Hi Gaetz
I've had 2 Lot-O-Tumblers for quite a few years now and get some pretty good results with them.
I like the barrels because they seem to last forever no matter how hard you are on them.
I would say the biggest problem I had when I first used one was having the load dry out on me.
I had no idea how fast they will grind up the rocks and didn't tend to the load for over 12 hrs.When I got home from work I was shocked at the dried out mess I had!
You don't want to let the load dry out because the grit and slury(ground up rock) get imbedded into every little crack and crevice which is just about impossible to get out.
I found that cutting the "x" in the plastic lid only made things worse so I made a "lid holder" out of 2 small bungy cords and a ring that fits around the "nub" on the outside bottom of the barrel.
I hook one end of each cord to opposite sides of the ring,run them up the side of the barrel through the open space between the barrel and the tumbler frame and just hook them togeather on top of the lid.
I tied knots in the cords to get the proper length.
Another little gadget I found helpfull are the stands I made for the 2 barrels.
As you know the shape of the barrel doesn't let you put them down anywhere so you're always looking for a "spot" to rest them and there just isn't any.
I took a 4" Fernco Coupling,,,,
and cut it in half, as straight as possible , across it's diameter.
This made 2 perfect "spots" to put the barrels on.
You can buy the Fernco Coupling at a Home Depot,etc in the plumbing section.
I was also having the same problem with the "hole" in the inside bottom of the barrel as Jeff had.It was a good hiding place for little chips,grit and polish.
I bought an epoxy called "Pig Putty".It comes in a stick form and is very easy to use.I filled the hole with it and it's been there for several years.
Also before I put the epoxy in the hole I accidently poked a hole through the barrel with a sharp pointed piece of round steel trying to pry out a small chip of rock.
I thought I was done with the barrel and then I got the brainy idea of using Super Glue to repair it.
I stuck the steel rod back through the hole,squeezed the barrel to opon the hole,washed it out with alcohol to clean it and put a drop of glue in it.Let it sit overnight and it's still not leaking.
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I do just about all my roughing in my rotary tumblers to get a better rounded look to my rocks but have also roughed in a lot of rocks with the vibe units.
Here's what I have come up with through the years for good results and ease of operation:
Put the Fernco Coupling half on a flat surface.
Lay the ring with the bungy cords across the coupling having the ring in the center of the coupling.
Put the rocks in the barrel and fill it with water (as the instructions say)
Take a tea strainer that fits over the top hole in the barrel and drain as much water as you can from it.
Put the barrel on the coupling while aligning the ring with the "nub".Pull the cords up the side of the barrel and connect them togeather at the top.
Put the barrel in the tumbler frame and slide the cords to one side of the barrel so you can add the grit.
Make sure the barrel is all the way into the frame and start the tumbler.
The rocks should be going around in a rotary direction.
Put a VERY small amount of powdered laundry soap (I use Dreft) by sprinkling it as the rocks go around.Use the same volume of soap as the volume of an eraser on a pencil.Too much soap is a big no no!
Let the tumbler run for about 3-5 minuets until the soap has a chance to disolve and coat the rocks.
The soap helps in 2 ways.
One is that it coats the rocks and gets into the little cracks and crevices befor the grit can and second it makes the rocks sticky which helps the grit to stick to them.
For a 4 lb load I use about 2 tablespoons or less of 120/220grit.I have used 60/90 but much less of it,(maybe 1 tablespoon.
(tip) While adding the grit hold your left hand open at the back of the barrel to block the air flow coming from the plastic counterbalance on the motor.This especially helps while adding the finer grits.They don't blow all over the place)
Sprinkel the grit very slowly as the rocks turn in the barrel until you see that the grit has coated all the rocks and is starting to get a dry look to it. Take a spray bottle and adjust it to it's smallest amount of spray.
Spray the load ONCE and let it run for a minuet or so.Keep doing this until you see that the grit is no longer dry.
DO NOT
add too much water.You can add it a LOT easier then you can take it out.
If you add too much water the grit will wash off and sit on the bottom of the barrel.If you don't add enough water the load will dry out and not do much in the way of grinding.
Check the load in about 15-20 minuets to see if it needs more water.If so,,,add by spraying only once.Let it run and add water 1 spray at a time.
In about 12 hrs you'll probably have to add more water but not after that.
Let the load run for 24 hrs or more with the initial grit.I sometimes let mine run for a couple of days.
When you are satisfied with the load being finished with that run of grit start over again after rinsing the rocks off.I know the instructions say that you don't have to rinse but do it anyway.
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To get a mirror shine on my rocks I continue in this manner.
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When there are absolutely NO cracks/crevices or concave areas on the rocks I go to a graded #220 grit for 24 hrs.
Then #600 grit for 24hrs.
Then #1000 grit for 24-36 hrs or longer.
Then I use Rapid Polish #61 for 24 hrs or longer.
Rinse and dry on a plastic mesh grate with a fan blowing on it.
That's it!
OOPS,,,,,
Each time before you take the rocks out of the tumbler add 1 teaspoon of powdered laundry soap and about 3 oz of warm water.Mix the soap and watr before you put it in the tumbler.Let it run for about 30 minuets and go on from there.
Forgive the typo's,,,,,
Tom
Ps: If you need lids email me and I'll send you some.