vance71975
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since September 2022
Posts: 760
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Post by vance71975 on Oct 28, 2022 0:51:00 GMT -5
I have been doing a 5 stage process. I am looking to trim it down and go with a more aggressive stage one. Below is what I am currently doing
80 Grit SiC 220 Grit SiC 500 Grit SiC 1000 Grit AO 2 micron/8000 Grit AO Polish.
I am Looking to drop out one stage, but I am unsure whic way to go Below are the two I am considering switching to.
36 Grit SiC OR 46/70 Grit SiC 220 Grit SiC 1000 Grit AO 2 micron/8000 Grit AO Polish.
OR
36 Grit SiC Or 46/70 Grit SiC 220 Grit SiC 500 Grit AO 2 micron/8000 Grit AO Polish.
Which Route do yall think would be better? ALL input is welcome! I have a 4lb Barrel On a 60rpm tumbler.
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nursetumbler
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Member since February 2022
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Post by nursetumbler on Oct 28, 2022 4:09:58 GMT -5
36 or 46/70 shouldn't be used in small barrels from what I read. You could use 60/90 which is a little coarser as its, I think the word is classified, not classified as straight 80. In my little barrels I have always used 5Tbsps 60/90 silicon carbide, 5Tbsps 120/220 Silicon carbide, 5Tbsps 500 AO The rock Shed pre-polish and 5Tbsps The Rock Shed polish. It was the instructions that came with my dual 3# tumblers. Stage 1 will be your longest run if you want perfect tumbles, no pits or cracks, it's just the way it is with little tumblers. You want to use coaeser grit to make things go faster you'll need to invest in a bigger tumbler. I got a used dual 6# barrel Lortone from a small rock shop in Morenci. Check out pawn shops, fb market place, craigs list. May get a used for pennies on the dollar from one of them.
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vance71975
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since September 2022
Posts: 760
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Post by vance71975 on Oct 28, 2022 4:34:51 GMT -5
36 or 46/70 shouldn't be used in small barrels from what I read. You could use 60/90 which is a little coarser as its, I think the word is classified, not classified as straight 80. In my little barrels I have always used 5Tbsps 60/90 silicon carbide, 5Tbsps 120/220 Silicon carbide, 5Tbsps 500 AO The rock Shed pre-polish and 5Tbsps The Rock Shed polish. It was the instructions that came with my dual 3# tumblers. Stage 1 will be your longest run if you want perfect tumbles, no pits or cracks, it's just the way it is with little tumblers. You want to use coaeser grit to make things go faster you'll need to invest in a bigger tumbler. I got a used dual 6# barrel Lortone from a small rock shop in Morenci. Check out pawn shops, fb market place, craigs list. May get a used for pennies on the dollar from one of them. nursetumbler Well, when my barrel is fully loaded it weights like 6lbs 10oz so I think I can get away with the corser grit, its not really a small barrel. Its Inner diameter: 4" Outer diameter: 4-1/2" Height: 7-1/2" So its pretty decent size. So no problems with going from 500 AO straight to polish?
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nursetumbler
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Member since February 2022
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Post by nursetumbler on Oct 28, 2022 8:33:16 GMT -5
vance71975Thats what I do 500 AO to polish. All Rock Shed grit
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nursetumbler
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Post by nursetumbler on Oct 28, 2022 8:39:30 GMT -5
vance71975I think it is the wall thickness that limits the coarseness of the grit. jasoninsd can you chime in?
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waterboysh
spending too much on rocks
Member since April 2021
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Post by waterboysh on Oct 28, 2022 8:48:28 GMT -5
I would ditch the 1000 AO step. I only use it for softer stones, which so far the only one I've done is Obsidian. The vast majority of the time, I go from 500 AO straight to polish.
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Post by jasoninsd on Oct 28, 2022 8:51:42 GMT -5
vance71975 I think it is the wall thickness that limits the coarseness of the grit. jasoninsd can you chime in? Oh I'll chime in...but remember my tumbling experience is limited...but I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night! (It's funny if you remember the commercials! LOL) The coarse grit definitely affects vibratory tumblers...but I don't think I've read anywhere where rotary tumblers are limited. Granted the more coarse grit that is used will wear out the barrel quicker...but I think the timeframe loss is minimal.
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Oct 28, 2022 8:58:18 GMT -5
I agree with nursetumbler, the 80 might be better in the small barrel. But a slurry thickener may lift the heavier 36 and get it circulating. If so I'd go with the faster longer cutting 36. 60 rpm will certainly help distribute the 36 ! Give the 36 a try, if it breaks down in 4 to 5 days it is doing it's job. I ran dozens of rotary loads using the last 36/46 - 220 - 500 - polish menu. 220 to 1000 is a bit of a bridge unless you let the 220 run a bit longer to lesson the bridge.
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vance71975
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since September 2022
Posts: 760
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Post by vance71975 on Oct 28, 2022 11:51:01 GMT -5
vance71975 Thats what I do 500 AO to polish. All Rock Shed grit Oh ya Rock Shed is the only place I buy grit! They sent me candy, Im a customer for life! lol
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vance71975
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since September 2022
Posts: 760
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Post by vance71975 on Oct 28, 2022 11:56:04 GMT -5
I agree with nursetumbler , the 80 might be better in the small barrel. But a slurry thickener may lift the heavier 36 and get it circulating. If so I'd go with the faster longer cutting 36. 60 rpm will certainly help distribute the 36 ! Give the 36 a try, if it breaks down in 4 to 5 days it is doing it's job. I ran dozens of rotary loads using the last 36/46 - 220 - 500 - polish menu. 220 to 1000 is a bit of a bridge unless you let the 220 run a bit longer to lesson the bridge. I save and Dry all My slurry from All stages, Break it up to a powder and add it to stage 1 to thicken out the gate. Seems to help get a Jump start on grit sticking to the rock. I was leaning toward Dropping the 1000 AO and going 36 or 46/70 - 220 - 500 - polish and so far it seems like from the comments that 1000 ao would be the stage to drop.
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vance71975
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since September 2022
Posts: 760
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Post by vance71975 on Oct 28, 2022 11:59:36 GMT -5
I would ditch the 1000 AO step. I only use it for softer stones, which so far the only one I've done is Obsidian. The vast majority of the time, I go from 500 AO straight to polish. That is the way I was leaning as well, just wanted to get more input becuse 500AO to 2 micron/8000AO polish is quite a jump. Wanted to make sure it wasnt too much of a jump.
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nursetumbler
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Member since February 2022
Posts: 981
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Post by nursetumbler on Oct 28, 2022 12:44:30 GMT -5
vance71975 I think it is the wall thickness that limits the coarseness of the grit. jasoninsd can you chime in? Oh I'll chime in...but remember my tumbling experience is limited...but I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night! (It's funny if you remember the commercials! LOL) The coarse grit definitely affects vibratory tumblers...but I don't think I've read anywhere where rotary tumblers are limited. Granted the more coarse grit that is used will wear out the barrel quicker...but I think the timeframe loss is minimal. Jason jasoninsdYes I do remember the commercial, you are aging us. LMBBO
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vance71975
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since September 2022
Posts: 760
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Post by vance71975 on Oct 28, 2022 12:51:11 GMT -5
Oh I'll chime in...but remember my tumbling experience is limited...but I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night! (It's funny if you remember the commercials! LOL) The coarse grit definitely affects vibratory tumblers...but I don't think I've read anywhere where rotary tumblers are limited. Granted the more coarse grit that is used will wear out the barrel quicker...but I think the timeframe loss is minimal. Jason jasoninsd Yes I do remember the commercial, you are aging us. LMBBO nursetumbler and jasoninsd, yep I too remember the commercials, yep we gettin old, 50 is coming way way too fast for me.
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dirtsifter
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Co to za kamyczek?
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Post by dirtsifter on Nov 3, 2022 23:58:09 GMT -5
36 or 46/70 shouldn't be used in small barrels from what I read. You could use 60/90 which is a little coarser as its, I think the word is classified, not classified as straight 80. In my little barrels I have always used 5Tbsps 60/90 silicon carbide, 5Tbsps 120/220 Silicon carbide, 5Tbsps 500 AO The rock Shed pre-polish and 5Tbsps The Rock Shed polish. It was the instructions that came with my dual 3# tumblers. Stage 1 will be your longest run if you want perfect tumbles, no pits or cracks, it's just the way it is with little tumblers. You want to use coaeser grit to make things go faster you'll need to invest in a bigger tumbler. I got a used dual 6# barrel Lortone from a small rock shop in Morenci. Check out pawn shops, fb market place, craigs list. May get a used for pennies on the dollar from one of them. Just a mention of FB marketplace. I ordered a Lortone 33b-(detailed pictures, Lortone description word for word, etc.) from a seller on FB marketplace. What was shipped was a Harbor Freight tumbler with the labels stripped off it. I and my credit card company deemed it fraud and I got my money back. The seller never responded to inquiries from me or my credit card company so, I kept it.. passed it onto one of my sons. He is happily tumbling away.
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vance71975
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since September 2022
Posts: 760
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Post by vance71975 on Nov 4, 2022 0:38:13 GMT -5
36 or 46/70 shouldn't be used in small barrels from what I read. You could use 60/90 which is a little coarser as its, I think the word is classified, not classified as straight 80. In my little barrels I have always used 5Tbsps 60/90 silicon carbide, 5Tbsps 120/220 Silicon carbide, 5Tbsps 500 AO The rock Shed pre-polish and 5Tbsps The Rock Shed polish. It was the instructions that came with my dual 3# tumblers. Stage 1 will be your longest run if you want perfect tumbles, no pits or cracks, it's just the way it is with little tumblers. You want to use coaeser grit to make things go faster you'll need to invest in a bigger tumbler. I got a used dual 6# barrel Lortone from a small rock shop in Morenci. Check out pawn shops, fb market place, craigs list. May get a used for pennies on the dollar from one of them. Just a mention of FB marketplace. I ordered a Lortone 33b-(detailed pictures, Lortone description word for word, etc.) from a seller on FB marketplace. What was shipped was a Harbor Freight tumbler with the labels stripped off it. I and my credit card company deemed it fraud and I got my money back. The seller never responded to inquiries from me or my credit card company so, I kept it.. passed it onto one of my sons. He is happily tumbling away. Oh I would be beyond pissed about that!
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Post by Rockoonz on Nov 4, 2022 1:02:05 GMT -5
We run our 60/90 for about 6 weeks with a check and addition of a small amount of grit after a week if it looks necessary. the coarse breaks down and eliminates the need for 120/220 stage 2. The rest of them I would continue to use. Of course this is a agate and hard jasper recipe. If your skipping a step is to shorten the time, you are better off getting more/larger barrels and just tumbling more volume of rock. Vibe tumblers for the finer stages and polish will shorten the time too.
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Post by rmf on Nov 4, 2022 3:59:57 GMT -5
vance71975 I have used 46/70 for years. 30 grit is too coarse. the 46/70 after some testing worked well. Best bang for the buck.
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