed barrel in tumbler, and let it rest gently in the tumbler, didn't push it down hard - turned the tumbler on and added 2 tbsp of 120/220 slowly, as the rocks moved, to get a nice even distribution - the rocks move, but barely. the video below is after 16 hours in the tumbler and after adding some squirts of water a couple times. - it looks (to me) like the rocks are nicely covered in slurry, and wet but not too wet, but they just won't move?!?! Any ideas?
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Tommy
Administrator
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Post by Tommy on Sept 20, 2022 10:35:14 GMT -5
First of all welcome to the forum and thanks for the detailed post and photo, I'm certain you'll get some good advice in return. My first thought was - the bumper stop on the barrel I always run my barrel down low so the bumper is making contact with the frame. Maybe you do too but just aren't showing it in the photo? It's also quite possible that I've been doing it all wrong the whole time
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Post by jasoninsd on Sept 20, 2022 10:39:17 GMT -5
Have you tried putting on the movie Madagascar next to the vibe? Okay...sorry...too much coffee this morning! LOL I don't have a Lot-O, but I do have a UV-18 where I've had problems with the rocks moving like they should. One thing I've done that seems to work for me is to put some Dawn dish soap into the vibe. Not a ton...a little more than a few drops. It has loosened/lubed the rocks up to create better movement. Just throwing that out there as a possible solution...but maybe others with a Lot-O will recognize something else being the issue. Welcome to the forum from South Dakota!
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jimmie
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since August 2021
Posts: 233
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Post by jimmie on Sept 20, 2022 11:20:40 GMT -5
The only difference I can see between your lot-o and mine is mine is filthy. Did you try adjusting the dowel? Mine was also sluggish, adjusted the dowel, with lot-o on with it loaded. It’s amazing how much a little movement does . Use a razor knife or something like that to cut the blap of hot melt glue loose. Then move the dowel forward or back, whatever makes it move faster. It’s not a big move, you’ll be surprised with the results. I always keep in mind I’m tumbling rocks, it’s hard to mess up agates or jasper in the lot-o. Lack of movement will grind grooves into the rocks, you want that baby movin and groovin. Experiment, you’ll see the difference.mines been going 24/7 for about 4 years, replaced the springs once, that’s it. Good luck!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 20, 2022 11:41:38 GMT -5
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jimgsmith
starting to shine!
Member since September 2022
Posts: 37
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Post by jimgsmith on Sept 20, 2022 11:58:12 GMT -5
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 20, 2022 12:16:57 GMT -5
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 20, 2022 12:22:06 GMT -5
jimgsmithWhat do your rocks look like when you first put them in? Do they move nicely then? Or are they like this from the start?
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jimgsmith
starting to shine!
Member since September 2022
Posts: 37
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Post by jimgsmith on Sept 20, 2022 12:31:07 GMT -5
jimgsmith What do your rocks look like when you first put them in? Do they move nicely then? Or are they like this from the start? They are like this from the start. Maybe a little faster at times and at other times just jiggling in place. Nothing I do seems to get them rolling the way I have seen in some people's videos. I also tried adding some dish soap, but I just don't see a difference. I feel like there may be a clump at the bottom, but I don't know how that would have formed.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 20, 2022 12:34:09 GMT -5
jimgsmithWhat does your base of block look like? How much weight and how many blocks?
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 20, 2022 12:34:42 GMT -5
And what surface is it on?
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snuffy
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Post by snuffy on Sept 20, 2022 12:43:42 GMT -5
It seems like mine would do that sometimes.Would push it down to make sure its a snug fit.I always had a good amount of smalls along with larger sized rocks.It looks like all are larger size.
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jimgsmith
starting to shine!
Member since September 2022
Posts: 37
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Post by jimgsmith on Sept 20, 2022 12:57:28 GMT -5
jimgsmith What does your base of block look like? How much weight and how many blocks? Its glued to a single cement block, which has a half-inch piece of foam under it (for noise), and is sitting on a wooden floor.
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jimgsmith
starting to shine!
Member since September 2022
Posts: 37
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Post by jimgsmith on Sept 20, 2022 12:59:00 GMT -5
It seems like mine would do that sometimes.Would push it down to make sure its a snug fit.I always had a good amount of smalls along with larger sized rocks.It looks like all are larger size. I didn't have a lot of smalls, so I added a mix of ceramics, including small and medium size (which is also pretty small).
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waterboysh
spending too much on rocks
Member since April 2021
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Post by waterboysh on Sept 20, 2022 14:04:05 GMT -5
When you adjusted the dowel, did you position it while the tumbler was running? If not, that's the key. When I adjusted mine, very small position changes would drastically change the movement of the rocks. Here is the thread I made with the results. Once you get it in just the right place, turn the machine off and re-glue the dowel.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 20, 2022 14:34:02 GMT -5
jimgsmith What does your base of block look like? How much weight and how many blocks? Its glued to a single cement block, which has a half-inch piece of foam under it (for noise), and is sitting on a wooden floor. I think that might be your issue perhaps. Not enough weight that your lot o is on. Can you post a picture of it. You might need more blocks under it.
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jimgsmith
starting to shine!
Member since September 2022
Posts: 37
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Post by jimgsmith on Sept 20, 2022 15:03:56 GMT -5
When you adjusted the dowel, did you position it while the tumbler was running? If not, that's the key. When I adjusted mine, very small position changes would drastically change the movement of the rocks. Here is the thread I made with the results. Once you get it in just the right place, turn the machine off and re-glue the dowel. I tried to, but with the dowel not glued down it just kept moving with the vibration so I just glued it where everyone else seemed to put it.
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jimgsmith
starting to shine!
Member since September 2022
Posts: 37
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Post by jimgsmith on Sept 20, 2022 15:04:41 GMT -5
Its glued to a single cement block, which has a half-inch piece of foam under it (for noise), and is sitting on a wooden floor. I think that might be your issue perhaps. Not enough weight that your lot o is on. Can you post a picture of it. You might need more blocks under it. I only put one block, because that is what the instructions say and what (i thought) most people had done.
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jimmie
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since August 2021
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Post by jimmie on Sept 20, 2022 15:33:54 GMT -5
Looks like the ceramics settled to the bottom, need some water. I sometimes turn of the machine and take the bowl out and shake it upside down. Cut back on the grit. It takes time to figure it out, how much water etc. I never use ceramics in the lot-o for that reason, they always settled on me. The dowel is probably still most of the problem. Can’t figure out how your dowel is moving, that’s strange.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 20, 2022 16:44:07 GMT -5
I think that might be your issue perhaps. Not enough weight that your lot o is on. Can you post a picture of it. You might need more blocks under it. I only put one block, because that is what the instructions say and what (i thought) most people had done. If they are starting out slow or just chattering then its not water, grit or ceramics. It has to do with something else. I would agree that its an internal issue (inside the barrel, problems related to water, grit, ceremics, amount of rocks or rock sizes) if when you first started in up they were moving good and then started slowing down or chattering after a day or two, or three. But thats not the case. My assumption would be you need more weight under your machine. Your dowel looks great as far a position goes to me. You are supposed to have 40 lbs of block underneath. Does you block have the hollow holes? It could be the foam messing with it as well. Also is it on a lower level or upstairs?
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