celticraven
off to a rocking start
Member since December 2015
Posts: 21
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Post by celticraven on Jan 11, 2016 22:45:08 GMT -5
So I have what I think is a basic question here, and wanted the grand internet opinion.
So as the awesome article here suggested, I got a barrel for each stage, and labeled them. In cleaning between batches, should this reduce cleaning to a spray them out, get the crap off them and make sure to keep them separate and clearly marked? I am pretty insane about the cleaning up stages after and keeping the work space clean.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,563
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Post by jamesp on Jan 12, 2016 2:10:55 GMT -5
Allow me to comment on this celticraven. First, welcome to the forum. You will get great advise here.
I tumble a lot. Experiment a lot. And am unconventional in general.
A alternate to cleaning is extending the run time for any given stage. I will run SiC30, a really coarse grit. Say for 2 weeks on the last charge in a rotary. At the end of that two weeks the grit has broken down to at least 400. The reason I know this is because the next step is AO500 in a vibratory tumbler, and after 4 days in the vibe the rocks have a wet shine. Not suggesting you try this, but it is a routine for me. A 2 stage tumble, 30 grit and 500 grit.
That means the 220 step was skipped. And the 1000 and 14,000 step was omitted. The reason for that is because the tumbling process breaks grit down. And switching from SiC for shaping to AO(aluminum oxide) for polishing.
So if you do a conventional tumble with 60/90-220-500-1000-polish the clean issue is much less of an issue if you run the grit a bit longer each stage. Like 10 days each for 220-500-1000-polish. Maybe longer on each depending on your tumbler, type of rocks and their level, slurry and water level.
Appreciate your interest in cleanliness. What happens in the tumbler is a process. No matter how clean, if you do not grind long enough to break the grit down before moving to the next step you may not achieve a polish. So I consider a clean tumble is one that has broken the grit down well by running it a bit longer each step.
If I run the SiC 30 for 1 week instead of 2 weeks before moving to AO 500 no polish will occur in the end. 1 week is not long enough to break the 30 down. The action of the tumbler works in your favor of having a batch of rocks free from large grit particles that may effect the polish in the end. And an achieved surface finish each step.
The vibratory type tumbler breaks grit down much faster than a rotary. And the rotary is best at shaping rocks with coarse grit. But a rotary will do fine for the whole process, just takes longer, and is best done with 4-5 steps in starting out.
The two step is extreme. works for me. But I know my tumblers well. Best to do 4-5 steps until you get a handle.
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Intheswamp
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Member since September 2015
Posts: 1,910
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Post by Intheswamp on Jan 12, 2016 8:25:57 GMT -5
Allow me to comment on this celticraven. First, welcome to the forum. You will get great advise here. I tumble a lot. Experiment a lot. And am unconventional in general. <snipped a bunch of good stuff from James' post...> Ya think?<grin> celticraven, you've pretty much got it figured regarding washing the barrels. Since you are only using a single grit size per barrel then there should be little danger of contamination. A good wash/rinse out should do it...no need for a magnifying glass and micro-brush. Keep barrels separated and keep the grit containers separated...use cleanliness in handling the grits so one bag isn't contaminated by another one or the measuring spoon or a dirty finger or the cat playing in it or.... Welcome aboard!!!!
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,563
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Post by jamesp on Jan 12, 2016 9:09:07 GMT -5
Intheswamp Ed, I think you will be happy using you rotary for coarse grit alone. Even if you have two 19 pound barrels I think your Lotto will easily keep up with their output. Lotto doing 220 500 and polish. When I did not have a vibe I ran 4 barrels. Three for coarse, and one to do 220-500-polish of the other three barrels. The one finishing barrel kept up with the output of the three roughing barrels. Using separate scoops in each grit important. To avoid contamination. I add chunks of crushed SiC 60 grit grinding wheels to my coarse grit run. On several occasions I left pieces of the grinding wheels in with the rocks when doing the long grit reduction grind on the last coarse grit charge. Figured there would be scratches when transferring to the vibe. Not so far. I had a run that had SiC 30 grit particles from who knows where in a polish run and they did leave scratches. But they were real difficult to see. Regardless, cleanliness and washing rocks and barrel is the best way. Better safe than sorry.
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,711
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Post by Fossilman on Jan 12, 2016 9:34:10 GMT -5
I'm crazy clean when it comes to my tumblers.....I rinse the rocks off with clean water,soak them in Dawn soap,than rinse again,soak in clean water,than add to barrel for the next round-I also clean the barrels up,like new,making sure no small particles are hanging up around the seal area..... I also have learned to run my cycles longer per grit change...Usually two weeks per cycle.....(it really helps)..
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Intheswamp
Cave Dweller
Member since September 2015
Posts: 1,910
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Post by Intheswamp on Jan 12, 2016 9:42:44 GMT -5
Yep, coarse grit only in the Money Pit tumbler. I just need Jimi to fan that fire under me on getting my Loto online. What James said.."Better safe than sorry." Wash the barrels good. Don't get sloppy. Separate "dishes/utensils" for each stage including colanders/screens, rinse tubs, measuring spoons/cups, etc.,. From what I've discerned from things, plastic is easier to contaminate than metal...grit can get embedded into plastic colanders, spoons, etc., and come out later. BUT, grit can hide in cracks and crevices of metal items, too. Also, as you move from stage to stage be sure and inspect rocks carefully for pits and crevices that can hide grit that could come out in a later (finer grit) stage and contaminate the entire batch. Be sure that the rocks are ready for the next stage...
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alysia711
starting to shine!
Member since January 2016
Posts: 31
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Post by alysia711 on Jan 15, 2016 20:00:39 GMT -5
Celtic, I'm so glad you asked this question. All of the answers were extremely helpful and I definitely feel like I have a better understanding of the process now. Thank you james, fossil, and swamp
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