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Post by nowyo on Apr 26, 2014 21:43:35 GMT -5
Interesting thread. I know it took me a while to figure out the too much water thing. One question, how do you folks handle your smalls? I know that I always have enough fractured/pitted stuff that never really gets smooth, just keeps getting smaller, and I just keep moving those pieces along.
Russ
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Post by iant on Apr 27, 2014 2:22:42 GMT -5
I am interested in this thread too. I started tumbling last September and have used the water to level of rocks method. However, on a fresh batch I set rolling last week, I just put a little water as per this Herchenx advice. I agree, the coarse grit seemed to break down very quickly which indicates that it is working, and it made alot more noise. However I am concerned that the lack of water might cause more fractures as there is less to cushion the action? Has anyone found that to be the case?
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tkvancil
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Post by tkvancil on Apr 27, 2014 8:59:35 GMT -5
I cut back on the water I use some time ago. My formula is 1/2 cup per 3 pounds of barrel capacity. That is 2 tablespoons more than John uses but is still way below top layer of rocks.
To the point...Personally I have not noticed any increase in fracturing or other impact damage. My barrels are always at least 2/3rds to 3/4 full with 25% to 30% smalls. I have come to believe that the correct volume is most important in avoiding damage. I had been running a batch of quartz that was frosting and chipping at slightly under 2/3 full. As per another forum members advice I changed to slightly over 3/4 full and got much better results.
I once read here on this board that too much water can lead to fracturing as the stones "float" a little, therefore falling farther than they might otherwise.
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The Dad_Ohs
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Post by The Dad_Ohs on Apr 29, 2014 19:13:53 GMT -5
My own personal opinion, and that's all this is, but...... If you are tumbling something that is very prone to fractures, crazing, stuff like that, you need to use a filler like ceramic to help cushion the load, even with smalls as they will wear down very quickly (the smalls). What kind of material am I referring to? Obsidian (3 separate loads before I got them right), Amethyst, Quartz, Labradorite (bad, bad, experience with the Lab!!), anything below 6-7 on the Mohs scale. Agate, Jasper and similar stuff can hold it's own because it is a much harder material to begin with, but, if you are going to tumble something that is prone to crazing, like obsidian, you need to have something else in there like ceramic or even plastic pellets, although they don't last long at all, to help further cushion the material being tumbled. I, personally, use the bottom of the top method, as it is what I was taught, both in the owners manual, and on here, as well as other sites, and have never had a problem with slurry or tumbling action. I am not advocating my methods, nor am I down playing anyone others methods. A lot of this is trial and error, and the best part of this forum is the ability to learn as this post shows. I know that the next time I tumble I will think on this and use less water in my mix, I have a QT66 dbl #6 barrels, and see what happens! Will I add ceramic as I have before.. .probably, but again that is my choice. You have given me food for thought and I am ravenous when it comes to learning new tricks to make things works better. I am just slower about implementing everything at once. And 1 more thing.... when I check my rocks between recharges, I use a 5 gallon bucket and a plastic strainer in the kitchen sink with hot water through the sprayer, knocks the grit right off the rock, into the bucket which I then put in a tray (the grit laden water) outside in the sun to evaporate and then use the remaining grit powder to make a thicker slurry in my course grinds by adding 1 TBS of powder in addition to the grit and I get a thick coating slurry much quicker, which means the grit begins to work quicker too. I save all my course grit to let it dry out for use in my next batches... I feel it helps, but that's just me!! BTW..... Luvin this thread !!!!!
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tkvancil
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Post by tkvancil on May 2, 2014 9:27:00 GMT -5
Looking good Nick. Folgers classic roast is what we drink here too
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 2, 2014 17:42:14 GMT -5
Nick those look great, im doing a clean up now if I don't take pics tonight I will tomorrow
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 2, 2014 17:46:32 GMT -5
I envy everyone with garden hoses and a back yard lol it takes me a lot longer to do a clean up,milk jugs, half cut water bottles for funnels, and half cut milk jugs , then gotta take it to the trash!clean up should be the most fun part but not for me sometimes
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 2, 2014 22:08:14 GMT -5
update on mine....
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 2, 2014 22:55:08 GMT -5
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 3, 2014 0:22:16 GMT -5
These two are looking nice also, wish I knew how to cab....
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 3, 2014 16:08:41 GMT -5
I got another question guys, It just hit me reading what herchenx said about 3lb barrels aren't as violent as his bigger ones and the such slow progess ive been have with anything I attempt compared with what herchenx and 1nickthegreek have posted, some (a lot) of my stones espically the larges are very jagged and sharp on the edges...I noticed your guys where more rounded when you started......is my problem im putting in too large and jagged rocks in my barrel and its destroying any possible great tumbles? I ask this cause before I restarted my tumble today and the stones where dry....they actually looked better before I put them in the tumbler at all....I hope I didn't ruin them
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 3, 2014 17:08:04 GMT -5
I might just be judging my rough coarse to harshly, no pun intended, they just look ugly when they are dry...beautiful when wet
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1nickthegreek
spending too much on rocks
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Post by 1nickthegreek on May 3, 2014 17:41:12 GMT -5
Looking good Nick. Folgers classic roast is what we drink here too Ahhh, thats just the container we dump the generic coffee into so we dont have to get a new can out every three days, you see the size of that coffee urn just to the right there? LOL
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1nickthegreek
spending too much on rocks
Member since February 2014
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Post by 1nickthegreek on May 3, 2014 17:52:41 GMT -5
I got another question guys, It just hit me reading what herchenx said about 3lb barrels aren't as violent as his bigger ones and the such slow progess ive been have with anything I attempt compared with what herchenx and 1nickthegreek have posted, some (a lot) of my stones espically the larges are very jagged and sharp on the edges...I noticed your guys where more rounded when you started......is my problem im putting in too large and jagged rocks in my barrel and its destroying any possible great tumbles? I ask this cause before I restarted my tumble today and the stones where dry....they actually looked better before I put them in the tumbler at all....I hope I didn't ruin them I dont grade my rough at all as you can see, I just beat it up from jagged to smooth and what you are seeing is just luck I guess, start the obsidian off as big and jagged of pieces as will fit in the barrels then throw some ceramic in is my recipe. I like the 3# barrels for breaking it down initially better than the 6# one, all it does in the big one is make a helluva lot more noise lol. You saw what the pet wood starts out as, and it is getting there fairly well I think, from 4-5" straight sticks with jagged ends to same length just not as jagged, but they are starting to get some shape finally. It is only 10 days in, so I have to sit here and listen to them all roll and clatter some right in my bedroom so I have the hardest time not cracking them to check em every other day that it drives me nuts. As far as the patience is concerned, I have about 45 pounds of rock that I have done rough grind on and then just taken it out and put in a bag for down the road so I can start the next ones lol. <<<<<has ZERO patience, if it werent for the flexshaft that hangs just to the left of my tumblers and the little handful of fire agates that I have to use it on, I would go absolutely insane waiting on tumblers LOL
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1nickthegreek
spending too much on rocks
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Post by 1nickthegreek on May 3, 2014 17:55:24 GMT -5
These two are looking nice also, wish I knew how to cab.... Just get a pyrex baking pan and some wet dry 80, 120, 180 and so on sandpapers and a sponge sanding block to wrap the sand paper around and start shaping them bro.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 3, 2014 18:22:52 GMT -5
well im trying, thanks for the insight...you were right about using ceramic with your obsidian....I haven't done any before I guess im still a rookie....will keep trying, but after what I recharged today I do need a good deal on some more rough or ill just have to let everything sit, im screwed
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The Dad_Ohs
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Post by The Dad_Ohs on May 3, 2014 18:46:36 GMT -5
I noticed your guys where more rounded when you started......is my problem im putting in too large and jagged rocks in my barrel and its destroying any possible great tumbles? I ask this cause before I restarted my tumble today and the stones where dry....they actually looked better before I put them in the tumbler at all....I hope I didn't ruin them The farther that your stones are from round, the longer they will take to tumble. The reason I say this is that the pieces that stick out tend to be more brutal on the other rocks in the tumbler, which is why some people grind their rocks down before tumbling them. By removing those parts that stick out the rest of the batch is less prone to frosting, looks great wet but has an almost white dusty look when dry and may show tiny fractures/cracks when dry but not when wet, that is frosting and the white is stress fractures from the rocks banging into each other. The way to correct this are as follows, in no order; 1) use a trim saw & cut off whatever sticks out and then tumble. 2) grind off whatever sticks out and then tumble. 3) take a hammer with or without a chisel and knock off whatever sticks out and then tumble. 5) add a lot more cushion material and reduce the number of larger pieces with whatever sticks out and then tumble. I always tumbled with whatever I had on hand and didn't grind any of my stones down, but all it did was increase my tumbling times because I had to wait till those pieces wore down on their own, or pull them out and not tumble them. I now cut any major problems off b4 they become a problem and my tumbles became more enjoyable because of it. hope this helps.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 3, 2014 21:08:24 GMT -5
Thanks @the Dad_Ohs and 1nickthegreek thanks I guess the more I get into this, the more I get stressed out..i really want to make my pieces special...I never thought id need more coarse grit...I guess those instructions are for the toy tumblers, ima have to run this material for a long time
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1nickthegreek
spending too much on rocks
Member since February 2014
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Post by 1nickthegreek on May 3, 2014 22:04:08 GMT -5
well im trying, thanks for the insight...you were right about using ceramic with your obsidian....I haven't done any before I guess im still a rookie....will keep trying, but after what I recharged today I do need a good deal on some more rough or ill just have to let everything sit, im screwed I have 40 pounds of tumbling rough gonna be here next week, I will take care of ya there bro if ya dont mind half snakeskins and half just tumbling mix. Rather than ceramics @ 5.00 or more per pound, just snag some cheap marbles from the dollar store or wal mart or somewhere, they are far cheaper and will work almost as good. Do you want me to throw in some obsidian for ya to try on? I have plenty of it kicking around so would have no problem with that as long as ya dont mind mahogany and silver sheen cos that is all that I have unless I go shatter the 50 pound boulder of black that is sitting in the flower bed out front .
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