Terry664
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since March 2005
Posts: 1,146
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Post by Terry664 on Apr 19, 2008 12:08:37 GMT -5
Well I am looking at vibe tumblers finally, but it will be awhile before I buy one got to save for it. I would like you guys to let me know your favorites and let me know what would be best for doing my shapes. A lot of you have seen the stuff I do. I do 20-60 small pieces at a time, and am looking for polishing only, will still use rotary for rough.
Terry
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mirkaba
spending too much on rocks
Member since August 2006
Posts: 321
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Post by mirkaba on Apr 19, 2008 14:04:47 GMT -5
I am very happy with my Thumlers UV10. I have a batch of shaped agate in pre-polish now....Bob
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Gem'n I
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since March 2008
Posts: 980
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Post by Gem'n I on Apr 19, 2008 15:47:19 GMT -5
The Lot O works well for me but I also have an old Mini Sonic that goes and goes...Larry
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lsmike
spending too much on rocks
Maxwell's demon lowers tumbling entropy
Member since January 2007
Posts: 468
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Post by lsmike on Apr 19, 2008 15:56:09 GMT -5
I like the Gy-Roc best.Mike.
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Post by Bikerrandy on Apr 19, 2008 19:01:02 GMT -5
For 20-60 small pieces, you'll want the Lot-O-Tumbler. The UV-10 is probably the best vibe there is, but you'll need around 300-400 small pieces to fill it. I use mine for pre-shaped pendants. I tumble around 450 pendants at a time with it.
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Terry664
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since March 2005
Posts: 1,146
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Post by Terry664 on Apr 19, 2008 21:08:05 GMT -5
Randy once in awhile I do larger stuff, like the butterflies I just did, but usually they are about the size of your pendants, because I cut my slabs and shapes with a WF. The reason I finally needed a vibe is because with the butterflies I just did, so far I have kept shape but I have had to re-shape several times during grinds, a lot of work, they are in polish now will be out in two weeks, and I am afraid the shine won't be very good. I am looking at a RayTech V-5 any thoughts on it?
Terry
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Post by johnjsgems on Apr 20, 2008 22:02:59 GMT -5
There are older posts on the TV5. I think the consensus was noisey, not very durable but relatively inexpensive. If you are only going to use it for polish steps it may work for you. If you decide to get the UV10 you can make up short loads with ceramic media. Covington has a pretty nice 4-6 lb capacity vibe called the "Berry's Blue" that looks to be good quality and runs quiet. I have a Mini-Sonic KG-1 that works really well except there is no speed control so it beats up soft stuff. I don't have to worry about belts or motors since it has none. Their MT4 would be a good size and adjustable speed but as they say in Oregon "spendy".
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Terry664
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since March 2005
Posts: 1,146
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Post by Terry664 on Apr 21, 2008 8:36:20 GMT -5
I have been pricing a lot of these and on the UV-10, they say you should get commericial grade for rocks, is this true, because I am considering waiting longer, and saving more and getting it, is this the smallest UV? I have looked at the mini-sonic John, glad you mentioned about beating up softer stones, I do quite a few softer stones. So I will trudge along for now using rotary, and save for a good vibe unit. Thanks for all the input.
Terry
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Post by johnjsgems on Apr 21, 2008 9:21:09 GMT -5
Thumler's makes two versions. The "Industrial" is what is needed for rock. The standard model is for brass cleaning/metal finishing, etc. Their vibes are used for industrial use primarily so 10 lb. is their smallest unit. If they would make a five lb. unit they would sell like crazy. Their 10lb Industrial is pretty competitively priced compared to Raytech and Diam Pac.
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DeanW
has rocks in the head
Member since December 2007
Posts: 721
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Post by DeanW on Apr 21, 2008 13:13:25 GMT -5
Thumlers won't honor warranty requests, according to what they told me, for the standard model when it has been used for rocks. So you definately should go for the industrial model if you get a UV-10.
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Post by deb193redux on Apr 21, 2008 14:26:58 GMT -5
Good point. ALthough I think that is only on the barrel. Because UV-10 means 10 pounds whether it is rock, metal, or marbles. I have never been able to tell for sure if the UV-10 industrial (blue) and the UV-10 actually have different motors. Given my observation about how 10;bs is 10lbs I do not see why the motors woudl differ (unless it is in teh expected length of the run).
But a Thumler's bowl with a blue stripe should last a very long time.
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Post by johnjsgems on Apr 21, 2008 15:05:11 GMT -5
The UV-10's have a 3 qt. by volume capacity and the Industrial is listed as weight capacity 10 lbs. The Ind. bowl is $15 more (list price) and the entire unit costs about $50 more than the light weight with 3 lbs. media. The media is about $12 from them so the remainder of the price difference has to be a beefier motor and it would need a different counterweight for the design conditions.
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snivlem
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since February 2008
Posts: 167
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Post by snivlem on Apr 21, 2008 16:58:09 GMT -5
I love my UV-10 and recommend buying about 10 lbs. of ceramic media so you can always fill a load up. It takes about 4-5 days from pre-form to high shine. Highly recommended.
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Post by Bikerrandy on Apr 21, 2008 18:35:42 GMT -5
If you purchase your vibe from the Rockshed, there's no need to worry about getting the wrong one, because they only sell the right one. I have a UV-10 as well, and highly recommend it. Mine is coming up on 3 years of service, and still works like new.
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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 Apr 21, 2008 23:30:42 GMT -5
I have just ordered the lotto 4 1/2 lb. vibe tumbler from The Rock Shed because i will have small amounts of pendants to do.I can hardly wait.............Rocky
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Post by Lady B on Apr 24, 2008 10:13:33 GMT -5
We have a Ray-tech 5 and a Thumler's Ultra-Vibe 10 (the professional model designed to tumble rocks.) We use the R-T for 120 and 500 level grit (we have one bowl for each) and reserve the Thumler's for polish. Of the two, I prefer the Thumler's and would recommend the Thumler's to anyone willing to spend the money (money I feel very well spent). The barrel is better built and the entire machine works more efficiently.
And in this Thread, I can actually speak from over 8 months of good experience now! ;D
Lady B
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