happieststoned
off to a rocking start
Member since January 2009
Posts: 4
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Post by happieststoned on Apr 7, 2009 9:30:41 GMT -5
I have a Raytech TV5-just got it a few weeks ago because I heard it was faster than the rotary and I thought I wanted to keep the rocks in more of a natural shape. It came with literally no instructions. I tumble mostly agate/jasper and quartz. If anyone has a 'recipe' and or photos I'd greatly appreciate it. I dont know what the rocks are supposed to look like at each stage and I am about to give up. It just seems like the only thing the tumbler is doing is chipping the rocks. I am about to resort to using a Dremel and doing it by hand which means I'll never be done with this batch in my lifetime...
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Post by johnjsgems on Apr 7, 2009 9:44:51 GMT -5
Follow the vibe directions in this section. You need to fill the drum to near the top using from 1/3-1/2 non-abrasive ceramic cylinders. Start with 120/220 (about 2 tbs.) and just enough water to dampen the mixture. If you see water splashing it is way too much. Check every few hours. As slurry forms action should slow. Add literally drops of water until initial movement is restored. I'd run a day or two at 120/220 and 500F rinsing well. The finer aluminum oxides work well in vibe tumblers (.3-.5 micron). Grit and polish amounts are 1/2 or less what you would use in a rotary. The TV5 is about 4 lb tumbler.
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happieststoned
off to a rocking start
Member since January 2009
Posts: 4
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Post by happieststoned on Apr 7, 2009 10:04:20 GMT -5
I had been filling the water to almost the top of the rocks (like in a rotary) Could that be part of the problem?
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Post by snowdog on Apr 7, 2009 10:45:28 GMT -5
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MikeS
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2009
Posts: 1,081
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Post by MikeS on Apr 7, 2009 12:37:02 GMT -5
I had been filling the water to almost the top of the rocks (like in a rotary) Could that be part of the problem? Definately....the water really muffles the action of the vibe...you want just enough to keep the stones wet, only a few tablespoons of water... |
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Post by frane on Apr 7, 2009 13:15:53 GMT -5
Don't panic yet.
I have the same vibe unit. I have found that it doesn't do very well from rough form. If you have a tumbler, use that for shaping the rocks for a few weeks. Gets the rough edges off and it then will not ruin your bowl in the TV5. If you have already scratched up the bowl with the quartz (especilly) you can run some round yard pebbles or beach rocks wiith a little grit for a few days. They are rounded and seem to work for sanding down the rough plastic. I have some quartz in the vibe right now. It went 6 weeks in the tumbler before I put it in the vibe. Then it only takes a few days (maybe 3 max) in the 120-220, 1-2 days in the 500, I add 1000 for 1-2 days then wash with 1/4 cup warm water and a little ivory snow. Rince then run in 1/4 cup warm water and a pinch of borax. rince well. Then, run your polish. Polish does best in a separate bowl.
An important tip, especially with quartz, I am using tile spacers as coushioning. I have two sizes and it seems to help prevent fractures and it carries the grit well. Even in rinces, keep the coushioning in them. (use different coushioning when you change grits. I have plastic bowls marked with the grit they are used in) The little pellets didn't seem to work well in the plastic bowl. I even had to pick one out of the plastic bowl. It had embedded itself.
keep the bowl pretty full. If it is not full enough, you will get more chips and not have a good folding action. Spacers help with that too and you can pick them up at any Lowes or home depot. The bigger the bag the more cost effective.
Always use a spray bottle to moisten the rocks enough for the action to start, without washing the grit off the rocks completely.
After about an hour, you should have a good slurry and movement. If you need more water, add a few squirts. Check every few hours because this vibe dries out pretty quick and the longest I can leave it is 8 hours.
Hope that helps a little.
Fran
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BamBam
starting to shine!
Member since October 2006
Posts: 26 
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Post by BamBam on Apr 11, 2009 11:25:25 GMT -5
We found using a spray bottle to keep it moist works better than just adding water ;D
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docharber
has rocks in the head
Member since October 2008
Posts: 716
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Post by docharber on Apr 11, 2009 22:30:05 GMT -5
I have a TV5, too. The advice to rough grind uin a rotary is good advice. I use the tiny pebbles from prior batches to cushion and garry grit in all but the final stange, where I use plastic pellets. i use 150-220 in the second, 500-600 in the third or use 400 lapping grit (bought by mistake) and let it run an extra day instead of using 500-600. You need an extra bowl for polishing and clean the other bowl well between uses and you won't have problems. The tip about using smooth pebbles and a little grit ito smooth a scratched bowl works. I use a stansdard cerium or aluminum oxide polish in the final stage.
About water- the advice in the link is dead on. I find the courser styages need a lot more attention and a spray bottle is best for adding water. If you cant wipe off the sludge easily with your finger, it's too dry and that clay (that's just what it is) that coats the stones will insulate them from the abrasive action of the grit. Nothing will move at the surface of the rock. Add enough water to make the sludge thin enough that you can wipe it away with a finger easily to see the color of the stone beneath. TThis holds true for all the grit stages but not for polishing. The stones should be easily visible with only a milk-like slurry on their surface, allowing the colors and patterns to still be seen. The rapid action of a vbibe in the last 3 stages and burnishing stage allows a small vibe to keep up with a pretty big rotary used for the first grind. If you follow the instructions in the link, you'll have problems finding grits that size. Of course, the recommendations for Raytech abrasives would come with the Raytech tumbler. Don't be sucked in.
As for grit amounts, I use about 1/3 as much as I would in a 3 pound barrel or less. That's 2-3 teaspoons grit max and half that in polish. Don't be tempted to use courser grit in the vibe than recommended if you want to process the first grind in the vibe. It will sludge up really fast and require a lot of attention as well as scratch the bowl up.
have fun!
Mark H.
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