minnowman
off to a rocking start
Member since September 2008
Posts: 4
|
Post by minnowman on Sept 8, 2008 18:18:56 GMT -5
I want to buy my first tumbler. I need recommendations on what to get. Should I get a vibrator or a drum. If a drum is recommended should I go with a single or double drum. I'm sure everyone has their favorite but I would love to read any input I can get. Thanks for the help. ;D
|
|
darrad
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2006
Posts: 1,636
|
Post by darrad on Sept 8, 2008 19:07:37 GMT -5
I like rotary. I go with Lortone. I do not like the Thumblers lids and seals. I use a 12QT to get the rough grind and move to the 3A and the 3# CE's. for the rest (don't go with the Chicago Electric unless you like tinkering with machines). My preference and as you said everyone has theirs.
Dave.
|
|
|
|
Post by Hard Rock Cafe on Sept 8, 2008 20:46:07 GMT -5
I use a rotary for the rough grind to take out the pits, vugs, chips, etc. and to shape the stones. I then use a vibe for the rest of the process; it's much faster and I'm not very patient.
|
|
ejs
spending too much on rocks
Member since July 2008
Posts: 478
|
Post by ejs on Sept 8, 2008 23:45:05 GMT -5
I have a Lortone 3# 33A (single barrel) and two 33B (double barrels). The Lortones are easy to repair and I like being able to share equipment/parts between the tumblers. But I'm sure there are plenty of other opinions to go around!  |
|
lparker
fully equipped rock polisher
Still doing too much for being retired!
Member since March 2008
Posts: 1,202
|
Post by lparker on Sept 9, 2008 18:21:54 GMT -5
I started with a Lortone double barrel 33B...had no patience with that set up and got 2 - 15 lb Lortone rotaries with the theory that I could do coarse and medium grind with the 15 lb'ers and finish with the 33b. That theory went out the window after the first medium grind came out. Bought a 10lb vibe to take things through medium to polish and it's working out great. The only thing I use the 33b for is special work. I'm running amethyst in one barrel and turquoise in the other. All of which doesn't help you much but does demonstrate how addicting tumbling is. Lee |
|
|
|
Post by Bikerrandy on Sept 9, 2008 18:43:35 GMT -5
I pre-shape everything then vibe it! Vibes are great for making necklace pendants and various shapes (hearts, butterflies, fish, arrowheads.....)
|
|
ejs
spending too much on rocks
Member since July 2008
Posts: 478
|
Post by ejs on Sept 10, 2008 8:11:54 GMT -5
That theory went out the window after the first medium grind came out. Lee: what did you see in the medium grind that caused you to abandon your Lortone? Was it insufficiently smooth? |
|
|
|
Post by LCARS on Sept 10, 2008 12:20:45 GMT -5
As above, so below... Choosing the right tumbler to start out with relies heavilly on what your specific situation is. If you are not looking to spend a lot to get started, don't have a lot of different types or large quantity of rocks and have a lot of patience, then I would definitely recommend the Lortone 3A as a great starter. Its a rotary single 3lb barrel tumbler, sells at a reasonable price, runs reliably, easy to maintain & get parts for and still allows for you to expand later on. It is very versatile yet fairly small and uses less power than a fluorescent light. If you are more than just casually interested in tumbling, are willing to spend a bit more to start out, have some different types of stones you want to try tumbling, maybe not quite as patient as you thought or have plans to try producing some small stone jewelry items in the near future then you may want to consider the Lortone 33B as a good starter. The 33B is the 3A's big brother, a dual 3lb barrel rotary tumbler that allows you more freedom and flexibility as your initial interest in tumbling spirals into a full blown addiction.  Many of us are still running a combination of Lortone 3A & 33B tumblers that we started out with. The barrels and even some parts are interchangeable between these models. With these two working together you can be tumbling any of 1, 2 or 3 barrels at a time!  The other advantage is being able to dedicate a barrel to polish only to reduce the chance of cross contaminating where a single barrel would have to be thuroughly cleaned in between stages to make sure grit particles don't get in to riuin your polish. On the other hand if you are smokin' rich, have limitted patience and are able to spend a lot of time tending to your batches then you could try starting with a vibratory tumbler. They are more expensive, more finnicky to operate, use more power but work much faster when smoothing and polishing than a rotary. |
|
lsmike
spending too much on rocks
Maxwell's demon lowers tumbling entropy
Member since January 2007
Posts: 468
|
Post by lsmike on Sept 10, 2008 18:24:15 GMT -5
I'm in agreement with Hardrock and Randy;shape in a rotary or saw and wheel,then viratory.I use 12# Lortones and a Gy-Roc vibe that holds up to about 15#.These are usually oversize for what I'm doing but:it allows for the occasional larger rock and it means I have to make up a full load with small "leftovers" or ceramic and this is GOOD.So don't throw away your small not pretty stuff.
You really should have two or three bowls for the vibe.The Gy-Rocs are about $20 and I've never worn one out.Mike.
|
|
lparker
fully equipped rock polisher
Still doing too much for being retired!
Member since March 2008
Posts: 1,202
|
Post by lparker on Sept 15, 2008 17:56:17 GMT -5
I didn't give up on the Lortones... The quality of my tumbles isn't up to say what Don does. I smooth the rock until it takes a shine, not necessarily rounded as pebbles. I do the coarse grind in my 2 Lortones, picking out the ones I want to put in medium in my vibe. I've got the system down to where I can get a 10-15 lb batch per week for my vibe...2 days in 120-220, 2 days in 500, and 2 days in AO polish. Some of the rock may be in coarse (46-70) for 3 weeks or better, but I always have a weekly vibe batch, sometimes filling it out with pre-formed slabs.
Lee
|
|
Terry664
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since March 2005
Posts: 1,146
|
Post by Terry664 on Sept 16, 2008 9:42:33 GMT -5
I use Thumlers, mainly because I bought my 1st one on E-bay for $37 including shipping, had been used once, and was in new condition. There is one on e-bay now for $9.99. Go to site map choose collectibles, then rock, fossils, go down to lapidary, click then put in Rock Tumblers, I think it is on 3rd or 4th page. By the way this is the one with a bigger motor.
Terry
|
|
