fmelvis
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2010
Posts: 235
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Post by fmelvis on Nov 24, 2010 11:46:12 GMT -5
Very new at this hobby, and I have read many great posts here. I have read that it is important to use some small rocks in the coarse tumble. Do you keep the small rocks in the mix for the medium and polish cycles as well or do you replace them with some plastic pellets?
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Post by susand24224 on Nov 24, 2010 12:04:27 GMT -5
Small media carriers are necessary in each stage of tumbling. Actually, they are not necessary in the grit stages, it will just take three times as long without them. They can be essential in polish stages, depending upon the shape/size of the other rocks. Ceramic media takes the place of small rocks if you use mixed sizes; I've never tried using all of the larger sizes so I don't know if it would be as effective.
Not being a plastic pellet fan, I really can't tell you if they are an adequate substitute for smaller rocks.
Susan
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Post by jakesrocks on Nov 24, 2010 12:29:44 GMT -5
Don't know the size of your tumbler. Mine is a 15 lb. Thumlers Model - B. In the grinding stages I use a cup full of washed pea gravel for a grit carrier. I discard the gravel after each stage, and start with fresh. I use about 2 cups of plastic pellets in the pre polish and polish stages. Be sure to have different pellets for each of the final stages. Just store your pre polish pellets in a baggie for your next batch. Same for the polish pellets. Don't rush the process. My latest batch has been in pre polish for 2 weeks, and will probably go another week before the polish stage.
Oh, and welcome aboard.
Don
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fmelvis
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2010
Posts: 235
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Post by fmelvis on Nov 24, 2010 13:45:55 GMT -5
Hello All,
Thanks for the responses. I will have ( in a few days ) a loritone 3# tumbler.
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Post by rockrookie on Nov 24, 2010 20:30:47 GMT -5
welcome to RTH !! --paul
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Post by Jack ( Yorkshire) on Nov 25, 2010 3:56:20 GMT -5
Can I also add my greetings & a warm Welcome to RTH
Jack Yorkshire uk
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carloscinco
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since July 2008
Posts: 1,639
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Post by carloscinco on Nov 25, 2010 9:06:04 GMT -5
I keep baggies of small rocks that have been all the way through the polishing stage. My stages are 60-90, 110-220, 500, and AO polish. I add these rocks in the 500 and in the polish stages to help keep the tumbler at about 3/4 full and to provide bearing surfaces for the tumble. They help keep the load tumbling and reduce impact velocities. The fact that they are smooth seems to help reduce hazy finishes. I also use tile spacers. That's my 2 cents.
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fmelvis
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2010
Posts: 235
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Post by fmelvis on Nov 25, 2010 9:19:42 GMT -5
Thanks everyone. This is an excellent forum and I plan to spend a lot of time here learning.
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Post by jakesrocks on Nov 25, 2010 9:43:52 GMT -5
Hey, thanks for the tip Carlos. ;D I never thought of using tile spacers. I have a big bag of them in the basement. I'll have to try them in my next tumble.
Don
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Steve
has rocks in the head
Member since June 2005
Posts: 506
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Post by Steve on Nov 26, 2010 19:01:17 GMT -5
I keep a small supply of semi-polished small agates and jasper to use a filler. Whether to use small rocks or plastic depends on what you are tumbling and your goal. Plastic is not of much use when trying to round your stones and rock filer is not appropriate when tumbling softer material. I found something called Montana pea gravel at Home Depot. It has a high percentage of jasper and some agate. After a bit of sorting and pre-tumbling I'll never again be short of filler.
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jrtrio
has rocks in the head
With10 tumblers tumbling the sound is so delicious!Send me more of those little red fellas, please?
Member since February 2006
Posts: 535
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Post by jrtrio on Dec 3, 2010 13:50:58 GMT -5
Don't forget a very important step with each run. Clean, clean, clean. Clean the rocks you are tumbling and clean the barrel unless you have a barrel for each stage like I do. I spent the extra money for the barrels knowing that you sometimes just can't get every speck of grit. And believe me it's most frustrating to spend the time tumbling a load only to find scratches on your stones where there weren't any before you started. So, if you don't have the barrels then get some plastic bristled scrub brushes for dish washing and at least have one for each stage. That way there won't be a risk of grit transfer in cleaning. And with the 3# tumbler you can either use the small polished stones to "fill" or buy the plastic beads from AC Moore or Michaels. They're cheap so you can have beads for each stage also. (not for the first stage tho) and one last tip. Remember you are going to lose up to 2/3's of your stones mass during the whole process so if you have a lot of the same type stone run your first stage till you've tumbled a good bit. 3 loads should do it. Then inspect your stones separating the better stones from those that are cracked and broken. Eventually you will have one really nice load to polish. The results will be good enough to keep you wanting more. The "bug" will have really taken hold and you will be one of us. Just another inmate in the asylum of Rock Tumbling. The next thing you know you will be wanting to start making trips to different parts of the states in search of stones that you don't buy but "mine" yourself. Good luck and enjoy!!
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fmelvis
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2010
Posts: 235
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Post by fmelvis on Dec 3, 2010 14:58:03 GMT -5
Thanks very much for the advice. Already have my trip planned out for Bancroft, Ontario.
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jilly
off to a rocking start
Member since November 2010
Posts: 17
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Post by jilly on Dec 4, 2010 14:35:25 GMT -5
I use plastic pellets and rinse and recycle. I must explain, of course, that we have a barrel designated for each stage of tumbling :80-220-400-600-prepolish-polish. I have bags of plastic pellets designated for each stage also, so it doesn't seem to hurt to reuse them. The only thing that's a pain is sorting the stones out from the pellets and getting the pellets out of the strainer into the drying pan
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