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Post by pebblesky on Dec 19, 2022 18:55:16 GMT -5
+1 to what others have said.
From the pictures and your description I feel there are too many big rocks for your barrel. If I understood it correctly, in you barrel it is one 3-inch rock and 4~5 2-inch rocks. If I were you, I'd remove either that one big 3 inch rock or all the 2 inch rocks, and add some smaller rocks (less than one inch in diameter) to fill the barrel to a reasonable load.
Also, it seems to me if the majority of one batch are big flat rocks, it will not work super efficiently in a small tumbler. I will try mixing flat rocks with more round and/or thick irregular shaped rocks.
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vance71975
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since September 2022
Posts: 760
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Post by vance71975 on Dec 19, 2022 20:51:28 GMT -5
So how much do you use per lb of tumbler barrel? Like what would you use in a 4lb barrel with 5 to 6 lbs of rock? Your statement leads me to believe you are seriously overloaded! 5 to 6 lbs in a 4 lb barrel is a big problem. As for my grit use, well I use about 1.5 teaspoons per Lb. I never have any left over at 2 weeks, but will have grit remaining after just a week. I have fine tuned this recipe over 18 years of tumbling. I hate wasting grit. Well, My machine says that it can handle a max weight of 6lb 10 oz including rock, grit, and water, so When I say 5 or 6lbs what i should have said is total weight not weight of rocks. The rocks alone are about 4lbs.
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Post by Jugglerguy on Dec 19, 2022 21:00:35 GMT -5
I also think that you have too many large rocks in the barrel. Rather than change a whole bunch of variables at once, I'd pick one thing to change and see what happens. You'll learn more that way.
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vance71975
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since September 2022
Posts: 760
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Post by vance71975 on Dec 20, 2022 0:39:49 GMT -5
I also think that you have too many large rocks in the barrel. Rather than change a whole bunch of variables at once, I'd pick one thing to change and see what happens. You'll learn more that way. Ill check it in a few day, if the pea gravel I added doesnt help, ill take a few of the bigger ones out.
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ataraktos
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since January 2020
Posts: 140
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Post by ataraktos on Dec 20, 2022 12:27:05 GMT -5
I also think that you have too many large rocks in the barrel. Rather than change a whole bunch of variables at once, I'd pick one thing to change and see what happens. You'll learn more that way. Ill check it in a few day, if the pea gravel I added doesnt help, ill take a few of the bigger ones out. admittedly, i am very much still learning too but another variable to consider (and one i often think of rob and a video he did about filling his rotary barrels when i'm filling my own barrel) is how much water. i always overfill. i've gotten better grit breakdown from one week to the next, just by reminding myself that less water is more and not over-watering. (this would also be something rob or others could comment on, if you post a picture of your barrel, filled up.) (my covington spins around 60 rpms (all barrels same diameter) and if i do things right, it spends up the standard 1 tbsp/pound of barrel capacity in about 4-5 days. barrels used to have gas build-up for EVERYTHING too but as they've aged, thank goodness they've stopped trying to blow up every two days ... though looking back on it, it was a useful indicator - if my barrel wasn't bulging out, i knew i hadn't loaded it up right. it wasn't so nice the time i forgot to burp though!)
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vance71975
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since September 2022
Posts: 760
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Post by vance71975 on Dec 20, 2022 16:36:38 GMT -5
Ill check it in a few day, if the pea gravel I added doesnt help, ill take a few of the bigger ones out. admittedly, i am very much still learning too but another variable to consider (and one i often think of rob and a video he did about filling his rotary barrels when i'm filling my own barrel) is how much water. i always overfill. i've gotten better grit breakdown from one week to the next, just by reminding myself that less water is more and not over-watering. (this would also be something rob or others could comment on, if you post a picture of your barrel, filled up.) (my covington spins around 60 rpms (all barrels same diameter) and if i do things right, it spends up the standard 1 tbsp/pound of barrel capacity in about 4-5 days. barrels used to have gas build-up for EVERYTHING too but as they've aged, thank goodness they've stopped trying to blow up every two days ... though looking back on it, it was a useful indicator - if my barrel wasn't bulging out, i knew i hadn't loaded it up right. it wasn't so nice the time i forgot to burp though!) Honestly I typically use even less water than Rob does, I usually run about half my barrel of water, with rocks in so a fuzz over 1/4 barrel of water before displacement by the rocks, and it normally yields great results on the cutting stage anyway, I use more on the later stages. Its usually like 1 to 1 1/2 cup of water total on stage 1 .
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vance71975
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since September 2022
Posts: 760
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Post by vance71975 on Dec 22, 2022 2:05:00 GMT -5
So, Just checked the tumbler, and the problem had not resolved so I took out all but 3 or 4 of the flat pieces and added more roundish pieces per the advice here so now we wait and see.
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dirtsifter
Cave Dweller
Co to za kamyczek?
Member since September 2022
Posts: 402
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Post by dirtsifter on Jan 1, 2023 15:58:08 GMT -5
So, Just checked the tumbler, and the problem had not resolved so I took out all but 3 or 4 of the flat pieces and added more roundish pieces per the advice here so now we wait and see. Following. Waiting for the next installment!
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vance71975
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since September 2022
Posts: 760
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Post by vance71975 on Jan 1, 2023 19:08:08 GMT -5
So, Just checked the tumbler, and the problem had not resolved so I took out all but 3 or 4 of the flat pieces and added more roundish pieces per the advice here so now we wait and see. Following. Waiting for the next installment! Taking out some rocks did seem to fix the issue. I realized that with my barrel being as tall as it is, I cant do the standard rule of thumb or 2/3 to 3/4 full. I have to run the barrel about 1/2 full if i want effective grinding.
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