khara
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2022
Posts: 1,979
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Post by khara on Feb 28, 2024 23:32:47 GMT -5
If someone had access to a vibratory tumbler normally used for reloading/polishing shell casings, would that tumbler be good for rocks? Below is a quick/bad pic. I've only ever tumbled with a rotary style tumbler. I'm interested in a vibe style due to people talking about vibe tumbling crafty projects like ornaments and whatnot. If I use this for tumbling stones, first of all is this a good style of vibratory for that (for anyone who can recognize it), and 2nd, would it then not be a good idea to use it in the future for reloading (for those of you who may know something about that). I will dig it out after work to try and find the manufacturer info.
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ronnsrockroundup
starting to spend too much on rocks
Hurry up and wait.
Member since October 2023
Posts: 154
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Post by ronnsrockroundup on Feb 29, 2024 0:01:25 GMT -5
If you want to tumble rocks with it you'll need the industrial bowl. You can swap them out using the yellow banded bowl for brass and the blue ( industrial) for rocks. You'll actually going to want two industrial bowls. I have the UV 10, it works great. The yellow bowl will not hold up to polishing rocks for very long. You really can't shape or round rocks with it. I only use it for stages after rounding, then a dedicated polish bowl as to avoid cross contamination of grit. Hope this helps.
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brybry
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Member since October 2021
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Post by brybry on Feb 29, 2024 3:41:44 GMT -5
If its a UV-45 the bowl is the same for both. The other UVs are the ones that have separate bowls.
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khara
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2022
Posts: 1,979
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Post by khara on Feb 29, 2024 6:19:43 GMT -5
Thanks ronnsrockroundup and brybry Here’s a pic. I’ve seen people talking about these here and didn’t even know we had one! Ok, I see what you’re saying. This one is a UV-18. I wouldn’t be looking to use this for grinding or shaping. I have two large hex barrels for that. I want to be able to put a polish on shapes that are too odd to polish on a cabber or too small and are otherwise slab smooth, not too rough. I like the idea of getting the 2nd bowl (and the industrial one). Thanks for the info on that.👍  |
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iamchris
has rocks in the head
Member since June 2023
Posts: 722
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Post by iamchris on Feb 29, 2024 8:00:37 GMT -5
I thought the springs were also more heavy duty on the rock tumbling version?
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Feb 29, 2024 9:21:02 GMT -5
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khara
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2022
Posts: 1,979
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Post by khara on Feb 29, 2024 18:18:02 GMT -5
iamchris They are, and I believe the motor is also beefed up. I’m wondering though 😬 if using it just for lightweight polishing of small stones rather than a full load maybe it’d be ok(?). But the heavy duty bowl would likely be a better option due to the grit…
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khara
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2022
Posts: 1,979
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Post by khara on Feb 29, 2024 18:25:21 GMT -5
Thanks Chuck Drummond Island Rocks I also found this site last night but I’m glad to have it posted here for reference. I hadn’t expected the machine itself to be different. I suppose shell casings are lighter than rocks. What strikes me is the cost! The old price tag is still on ours, $129.87. Now an extra bowl costs as much as the machine did originally, although I did see it slightly lower at The Rock Shed. And, the machine itself is not even being made right now. |
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Post by velodromed on Feb 29, 2024 19:22:09 GMT -5
I am still waiting to hear how you had that machine laying around the house for so long and didn’t know it. Yup.
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khara
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2022
Posts: 1,979
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Post by khara on Feb 29, 2024 19:25:29 GMT -5
velodromed 🤣🤣 Well, I knew we had it. But in my brain it was always a reloading tumbler. I didn’t know the brand name or that it was the same type or similar as the vibes used for rocks.
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dshanpnw
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since December 2020
Posts: 1,158
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Post by dshanpnw on Feb 29, 2024 20:16:44 GMT -5
Hi Khara,I am pretty sure that's that same one Jason in SD has. I also have the UV-10 and had no issues with it so far.
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brybry
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Post by brybry on Mar 1, 2024 3:41:17 GMT -5
You can use it for rocks but the bowl & springs won't last as long. Stronger springs can be bought at a good hardware store. Better motor is easy enough to get. Run it until it dies then put better stuff on it. Another option is to get a UV-10 blue bowl to run on it.
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khara
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2022
Posts: 1,979
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Post by khara on Mar 1, 2024 5:54:34 GMT -5
You can use it for rocks but the bowl & springs won't last as long. Stronger springs can be bought at a good hardware store. Better motor is easy enough to get. Run it until it dies then put better stuff on it. Another option is to get a UV-10 blue bowl to run on it. Oh. My gosh. I hadn’t thought of that. I don’t have to match the bowl size? A UV-10 would suit my purpose better and less grit and media to buy.👍 I will look into that. And yes, I was kind of thinking the same thing. Run it the way it is until it dies. I was eyeballing those springs thinking they could probably be replaced. Luckily rock equipment is usually made to be able to be worked on and maintained by its owners, as opposed to so much else that’s on the market today. |
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brybry
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Post by brybry on Mar 1, 2024 11:43:54 GMT -5
You can use it for rocks but the bowl & springs won't last as long. Stronger springs can be bought at a good hardware store. Better motor is easy enough to get. Run it until it dies then put better stuff on it. Another option is to get a UV-10 blue bowl to run on it. Oh. My gosh. I hadn’t thought of that. I don’t have to match the bowl size? A UV-10 would suit my purpose better and less grit and media to buy.👍 I will look into that. And yes, I was kind of thinking the same thing. Run it the way it is until it dies. I was eyeballing those springs thinking they could probably be replaced. Luckily rock equipment is usually made to be able to be worked on and maintained by its owners, as opposed to so much else that’s on the market today. The motor in that UV-18 will easily work with a UV-10 bowl. Worst case, you may need to adjust the weight but it'll work. It's what I do. I found a UV-18 for super cheap and snagged a UV-10 bowl of of eBay. Never bothered to adjust the weight as it was working great as is. Even the threaded rod is the same so no need to drill out the mounting hole. I believe someone on the board had bought an 18 and contacted the Rock Shed about it. Sean's advice was throw a 10 bowl on it and go if I remember right. |
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khara
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2022
Posts: 1,979
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Post by khara on Mar 1, 2024 18:26:00 GMT -5
brybry Cool. Thank you for the info. I wasn’t sure if the diameter of the bowl had to seat onto the base in a specific way. It’s good to hear they are interchangeable.
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Post by rmf on Mar 1, 2024 18:53:40 GMT -5
Bullet brass is light (typically tumbled in walnut shells or corn cobs) and so the tumbler is not as well built as a rock vib tumbler. Get the rock Tumbler, then tumbling brass or metal parts in it is not a problem.
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khara
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2022
Posts: 1,979
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Post by khara on Mar 1, 2024 19:50:31 GMT -5
rmf These tumblers are currently not being sold due to supply chain issues. I already have the brass one so am deciding whether to go ahead and use it for tumbling of small lightweight items like cabs/slabs.
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mirkee
starting to spend too much on rocks
Started tumbling a couple of months ago but now have four tumblers. Very interested in the hobby.
Member since March 2024
Posts: 125
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Post by mirkee on May 9, 2024 18:47:04 GMT -5
I'm using the v5, available cheap at Zoro, but finding it small. Figure I'll be upgrading to either the 10 or 18 soon. Lot of money new.
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