leisa
off to a rocking start
Member since January 2015
Posts: 16
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Post by leisa on Jan 26, 2015 18:15:55 GMT -5
Currently have my new AR-2 (stage 1), plus a QT-6 (polish) and a Model-T tumbler (pre-polish) happily going round and round.
Hopefully, they stay that way. Didn't hear the potential of power outages until after I moved each barrel to the next stage on Saturday.
To prepare for the blizzard I have:
Moved all tumblers so I do not have to climb downstairs to find them if power goes out.
Have buckets/strainers, several containers of water, paper towels, and a flashlight nearby.
Should power go out, I plan to:
Empty each tumbler (separate buckets) and rinse/clean the rocks as best I can.
The storm is expected to last thru Wed afternoon, so it could be 1-2 days before it is safe to return them to the tumblers.
My questions:
Should I do a more thorough cleaning (i.e. Borax or Ivory soap) before returning the rocks to a new batch of grit?
The rocks have been tumbling for only 2 days in the current grit/polish.
Next time I will check the weather before beginning a new stage.
Thanks in advance. The main part of the storm is expected after midnight, so all should be well for another few hours.
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tkvancil
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2011
Posts: 1,546
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Post by tkvancil on Jan 26, 2015 18:21:03 GMT -5
Store them in water. Especially the polish barrel. Dried polish is a real bugger to remove. Easy enough to miss alittle when all you have is a flashlight.
Hope your power stays on.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,159
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Post by jamesp on Jan 26, 2015 18:40:23 GMT -5
If they have only been tumbling for 2 days I would leave them alone. If they had been tumbling a while and were full of dirty slurry that could settle and harden, it would be a concern. If they do get turned off, check the inside to make sure the grit and polish is back in circulation after they have run an hour or two. And not glued to the side where it stopped. Coarse grit should easily recirculate. Finer grades may settle and have to be scraped off the side.
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Post by captbob on Jan 26, 2015 18:43:09 GMT -5
Not sure I'd even bother with rinsing and cleaning each load. If dumped into buckets of water and left there for the duration, that ought to be enough -IMO. You just don't want to leave the loads in a condition where grit can dry- on the rocks or in the barrels.
I would rinse out the tumbler barrels a bit to prevent grit from hardening in them. Or, just fill the empty barrels with water and let them sit that way.
I also hope that you don't lose power and that a few tumblers of rocks is the biggest problem you have to deal with. Good luck and stay warm!
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quartz
Cave Dweller
breakin' rocks in the hot sun
Member since February 2010
Posts: 3,341
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Post by quartz on Jan 26, 2015 23:03:33 GMT -5
I've shut mine down for a couple weeks, set them up on end when I shut them off, started them back up, and in a matter of minutes everything is running fine.
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Post by Starguy on Jan 26, 2015 23:12:48 GMT -5
leisaWe lost power for four days back in the winter of '94. It was a pain to get the tumblers going again but everything worked out okay. I got a generator shortly after that. Told the wife it was for keeping the tumblers going but I would actually use it for some lights and the refrigerator. hope you make it through the storm alright. I used to live in NYC. Big storms can really cripple the east coast. It sounds like you might get some drifting too. That can really close things down. Good luck with the storm and welcome to RTH. It's a great forum with some really good, helpful people. Feel free to ask questions and post lots of photos. Everybody likes photos. later Brent
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Post by parfive on Jan 27, 2015 0:29:58 GMT -5
I’ll second what Quartz said. If you lose power, just unplug the tumblers and stand the barrels up. Forget emptying/rinsing/cleaning – waste of time and effort. When the power’s back, just give the barrels a good shake (spin back and forth) for a few seconds before you sit ‘em back on the tumblers.
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Post by parfive on Jan 27, 2015 0:33:02 GMT -5
I run the same tumblers - Model Ts and A-R2.
Have you noticed they run at different speeds?
My Model Ts run about 53 -54 rpm, which is pretty fast, so I do all the 60/90 coarse grinding in them.
The A-R2 runs at a gentler 34 -36 rpm and gets all the 500 and polish work.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,159
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Post by jamesp on Jan 27, 2015 0:49:12 GMT -5
I run the same tumblers - Model Ts and A-R2. Have you noticed they run at different speeds? My Model Ts run about 53 -54 rpm, which is pretty fast, so I do all the 60/90 coarse grinding in them. The A-R2 runs at a gentler 34 -36 rpm and gets all the 500 and polish work. What diameter is the Model T ? And is the barrel round or stepped(like octagon) ? 53 RPM is moving fast for a factory tumbler. Never knew they made them that fast. I run some 6 inch PVC barrels that fast and they can grind some rocks fast compared to my slower tumblers.
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Post by parfive on Jan 27, 2015 1:51:29 GMT -5
Three-pound barrels, 5” exterior diameter @ rollers.
Interior is pentadecagonal. IOW, might as well be round. : ) 4 ¼” across.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,159
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Post by jamesp on Jan 27, 2015 2:35:05 GMT -5
Three-pound barrels, 5” exterior diameter @ rollers. Interior is pentadecagonal. IOW, might as well be round. : ) 4 ¼” across. 4.25 across. That is the dimension I was curious about. I have made 6,8 10 and 12 inch I.D. tumbler barrels to of PVC. Have trashed 8,10 and 12. For fast grinding, the 6 inch ID is optimum. The surface speed is the controlling factor. If I run the larger sizes at 1000 inches per minute(55 RPM for a 6 inch ID or 41 RPM for 8 inch) bruises enter the picture in the 8-10 and 12. So the fast spinning 55 RPM for the 6 inch ID has allowed me to tumble at times 10 stones(agate) at 1/2 pound in one batch without bruises. The 8 inch I.D. at 41 RPM bruised them. Same surface speed, but taller fall within the barrel I suppose. And in both cases a carefully selected blend of sized rocks to balance load. So my biggest barrel is 30 pounds and 33 inches long at 6 inch ID. But has to be run a bit dry to get good abrasive mixing. But best abrasive mixing is in the 16 pound barrel 20 inches long, the coup de gras.
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rockit
starting to shine!
Member since January 2015
Posts: 44
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Post by rockit on Jan 27, 2015 9:09:29 GMT -5
I'm glad you posted this question! I'm ready to start a new load, and got a notice that my power will be shut off for 9 hours on Thursday (city is replacing the poles).
Stay safe, hope you don't lose power!
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riverrock
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since April 2010
Posts: 1,395
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Post by riverrock on Jan 27, 2015 9:12:55 GMT -5
Now there are a few on here I bet ya can rig up some hamsters to keep those tumblers going. Best of luck with the storm.
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Post by captbob on Jan 27, 2015 9:29:36 GMT -5
What storm?? Now there are a few on here I bet ya can rig up some hamsters to keep those tumblers going. hmmmmmm.... tumblers rolling treadmill dogs sorry 'bout that dogs maybe mom will save ya
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Post by gingerkid on Jan 27, 2015 9:59:08 GMT -5
Now there are a few on here I bet ya can rig up some hamsters to keep those tumblers going. ROFL, riverrock!!! Hope all of you are safe (tumblers, too) that are weathering out the bad weather. Lots of good advice.
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leisa
off to a rocking start
Member since January 2015
Posts: 16
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Post by leisa on Feb 1, 2015 12:41:25 GMT -5
Thanks everyone for all the suggestions re:the "blizzard." Snow turned out to be 2 feet of powder, so no power failures. But, tomorrow's appears to be a mix with the sleet/snow line still to be determined. Now there are a few on here I bet ya can rig up some hamsters to keep those tumblers going. Best of luck with the storm. Great response!!!
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Mark K
Cave Dweller
Member since April 2012
Posts: 2,599
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Post by Mark K on Feb 2, 2015 9:52:19 GMT -5
I agree with Quartz. He is not only correct, but in complete agreement with what I would do. This makes him extra correct.
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