robbiejohn
starting to shine!
Member since July 2010
Posts: 36
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Post by robbiejohn on Aug 16, 2011 1:26:36 GMT -5
Hi all, I'm interested in knowing if anyone has ever used glass beads that are coloured half-spheres about 3/8" in diameter. They're sold in craft shops in mesh bags for crafts, etc. They're quite heavy and it seems to me they'd easily make up the weight of a short load in a rotary or vibe tumbler. I use rotary for rough tumbling and a lot-o vibe for medium and polish stages. I'm finding it hard to find ceramic media for the same use. I'll watch for answers before trying this out on a load. Thanks for your help. Cheers! Robbiejohn.
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Post by Jack ( Yorkshire) on Aug 16, 2011 2:13:25 GMT -5
Hi Robbiejohn,
Remember Glass is soft and they would wear down quick
Have you no builders yard around you ? or garden center that sell balast for concrete or stone chips for garden decoration ?
These are often hard flint or even agates ond would be good cheap fillers for you
Thats just my ideas and experiance of tumbling "beach" glass Im sure others will have something to say
Jack Yorkshire uk
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snuffy
Cave Dweller
Member since May 2009
Posts: 4,319
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Post by snuffy on Aug 16, 2011 7:00:33 GMT -5
Hey there.I havent used those you speak of.However,I used to use broken safety glass from car windows and windshields.Also used marbles too.Using glass can produce a gas problem.Once you get a good supply of polished rocks on hand,use them to pitch in and fill your short loads in the vibe.
snuffy
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chassroc
Cave Dweller
Rocks are abundant when you have rocktumblinghobby pals
Member since January 2005
Posts: 3,586
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Post by chassroc on Aug 16, 2011 10:13:27 GMT -5
You really do not need anything special as filler. Glass beads will work as well as the river rocks sold at craft stores. Glass might be especially good filler with softer than agate and Pet wood rocks
I tumbling, agate , jasper and pet wood, Why buy rocks when you can just pick them up from the ground almost anywhere
charlie
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robbiejohn
starting to shine!
Member since July 2010
Posts: 36
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Post by robbiejohn on Aug 16, 2011 18:13:54 GMT -5
Thanks for all the helpful responses folks. I've got a handle on it now. Sometimes my head needs a shake. BTW, I heard a good one the other day that may be related:
Albert Einstein said: "Common sense is a special set of prejudices formed by the time we turn 18." Cheers! Robbiejohn.
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jspencer
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since March 2011
Posts: 929
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Post by jspencer on Aug 18, 2011 0:08:31 GMT -5
If you go to Home Depot and look in the garden section they have small 5 lb. bags of small mixed size river rock for about $3. I use them for filler and get some nice colored little rocks out of it. I sometimes just use them over and over until they are gone if they are not colorful.
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ctit101
starting to shine!
Member since May 2011
Posts: 38
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Post by ctit101 on Aug 18, 2011 14:37:29 GMT -5
If you have a cement plant or gravel pit in the area you can get a 5 gal bucket of 3/8 or 1/2 inch pea gravel for about a buck. Run the garden hose over it if you want washed. Between 30 to 40 lbs for a buck. Same stuff they sell in the garden centers only in a bag. You can get any size filler you want at most pits cheap.
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pebblepup
has rocks in the head
Succor Creek Thunder Egg
Member since July 2008
Posts: 515
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Post by pebblepup on Aug 23, 2011 21:46:28 GMT -5
I use the various glass craft pieces. Yes they do wear down but they clean up very well. I can clean the tumble batch quickly and not worry about grit stuck in pits transferring to the next stage. The wear also gives you smaller pieces that help spread the grit or polish better. Just add a couple bags once in a while (two months) and you will have a good range of sizes.
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