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Post by bobby1 on May 6, 2009 0:28:41 GMT -5
Ready to rinse the polish and pellets off.  The bucket and screen that I use.  Just prior to rinsing.  The finished batch.  The new batch ready to go in. Blue Lace and Copco Agate. Bob |
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Post by bobby1 on May 6, 2009 0:30:40 GMT -5
OOPS. Photobucket did it again. The new batch photo.  |
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pporky
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2007
Posts: 1,932
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Post by pporky on May 6, 2009 4:47:32 GMT -5
nice stones bobby and you have some good ones to come by the looks
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Post by NatureNut on May 6, 2009 7:44:01 GMT -5
Bobby, that glare from those polished rocks is evident of the great shine. Looking forward to the next batch too. Like your rinsing set-up.  Jo |
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Post by frane on May 6, 2009 13:35:35 GMT -5
Oh My! How large is that tumbler?!? I love the draining system you have set up for rinsing and they turned out great! That next batch is going to be awesome! I will be looking forward to that one!
Fran
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Post by Michael John on May 6, 2009 14:22:11 GMT -5
Sheesh! Are you using a 25 pound tumbler??? Those are HUGE batches.
Dang, Bob, you must have a LOT of nice material laying-around to be able to just throw blue lace in a tumbler! I LOVE that stuff!
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Post by bobby1 on May 6, 2009 22:28:51 GMT -5
Its a 40 lb tumbler. I got a few hundred pounds of rough Blue Lace from a dealer friend a few years ago. I've been tumbling on it ever since. It is mostly thinner stuff with few pattern lines but deep blue colors. I generally use the tumbler to sort possible cabbing material from uncabbable material. I sell the uncabbable material and keep the good stuff. I tumble slabs that look OK for possible cabbing but those that are definitely cabbing quality I don't tumble.
Bob
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Post by Michael John on May 7, 2009 2:06:24 GMT -5
OH! You really have it worked-out quite well!
When I was moving from Cincinnati to Pahrump, I stopped at a roadside "Indian Jewelry" place and they had TUMBLERS running ... converted 55 gallon drums, chain-driven with gas engines. They tumbled pet-wood, 24/7/365. I wasn't into rocks then, so I had no idea of the implications of this type of set-up. Now I LUST after a rig like that LOL.
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Post by MyNewHobby on May 7, 2009 12:07:05 GMT -5
I too love the bucket system you made.
As always
Julie
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Post by Condor on May 7, 2009 18:29:04 GMT -5
Nice tumbler. What's the largest rock you've tumbled in that thing? What does the entire set-up look like? I have a barrel just like that and I've tumbled some 8 - 10 pound pieces and they've come out great.
Condor
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Post by bobby1 on May 7, 2009 22:21:13 GMT -5
Condor, Here is what my tumbler looks like. I made the frame out of angle iron about 25 years ago. It has bearings that have zerk fittings for greasing, 1/2" steel shafts that are covered by 1/2" ID by 3/4" OD Tygon tubing and a 1/3 hp motor. The only maintenance that I have had to do is grease the bearings about once a year and replace the roller covering also yearly. When the barrel is full of rocks, grit and water is probably weighs close to 75 lbs.   The biggest roundish rock that I have tumbled is about the size of my fist. I have tumbled slabs up to about 6" in diameter. Most of my tumbling is slabs with a few odd sizes to help grind and polish the centers of the slabs. Bob |
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Jo
