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Post by lbowman1 on Jan 29, 2007 16:36:32 GMT -5
I think I've decided on the Lot O Tumbler from the Rockshed. The 4.5 lb single instead of the double. I don't think I'll have enough rock to keep two barrels going all the time and I was really wanting the extra barrel open just in case something else came along while the first one was busy. Maybe eventually I'll buy another tumbler instead.
While I'm placing this big order I want to stock up on as many supplies as I can before the money runs out. If I don't spend my share of the tax money my husband will. I would rather spend it on me. ;D
There's a lot for me to choose from and I can't buy everything. Can you help me narrow it down a bit? Like ceramic pellets--are spheres okay or do I need cylinders? Tin oxide polish is well recommended but it sure is expensive. If I buy that will it work with most of the stones I'm likely to run into or do the really difficult ones need something else? Also, how far does 1 lb of polish go? Are the generic "grit packs" a good buy or should I pick my own grit? If I start tumbling softer stones will I need somthing completely different?
Any advice on what I'm likely to need is greatly appreciated.
Lori
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donsimpson
starting to spend too much on rocks
Duncan and Mari's Dad
Member since September 2006
Posts: 176
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Post by donsimpson on Jan 30, 2007 13:44:30 GMT -5
I'm not one of the real experts, but where your extra barrel is concerned, I've found it simplifies my life to have one barrel for grit, and a separate barrel for tripoli and polish.
I haven't heard of anyone using ceramic pellets in a tumbler. Mostly people seem to use plastic pellets, which are like little plastic bbs.
It seems that most people use aluminum or cerium oxide for polish, saving tin oxide for very special projects.
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RockyBlue
fully equipped rock polisher
Go U.K.
Member since June 2006
Posts: 1,719
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Post by RockyBlue on Jan 30, 2007 21:30:02 GMT -5
Hi Lori! have a Lorton 33B with 4 barrels so that i could run 4 stages,I get all my grit from The Rock Shed.I use 60/90,120/220,500,AO polish for everything. I just got 5lb. of Tripoli that i`m going to try as a pre polish. At first i used the small packs of grit,but after it was used up i bought everything in 5 lb
packs,and i used more of the 60/90 than anything. Hope this helps..............Rocky
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Post by akansan on Jan 30, 2007 21:49:30 GMT -5
To be honest, I'd ask Shawn at the Rock Shed. They use the Lot-Os to polish all of their sample rock. I think someone on the board uses one as well, but I can't remember who. You might have a better response in the general questions forum from someone who's been there and done that.  |
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Post by Jack ( Yorkshire) on Jan 31, 2007 4:43:23 GMT -5
Hi Lori,
Conrock (Tom) uses one and is a expert at it , he is also a good teacher he sent me a 4 page tutorial on "The polishing process"
I have one but havent had the time to set it up.due to my house extention .
Try him he is very helpfull
Jack
Yorkshire UK
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Post by lbowman1 on Jan 31, 2007 5:48:59 GMT -5
Thanks! I'll do that when I get a chance. Sounds like the fan in my computer is about to die though.  Lori |
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spacegold
has rocks in the head
Member since September 2006
Posts: 732
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Post by spacegold on Feb 1, 2007 0:03:51 GMT -5
Lori, Puppie96 has a Lot-O going 24/7, and she is doing it right. She has a good sized rotary ahead of the vibe for rough grind because a rotary is so much better for the task, particularly on rough rock. Once the roughing is done the vibe comes into its own. One barrel for 220 and one for pre-polish and polish.
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MichiganRocks
starting to spend too much on rocks
"I wasn't born to follow."
Member since April 2007
Posts: 154
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Post by MichiganRocks on Feb 4, 2007 15:04:56 GMT -5
Hey Lori, tin oxide is undoubtedly the best polish that's available, but you pay accordingly. You can do as well on most rock using much cheaper polishes. Just keep some tin oxide on hand for special rocks, like obsidian.
Aluminum Oxide does a good job, just don't get in a hurry. It does have to "break in" for a day before it actually starts to polish. Cerium oxide can be very, very variable, and that can be a very, very big problem. Cerium oxide is a natural material that was originally used to polish glass, but it's the impurities in it that make all the difference. If you get some with a very high purity, it's not cheap either.
I use TXP and have had very good experiences. TXP is from Germany, and was originally developed for vibratory tumblers, but it works very well in rotary as well. It's also a lot cheaper than most others.
Ron
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Post by lbowman1 on Feb 4, 2007 15:17:01 GMT -5
Here's an update on what I ordered:
1 Lot-O single barrel model
2 Extra barrels
3 lbs 120-220 grit
3 lbs 500 grit
2 lbs AO 1000 grit
2 lbs AO polish
3 lbs Tripoli
3 lbs of the larger ceramic cylindrical pellets
2 lbs 4mm round ceramic pellets
also, a book on professional rock tumbling that has info on hardnesses of different stones and special finishes and a 3 lb Lortone barrel for the old Lortone base that's around here somewhere (I've still got a little grit for it.)
I didn't even buy any stone but I know my bank account is still going to be aching from this after I get the total tomorrow.
Lori
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MichiganRocks
starting to spend too much on rocks
"I wasn't born to follow."
Member since April 2007
Posts: 154
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Post by MichiganRocks on Feb 4, 2007 15:24:54 GMT -5
Hey Lori, being in western North Carolina, you should have access to a lot of Quartz. When I visit my friends in King, there are chunks of Quartz lying around everywhere. If you can gather some pieces of that up, that would be an excellent rock to learn on. The hard Quartz will polish easier than most anything else. Don't do the softer rock until you get some experience with the harder ones.
Ron
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Post by lbowman1 on Feb 4, 2007 15:52:26 GMT -5
Two things we have lots of--red clay and quartz. Most of the quartz though isn't that great though and it's a pain to get the red stain from the clay out of it. Everything here is red. That's probably why I'm not wild over brick red jasper. It just blends in with everything else. LOL
If I go a little north I can get garnets and emeralds although most of the garmets are so full of iron they aren't good for much. They weigh a ton and are an opaque rusty red. In a few weeks I want to try Raleigh for rhodolite garnets and later in the year I'll head up into the hills for rubies and sapphires. Lots of cool rocks here just some of them are really, really hard.
Lori
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yogi
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2006
Posts: 175
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Post by yogi on Feb 4, 2007 20:25:19 GMT -5
Ive always had good results with AO polish. Never used pre polish, just run 1000f for 4 days in the vibe and got a shine before going into polish. As far as rock, keep you eyes open at the malls and such, you'll be amazed at the landscaping rocks. There is bound to be something they won't miss. Check at pet stores and nuseries; I've found some nice adventrine at a stone yard. Railroad tracks are worth looking at, in NC you may find unikite being used for the beds, never know.
Good luck,
Bill
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Post by lbowman1 on Feb 4, 2007 21:12:41 GMT -5
Every once in a while I find some tourmaline too but it's in such itty bitty pieces. Cute for little specimens though. I keep it in a box with the iron garnet marbles. lol
Lori
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spacegold
has rocks in the head
Member since September 2006
Posts: 732
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Post by spacegold on Feb 4, 2007 21:16:57 GMT -5
Mind if I ask what you intend to do with the ceramic pellets?
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Post by lbowman1 on Feb 4, 2007 23:01:51 GMT -5
The long ones are filler. The little rounds are for burnishing silver. But if I don't like them I can always hit them with a hammer.  Lori |
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spacegold
has rocks in the head
Member since September 2006
Posts: 732
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Post by spacegold on Feb 5, 2007 10:52:50 GMT -5
That would be much better than $12 a pound Tahoma jasper, IMO. Sorry to see that you have joined the other catty women on this board. I thought better of you
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Post by lbowman1 on Feb 5, 2007 18:29:52 GMT -5
Who has tahoma jasper? Not me. You got me confused with somebody else. But I'd still take a hammer to it from lack of anything else to use. Catty? Am I your new target of choice. Awww, Spacegold, I didn't know you cared.  Lori |
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Post by puppie96 on Feb 6, 2007 4:51:02 GMT -5
Hey Lori, I didn't see your post before or I would have answered sooner. I have something to contribute to almost everything you have mentioned, though I only have about 2 years with it to Condor's 12, so take that into consideration.
I've used a lot of polishes. Cerium isn't recommended for vibes. Titanium is a pain in the butt. There are a variety of aluminum oxide polishes and some are much better than others which are just crap. I am running both rotary & vibe tumblers and started out with rotaries, which use considerably more product. Consequently, I have gone to using all tin oxide for my final polishes in the vibe. I also use an additive most of the time, but I believe it isn't any longer available. The tin oxide lasts for a long time when you are only using a half teaspoon per vibe run. The tin oxide is a luxury, not a necessity. It is practically impossible to have a failed polish in the vibe. I bought a lot of tin oxide when Kingsley North had their summer sale and it was a great deal, as was their grit.
I have never used tripoli, mainly because I've heard repeatedly that it is very risky because it becomes airborne so easily, and you really need to be careful to wear a dust mask. For typical runs in the vibe I use 120/220, 500, and 1000, basically, and final polish in tin oxide.
I predict you will ultimately be dissatisfied with your results unless you run your rocks in the rotary tumbler first and get a good shape. The vibe will polish anything, which is great if you want everything free form, since it doesn't shape much at all.
Ceramic pellets are definitely a help if you need enough bulk for a barrel, but over time I've developed the habit of throwing back the unpolishables and irredeemables for fill. You never know. You should have the larger ones since the smaller ones get chewed up too fast. Plastic pellets aren't effective in a vibe. Keep in mind that ceramic pellets add bulk but they don't cushion like plastic does. Normally this isn't an issue in the vibe. However, in the polish cycle there may be problems with chipping with some material. Shawn's web site has a write-up on tumbling Apache Tears in the loto and they recommend using a very high water level for cushioning. I haven't done a load of those to test it out, but I have paid attention to the idea of water as cushion, and I keep it pretty wet throughout polish cycles.
I have a separate final polish barrel but use the others for all grits. Not a big deal with the loto. It pretty much chews up all the grit. I bought a double though I had the same reservations that you do about keeping it fed. Somehow I manage. That often involves my redoing older rocks that were marginal. I just keep throwing them in for fill. Also, I have to admit that I redo a lot of rocks, since the need to feed makes me move them ahead too fast at times. But when I get to the end, I like what I've got.
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Post by lbowman1 on Feb 6, 2007 7:43:44 GMT -5
Thank you Puppie. I considered getting the dual Lot-O vibe but having to keep the second barrel full all the time sort of defeated my purpose for having a second barrel in the first place. I'll just have to work burnishing jewelry and what not in between stages or something. Not that big of a deal.
Actually, speed wasn't that much of a factor in my decision. It will be nice, don't get me wrong, but I have time to spare. The big bonus was the low noise level. I got more positive comments about the Lot-O's sound than any other tumbler of either type. In addition I actually like that a vibe doesn't grind that much off. A lot of crystals have an interesting structure that I would like to keep in tact in the finished stone. Also, vibes do a very good job on flat shapes and I prefer those for pendants. I do have an old Lortone 3A base and I got a barrel and belt for it. I'll save that for coarse grinding if I'm doing something that needs a lot of shaping.
The folks at the Rockshed are very helpful and we chatted a bit about the best overall "stock up" package for the coming months. I might need tin oxide or walnut hulls eventually but not that likely very soon. I can pick them up in a small quantity later if need be. Basically, I got what I might need up through the summer.
Thanks for the comments. I always appreciate suggestions.
Lori
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Post by puppie96 on Feb 8, 2007 2:59:34 GMT -5
Yeah, Shawn and Gene are great with the Loto. Shawn sold it to me and they really like to help people with working it. For what you are doing the vibe makes a lot of sense. I've done some flat shapes in mine but mostly a few here and there. Out of curiousity I threw in an all slab load after a rock show where I got a bunch for pennies. It did what I was afraid of, they adhered to each other on their flat side and really didn't tumble. I got the job done eventually but IIRC I had to mix in some other shaped rocks. Even with shapes you may want to do a short run in the barrel. I usually think it helps the results and so far I haven't lost too much rock this way. You'll love your polishes.
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