tss77
off to a rocking start
Member since March 2021
Posts: 22
|
Post by tss77 on Jan 11, 2023 15:49:56 GMT -5
Thinking of buying another tumbler. What’s the vibrating one about? Is it loud? Can it be opened during use?
|
|
rockbrain
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2022
Posts: 2,502
Member is Online
|
Post by rockbrain on Jan 11, 2023 16:07:56 GMT -5
They are generally louder than a rotary. I have an Minisonic MT4 and it's quieter as my rotaries with the lid on. Most can be opened while running. Vibrating is much quicker with much less grit. First stage is usually not done in a vibe. A lot of folks do stage 1 in a rotary and the rest in a vibe. The rotary shapes great, the vibe polishes great. In my 4 pound vibe barrel I can polish in about 1-2 days with 1/2 teaspoon of polish.
|
|
tss77
off to a rocking start
Member since March 2021
Posts: 22
|
Post by tss77 on Jan 11, 2023 16:18:08 GMT -5
They are generally louder than a rotary. I have an Minisonic MT4 and it's quieter as my rotaries with the lid on. Most can be opened while running. Vibrating is much quicker with much less grit. First stage is usually not done in a vibe. A lot of folks do stage 1 in a rotary and the rest in a vibe. The rotary shapes great, the vibe polishes great. In my 4 pound vibe barrel I can polish in about 1-2 days with 1/2 teaspoon of polish. Thanks for the great answer. This sounds better. Quicker, less grit and this cheaper to use. Am I missing something about why the rotating tumblers are more popular? The Minisonuc is a brand I haven’t heard about. Is it equal to Lodestone or other progressional grades? I started out with cheap tumblers in the beginning and had bad experiences… looking for quality.
|
|
|
Post by pauls on Jan 11, 2023 16:41:37 GMT -5
Vibes are a bit more complex machines and are a little bit more expensive, barrels are quite expensive to replace, that is a good reason why rough grinding is done in a rotary, if it grinds rocks it grinds barrels.
|
|
victor1941
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since November 2011
Posts: 1,978
|
Post by victor1941 on Jan 11, 2023 16:51:58 GMT -5
Tss77, a number of RTH members tumble stone vs preforms or rough cabs like I do. I run a UV-18 for polishing flats and pre shaped cabs and never for shaping. The vibe works great for removing most scratches and is good at rounding edges and does a great job on polishing most material. I sometimes run my machine with the top off but I also am retired and have plenty of time to add water or media as needed. Expect to do barrel replacement more often when running more cycles in rough grit.
|
|
stefan
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,095
|
Post by stefan on Jan 11, 2023 17:51:37 GMT -5
Rotaries are fill it a forget it type. Vibes need more attention, too dry and the rocks can start to chip or not polish, too much water and the tumbling action can stop. Vibes often need "special" accommodations in that they need to be bolted down (some not all), are more expensive (but probably cheaper in the long run as you save on grit, electricity, and time). A lot of people say that softer material does not work well in a vibe. I have been a rotary guy for 18 years (with 5 machines currently running), but ordered a vibe that should be here Friday. A lot of people run both.
|
|
tss77
off to a rocking start
Member since March 2021
Posts: 22
|
Post by tss77 on Jan 11, 2023 20:46:42 GMT -5
This is great info. Thanks to everyone for explaining
|
|
afterburnt
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since June 2021
Posts: 152
|
Post by afterburnt on Jan 12, 2023 11:55:08 GMT -5
Best thing about a vibe is it requires much less patients!
|
|
|
Post by vegasjames on Jan 12, 2023 21:06:45 GMT -5
Rotaries take much longer, use more grit and water and round the stones.
Vibes are significantly faster, use little grit and water. They maintain more of the original shape of the stone, and they tend to give a much better polish, which is why they are often used to put a final polish on cabachons.
To help protect the vibe barrels, it is a good idea to run the stones through at least stage 1 in a rotary to smooth any sharp edges or points.
Yes, the vibes are louder, but I run mine in another room so I barely hear them running.
With the vibes too much water will inhibit proper movement so add a little water at a time, and check frequently to see if water needs to be added as mud forms. People usually use a spray bottle to add the needed water again to better control of water content.
|
|
dirtsifter
Cave Dweller
Co to za kamyczek?
Member since September 2022
Posts: 402
|
Post by dirtsifter on Jan 13, 2023 0:08:51 GMT -5
Rob from Michigan Rocks made this video
Over the past couple of years, the Lot O tumbler has had some issues with tuning and motors. Hopefully in the near future all will be all worked out.
|
|
rockbrain
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2022
Posts: 2,502
Member is Online
|
Post by rockbrain on Jan 13, 2023 10:10:18 GMT -5
Since Rob talked about cost in his great video it should be mentioned that the cheap Harbor Freight rotaries can actually work out pretty well. My office manager has two running at my shop right now. The Harbor Freight vibrators are not made for rocks and aren't really worth messing with. It's kind of tough to find much info on vibrating tumblers. I would have liked to find out more about the Gyroc that Johnson Bros Lapidary sells. It has some nice features. I've been very impressed all the way around with the Minisonic. It's also speed controlled.
|
|
rockchipkip14
off to a rocking start
Member since August 2020
Posts: 23
|
Post by rockchipkip14 on Mar 11, 2023 10:01:54 GMT -5
Rotaries are fill it a forget it type. Vibes need more attention, too dry and the rocks can start to chip or not polish, too much water and the tumbling action can stop. Vibes often need "special" accommodations in that they need to be bolted down (some not all), are more expensive (but probably cheaper in the long run as you save on grit, electricity, and time). A lot of people say that softer material does not work well in a vibe. I have been a rotary guy for 18 years (with 5 machines currently running), but ordered a vibe that should be here Friday. A lot of people run both.
|
|
rockchipkip14
off to a rocking start
Member since August 2020
Posts: 23
|
Post by rockchipkip14 on Mar 11, 2023 10:02:11 GMT -5
Rotaries are fill it a forget it type. Vibes need more attention, too dry and the rocks can start to chip or not polish, too much water and the tumbling action can stop. Vibes often need "special" accommodations in that they need to be bolted down (some not all), are more expensive (but probably cheaper in the long run as you save on grit, electricity, and time). A lot of people say that softer material does not work well in a vibe. I have been a rotary guy for 18 years (with 5 machines currently running), but ordered a vibe that should be here Friday. A lot of people run both.
|
|
|
Post by Starguy on Mar 11, 2023 16:16:01 GMT -5
Hey rockchipkip14 welcome to the forum. I’m strictly rotary. I prefer the rounded stones rotaries produce in coarse, stage 1. I’ve been at this tumbling stuff 35-40 years. Rotary only. I would like to have a vibe but it’s hard to justify the expense. I run two 12 pound Lortones on coarse grit only. They barely keep up with the Lortone 33B running fine through polish.
|
|
rockbrain
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2022
Posts: 2,502
Member is Online
|
Post by rockbrain on Mar 11, 2023 19:31:31 GMT -5
It got touched on a few times and Starguy mentioned the rounding. A vibrating tumbler doesn't really shape. It just rounds the corners off and smooths it out a bit. A rotary will take the stone to a different shape.
|
|
|
Post by rmf on Mar 11, 2023 22:17:45 GMT -5
Since I am lazy I did not read all of the above but there are many good points. Depending on the type of vib they are not good doing the coarse grit. If you tumble in a rotary for the first grit then vib from 220 grit to polish this is best of both worlds. Vibs are good for metal like polishing castings, taking off burs, polishing bullet brass etc. Rotary will do this too but the vib is faster and does not round as stated above. easy to make you own rotary. vibs cost more. water level in a vib is crucial.
|
|
wedger
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since March 2023
Posts: 94
|
Post by wedger on Mar 21, 2023 11:50:28 GMT -5
What vibs are recommended? Is there a particular brand, or features you look for?
|
|
dirtsifter
Cave Dweller
Co to za kamyczek?
Member since September 2022
Posts: 402
|
Post by dirtsifter on Mar 22, 2023 2:02:51 GMT -5
They are generally louder than a rotary. I have an Minisonic MT4 and it's quieter as my rotaries with the lid on. Most can be opened while running. Vibrating is much quicker with much less grit. First stage is usually not done in a vibe. A lot of folks do stage 1 in a rotary and the rest in a vibe. The rotary shapes great, the vibe polishes great. In my 4 pound vibe barrel I can polish in about 1-2 days with 1/2 teaspoon of polish. I have been running a Lot O for a couple on months. It was at first a little noisy, but I placed the cement block to which it is attached first on a folded towel, then on a piece of carpet as well. When I then placed the cement block of a 2 inch piece of styrofoam, I could hardly hear it over the rotaries. It is whisper quiet.
|
|