moogie
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since December 2013
Posts: 77
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Post by moogie on Jun 9, 2014 13:20:29 GMT -5
So Thumler is selling what appears to be the "bad" batch of vibe bowls for considerably less than retail. My rocks are currently polishing in one, and I certainly do see the tell tale black specks. I intend to only use these bowls for polishing. Anyone have any really bad experiences with these, or can I muddle along as long as I don't use them for grit?
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moogie
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since December 2013
Posts: 77
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Post by moogie on Jun 9, 2014 13:22:25 GMT -5
I've already had to go and get a neoprene washer to reinforce the top washer, worn down to the metal.
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tkvancil
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2011
Posts: 1,546
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Post by tkvancil on Jun 10, 2014 0:29:38 GMT -5
I've only used my polish bowl once. When I got it the inside of the bowl had a textured grooved surface. I got a lot of the little bits of plastic whirling around in the polish slurry and all over the rocks. The final polish on the rocks was still excellent in my opinion. After I got it all cleaned out the inside of the bowl was no longer textured but instead as smooth as the bowl that came with the machine. I will be using it again beginning Friday or Saturday this week. I am curious and anxious to see if there will be more plastic bits or if its all been worn out on the first run. The only negative I experienced was with some rocks that had softer areas in them. The softer areas undercut and the plastic became embedded in them and did not come out during the burnish. All the rocks of uniform hardness did just fine.
I'm kind of in the same place you are. Figuring that since I'm not putting grit in it I should be okay. I'll post here how the second use goes.
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Post by 150FromFundy on Jun 10, 2014 15:34:57 GMT -5
moogie:
I checked out the Thumler Tumblers web page and couldn't find any discounted bowls. Did you get the bowl from Thumbler directly, or from a re-seller?
Somehow, I can't imagine Thumler selling bowls with quality issues, but a re-seller could have come across some counterfeit product in this day and age. Let me know. I'm curious.
Darryl.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jun 11, 2014 0:29:43 GMT -5
Greetings Ladies & Gents [150fromfundy] I don't believe the bowls are counterfeit! Please remember that True Square make two types of virbratory tumbler the UV for metal with a Green stripe & the UVI for stone with a Blue stripe. There is clearly a difference between the UV & UVI for example the UV18 weighs 4.98kg (11lb) whereas the UVI18 weighs 8.16kg (18lb). The next question is there a difference between the bowl with a Green stripe & the bowl with a Blue stripe!? If a vendor or someone has both types of bowls maybe they should weigh them! If they both bowl types weigh the same, then True Square could save a few cents by not adding a colored stripe at all. I do believe at one time the UVI bowl was heavier than the UV bowl, but that may not be true now! True Square's (Thumler's Tumblers) UVI 10, 18 & 45lb bowls. Please check out my Sticky's below. -- Please click images to open larger images in a new Tab, same with everything that is Underlined! I hail from (The Barony of Seabegs) Bonnybridge, Stirlingshire, U.K, where aliens (15mb) sometimes come for a visit & about 4 miles west from that monstrosity & 7 miles west of this new monstrosity! Sticky's: their contents are resource information 1#: Vendors worldwide (2mb), 2#: How to use the forum, 3#: How to identify rocks & minerals, 4#: Save money on expensive grits & polishes, 5#: Aussie Lapidary Forum: Rock Tumbling Guide!
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moogie
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since December 2013
Posts: 77
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Post by moogie on Jun 11, 2014 11:11:24 GMT -5
I called Thumler directly, and they offered me the bowl. She specifically asked if I wanted the Industrial or the one for shells, and I specifically indicated the Industrial one. I had had the same exact same conversation with a different Thumler phone answerer a couple months ago, and that's the bowl I'm using now that's flaking so much. So, yes this certainly is a Thumler product, and having worked for several small companies in the past, I'm pretty sure that they're trying to cut their losses by selling not-top-quality products at $54. I haven't yet received the second bowl but I expect similar quality. And that's fine with me as long as they're useable at least for awhile. They probably CAN'T sell them to resellers, can you imagine the uproar?
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moogie
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since December 2013
Posts: 77
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Post by moogie on Jun 11, 2014 11:12:18 GMT -5
Oh, they both have the blue stripe, to be clear.
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tkvancil
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2011
Posts: 1,546
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Post by tkvancil on Jun 15, 2014 10:17:41 GMT -5
I'm using the polish bowl for my UV18 for the second time. First use there were a lot of plastic bits. I'm seeing them again this time after about 24 hours. I checked one rock and it's shining already so that's good. The plastic seems to be clinging to the ceramic media more than the rocks. Now I'm wondering if this bowl will wear out extra fast and if I shouldn't call Thumlers about it. Mine came from a reseller BTW.
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moogie
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since December 2013
Posts: 77
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Post by moogie on Jun 16, 2014 6:09:04 GMT -5
For all we know the rubber bits act like an extra buffer, and the rocks will look even better than without!
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herchenx
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2012
Posts: 3,360
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Post by herchenx on Jun 25, 2014 20:51:41 GMT -5
My uv 10 polish bowl has always contributed black flecks every time. My non-polish bowl does it as well, but only in 500 or prepolish. Maybe they always fleck but the coarser grits pulverize the black flecks so you can't see them?
I should call them, I was planning on retiring my polish bowl to a regular bowl and getting a new polish bowl. My uv is in need of general maintenance now and it seems like a good time to be proactive.
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tkvancil
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2011
Posts: 1,546
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Post by tkvancil on Jun 26, 2014 13:11:29 GMT -5
My uv 10 polish bowl has always contributed black flecks every time. My non-polish bowl does it as well, but only in 500 or prepolish. Maybe they always fleck but the coarser grits pulverize the black flecks so you can't see them? I should call them, I was planning on retiring my polish bowl to a regular bowl and getting a new polish bowl. My uv is in need of general maintenance now and it seems like a good time to be proactive. Good, the voice of experience. John, I'm getting a measureable amount of flakes from my polish bowl. I would guess 2 to 3 tablespoons full. Does this sound normal or excessive to you?
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herchenx
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2012
Posts: 3,360
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Post by herchenx on Jun 26, 2014 13:16:33 GMT -5
Ken I don't know if I'd have a way to measure it, but it seems to be worse when the slurry is "sticky" - and in bad cases it has been probably a couple TBSP. I try to keep it running as loose as possible (the slurry) so it slides around better.
I don't know if that is helpful or useful, but that seems to be what I've experienced.
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tkvancil
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2011
Posts: 1,546
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Post by tkvancil on Jun 26, 2014 13:25:24 GMT -5
John that is indeed helpful. I have pretty much decided not to worry too much about it as the results have been good. Thanks.
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moogie
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since December 2013
Posts: 77
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Post by moogie on Jun 26, 2014 19:21:36 GMT -5
I'll say, very interesting! So, yeah, I'll just enjoy my "cheap" bowl!
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herchenx
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2012
Posts: 3,360
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Post by herchenx on Jun 26, 2014 20:43:02 GMT -5
Ken, I've started a bowl full in 500 this morning and got it pretty wet. After about 10 hours there is no appreciable black flecking. I think the sticky slurry thing may have legs (posting from my phone so I can't embed sorry)
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