firstrune
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since January 2009
Posts: 156
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Post by firstrune on Jun 13, 2009 9:15:09 GMT -5
Hi Jack, thank you for your patience with the "newbie stuff"  and your clarifications. (I still can't believe I wasted all that polish!)  So, I have the Raytech TV5, if I understand you, in terms of capacity, this would be similar to Tom's Lot O? So I would use his recipe of teaspoon and half teaspoon measurements? At this point I've not done any Stage 2 with the vibe. I have two rotary machines and I'm continuing to use those for coarse and 2nd stage. The only batch I did in my new vibe was a polish batch which came out of one of the rotaries, that was kind of a failure.. ;D I had always thought that if and when I ever did get a vibe, I would use it for pre-polish and polish only, as I do like the shaping and roundness and softness the rotaries give the rocks. I may try a 2nd stage in there in the future, not sure yet. I do love the significant savings in grit and polish compounds, especially after my disastrous interpretation of Randy's tutorial. One last question to Tom or yourself, when you say Tom's recipe is a "grit overlapping system", what do you mean by that? Thank you Jack! Bonnie |
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Post by Jack ( Yorkshire) on Jun 14, 2009 3:07:23 GMT -5
H Bonnie,
A plesure to help
I dont know the capacity of the Raytec TV5 if its 3 1/2 lb its thesame as the Lot "O"
Overlapping.
Grit breakes down every 12 hours so say stage 2 grit of 220 after 12 hours will be 440 if left in for 24 hours will be 880,
so if we run a load stage 2 (220 grit ) for 24 hours the grit breakdown would be eq to 880 Grit right ?
We wash & then put it in to stage 3 which is 500 grit so we have come back to a corser grit giving the over lap
Hope this helps any question just ask,
Yes there is a tremendus saving in Grit and Electricty but also in Time I used to do a 10 to 21 day stage 2, now it is ONLY 48 hours , and Fab results as well
Im sure you will start from stage 2 in the future , Beware with the higher grit amount in this stage it the Vibe needs a bit more attention as it "Gums up " with all the mud,
But as long as the mud/grit is glossy coloured it will move , but as soon as it is turning dull ADD a little water
Have a good day
Jack
Yorkshire UK
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firstrune
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since January 2009
Posts: 156
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Post by firstrune on Jun 14, 2009 19:27:03 GMT -5
Hi Jack, the Raytech is 3-4 pound capacity so I think I'll be safe in using Tom's recipe.
Thank you so much for taking the time to explain the "overlapping" terminology. That was interesting to read and I could readily see the logic of it. When I first read that term, it almost sounded contradictory to the "cross contamination" warnings, which was why I was interested in what it meant.
I am definitely going to give the vibe another shot. I have a container of rocks ready for second stage and I think I'll give that a try. I did order some ceramic pellets from The Rock Shed this weekend, and I wish to wait until they get here so that I can use them. I really do appreciate all the encouragement and advice all of you have so willingly given. I think without that, I would likely have abandoned the whole vibe idea from my rock tumbling processes. I think I wasn't willing to give the learning curve time and I may have set my expectations too high.
Bonnie
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Post by Jack ( Yorkshire) on Jun 15, 2009 2:29:50 GMT -5
Hi Bonnie,
You have a go with Connrocks recepie follow it through and you will be shouting from the roof tops with the joy of your sucess !!
Jack
Yorkshire UK
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Post by connrock on Jun 15, 2009 6:08:13 GMT -5
Bonnie,
Something you have to realize is that the info we give you didn't come to us over night.
I know what it feels like to keep failing and not knowing which way to turn.
I spent years and years trying all sorts of "experiments" with the vibes with MANY failures.There was no web to find the answers and no "good" info on vibes other then the instructions that came with them.
If you think of failure as just another step eliminated in heading in the right direction it isn't failure anymore,,,,,,it's progress!
After you get the hang of this don't stop there.Try different methods,variations and techniques of your own and before you know it folks will be asking for Bonnie's help!
We've just set the ground work for you ,,,,,,now it's your turn to move the 'PROJECT" forward as far as possible and then pass it on to the next "newbies",,,,,,then it's their turn in the barrel!
I don't answer many posts any more but I do get a LOT of joy out of reading pots made by others I have helped in the past who are now passing on the "torch" that I helped light!
NEVER give up or the torch will go out and there will be nothing to pass on!
connrock
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coasthunterjay
starting to spend too much on rocks
Carefull ive got a gun....and a closet full of rocks
Member since May 2009
Posts: 155
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Post by coasthunterjay on Jun 15, 2009 10:31:37 GMT -5
NEVER give up or the torch will go out and there will be nothing to pass on! THAT RIGHT THERE JUST HAPPENED ......great words connrock...! |
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firstrune
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since January 2009
Posts: 156
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Post by firstrune on Jun 15, 2009 17:04:44 GMT -5
Connrock, thank you so much for your wonderful words of wisdom and encouragement. It really meant a lot to read them. You had me thinking back to a time when there wasn't an internet, no groups such as this one to rely upon, no information and experience so freely and generously given, that we have today. I can only imagine that the "trial and error" phases must have been so much more frequent. That finding someone to answer your questions and keep pushing you forward was not so readily available. It makes me appreciate this forum and all of you so much more. I can honestly say that without the guidance and generosity of so many people here I'd still be so far behind the 8 Ball with this whole process. So once again, thank you to all of you. Your wisdom is so valuable to people like me, and yes Connrock, I do hope someday I'm able to impart experience and knowledge like the rest of you, I don't feel I'm there yet, and can't really quite see that day at this point.
I love the second paragraph in your post, it should be a sig line!
Again, Connrock, thank you for your post, it was really so encouraging and makes me anxious now to get back to this whole "vibe thing". I think I'll always laugh at my 4 Tablespoons of polish ... good grief.. ;D
Best,
Bonnie
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firstrune
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since January 2009
Posts: 156
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Post by firstrune on Jun 15, 2009 17:06:26 GMT -5
Hi Bonnie, You have a go with Connrocks recepie follow it through and you will be shouting from the roof tops with the joy of your sucess !! Jack Yorkshire UK Thank you Jack! I'll be back at that vibe this week at some point, I just rec'd an email from Shawn that he shipped my order, so it should be here by week's end. I feel confident that this time I'll do better as I don't think I could do any worse! ;D Bonnie |
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Post by Jack ( Yorkshire) on Jun 17, 2009 2:36:47 GMT -5
Hi Bonnie,
Looking forward to the results
Have a good day
Jack
Yorkshire UK
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Post by MyNewHobby on Jun 20, 2009 17:17:11 GMT -5
FirstRune ...
I made the mistake of starting a rough batch in the vibe I just got at the end of May.
I was always under the impression that because the vibe was quicker and more aggressive, I would be able to start the rough and finish the rough batch in a fraction of the time. The only thing that I did right at the beginning was using 120/200 and NEVER 60/90.
So ... now I know ... no rough, just what you feel is ready for the 120/220 or in some cases people run everything through the rotary until ready for the pre-polish and then the vibe.
I have finally gotten my first batch into pre-polish.
Between BikerRandy and HardRockCafe ... I have great instructions and guidelines by which to begin my working with a vibe. In time ... based upon how I want to see my rocks done, I can fine tune their guidelines to meet my needs. You could not have better teachers.
As always ...
Julie
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firstrune
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since January 2009
Posts: 156
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Post by firstrune on Jun 21, 2009 11:07:42 GMT -5
Hi Julie, I think at this point I've resolved myself to 1st and 2nd stages in the rotary, then moving the 3rd and 4th stages to the vibe. I'm also teaching myself to be more critical of what rocks get moved to the vibe. I did do a batch again this weekend and will check them today hopefully. It will be my second stab at the vibe, and it's only due to the wonderful encouragement and support I've received here that the vibe didn't end up on Craig's list for sale..  Bonnie |
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Post by connrock on Jun 23, 2009 5:45:17 GMT -5
Bonnie,
Don't feel bad about the 4 tablespoons of polish,,,,,,
It seemed that no matter what I did and tried with my first load I could NOT get any sort of shine on my rocks.
I decided I wasn't using enough polish so I just kept throwing it in with a little more water each time until it looked like Marsh Mellow Fluff in there!!! YUCK what a mess!!!
connrock
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firstrune
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since January 2009
Posts: 156
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Post by firstrune on Jun 23, 2009 16:27:36 GMT -5
Connrock, thank you for your encouragement. I did feel like such an idiot when I realized my mistake. I was thinking all along through the batch that I was doing so well because my "slurry" stuff looked just like Randy said it was supposed to...  I didn't get Marshmallow Fluff though Connrock. ;D I have this great visual of that when you looked in your vibe. PS - I have to tell you that I am in love with Homer, your little buddy, each time I see that pic I just want to kiss him on his little nose.  Bonnie |
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Post by connrock on Jun 24, 2009 8:06:22 GMT -5
Bonnie, Can you picture Caro syrup,brown sugar and water,canned corn,mineral oil,cooked and un-cooked oatmeal,cornmeal (just to name a few) in the vibe?? lol When you're learning ,the only real mistake you can possibly make is to quit!! Here's Homer,,,,,  connrock |
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firstrune
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since January 2009
Posts: 156
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Post by firstrune on Jun 24, 2009 16:50:33 GMT -5
Ahhhhh Connrock .. now there's a little one after me own heart.  I'd love to sit right down there with him and listen to the wonderful dog tales I just know he has to tell. Thank you for sharing. Canned corn in your vibe?  ;D Do tell. Bonnie |
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Post by connrock on Jun 25, 2009 6:02:31 GMT -5
Canned corn has water and the corn is a cushion!! Dah!!!!!
connrock
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firstrune
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since January 2009
Posts: 156
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Post by firstrune on Jun 25, 2009 16:40:47 GMT -5
;D ;D You are definitely more experimental than I connrock..
Bonnie
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Post by connrock on Jun 26, 2009 5:36:58 GMT -5
Not really Bonnie,,,,,, My wife didn't care for all that grit in the corn after I cooked it!! I gave it a good 4 hour Borax wash too!!! Did I ever tell you about the time I put un-cooked rice and VERY HOT water in 1 of my Lortones? :nono: connrock |
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firstrune
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since January 2009
Posts: 156
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Post by firstrune on Jun 26, 2009 16:23:09 GMT -5
;D oh connrock, you're killing me here.. ;D I HAVE to know why you would ever put very hot water and uncooked rice in a tumbler? ? After these comments, I think I'm really glad my husband's interest in this is limited only to rock collecting and not so much to the equipment itself. |
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Post by connrock on Jun 27, 2009 6:28:05 GMT -5
Well un-cooked rice is sometimes used to polish firearm cartridges in a rotary tumbler.
I thought ,,,,why not try a little rice with some obsidian i was doing?
I always use hot water in a rotary because as it cools it causes a vacuum which keeps the lids from leaking.
Anyway,,,,,the un-cooked rice got cooked and blew the lid off the 6lb barrel along with all the grit and slurry!
When I say that the mess was everywhere I MEAN everywhere! The aluminum lid was about 12" feet away from the tumbler and the only reason it didn't go further is because it flew into a wall and dented the wall and itself!! lol
That was about 5-10 years ago and I still find evidence of the Big Boom!!!
Ya gotta love this tumblin!!!!
Oh yeah,,,,,don't try sour crout either!!! lol Peeee ewwwwwww!!
connrock
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and your clarifications. (I still can't believe I wasted all that polish!) 
I'd love to sit right down there with him and listen to the wonderful dog tales I just know he has to tell. 
;D Do tell.
