|
|
Post by tkrueger3 on Jul 22, 2009 13:52:52 GMT -5
What could I expect if I ran a few pounds of beach rocks with a few cab preforms and a lot of ceramic filler in a vibe? The preforms are all hard stone - some I can't identify, but they are even harder to cut on the WF and grind on my lap than quartz. The beach rocks, if they get eaten, I would consider to be minor loss due to experimentation. But would the preforms get beat to death, or might this even be a good thing to try?
Tom
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 22, 2009 14:00:00 GMT -5
Lots of different shapes/sizes are good in a tumbler, ANY tumbler. The preforms have already been cut to shape, so its just a matter of the vibe rounding the edges. Likewise, the beach stones are most likely already rounded so its actually a good combo. I have ran rounded river rock together with preforms with no issues......as long as the materials are similar hardness you shouldnt have a problem.
Shan
|
|
|
|
Post by Hard Rock Cafe on Jul 22, 2009 14:12:09 GMT -5
What Shan said. In addition, if the beach rocks are softer they won't polish, but the preforms will.
Chuck
|
|
|
|
Post by tkrueger3 on Jul 22, 2009 14:15:07 GMT -5
Spiffy! I'm going to do it, then. Thanks.
Tom
|
|
|
|
Post by tkrueger3 on Jul 22, 2009 19:47:01 GMT -5
The vibe is dancing away in the garage, full up with beach rocks and about 15-20 preforms, a double handful of various sizes of ceramic fillers, and some 120/220 grit. I will spritz it later tonight before I go to bed, and check it first thing tomorrow. Hopefully, it will be working as planned.
|
|
|
|
Post by MyNewHobby on Jul 22, 2009 21:43:58 GMT -5
TKrueger ... I could not give you an answer if I tried ... I am still working on my batches ...
But ...
The only dumb question .... is the one NOT asked ...
Ask away ... it helps people like me .... who look closely at what and how others are doing!!
Keep asking and as always ... my humble thanks for all the help I get here
Julie
|
|
|
|
Post by Hard Rock Cafe on Jul 22, 2009 21:44:54 GMT -5
I'm not sure how much a double handful is in relation to your vibe, but you should have at least 1/3 small stuff.
Chuck
|
|
|
|
Post by MyNewHobby on Jul 22, 2009 21:50:29 GMT -5
HardRock ... You wanna translate that into English. Please!  |
|
|
|
Post by tkrueger3 on Jul 22, 2009 22:14:43 GMT -5
I'm not sure how much a double handful is in relation to your vibe, but you should have at least 1/3 small stuff. Chuck Chuck, the beach rocks range in size from about 1/2" to 1", and the preforms run about 3/4" to about 1.5". I also have 3 sizes of the ceramic media - but not 1/3 of the load. Probably 1/6 would be more like it. So far, so good, but tomorrow when I check it, I'll add a bunch more ceramic. I still have an unopened bag of it, I think 2 pounds of the stuff. Right now, I just checked, and it's still dancing away, and my "target" preform is doing great - just the smallest amount of smoothing the sharp edges of the cut is all that's happened so far. Tom |
|
|
|
Post by tkrueger3 on Jul 22, 2009 22:20:28 GMT -5
By the way, Julie - I know you and I have had similar issues with (I believe) the same vibe - just so you know - I started this batch with the bowl filled all the way up to the little nut that holds it down, and I started with just wet stones. Then I slowly added 1 tbsp (yes, tablespoon) of 120/220, and watched it for about 5 minutes. Didn't see much coating. Added another tablespoon, and watched. etc. After about 30 minutes, I had 4 tbsp of grit in there, and everything had a nice gray coat, and it was just dancing like mad! Lots of tumbling and rotating, and even the smallest sized ceramics were going around instead of climbing up the wall. Don't know if it'll keep dancing all night, but I'll find out in the morning. If it stops dancing, ok - no harm, no foul.
Tom
|
|
|
|
Post by johnjsgems on Jul 23, 2009 8:32:14 GMT -5
Tom, as it builds up slurry it may get too thick. That sounds like a lot of grit for a small tumbler. Chuck's reference to 1/3 small stuff will be more apparent when you get to the polish stage. The more contact area with the preforms the faster they will polish. The small size ceramic helps a lot. Having the rounded beach rocks in the mix will help a lot too.
|
|
|
|
Post by tkrueger3 on Jul 23, 2009 9:11:16 GMT -5
John, it's about 3/4 beach rocks, 1/5 ceramic, and a handful of preforms. After running all night, it was slowed down this morning, but as soon as I spritzed it, everything started happily dancing again. But my "target rock" preform shows no change, so I'm going to remove it and shape it on the grinder, then toss it back in. That particular one is, pardon the expression, hard as a rock. It was very difficult to cut it on the WF. The other cabs are coming along nicely. PS - it's a Covington vibe with a 10.5" diameter bowl, about 5" deep - the instructions say 4-6 pounds but it really needs more like 7 - 9 pounds before it starts working right. Tom |
|
|
|
Post by johnjsgems on Jul 23, 2009 9:25:56 GMT -5
Most vibes are rated by volume as rocks all weigh something different. I doubt any of the rated pounds would be accurate. If it is working, like they say "if it ain't broke.....".
|
|
|
|
Post by tkrueger3 on Jul 23, 2009 19:11:04 GMT -5
After a good 24 hrs in the vibe with 120/220, I just now took everything out and washed it. Most of the preforms are looking good, but there are a couple of rhodonites in there that seem to have lost some weight! Maybe I'll leave those out for the rest of this batch, and try to polish them on the wheels.
I put everything back into the vibe with Borax and water, and will let that crank for 2 hours, then clean it all again. That will be late tonight, so I'll let them sleep overnight. Might take some pics of the batch after they dry out a bit. Will probably post those in a new thread in totally tumbling photos.
Tomorrow, they'll get started fairly early with 500 AO grit. Probably without the obviously softer cabs. Don't care that much about which beach rocks get consumed.
Tom
|
|
