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Post by MyNewHobby on Jun 2, 2009 21:10:49 GMT -5
How can I say this without seeming resigned.
I can't ...
Started this batch last Thursday ...
Too much water, not enough rock
Still too much water, not enough rock
Okay ... maybe not too much water and still not enough rock
Dumped in a whole bunch more of rock
Dumped in another whole lot more of rock
Spritzed here and there
Dumped the whole batch tonight to rinse off and check progress ... CRAP ...
Maybe 20 pieces out of the entire batch do not need further 120/220 .... everything else is still rough rock.
Added more rock ... 4 tablespoons of grit, 10 tablespoons of pellets, and spritz liberally.
Feel like I am starting over ...
Tried to make a leather wrap for the bowl and leather piece for the top ... no change in noise.
As always .... thanks for listening to my ramblings ...
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colliel82
has rocks in the head
Member since November 2007
Posts: 664
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Post by colliel82 on Jun 2, 2009 21:43:30 GMT -5
Julie,
Remember when you first started on this board and everyone kept advocating patience? I know if you persevere you will get great results just like with the rotary. Hang in there.
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Post by Michael John on Jun 2, 2009 22:25:23 GMT -5
There's no need to keep dumping it out, rinsing it all off, and using new grit. Just let it run and check it periodically for when it needs a squirt of water. You're just needlessly wasting grit and your time.
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller 
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,496
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Post by Sabre52 on Jun 3, 2009 8:33:36 GMT -5
Remember, vibes do not do much to change the shape of rough rock. The rounding action is not nearly as effective as in a rotary. Vibes are best used to finish rocks that have been coarse ground in the rotary or are already preformed......Mel
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Post by Hard Rock Cafe on Jun 3, 2009 9:49:58 GMT -5
Grit in a vibe breaks down to half the original size in something like 12-24 hrs, so yes, you do need to dump it and recharge. The tumbling action slows considerably once the slurry forms. Adding water helps a little, but it doesn't fully restore the action and the grit isn't doing as good a job of cutting anyway. After 48 hrs in coarse, it's time to wash and evaluate. The slurry doesn't get nearly as thick in later stages.
As Mel said, you will get very little shaping from a vibe. A lot of us do the coarse grind in a rotary and then move to a vibe. If you still have some blemishes to remove, put them in the 120/220 coarse (for a vibe) grind. If not, you can move them to the "pre-polish" 500 (or 600) stage.
I've found that AO 1000 after the 500 works very well.
But as colliel pointed out, patience is still required.
Chuck
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Post by NatureNut on Jun 3, 2009 10:10:50 GMT -5
Yep, all good advice. I started with a 3-step process for the vibe: 220, 500 and AO polish. I also added a 1000 (1 day) after the 500 (before polish) also and am very happy with it, but the 3- step can get you there just fine. Preshapes (from your saw) should be started right off in the vibe in 220. Rounded tumbles can start in 60/90 coarse in the rotary, then go to the vibe for the rest- is the way to go. I have started rough tumbles in the vibe, and they turned out just fine, although not as rounded as they would have been if I had used the rotary first. Doesn't mean you should put these into the rotary and start over, unless you want them more rounded. All a matter of preference... and patience.  You got lots more options now, so have fun with it. Jo |
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Post by MyNewHobby on Jun 3, 2009 15:41:21 GMT -5
Holy crap!!!
This whole time and in an effort to really save time, I was always under the impression that the vibe is best used from the beginning with raw rock.
Now I understand what everyone has been saying about my processes and why I need to have these certain processes.
I have wasted so much grit (120/220) thinking that the vibe did not need it ... that the 120/220 operated as the 60/90 because of the type of tumbler.
Okay ... so now I can switch gears ...
I have one Lorton still in 60/90 ... probably is ready for 120/220 (will know more by Saturday). The other Lortone is in prepolish ... so that batch is mostly done.
Now I will use the Lortones as the 60/90 and the vibe for the 120/220 and on.
When I use the 60/90 in my rotaries I tumble until there are no more or really close to no places where smoothing in 120/220 can trap grit or polish.
Being me .... a little weird ... I am not a rounded rock person ... I love when the rocks are closer to their original shape and size when I through them into 60/90.
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Post by Michael John on Jun 3, 2009 16:35:59 GMT -5
Not ALL pieces go into the rotary first, just the ones that NEED the rough process. For instance, if you cut slabs, then cut the slabs into "clean" preforms, you can stick the preforms right into the vibe (like Randy does, to make his pendants).
If this new enlightenment means that you need to wait until Saturday to have enough rocks which are actually ready for the 120/220 in the vibe, then dump the current batch out of the vibe and separate the stones into piles according to which grit process they need. I'm assuming some of them need to go into a rotary for 60/90 (Pile A) and some are ready for 120/220 in the vibe (Pile B). Set those piles aside for now.
NOW, clean the vibe thoroughly. Take the stones out of the Lortone which are in prepolish, and put them in the vibe to finish the prepolish and then to polish, burnish, etc.
THEN, clean that Lortone, take the rough stones which you took out of the vibe (Pile A), fill that Lortone with them, and get them going in 60/90.
SATURDAY ... by now, the stones you were polishing in the vibe should be done. Empty the Lortone that you said will be ready for 120/220 on Saturday, rinse the stones real well, and put them in the vibe, ALSO, put the smoother stones which you previously took out of the vibe (Pile B) back into the vibe. If the combined stones from the Lortone and Pile B are not enough to properly fill the vibe, add preforms to fill it the rest of the way. Fire it up!
So, now you have an empty Lortone. If all of the Pile A stones didn't fit in the other Lortone, put them in this Lortone. Otherwise, start new rough in it. Either way, get it tumbling.
Voila, you're all caught-up, with the right stuff in the right machines.
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Post by stonesthatrock on Jun 3, 2009 16:51:56 GMT -5
don't give up on the vib, it took us forever to figure it out until we read randys tutortal
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Post by NatureNut on Jun 3, 2009 18:33:49 GMT -5
Yep, what Ralph and Maryann said. Geez, MJ, for a guy who's never tumbled, you sure got it down to a science! *S* If anybody needs a tumbling manager, you're a shoe-in!
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Post by Michael John on Jun 4, 2009 11:03:28 GMT -5
Hehehe I'm just around it a lot. I know plenty of folks who like to "play" with rocks, but nobody who wants to "HOUND". I hate to see her getting frustrated over something that's supposed to be fun, so I just wanted to help get her on the right course.
One of these days I'll get a UV18, but until then, at least it's fun tumbling vicariously through others LMAO.
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JEFFD
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since December 2004
Posts: 242
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Post by JEFFD on Jun 4, 2009 13:57:42 GMT -5
I went back and read some of your prior posts, not sure what size your vibe is. On the lot-o I use one spoon of grit for every 24 hours...sometimes 12 hours if the grit is breaking down faster.
4-6 tablespoons seems like way to much for a load in a vibe.
You shouldn't need pellets unless you are doing obsidian or glass. They slow down the process also.
Just a few thoughts, nothing is written in stone when it comes to tumbling rocks.
JEFFD
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