bjurney
starting to shine!
Member since June 2013
Posts: 25
|
Post by bjurney on Jun 22, 2013 21:21:25 GMT -5
I am looking to get a tumbler soon, but not sure if I should go with a vibe or rotary? I will mostly be tumbling agates and jaspers. I hear the vibrators are good, but loud, my concern is that I have to tumble in my garage which is right below the bedrooms, and in those rooms two small kids. If I do go with the vibe, does it have to be turned on the entire time or can I shut it off at night or maybe there is some kind of "sound box" that I can put it in? Does one type have one significant advantage over another? Im thinking a 3 pounder, how much does it typically cost to run a batch? In my research it seems the only way to go are Lortanes, Thumlers and Covingtons.....? Any other decent ones?
|
|
|
Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Jun 22, 2013 22:02:46 GMT -5
Welcome to rock tumbling! There was a similar question asked here last week and some of your answers may be able to be found on that post. forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/thread/60489/newbie-question-on-tumblersFirst of all you cannot do the first stage in a vibrating tumbler. The 60/90 grit required to smooth the rocks will ruin the barrels on Vibe tumblers so you need the rotary first. You mention tumbling jaspers and agates so be prepared for 6-8 weeks (or more) in the rotary tumbler just for the first stage. The remaining stages can be done in either a vibe or rotary with each additional stage taking one week each in a rotary or 1-2 days in the vibe (vibe uses much less grit and polish too). I use the lot-o 4 pound vibrating tumbler and I do think it is nosier than my rotaries but it is a different noise. Its more of a hum vs. the rotaries where you here the rocks rolling. I have 30 pounds in rotaries and the vibe going in my basement and really all I can hear through the floor right above them is the hum from the vibe tumbler. cost is very difficult to answer but I will warn that this is VERY addicting. Check that link above too for more answers. Chuck
|
|
|
Post by Jugglerguy on Jun 22, 2013 22:14:30 GMT -5
I have a Lortone 33B and a Lortone QT66, both rotaries. I also have a Lot-O vibratory tumbler. All three run in my basement. The Lortone 33B and the Lot-O are pretty quiet. I really can't hear them upstairs unless it's really, really quiet upstairs. The QT66 is louder. I can hear it if there's no TV or anything on upstairs. It's not the motor I hear, but the rocks clunking around in the larger barrels. I've thought of making some sort of insulating box for the QT66, but I don't think that would be good for the motors because it would probably insulate, not only from sound, but from dissipating heat.
|
|
|
Post by Bikerrandy on Jun 22, 2013 22:15:54 GMT -5
The main advantage of vibratory tumblers over rotary tumblers is time. You can polish a ten pound batch of rocks in a Thumlers UV-10 in about a week. One thing, they will smooth and polish the rocks without changing the shape, where rotary tumblers will actually smooth and round the rocks, but rotaries can take several months to do one batch. With the vibe tumbler, noise can be a factor but they aren't all that bad if you keep them filled to the proper level. Also, the motor requires air the get to it for cooling, so a sound box isn't recommended due to risk of fire. I have both vibe and rotary tumblers and honestly, I prefer the vibe (UV-10).
|
|
bjurney
starting to shine!
Member since June 2013
Posts: 25
|
Post by bjurney on Jun 22, 2013 23:27:24 GMT -5
Thanks for the replies. I didn't realize it took so long to tumble agate! Does variscite tumble well? I inherited what I believe to be a whole lot of variscite that I need to do something with. I need to post some pics though to see if my identification is accurate.
|
|
doneall517
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2013
Posts: 109
|
Post by doneall517 on Jun 22, 2013 23:38:50 GMT -5
Randy-do you tumble your items in a rotary first to smooth them or do you just start with the vib and 120/200?
|
|
|
Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Jun 23, 2013 7:33:23 GMT -5
The variscite would be a difficult tumble especially for a someone new to tumbling. Its a softer stone and can be as low as a 4 on the MOH scale of hardness and stones that soft are better worked by hand on wheels. You mentioned jaspers and agates in your first post and those will tumble much better but will take some time. I have a batch of agate that I started in rotary tumblers april 6th and they are just coming out of the vibe tumbler today so that's a 10 week run.
Chuck
|
|
|
Post by Bikerrandy on Jun 24, 2013 16:31:11 GMT -5
doneal- I do both. Some I vibe tumble as-is, some I pre shape in a rotary, and some I pre shape with a saw. All depends on what I'm going for.
|
|
corky
off to a rocking start
Member since September 2014
Posts: 2
|
Post by corky on Sept 5, 2014 15:45:12 GMT -5
I'm new here, and looking for some help. I've picked up some nice petrified wood I want to polish, but some of them are too big(6" long, 2-3" diameter) for my tumbler, so I picked up a vibrating tumbler big enough for them. Now I read I can't do the first stage in the VB, what are my options?
|
|
The Dad_Ohs
fully equipped rock polisher
Take me to your Labradorite!!
Member since September 2012
Posts: 1,860
|
Post by The Dad_Ohs on Sept 5, 2014 17:01:45 GMT -5
you can do the first stage in a vibe, just understand 2 things about using a vibe tumbler.....
1) A vibe tumbler doesn't smooth out material like a rolling tumbler. It softens the edges without doing a lot to change the overall shape of a stone.
2) Just because you have to start with 120 grit instead of 60/90 does not mean it won't work.... a vibe tumbler is actually more aggressive than a rolling tumbler and because of this and the material of the bowl, you cannot go as course or it will burn through the bowl itself. A rolling tumbler has a stronger bowl and can easily handle the more aggressive grits, but is slower, which is why it can take weeks to tumble a load of agate to where it is desired.
That's why a vibe will tumble a stone is a lot less time than a roller will. But you can definitely tumble in a vibe start to finish. most people want a smoother stone which is why a lot use a rolling tumbler first and the vibe later.
Hope this makes sense to you. Good Luck!!
|
|
|
Post by Starguy on Sept 5, 2014 18:14:12 GMT -5
@bjumey
Never tried a vibratory. I use a 12 lb rotary for 60/90, then a 3 lb rotary for everything else. The 12 lb rotary barely provides enough finished stones for the 3 pounder. It,s a pretty good combination. Welcome to RTH. Looking forward to seeing some pictures.
both tumblers are Lortones.
Later.
Brent
|
|
|
Post by connrock on Sept 6, 2014 8:17:32 GMT -5
You've already had some good help and advice here and I'd like to add to all of it,,,,, linkGood luck,,, connrock
|
|
corky
off to a rocking start
Member since September 2014
Posts: 2
|
Post by corky on Sept 6, 2014 20:31:35 GMT -5
Thanks for the help everybody. I went to the Rock Shed and ordered a 15 pound rotary for my big pieces. I'll go a week-10 days in the rotary and then transfer to the vibratory to finish up. My next problem is going to get more petrified wood-I'm off this weekend but it's raining and the roads out to the area are horrible right now.
|
|