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Post by mohs on Aug 1, 2012 0:39:01 GMT -5
Hi Guys !
I'm really stoked ! I picked up a used Lortone QT tumbler
Plus a person visited Oregon and brought me back Thunder Eggs from Richardson Ranch!
So what's a guy to do ? when ya get all this goodness in one day?
The tumbler was full of ceramic media so I threw a Thunder Egg in there and let it roll!
What will happen?
Stay tuned! Mostly !
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Post by connrock on Aug 1, 2012 7:58:35 GMT -5
The thunder eggs from Richardson Ranch have quite a bit of uneven matrix on the outside surrounding the inner agates. It will take quite a while to tumble away that matrix and form a smooth finish of the agate. These thunder eggs are normally cut in 1/2 and the faces are polished or they are cut into slabs to make cabs out of.
I doubt if you'll see the true beauty of the agate by tumbling but I've never done of them that way so who knows!
Almost forgot,,,,, With only ceramic media in the barrel it will take forever to get a smooth finish on that single thunder egg.You're better off doing it with a mixed size load of agate,jasper,petrified wood,etc. Good luck and keep us all posted.
connrock
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Post by mohs on Aug 1, 2012 11:02:55 GMT -5
Hi connrock! Your exactly right. It was just an experiment to see if my new used tumbler would roll through the night! It did great. I’ll post the picture of that tumbler below, But here’s the thunder egg I threw in the tumbler It does bring up an interesting question. I do plan on cutting it in half. But what I just sawed/ground off the matrix and then tumbled it for a long time in course grit? Do you think it would round and smooth it? Would it be an interesting experiment? Thanks Ed
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Post by mohs on Aug 1, 2012 11:07:51 GMT -5
Hi Guys This is my new Lortone QT used tumbler! I think it was used in a machine shop only. It was filled with ceramic media All the fittings are tight and the rollers/ barrel in great shape I ran a load in it for 24 hours. Quiet roll I paid $50.00 for it Did I do good? Ed
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Minnesota Daniel
freely admits to licking rocks
A COUPLE LAKERS
Member since August 2011
Posts: 891
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Post by Minnesota Daniel on Aug 1, 2012 11:36:25 GMT -5
Hi Guys
This is my new Lortone QT used tumbler! ...
...I think it was used in a machine shop only. It was filled with ceramic media. All the fittings are tight and the rollers/ barrel in great shape. I ran a load in it for 24 hours. Quiet roll
I paid $50.00 for it Did I do good?
Ed ED, That's what I paid for my used QT. You'll probably hear from some folks that are going to trash the hobbyist line of Lortones, but there aren't really any good alternatives in that size, that price range. Home made tumblers that size are one way to go if you need a workhorse at a good price, but I've seen here that a lot of folks still use Lortone barrels for those. Look at it this way, how much does a good used barrel cost? The difference is how much the tumbler, minus the barrel, actually cost you. If the rest of the machine craps out you can always build your own tumbler and still use the barrel. You could sell the barrel alone and recoup quite a bit of the $50. Ceramic media isn't cheap either. You did good. Daniel
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Aug 1, 2012 11:51:49 GMT -5
It does bring up an interesting question. I do plan on cutting it in half. But what I just sawed/ground off the matrix and then tumbled it for a long time in course grit? Do you think it would round and smooth it? Would it be an interesting experiment? The result likely would be disappointing. The jasperized rhyolite shells are usually much softer and prone to falling apart than the agate centers and seams. That's an observation more from cutting them than actually trying what you suggest. You might get a more interesting result by knocking off what you can of the shell to expose more of the agate core before tossing it in for a spin.
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Post by rockpickerforever on Aug 1, 2012 15:14:03 GMT -5
You did good, Ed! Is that a 12 pounder? I picked up a QT12/66 frame/motor/etc at the swap meet for $3. BUT, no barrels . Been looking for a used 12# for a good price, but haven't found it yet. Can't afford $70+ for a new one. Inside the matrix of the thunder egg, the center agate is not going to have a round exterior. Most of them tend to be somewhat star-shaped - a central core with lines radiating out that allowed the mineral laden water in. The matrix will just come off evenly, leaving you with a shiny ball. If you get all the matrix off, you'll be left with an odd shaped thing, likely with little beauty. Better to slice in half, and face polish. :2cents: Jean
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Steve
has rocks in the head
Member since June 2005
Posts: 506
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Post by Steve on Aug 1, 2012 15:47:54 GMT -5
I'm courous to see your results. At work I keep a thunderegg on my desk. However this thunderegg has lost all of it's matrix from erosion. It looks a bit like a jack (the type of jack used in the childs game - ball and jacks) with webs.
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Post by mohs on Aug 1, 2012 23:32:49 GMT -5
Thanks!
With the thunder egg I'm going go traditional with it cut it in 1/2.
That interesting info about barrel costs Jean
If I get 1 good tumble out of this machine I'll be happy I can tell its got lots of rolls left in it
Thanks again! Ed
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Post by connrock on Aug 5, 2012 10:58:14 GMT -5
Ed,,,I'm a tad late with a reply and your questions have been answered already. The thunder egg in your photo looks to be a "double" so I would cut it lengthwise. Some of those "eggs" are beautiful!
connrock
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Rockdogger
starting to shine!
Member since October 2010
Posts: 28
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Post by Rockdogger on Aug 10, 2012 0:41:44 GMT -5
I have tumbled some small T-eggs from the Hauser Bed and the matrix rounded nicely and never really got a true shine while the blue agate center shined nicely. Mainly, they did not look so great. A brown unpolished matrix with blue polished agate center. The colors clashed. Nice deal on the tumbler though. I like the green Lortones.
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Post by Son Of Beach on Nov 6, 2021 18:51:02 GMT -5
Hi Guys ! I'm really stoked ! I picked up a used Lortone QT tumbler Plus a person visited Oregon and brought me back Thunder Eggs from Richardson Ranch! So what's a guy to do ? when ya get all this goodness in one day? The tumbler was full of ceramic media so I threw a Thunder Egg in there and let it roll! What will happen? Stay tuned! Mostly ! mohs Ed, this post is old...so it's a shot in the dark. Did you ever tumble that thunder egg of yours?
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Post by mohs on Nov 6, 2021 20:09:34 GMT -5
Yo Chad ! That tumbler & tumbling experience is bit of a sore spot I munched that tumbler Didn’t tighten the lid correctly and everything exploded Tumbler was never correct after that lost patience trying to tweak it to roll correctly It went to turquoise guy at really good bargain The thunder eggs the lady brought back were rocking. She was a client and was originally from Oregon On a visit back to Oregon she toured Richardson's on my advice She enjoyed that. She got pretty interested in rocks from my showing rock’n hearts and was the lady who created the Find the heart Finds the treasure pouches Those were really cool I gifted a lot out & discovered I didn't save one for myself ha anyway pal thank for asking lots of memorable archived folk replied to this hope they are rolling
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Post by Son Of Beach on Nov 7, 2021 6:07:16 GMT -5
Memory lane is a fun stroll, thanks for the update!
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Post by Mel on Nov 15, 2021 10:50:00 GMT -5
Man, I'm late to the party. Sorry it was such a bust!
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