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Post by Jugglerguy on Oct 24, 2015 22:51:33 GMT -5
I recently switched to 46/70 and I'm happy with it. I ordered 50 lbs. from Kingsley North.
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quartz
Cave Dweller
breakin' rocks in the hot sun
Member since February 2010
Posts: 3,352
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Post by quartz on Oct 24, 2015 22:59:45 GMT -5
To be better able to help you with a good grit supplier, it would be helpful to know, in general, where you live.
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br347213
starting to spend too much on rocks
Henderson, NV
Member since October 2015
Posts: 106
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Post by br347213 on Oct 24, 2015 23:10:54 GMT -5
To be better able to help you with a good grit supplier, it would be helpful to know, in general, where you live. Henderson, NV. Thank you!
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Post by captbob on Oct 24, 2015 23:11:03 GMT -5
Yeah... months. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news! How many tumblers do you figure these companies would sell if they actually told people new to the hobby that it took months? Read through some threads here and you'll see a consensus on that. Kinda depends on what you're after as a finished product though. If you don't require well rounded stones, you can cut some time off that. There are those that say that they prefer a more "natural" shape. I read that as they don't have the patience. No sin in that, they are your rocks! Coarser grit will speed up the shaping/smoothing process. But, can also wear your barrel and lid faster. Good time to recommend having back up lids and an extra drive belt or two on hand. You will be glad to have them sitting in a drawer rather than having to order them when the time comes. Always buy way more coarse grit (what ever you are using) than the rest of the grits & polish. The finer the grit, the less you will be using. 2.5 lbs of polish ought to last you a few years! I use 60/90 or 80 as my coarse grit. I can see where 60 or 46/70 for coarse would be useful. Personally, I wouldn't go any lower than those. Even those will wear through your barrel lid in a quickness. A lid may last you 6 months or so depending on use. Back ups (and belts) are cheap. The Rock Shed is fine for small grit orders. Kingsley north is widely used by many here for large orders. www.kingsleynorth.com/skshop/category.php?catID=1053&page=1I'd probably hold off on ordering 50 pounds of grit until you are sure that this tumbling thing is for you! ***** The tubs don't amplify the sound in my shop. You will notice the tumblers are sitting above the rim of the tub. Need those motors able to get good air flow. But, if I had a leak, the tub would catch it. The tumblers fit exactly on wood frames and the frames sit in kitty litter. Don't sell stones here, just an addictive hobby for me. Actually, it's the rocks that are addictive. The tumbling, etc is just a natural offshoot.
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br347213
starting to spend too much on rocks
Henderson, NV
Member since October 2015
Posts: 106
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Post by br347213 on Oct 24, 2015 23:12:47 GMT -5
I recently switched to 46/70 and I'm happy with it. I ordered 50 lbs. from Kingsley North. Nice! 50 is far more than i am interested in but i'll check it out. how much time is it cutting from stage 1?
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quartz
Cave Dweller
breakin' rocks in the hot sun
Member since February 2010
Posts: 3,352
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Post by quartz on Oct 24, 2015 23:26:12 GMT -5
Check your yellow pages for an abrasive supplier, often best price around. Small amounts may be difficult, but a friend scored big by buying some broken pkgs. and doing a little sweeping up.
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br347213
starting to spend too much on rocks
Henderson, NV
Member since October 2015
Posts: 106
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Post by br347213 on Oct 24, 2015 23:29:40 GMT -5
Yeah... months. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news! How many tumblers do you figure these companies would sell if they actually told people new to the hobby that it took months? Read through some threads here and you'll see a consensus on that. Kinda depends on what you're after as a finished product though. If you don't require well rounded stones, you can cut some time off that. There are those that say that they prefer a more "natural" shape. I read that as they don't have the patience. No sin in that, they are your rocks! Coarser grit will speed up the shaping/smoothing process. But, can also wear your barrel and lid faster. Good time to recommend having back up lids and an extra drive belt or two on hand. You will be glad to have them sitting in a drawer rather than having to order them when the time comes. Always buy way more coarse grit (what ever you are using) than the rest of the grits & polish. The finer the grit, the less you will be using. 2.5 lbs of polish ought to last you a few years! I use 60/90 or 80 as my coarse grit. I can see where 60 or 46/70 for coarse would be useful. Personally, I wouldn't go any lower than those. Even those will wear through your barrel lid in a quickness. A lid may last you 6 months or so depending on use. Back ups (and belts) are cheap. The Rock Shed is fine for small grit orders. Kingsley north is widely used by many here for large orders. www.kingsleynorth.com/skshop/category.php?catID=1053&page=1I'd probably hold off on ordering 50 pounds of grit until you are sure that this tumbling thing is for you! ***** The tubs don't amplify the sound in my shop. You will notice the tumblers are sitting above the rim of the tub. Need those motors able to get good air flow. But, if I had a leak, the tub would catch it. The tumblers fit exactly on wood frames and the frames sit in kitty litter. Don't sell stones here, just an addictive hobby for me. Actually, it's the rocks that are addictive. The tumbling, etc is just a natural offshoot. Oh wow, all the $$$ are really starting to add up in my head haha. as well as the time! I see what you mean regarding the tumbling time, if you want them very round you have to expect to put in much more time. it's just strange i've never heard that it could take two months. How often do you recharg the grit during that period typically? Thanks again for the additional tips, the more the merrier. Hugely appreciated.
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br347213
starting to spend too much on rocks
Henderson, NV
Member since October 2015
Posts: 106
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Post by br347213 on Oct 24, 2015 23:31:11 GMT -5
Check your yellow pages for an abrasive supplier, often best price around. Small amounts may be difficult, but a friend scored big by buying some broken pkgs. and doing a little sweeping up. Cool, thank you.
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Post by captbob on Oct 24, 2015 23:47:28 GMT -5
Not sure what you think is going to be expensive. You've already bought the tumbler.
A couple extra lids and belts will be less than 20 bucks - not counting shipping. Just add them to your next grit order. 5 lbs of grit is what - $15?
You find your own rocks, so it sounds to me like for around 50 bucks you are good to go for the next 6 months or so. That's less than 50¢ a day. I wish ANY of my hobbies were that cheap!
Different folks change grit or recharge grit without a clean out at various times. If you are grinding/shaping in coarse grit and want things to move along, maybe every week. You don't always need to do a full clean out, often just adding more grit will do.
Sounds like you need to spend some more time reading previous threads here if you are thinking that a couple months in coarse grit is unusual. I've done coarse grit cycles that have gone 6 months and not thought anything of it.
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br347213
starting to spend too much on rocks
Henderson, NV
Member since October 2015
Posts: 106
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Post by br347213 on Oct 25, 2015 2:11:38 GMT -5
Not sure what you think is going to be expensive. You've already bought the tumbler. A couple extra lids and belts will be less than 20 bucks - not counting shipping. Just add them to your next grit order. 5 lbs of grit is what - $15? You find your own rocks, so it sounds to me like for around 50 bucks you are good to go for the next 6 months or so. That's less than 50¢ a day. I wish ANY of my hobbies were that cheap! Different folks change grit or recharge grit without a clean out at various times. If you are grinding/shaping in coarse grit and want things to move along, maybe every week. You don't always need to do a full clean out, often just adding more grit will do. Sounds like you need to spend some more time reading previous threads here if you are thinking that a couple months in coarse grit is unusual. I've done coarse grit cycles that have gone 6 months and not thought anything of it. Yeah no it is cheaper than a lot of other hobbies, I hear you on that. Investing money in hobbies is certainly not new to me for sure haha... I suppose after you have a decent stockpile of all the various things you need like grit and polish and might need like spare lids and barrels it can all last for a while. Would you recomend having several different barrels for each grit stage? how difficult is it to perfectly clean it out? Next time I order grit i will also add the other stuff I may need just to bang as much of it out in one go as i can.
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Intheswamp
Cave Dweller
Member since September 2015
Posts: 1,910
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Post by Intheswamp on Oct 25, 2015 7:36:39 GMT -5
My most expensive hobby is my hobbies...I collect'em.<sigh> Well, as far as extra barrels...in a perfect hobby world a barrel for each stage would be great! But. in the real hobby world it is often suggested to have an extra barrel reserved exclusively for the polish stage. Definitely get some back-up belts and lids...I haven't experienced a lid issue but have read where others have had trouble after a long period of use...I *have* had broken belts, but these were old belts. As captbob, mentioned...they're cheap enough to have for insurance. Oil the roller bushings and motor bushings once a month. You might want to cut a piece of 3/4" plywood to fit snuggly into the bottom of the tumbler. You may or may not want to drill through the tumbler base to attach the tumbler firmly to the wood. Remember if you go in from the side you will be screwing into the end grain...you might want to pre-drill the wood and fill with glue before screwing screws in. Or, if you're not worried about the wood being permanently attached use some construction glue to attach the wood. The weight of the rocks and tumbler should keep it in place adequately...just becareful when you go to pick the tumbler up that the wood doesn't fall off and hit your bare toe. If the woode insert is firmly attached to the tumbler's base it should help "some" with noise. When you have the wood insert reading add some leveling screws to the bottom of it and your good to go. One thing that I think I'm finding out is that a pinch of generic psyillium (metamucil) added to the barrel seems to really quieten the tumble noise down (thanks Inga!). Just some thoughts. Have fun! ETA: Oh, and get an extra large o-ring for sealing the barrel, too!
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,711
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Post by Fossilman on Oct 25, 2015 8:19:58 GMT -5
I have different model of tumblers,but they have to be on level areas or all hell breaks lose with them too.... Looks like your solved the problem,but I bet if you put a level to the table,it might be off skilter a bit...
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Post by Jugglerguy on Oct 25, 2015 8:29:33 GMT -5
It's hard to say how much the coarser grit sped things up, but I notice a difference. Unlike Bob, I do a full clean out once a week. I was wash the rocks in a colander (into a bucket, not the sink!) and then inspect every rock. I take out the ones that are flawless, and move the rest back to the tumbler. Don't expect to take any out for the first few weeks. I add more rough rock to make up for lost volume due to the rocks wearing down and the removal of finished rocks. When I have enough rocks done with the first stage, I move them to the next stage.
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br347213
starting to spend too much on rocks
Henderson, NV
Member since October 2015
Posts: 106
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Post by br347213 on Oct 25, 2015 10:39:19 GMT -5
My most expensive hobby is my hobbies...I collect'em.<sigh> Well, as far as extra barrels...in a perfect hobby world a barrel for each stage would be great! But. in the real hobby world it is often suggested to have an extra barrel reserved exclusively for the polish stage. Definitely get some back-up belts and lids...I haven't experienced a lid issue but have read where others have had trouble after a long period of use...I *have* had broken belts, but these were old belts. As captbob, mentioned...they're cheap enough to have for insurance. Oil the roller bushings and motor bushings once a month. You might want to cut a piece of 3/4" plywood to fit snuggly into the bottom of the tumbler. You may or may not want to drill through the tumbler base to attach the tumbler firmly to the wood. Remember if you go in from the side you will be screwing into the end grain...you might want to pre-drill the wood and fill with glue before screwing screws in. Or, if you're not worried about the wood being permanently attached use some construction glue to attach the wood. The weight of the rocks and tumbler should keep it in place adequately...just becareful when you go to pick the tumbler up that the wood doesn't fall off and hit your bare toe. If the woode insert is firmly attached to the tumbler's base it should help "some" with noise. When you have the wood insert reading add some leveling screws to the bottom of it and your good to go. One thing that I think I'm finding out is that a pinch of generic psyillium (metamucil) added to the barrel seems to really quieten the tumble noise down (thanks Inga!). Just some thoughts. Have fun! ETA: Oh, and get an extra large o-ring for sealing the barrel, too! Hahaha i want that on a shirt. I am the same way. Mr. Hobby. Thanks for all the tips, thank you
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Post by captbob on Oct 25, 2015 10:43:28 GMT -5
ETA: Oh, and get an extra large o-ring for sealing the barrel, too! GOOD call. Even though I have them, I don't use these barrels and didn't think of this.
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br347213
starting to spend too much on rocks
Henderson, NV
Member since October 2015
Posts: 106
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Post by br347213 on Oct 25, 2015 10:55:47 GMT -5
It's hard to say how much the coarser grit sped things up, but I notice a difference. Unlike Bob, I do a full clean out once a week. I was wash the rocks in a colander (into a bucket, not the sink!) and then inspect every rock. I take out the ones that are flawless, and move the rest back to the tumbler. Don't expect to take any out for the first few weeks. I add more rough rock to make up for lost volume due to the rocks wearing down and the removal of finished rocks. When I have enough rocks done with the first stage, I move them to the next stage. Ah I see, interesting. Every time you do a full clean out are you putting completely new grit in?
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Post by Jugglerguy on Oct 25, 2015 12:17:03 GMT -5
Yep, the old grit is very fine after a week so it won't do much grinding. I don't think it hurts much to leave it in there, but I don't think it helps to leave old grit in either. tkvancil did a very thorough experiment and found it slightly better to do full clean outs. I do them because I think it's fun to look at each rock to see the progress I'm making. It's also the only way I'll know if some rocks are done and can be removed to make room for more rocks to get started. You'll find that some people do full clean outs and some don't. It's a matter of preference. captbob knows what he's talking about, so I'm sure his way works well for him.
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br347213
starting to spend too much on rocks
Henderson, NV
Member since October 2015
Posts: 106
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Post by br347213 on Oct 25, 2015 12:27:51 GMT -5
Yep, the old grit is very fine after a week so it won't do much grinding. I don't think it hurts much to leave it in there, but I don't think it helps to leave old grit in either. tkvancil did a very thorough experiment and found it slightly better to do full clean outs. I do them because I think it's fun to look at each rock to see the progress I'm making. It's also the only way I'll know if some rocks are done and can be removed to make room for more rocks to get started. You'll find that some people do full clean outs and some don't. It's a matter of preference. captbob knows what he's talking about, so I'm sure his way works well for him. Hmm, yeah doing a full change every week seems like it could get pricey. i guess not though if you buy it bulk like 50lbs haha. we'll see i'll probably do a partial recharge for now.
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meviva
Cave Dweller
Member since July 2013
Posts: 1,474
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Post by meviva on Oct 25, 2015 12:47:36 GMT -5
I too would probably suggest setting the tumbler on something other than straight on the floor. Be aware, the lids on this model CAN pop off or leak. Doesn't happen often, but being prepared for such is a good idea. I set my tumblers up on frames in big tupperware/rubbermaid type bins. like so... These big models SELDOM leak, but if so, it will be easy to deal with. Awesome setup captbob, proves to me that I need more tumblers.
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Post by captbob on Oct 25, 2015 13:04:19 GMT -5
You'll find that some people do full clean outs and some don't. It's a matter of preference. captbob knows what he's talking about, so I'm sure his way works well for him. Thanks Rob. Mostly, it's just because I'm lazy! Hmm, yeah doing a full change every week seems like it could get pricey. i guess not though if you buy it bulk like 50lbs haha. we'll see i'll probably do a partial recharge for now. Even if I don't do a clean out, I'm still adding grit. Not sure I'm saving any money by doing recharges over clean outs, but it's a lot less work. Logic holds that a full clean out would allow for better grinding action by the new grit. An established slurry may be beneficial as cushioning in later stages, but in the coarse stage, it may actually hinder the process. Truth is, I don't care. I have all the time in the world and saving a day or two here and there isn't worth all the extra work to me. With the months that a complete tumble takes, I get plenty of opportunities to see the rocks along the way. I doubt they miss me when I simply do a recharge over a clean out.
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