janiksj
off to a rocking start
Member since December 2023
Posts: 9
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Post by janiksj on Jan 18, 2024 17:27:52 GMT -5
It started innocently enough. A year ago I purchased a Lortone 33b. At the time I also purchased 2 extra barrels so I would have a barrel for each stage. Produced beautiful stones, gave many away.
Then I saw a Lortone 45c and thought
" what the heck, I will get more stones faster running 2 tumblers."
Then I was reading about the Extreme Rebel and thought " what the heck, now I can produce even more tumbled stones." I keep the really nice ones, and give away the rest.
So Kingsley North emailed me to inform me the mini sonic is now in stock. I thought " what the heck I will use this for the final polish stage."
I have a problem and am wondering if there is a Tumblers Anonymous program somewhere.
Also after reading several posts, the Rock shed does deliver a good product.
Happy trails
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Post by Pat on Jan 18, 2024 17:32:54 GMT -5
You have happily fallen down the tumblers rabbit hole! Enjoy!!
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gunsil
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2023
Posts: 345
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Post by gunsil on Jan 18, 2024 17:34:34 GMT -5
Sounds like you got the disease! Sadly, for me and many others we have never found a cure and have many machines and big piles of rock to modify in some way (tumbling, cutting, cabbing). Welcome to the madness!!
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Jan 18, 2024 22:48:32 GMT -5
It started innocently enough. A year ago I purchased a Lortone 33b. At the time I also purchased 2 extra barrels so I would have a barrel for each stage. Produced beautiful stones, gave many away. Then I saw a Lortone 45c and thought " what the heck, I will get more stones faster running 2 tumblers." Then I was reading about the Extreme Rebel and thought " what the heck, now I can produce even more tumbled stones." I keep the really nice ones, and give away the rest. So Kingsley North emailed me to inform me the mini sonic is now in stock. I thought " what the heck I will use this for the final polish stage." I have a problem and am wondering if there is a Tumblers Anonymous program somewhere. Also after reading several posts, the Rock shed does deliver a good product. Happy trails You made me chuckle. It always starts out innocent enough and then snowballs into an uncontrollable mass of equipment and rocks!  |
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stefan
Cave Dweller 
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,113
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Post by stefan on Jan 19, 2024 13:32:34 GMT -5
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wseaton
starting to shine!
Member since January 2024
Posts: 30
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Post by wseaton on Jan 19, 2024 14:56:26 GMT -5
I got a Rebel 17 a few months ago and love it.
There's two ways to really use; either a large volume of smaller rocks or a few larger rocks at a time. I'm really not into smaller rocks sice they are produced at a large volume in industrial tumblers.
I like to run large rocks in my 17. When I ran a piece of 6" porcelean jasper through it I was hooked. It just takes weeks and weeks to grind down a big rock and the grit it uses is scary.
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Post by greig on Jan 19, 2024 16:03:11 GMT -5
Next up: multiple saws and cabbing equipment. It never ends my friend.
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arentol
off to a rocking start
Member since July 2023
Posts: 20 
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Post by arentol on Jan 19, 2024 16:38:48 GMT -5
I started 6 months ago. I am at 6 tumblers with a 52.5lbs of total barrel capacity, 3 saws, a cabbing machine, and a sphere machine. You should be happy your no further into it than you are.
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dillonf
fully equipped rock polisher
Hounding and tumbling
Member since February 2022
Posts: 1,622
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Post by dillonf on Jan 19, 2024 20:18:18 GMT -5
I started 6 months ago. I am at 6 tumblers with a 52.5lbs of total barrel capacity, 3 saws, a cabbing machine, and a sphere machine. You should be happy your no further into it than you are.  |
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adam5
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since August 2023
Posts: 153
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Post by adam5 on Jan 19, 2024 20:42:05 GMT -5
5 months in and I have 12 barrels (54 lbs), a homemade tumbler, 1 vibratory tumbler (an additional one is down at the moment), a heavy-duty rotary tool for grinding rocks, and plan on constructing a sphere maker. My sanity is starting to come into question amongst my wife and friends  |
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wseaton
starting to shine!
Member since January 2024
Posts: 30
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Post by wseaton on Jan 20, 2024 0:13:12 GMT -5
Next up: multiple saws and cabbing equipment. It never ends my friend. I still want to try using a lapidary or masonry saw to cut away the rough pieces of an agate node from the outside and then toss it in my tumbler for finishing. Round off the facets. I think it would be interesting. I'm finishing up a piece of tigers eye almost 5" and just put it in 500 SC. The iridescence from that big chunk almost made me drop it when I rinsed it off. Can't wait until it's done, and I will certainly show it off. The cool thing about big tumblers is how fast they can tumble if loaded for speed. I typically do one or two big rocks at a time, and if I only fill the barrel 1/3 full with media both my stage 2 and 3 times combined are just a few days. Too many big rocks at a time are too risky in terms of bruising. A friend of a friend just gave me a really old, looks like 1960's version of a thumblers AR12. The power cord jacket is made of cloth if that tells you how old it is. It works...just needed a new seal. Motor is a power hog though at 100watts. |
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Post by jasoninsd on Jan 20, 2024 0:24:18 GMT -5
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rocknewb101
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since October 2022
Posts: 1,368
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Post by rocknewb101 on Jan 22, 2024 14:45:00 GMT -5
Your post made me LOL! I totally understand getting bitten by the bug. Two Christmases ago we bought our daughter a nat geo rotary tumbler. She started off interested, and then the tumbler would sit for weeks not doing anything so I took over. I now have three rotaries, a mini sonic, a slant lap (that I don't use), a Cab King cabbing machine, trim saw and most recent purchase is a 10" drop saw. You just look to make the process easier and before you know it you are in deep! haha! Enjoy it!
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ThomasT
has rocks in the head
Member since June 2022
Posts: 616
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Post by ThomasT on Jan 22, 2024 14:57:47 GMT -5
When I was a kid rock collector, I remember the joy of receiving a rock tumbler from my parents at Christmas, almost 60-years ago. I was amazed then, as I am now, at what you can see inside a polished stone.
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Post by Mel on Jan 24, 2024 11:49:33 GMT -5
It started innocently enough.... I have a problem and am wondering if there is a Tumblers Anonymous program somewhere. Congratulations, you just summarized the hobby in two sentences. There is no escape. You are one of us now. |
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Slabfoot
starting to shine!
Member since November 2023
Posts: 32
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Post by Slabfoot on Feb 2, 2024 17:17:20 GMT -5
This kind of thing happens a lot... :-)
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Mark K
Cave Dweller
Member since April 2012
Posts: 2,818
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Post by Mark K on Feb 2, 2024 19:52:57 GMT -5
I started 6 months ago. I am at 6 tumblers with a 52.5lbs of total barrel capacity, 3 saws, a cabbing machine, and a sphere machine. You should be happy your no further into it than you are. I have an unknown number of tumblers, 2 18 inch saws, 4 10 inch saws 2 3 sphere machines and soon I will have a core drill for making preforms and other items.. |
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graysonig
off to a rocking start
Member since January 2024
Posts: 6
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Post by graysonig on Feb 2, 2024 22:03:13 GMT -5
Yeah, it kinda got away from me too. Only picked up one cheap Amazon special tumbler to polish up some rocks for my young nephews. Two months later there is a lot of noise going on in my shop from all the various tumblers constantly going.
Now I've got my eye on a trim saw and a flat lap.
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Feb 2, 2024 22:25:58 GMT -5
With everyone 'fessing up in this thread, I thought I was reading the minutes of a meeting at Tumblers Anonymous!  |
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Mark K
Cave Dweller
Member since April 2012
Posts: 2,818
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Post by Mark K on Feb 2, 2024 22:58:10 GMT -5
Well I don't know about you, but I am happy being a lapidary. I have no problem.
Although, I do go to meetings. Steele County Gem and Mineral Club, every 2nd Monday of the month.
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