The Dad_Ohs
fully equipped rock polisher
Take me to your Labradorite!!
Member since September 2012
Posts: 1,860
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Post by The Dad_Ohs on Feb 23, 2014 15:47:34 GMT -5
Dad-Ohs, the Seriously Silly rockhound!  |
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elizabeth
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since August 2011
Posts: 94
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Post by elizabeth on Aug 10, 2014 12:42:17 GMT -5
Hi Randy,
I am looking to purchase a vibrating rock tumbler. A large one. Do you have any suggestions on ones that are the best. They are expensive and so many different makes that I don't want to make a mistake. I would appreciate your help.
Janet
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The Dad_Ohs
fully equipped rock polisher
Take me to your Labradorite!!
Member since September 2012
Posts: 1,860
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Post by The Dad_Ohs on Aug 13, 2014 14:31:21 GMT -5
as you go larger the variety tends to diminish! to that end the Gy-Roc & Thumblers tends to be the best choices... although if you want really big Diamond Pacific makes one that runs about$1700.00 and has a 14 lb. capacity.
Other wise Thumblers & Gy-Roc are probably your best choices.
I give my nod to the Gy-Roc which has piggy-back capability on some models. (the ability to mount a second bowl on the same unit so 2 run at the same time!)
If you don't want to spend alot to start, cause you're not sure of your commitment yet, Harbor Frieght has a decent one for about 150.00.
But, anyways, thats my 2 centavos!!
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Tom
fully equipped rock polisher
My dad Tom suddenly passed away yesterday, Just wanted his "rock" family to know.
Member since January 2013
Posts: 1,557
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Post by Tom on Aug 13, 2014 18:07:43 GMT -5
Janet when you say 'large', how large did you want to go?
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Alien Jake
off to a rocking start
Member since December 2014
Posts: 22 
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Post by Alien Jake on Dec 3, 2014 1:06:59 GMT -5
I have an opportunity to buy a Burr King 200 Vibratory Tumbler. It is $200. Is this any good for polishing rocks, specifically small pieces of petrified wood?
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Post by captbob on Jan 15, 2015 15:54:28 GMT -5
So, I've been reading pretty much all I can on these vibe tumblers and this thread has been a treasure trove of information. Still not sure about having to babysit a tumbler as much as a vibe seems to require... I'm kinda busy for that!
But, I do have a question. I've read that the ceramic media filler progresses right along with the rocks during the tumble. I sure don't do that with my rotary barrels, but I can see the logic of it with a vibe due to the extreme grit breakdown, and especially, if one were to burnish between stages.
My question is, does the same ceramic filler also move to the polish stage after it and the rocks have been burnished following your last grit cycle? Got the part about a separate bowl for polish, because of possible grit contamination , but is burnishing enough to avoid any grit contamination moving on to the polish cycle?
Or, would it be prudent to use new (polish cycle only) filler?
Just curious.
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Post by Jugglerguy on Jan 15, 2015 17:30:08 GMT -5
My ceramic goes all the way through, even for polishing. It's not going to carry any more grit than the rock is, and the rock sort of has to go through to the end.
I also think the babysitting thing is exaggerated. I like to load mine on a weekend, but sometimes I load it after work. It's good to check on it after a few hours. Before bed, I give it a couple extra squirts of water. In the morning, sometimes it's a bit dry, but a few squirts gets it going again. So in the first stage, you should check on it at least twice in 24 hours. After the first stage, it rarely needs extra water. Once in a great while I give it a squirt during 500 grit, and almost never during 1000 or polish.
So if you're home in the morning, after work, and before bed, that's plenty of babysitting for the first two days, then it's smooth sailing. Is smooth sailing a good thing? Seems like you need wind to sail which makes the water less smooth. Huh, never thought about that before.
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Tom
fully equipped rock polisher
My dad Tom suddenly passed away yesterday, Just wanted his "rock" family to know.
Member since January 2013
Posts: 1,557
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Post by Tom on Jan 18, 2015 21:02:32 GMT -5
I used to change out my ceramics for each stage, IMHO it was a waste of time and made no difference. Clean each load up real good and things are good:). The juggler is 100% correct about babysitting:). I do things the same way. Just my 2 cents worth
Tom
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wilsonintexas
off to a rocking start
Member since February 2015
Posts: 8
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Post by wilsonintexas on Feb 22, 2015 3:06:04 GMT -5
If this needs to be a seperate threads let me know.....
I have been doing faceting for a while, and some cabbing.... My sister picked up some petrified wood, and is asking me to help finish them, so I am looking at a vibrating machine. So I have been reading up on it.... (but not before I bought a Harbor Freight machine while it was on sale last week...... Probably a mistake....
Several newbe questions.
Since I am doing slab, it sounds like I want to use media either plastic or ceramic to keep them separated and I assume to get to the surfaces....
So which is preferred? In some posts, I see people using plastic, and they mention that they are easy to separate because they float during the washing process...
I know from my faceting that ceramic and diamond gives a really nice polish. The idea of using ceramic and the grit, makes since to me. I also kow that the ceramic is hard, and the abrasive will not embed in gthem, so you can use the same beads from cutting right through polish.....
IS there a problem with grid getting embedded in the plastic? I suspect that it I go plastic, it may be better to use different beads for each grit....
back to the HB machine., From what I hear, they can not really hold up to doing the weight of the rocks, they are really ligher weight machine for cleaning brass for guns....... so if the problem is weight..... what if I used plastic beads... (lighter), and did not put in many slabs.
I also like to tinker... and there are several posts on making your own machine.... most seem to have problems with the shape of the bowl, which I think needs to have rounded edges, and a funnel in the center to work well.....
so.. if he problem with the harbor freight is the bowl not holding up, what if I made a few replacement bowls......
I am thinking of the top of Freon tanks, they are round,,,,, and add a funnel in the center with the fat side down, to direct the flow......
They should wear well.... (but rust may be a problem...... ) and should be cheap...... (if not free....)
Anyhow. I have more time than money to tinker.... and the cost of trying it is low.... but if someone has a better idea, that they kow will work... all the better.
one last thought.... at the local rock club, there is a guy who suggested broken car glass that he gets for free from the local glass replacement shop as a media.... the price is right.... has anyone here tried it? (he gave me some, and said I could have as much as I wanted...) He does recommend running it by itself for a while to soften some of the corners....
I would consider using it in the vibrating tumbler, but it would not be considered light.
Anyhow, I know tat this is a lot, if I need to separate it out let me know....
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gedtassie
off to a rocking start
Member since July 2015
Posts: 1
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Post by gedtassie on Jul 31, 2015 14:53:34 GMT -5
I tried to find this, but it looks like I never actually posted it. This is my formula for vibe tumbling, every batch will turn out perfect depending on the rocks that you start out with..... Vibes are aggressive and will eat up the soft rocks. The agates (chalcedonies) and the "hard" jaspers" work best. Also, tigereye, unakite, and even sodalite and obsidian as long as you monitor them. You may already know this, but just in case.....- Never used 60/90 in a vibe. Vibes are too agressive for 60/90. There are only three stages, 120/220, 500, and polish. The Aluminum oxide polish that the Rockshed sells is the absolute best there is for vibe tumbling. If you've never delt with the Rockshed, it's owned by a guy named Shawn, who is one of the best to deal with. Also, before we get started I gotta say this.... if you don't have a second bowl for your vibe, get one!! This will be your polish bowl, and will be used for polish only. Grit gets embedded in the walls of your bowl, and you will not get the desired shine, trust me on this!! I used plastic pellets for a good while, but recently noticed that I get the same results without them. I used to used 6-8 tablespoons of grit, but I've perfected my methods a bit. Now I simply pour the grit in the vibe (while running) a little at a time until rocks are completely gray. This probably takes about 3 tablespoons. If this doesn't turn them gray, add one more. If they get dry during this process, spray a little water in and continue. The rocks should be just wet enough for the grit to stick to them. If done correctly, the rocks will turn gray quickly, and should be gray enough that you won't see any color other than gray. With the 500 and the polish, you'll only need 3 or 4 tablespoons (heaping, but not like a mountain...more like a foothill). The polish should be milky, but you will barely be able to still see the patterns of the rocks through it if you used the proper amount. Another trick that I like to do is between the 500 and the polish stage, do a burnish stage (borax) to ensure that all grit is removed from the rocks and barrel. Alot of people do this, but I do one thing different- add a teaspoon of polish to the Borax. This will act kinda like a pre-polish stage as well. Here's the steps I use with the best results..... 120/220- 2 days, wash and re-charge with fresh 120/220 and go two more days 500- two days, then do burnish stage with Borax and a teaspoon of polish Polish- 5-6 days... Yes, 5-6 days!! lol, I found that the rocks will get more shine the longer you leave them in the polish. 5-6 days will give them the optimum shine. Also, always use a separate bowl for polishing, this will be your dedicated polish bowl. Don't use it for any grit ever!! You can remove a couple of rocks from the bowl each day and rinse to determine if they are ready for the final burnish. Once you're satisfied with your results of the polish stage, remove rocks, rinse, and tumble in Borax (2-3 tablespoons) and water (sprayed as before) and turn vibe on for about 3-4 hours. This is important- especially in the 120/220 stage, take the lid off of the tumbler (while running) three times a day. The rocks should always be moving, coming up from the sides and going back down into the center of the bowl. It's ok for them to slow down a little, but they should have a fair amount of movement. Make it a habit to spray two or three times with water each time you remove the lid, even if they're still moving. If they're moving slow, spray them until they start to move fast again. You should never see water in the bottom of the barrel (bowl). If you do, there's too much water. In a few hours of tumbling with too much water, you'll have a gray milk shake and the rocks will stop the tumbling action. One thing that you'll notice is in the 500 grit stage, the rocks will stay moving better and won't need as much water to keep them going. With the polish, I only check in on them once or twice a day. After you get experienced with a few batches, you'll be able to listen to the vibe and tell what's going on inside, so take note on what you're hearing before each time you remove the lid. This will be your learning experience. You'll pick up a few tricks of your own, I know that I have. Hopefully this isn't confusing, but I can clarify anything you have questions about. If you have anymore questions, or "ever" have any questions, I'm here!  Randy |
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nccmd
off to a rocking start
Member since May 2015
Posts: 9 
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Post by nccmd on Sept 20, 2015 16:59:25 GMT -5
Thank you all for all the information. I am new to the sport! Have been using the rotary tumbler since last Christmas. Had so much trouble getting that liquid shine with the rotary and saw all the beautiful pics. I just bought a Diamond Pacific Minisonic with 2 4# barrels. Followed Randy's directions and got my first batch out of polish and they are beautiful! Does anyone have any experience with this model? It seems to work very fast. In 24h in the polish it seemed to be done - I left it in for another 24h but I really didn't see any difference - the softer or bumpier stuff was done by then tho. I have just put my second batch in the polish - did 60/90 and 120/220 in the rotary and 500 and now polish in the vibe - have a dedicated barrel for the polish. I am interested to see whether the shine gets better if I leave them in for longer than I did last time. It was so helpful to have directions to help and just did the sprinkling and the spraying and it all worked great. Would be really interested if anyone has used this tumbler and has any experience.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller 
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,603
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Post by jamesp on Sept 20, 2015 17:16:12 GMT -5
Welcome to the forum nccmd. I have a similar Vibrasonic. After 220 in the rotary I go to AO 500 in the vibe. After 3 days they are darn close to wet shine(agates and pet wood). Then I finish with AO 14,000 with borax for a day-day and a half. Tried AO 50,000 and made no noticeable difference. AO 14,000 probably broke down to 100,000. One hopper, but cleaned well. No matter, the 500 was broken down enough for a wet shine. Cleaning redundant 500 to 14,000. But you need to clean them well out of 220 in the rotary before going to vibe. I would not bother having a 4 pound hopper dedicated if just running 500 and polish. |
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nccmd
off to a rocking start
Member since May 2015
Posts: 9
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Post by nccmd on Oct 4, 2015 17:29:28 GMT -5
I am looking for some guidance on polishing soft materials - Fluorite, Lepidolite, Anhydrite(Angelite). Did not have much success in the rotary in the polish - they got smooth but no shine.
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Oct 4, 2015 17:39:15 GMT -5
I am looking for some guidance on polishing soft materials - Fluorite, Lepidolite, Anhydrite(Angelite). Did not have much success in the rotary in the polish - they got smooth but no shine. Spend about 5 minutes looking around and you will be amazed at the information on here. This is a current thread with lots of information being shared about vibe tumbling soft stones. forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/thread/71990/tumbling-petoskey-stones-kona-updateChuck |
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nccmd
off to a rocking start
Member since May 2015
Posts: 9
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Post by nccmd on Oct 4, 2015 17:46:33 GMT -5
I have followed the Rock Shed's instructions for fluorite with the rotary but had no luck with the dry corncob and polish. I don't know whether to try it in the vibe - never read about dry polishing in that. I put them in the 500 and it really smoothed them out and I was hopeful it would work in the polish - seem smoother at the end of day 1 but not looking like they want to take a shine - am I just being too impatient? Everything else goes so fast in the vibe!
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nccmd
off to a rocking start
Member since May 2015
Posts: 9
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Post by nccmd on Nov 7, 2015 22:34:55 GMT -5
I did try the dry in the vibe with fine corn cob and polish and voila!! It worked! I won't be afraid to try again.
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Post by Pat on Mar 13, 2016 20:49:51 GMT -5
Are vibratory tumblers better for some things, and rotary tumblers better for other things?
I've heard that vibratory tumblers are best for tumbling metals/jewelry, and rotaries best for rocks.
Opinions?
Thanks.
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Post by Jugglerguy on Mar 13, 2016 21:10:49 GMT -5
Rotaries are better at shaping rocks. Most of us do our first stage in a rotary and the other stages in a vibratory. Vibes are fairly good at retaining the original shape of the rock which means that they are bad at removing holes and other imperfections. Rotary tumblers take more time and more grit too.
Vibratory tumblers are very good at all stages but the first. They use much, much less grit and take a lot less time. In my opinion they are easier to use, although they take a little more monitoring because you need to add water throughout the process, especially in the 120/220 stage.
I don't do much with metal, but the few groove wraps I've done have been tumbled with stainless steel shot in a rotary tumbler.
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randynmi
off to a rocking start
Member since March 2016
Posts: 5
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Post by randynmi on Mar 26, 2016 12:02:25 GMT -5
I was looking into getting a vibratory tumbler and I was looking to keep it on the cheap at first. Any suggestions?
You guys gota check this out. Got a good laugh out of it!
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Post by Jugglerguy on Mar 26, 2016 15:34:49 GMT -5
My suggestion is to not get a cheap one. Why buy twice? Save up and get a good one right off the bat, then you won't be frustrated later. Be careful in your quest for a cheap one to avoid a tumbler meant for shell casings. Those won't hold up to the weight of rocks. I like my Lot-O a lot, but there might be something cheaper that's still good for rocks. The Rock Shed has good prices. |
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