Post by Deleted on Mar 1, 2009 10:40:33 GMT -5
Greetings Ladies & Gents, 3lb Beach (High Speed) tumblers
A: 1x 3lb barrel (max weight = 3lb 12 oz)
B: 2x 1lb 8oz barrels (max weight = 4lb, 2lb per barrel)
I started with tumbler B: & 6lb of mixed mostly exotic (foreign) stones.
1x 1lb 8oz barrel (empty) = 47RevolutionsPerMinute
1x 1lb 8oz barrel (1lb 8oz) = 47RPM
1x 3lb barrel (3lb) = 47RPM
1x 3lb barrel (3lb 12oz) = 47RPM
2x 1lb 8oz barrels (4lb) = 46RPM
35 years ago the average speed of a 3lb tumbler was 15RPM.
On the 24/02/09 i phoned the retailer they said it should an average of 30RPM,
then i phoned the manufacturer, they said the RPM was spot on, their average speed
is between 45 - 48RPM, as it tumbles about 3x faster than a similar tumbler at 15rpm,
thus for every 1 day that passes, 3 days would have pasted at 15RPM.
The manufacturer is: Beach Lapidary Limited, Formerly known as ML Beach Products Limited.
The instructions i got from the retailer was use (1 heaped tablespoon full or 30g
per 3lb's of stones) for each of my 1.5lb barrels it was 15g of F80 SiliconCarbide (SiC), 1.5lb
of stones, fill with water until 20% of air remained, but cover the stones, & tumble for 7 days,
repeat same amounts for each stage (F80, F220, F400 & F600) , Cerium Oxide (polish)
1 level tablespoon or 15g!
Muddy stones in a barrel
After 4 days tumbling in F80 SiC 2nd batch, 1 st batch in 3lb barrel using a 35 year old recipe.
12g of F80 SiC and 30g of soft water, clean barrel + lids.
Total weight including barrel,
rocks, grit and water = 3lb 12 oz, this batch is done.
Muddy lid (wide)
Muddy lid close up.
Muddy stones in a colander
Muddy barrel with a stone stuck in mud at top of bottom of the barrel.
I reloaded the barrel with stones & 8g teaspoon full of F80 SiC and 20g of water.
Oops that was my 1st batch with twin 1.5lb barrels which were done, 24 hours later
all of the stones had lost at least 80% of their mass, there was only about 4g of F80 grit left,
when i emptied the barrel!
I reloaded the barrel with stones & 8g teaspoon full of F80 SiC and 20g of water,
and ran it for another 4 days the final batch done.
Then i washed that barrel out as i wont be using it again for at least a month.
I rinsed then burnished all stones for 4 hours 3x batches with 50g of Bold 3-in-1(TM)
clothes washing powder, 300g of water, then emptied the barrels in 2 pints of cold
water & let them steep over night.
After the 1st grind my 6lb of mixed mostly exotic (foreign) stones, dropped to 3lb 12oz, mass lost 2lb 4oz!
so rather than moving on to F220, F400 & F600, jumped straight to polish.
A clean unused 3lb barrel & lids, 4oz of plastic pellets staggered filled between pellets,
stones, & so on, 320g of water & 12g of Tin Oxide (Ti-Ox) polish.
After 3 days i opened the barrel & most of the stones were just starting to take a polish,
added another 12g of Ti-Ox, 6 hours later i opened the barrel again and the polish
was taking more effect.
After 5 days see for yourself, just a small selection of stones that i pulled from the barrel
as the barrel was leaking dry now, possibly due to gas or the 4 inch pipe is uneven & not flush!
I did notice that a few stones had impact fractures, i really think the problem is that the RPM is too fast!?
The barrel pics, looks more like cream of rice pudding!
After taking the above photo's i reloaded the barrel with same content, nothing extra
added or removed for another 2 days.
First batch of 3, Day 7, Ti-Ox polish complete, pellet consistency, note the stones are still wet!
After burnishing for 4 hours then i left them steeping in warm soapy water overnight,
i inspected the stones & was shocked that 95% of them had impact fractures,
but most stones had a high shine!
Since my camera was out of batteries again, i just reloaded the barrel with those stones
and set them on F220 for 2 days!
--
I hail from (The Barony of Seabegs) Bonnybridge, Stirlingshire, U.K, where aliens sometimes come
for a visit & about 4 miles west from this monstrosity!
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