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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Jan 2, 2016 20:02:49 GMT -5
I followed Intheswamp's recent thread about how to approach weekly clean outs so I thought I would share a couple pictures of what my every Saturday morning clean outs look like. This week I had at least 48 pounds of rock rolling in 46/70. I do all my clean outs indoors even in the summer because my tumblers run in the basement and from October till March the weather would stop me from tumbling if they had to be done outdoors. I use two five gallon buckets. One filled with fresh clean water and one with a colander that fits perfect in a five gallon bucket. I have one colander dedicated to 46/70 and one that I use fall all other stages and clean it after each use. For this clean out I used 10 gallons of clean water which means two trips outside to dump the dirty water in the pit. That's not bad for cleaning this much rock. After the rocks get rinsed they go into my dollar store sorting trays. Each tray usually holds 5 or 6 pounds of rocks. From here all the trays go up to the kitchen counter under good lighting and a comfortable work height to inspect every rock to see what rocks move on and what stays in stage one. I have a large tupperware bowl that I fill with water so I can dip each rock and inspect wet. Unlike most folks I do not add anything at all to my 46/70 batches. Every week each rock is washed and started with fresh grit and water. This has been working for me for years and it has always allowed me to pull enough rocks to keep the loto running non stop year round. This week I pulled a little over 5 pounds for stage 2. Right after rinsing this weeks load. No particular order. All rocks get mixed together for 46/70. Sorting by rock type is saved for stage 2 rocks pulled for stage 2 When I tumble Lakers and other fairly expensive stuff I try to pull a couple pounds each week to hand grind major flaws. These will get ground on an 80 grit diamond wheel then one more week in 46/70. Doing this every week ensures at least a couple pounds of nice rocks ready next week I don't seem to have the umph to keep all the barrels going anymore If I counted right this is 102 pounds worth of lortone barrels. Thanks for looking Chuck
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Post by Starguy on Jan 2, 2016 20:19:49 GMT -5
Nice looking batch Chuck. That must keep you really busy. I've only got one 12 pounder and it seems like it takes a long time to clean that out. I do all of mine in the basement too. I also grind the tough pits/cracks on an 80 grit wheel. It really sped things up and keeps my 3 pounder rolling most of the time.
later
Brent.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,562
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Post by jamesp on Jan 2, 2016 21:11:52 GMT -5
Fine production set up Chuck. Picking the ones for the vibe and returning all else to the barrels. Lots of tumbles.
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Intheswamp
Cave Dweller
Member since September 2015
Posts: 1,910
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Post by Intheswamp on Jan 2, 2016 22:15:54 GMT -5
Thanks for posting, Chuck. Definitely a good procedure, the proof's in the pudding....or in this case the rocks.
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jackangeline
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since December 2015
Posts: 107
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Post by jackangeline on Jan 3, 2016 9:11:16 GMT -5
@drummond Island Rocks nice set up and awesome rocks. I have to start being more organized like that. I have about 70-80lbs of LSA's I have to work on but am a bit hesitant as I do not what to ruin a valuable stone (because I do not know which ones are valuable yet) lol oh well I still have lots to tumble.
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,711
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Post by Fossilman on Jan 3, 2016 9:39:03 GMT -5
That is a lot of clean out...HOLY MOLLY!
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tkvancil
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2011
Posts: 1,547
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Post by tkvancil on Jan 3, 2016 11:27:08 GMT -5
I also tumble year round in the basement and it appears our methods are similar. Have to admit that you are tidier than I am. Really like the idea of grinding out the flaws on some each week.
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deedolce
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since October 2006
Posts: 1,828
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Post by deedolce on Jan 3, 2016 13:02:44 GMT -5
Wow, what a set up! You sure have a successful system going there, I'm disorganized and inconsistent with one 3B barrel and a loto, lol.
Now I know how the pro's do it, unlike this newb!
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Jan 3, 2016 14:29:54 GMT -5
I also tumble year round in the basement and it appears our methods are similar. Have to admit that you are tidier than I am. Really like the idea of grinding out the flaws on some each week. I am certainly in good company then. I am pretty sure Jugglerguy uses a similar method so between the two of you thats all the convincing I need. Chuck
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Intheswamp
Cave Dweller
Member since September 2015
Posts: 1,910
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Post by Intheswamp on Jan 3, 2016 15:35:21 GMT -5
I've got a question, Chuck. How do you go about inspecting each rock (that's a lot of rocks!) and deciding which ones to move on to the next stage, hand grind flaws, or hold back in coarse grind? Do you simply give each one a quick glance while looking for any divots in the wet surface, or.... ? How long did it take you to inspect the pictured rocks? Ok, so I can't count, that was more than one question...
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Jan 3, 2016 16:57:32 GMT -5
I've got a question, Chuck. How do you go about inspecting each rock (that's a lot of rocks!) and deciding which ones to move on to the next stage, hand grind flaws, or hold back in coarse grind? Do you simply give each one a quick glance while looking for any divots in the wet surface, or.... ? How long did it take you to inspect the pictured rocks? Ok, so I can't count, that was more than one question... Under 2 hours from taking the barrels off the tumbler to having them running again. Looking at each rock can be a pain. The large ones are easy but the smaller they are the harder it is to check for flaws. I use the trays for sorting purposes and it really helps me in the long run. I have about 30 of those trays and I also use them for rock batches that are waiting there turn for the loto. I kind of look at each rock and sort them into trays in four classes. First tray is very flawed needing many more weeks. Second tray rocks that have flaws but are getting closer. Third tray rocks that are really close or that I am going to grind on to improve. fourth tray rocks that are ready for the loto (these get sorted into more trays by rock type later) I place the rocks back in barrels with 46/70 based on what tray they were in so I kind of know what to expect from each barrel the next week. I get to know every rock pretty good over the course of the tumble. Hope that answered some of your questions. Chuck
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Post by adam on Jan 3, 2016 16:57:42 GMT -5
Cheers.
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Intheswamp
Cave Dweller
Member since September 2015
Posts: 1,910
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Post by Intheswamp on Jan 3, 2016 19:32:29 GMT -5
Ok, you're sorting/grading them out as you go...makes good sense. My problem is that in two hours I probably wouldn't have all the barrels cleaned out and refilled, much less the rocks sorted!!! Fine work you do!
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Jan 3, 2016 19:41:50 GMT -5
Ok, you're sorting/grading them out as you go...makes good sense. My problem is that in two hours I probably wouldn't have all the barrels cleaned out and refilled, much less the rocks sorted!!! Fine work you do! I only rotary tumble in 46/70 so I do not "clean" any barrels. I dump 5 or six pounds (half of a 12 pounder or a full six pounder) into the colander each time and agitate the rocks with my left hand while dumping large cups of water with my right hand. Only takes five or six hits with the water then they go in the trays. I imagine the folks using thickeners and other voodoo magic have thicker slurry that requires more rinsing On a side note I also use several barrels for my lotos so I never have to spend time washing barrels between grits and polish there either. I realized early on that if I was going to tumble in this sort of quantity I better get system in place. Chuck
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Post by krazydiamond on Jan 3, 2016 21:32:10 GMT -5
now, that is some righteous rock tumbling!!! meticulous. certainly at a higher level than I ever achieved. I used buckets all winter and summer, but never at such a volume. wow. I'm totally impressed.
KD
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Post by Jugglerguy on Jan 4, 2016 6:45:10 GMT -5
My eyes are getting old, and I've started wearing cheaters when reading. I use a cheap optivisor type magnifier when inspecting rocks. I do one barrel at a time and use the barrel as my rinsing cup. I use the barrel so I can get the rim clean for a good seal when I reload them. I have a question. Drummond Island Rocks, you said that you wet your rocks for inspection. I do the opposite. I dry each rock off before inspecting. I don't like them to all be dryer start, but by drying a wet rock, I think I can see cracks better. The water sticks in the cracks and they show up nicely. Water covers small flaws for me.
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Jan 4, 2016 7:12:21 GMT -5
My eyes are getting old, and I've started wearing cheaters when reading. I use a cheap optivisor type magnifier when inspecting rocks. I do one barrel at a time and use the barrel as my rinsing cup. I use the barrel so I can get the rim clean for a good seal when I reload them. I have a question. Drummond Island Rocks, you said that you wet your rocks for inspection. I do the opposite. I dry each rock off before inspecting. I don't like them to all be dryer start, but by drying a wet rock, I think I can see cracks better. The water sticks in the cracks and they show up nicely. Water covers small flaws for me. Certain rocks I do like to inspect dry. Obsidian is one that I can only look at dry. That's why I don't just dump them all in water I just dip them each in. That gives me a chance to inspect both ways and I can feel for flaws better when wet. I also have a good idea when each type of rock was started so that speeds things up. Right now I know the mexican lace agate is only on week two so I really wont even start looking at those closely for another few weeks but I know all of the tiger eye is on week 4 and it tumbles fast so I know to inspect those more closely. I let the crud in the lip of the barrel dry out while I am doing my sorting then its very easy to run the head of a framing nail around the lip and all the dried muck just falls into the barrel. I have never rinsed the lip of any of my barrels. The only time my rotary barrels see water is on day one when I fill them up. I kinda of forgot I have a show coming up in March so that's why I am back to running more than usual right now. My real comfort zone for quality control is two 12 pound rotaries and one loto. Anything over that becomes work. Chuck
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Post by beefjello on Jan 4, 2016 9:11:41 GMT -5
Whew, a whole lotta work but well worth it!
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sschus87
starting to shine!
Member since November 2015
Posts: 49
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Post by sschus87 on Jan 14, 2016 0:06:20 GMT -5
I kinda of forgot I have a show coming up in March so that's why I am back to running more than usual right now. My real comfort zone for quality control is two 12 pound rotaries and one loto. Anything over that becomes work. Chuck Where is the show you are doing in March? Thanks---Steve
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Post by toiv0 on Jan 14, 2016 6:12:46 GMT -5
I am impressed with you system and dedication. Great work!
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