johnnymac1969
starting to spend too much on rocks
I Like A Rolling Stone
Member since January 2016
Posts: 139
|
Post by johnnymac1969 on Jan 20, 2016 1:58:23 GMT -5
Hello all,
First off, I am extremely new to tumbling (about 2 months). After buying my daughter a "toy" plastic tumbler for Christmas, I quickly realized that we needed something better. I bought the Lortone 33B about a month ago and all was good for about two weeks. Now, all of the sudden, the grit is settling on the bottom after only one day. This has been going on for two weeks now. I have tried using less water, more water, less grit, more grit, etc. We are still in Stage 1 with both barrels and are using 80 grit, a balanced load and ceramic pellets for filler.
Any advice and/or info would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks, John
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 20, 2016 6:54:03 GMT -5
I'm no tumbling expert so I'll leave it to them.hang tight,someone will answer your questions Dave
|
|
indiana
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2015
Posts: 285
|
Post by indiana on Jan 20, 2016 9:50:42 GMT -5
Are you letting it run continuously, i.e. not shutting it down for any period of time?
|
|
johnnymac1969
starting to spend too much on rocks
I Like A Rolling Stone
Member since January 2016
Posts: 139
|
Post by johnnymac1969 on Jan 20, 2016 10:03:06 GMT -5
Yes, running it 24/7.
|
|
|
Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Jan 20, 2016 10:06:26 GMT -5
how much grit and how much water are you adding? Also what type of rocks are in there?
In a 3lb barrel 3 tablespoons of 80 grit with water just below the top layer of rocks should not be settling. Is your tumbler sitting fairly level?
Chuck
|
|
Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,711
|
Post by Fossilman on Jan 20, 2016 10:16:02 GMT -5
Usually filling the barrels 3/4 full(rock),add one Tablespoon of grit per pound of rocks,than add water to just below the level of the rocks.....Works every time.... Yes being level has to be at 100%....
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,563
|
Post by jamesp on Jan 20, 2016 11:29:59 GMT -5
I run coarse 30 grit which has a bad way of settling with clean water. Add a couple of shooter marble size balls of modeling clay in a 3 pounder to thicken the slurry a bit. The thicker slurry will scavenge the 80 grit and distribute it to the rocks.
80 grit should not require a thick slurry. I think you are running too much water as hinted at. Reduce the water even lower for a 24 hour run and eventually the grit has to stop washing down, stick to the rocks and start making a muddy slurry. Then you can add a little water if warranted.
My tap water was bad about doing that. Started using lake water and situation went away. Some water ph 5, some ph 8, some hard, some soft. Seems to make a difference.
|
|
osuguy0301
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since December 2015
Posts: 203
|
Post by osuguy0301 on Jan 20, 2016 18:06:03 GMT -5
I have a Lortone 45C and haven't had any settling issues in mine but after reading what Drummond Island Rocks said, I am starting to worry I am putting too much grit in my barrel and wasting it. I noticed when I cleaned out my 120/220 run last night that I had grit stuck on rocks after rinsing them throughly. It was stuck on them like mud, i rinsed them off by had and scrubbed them off but it took way longer than my 60/90 stage to clean. According to my Lortone book it says I should be putting in 8 tablespoons of grit for each stage in a 4 lb barrel. Is that way too much?
|
|
Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,711
|
Post by Fossilman on Jan 20, 2016 19:07:51 GMT -5
I have a Lortone 45C and haven't had any settling issues in mine but after reading what Drummond Island Rocks said, I am starting to worry I am putting too much grit in my barrel and wasting it. I noticed when I cleaned out my 120/220 run last night that I had grit stuck on rocks after rinsing them throughly. It was stuck on them like mud, i rinsed them off by had and scrubbed them off but it took way longer than my 60/90 stage to clean. According to my Lortone book it says I should be putting in 8 tablespoons of grit for each stage in a 4 lb barrel. Is that way too much? In my opinion,I think that is way to much grit........I would say about half of what you are using now.....Give or take...
|
|
osuguy0301
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since December 2015
Posts: 203
|
Post by osuguy0301 on Jan 20, 2016 20:07:15 GMT -5
Thanks Fossilman, next coarse run I do I am gonna scale back to about 4 tablespoons. It seemed like an a lot to me but just starting out I figured I would follow directions. Jake
|
|
Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,711
|
Post by Fossilman on Jan 20, 2016 22:40:47 GMT -5
YES..........I googled for the directions on tumbling,it got me pretty close to the recipe-plus listening to the pro's on here,I'm getting it figured out too...
|
|
|
Post by Jugglerguy on Jan 21, 2016 8:20:22 GMT -5
johnnymac1969, I'm confused. How do you know that the grit is settling after only one day? You shouldn't be peeking in there until a week. After one day, I would expect there to be a lot of grit left. And since you have to take it off the tumbler, then it won't be spinning and it would therefore mostly be setting on the bottom. Are you saying that the grit is also present after two weeks? If so, then something is definitely wrong. I don't use ceramic in my rough tumble because it wears down too much. It should cause a tumbling issue, it's just too expensive for the first stage. I have tried using plastic in my first stage which always results in a slower grind and left over grit after a week. I don't do that anymore. I use small beach pebbles as filler when I need some smalls in a batch. If I didn't have those, I'd buy some sort of aquarium gravel or landscaping gravel if I could find small enough stuff.
|
|
snuffy
Cave Dweller
Member since May 2009
Posts: 4,319
|
Post by snuffy on Jan 21, 2016 8:28:00 GMT -5
Grit will settle immediately on the bottom if you take it off and sit it upright.There is no way in my opinion that grit is settling on the bottom with the barrel turning. Will settle on the side of the barrel if not turning.
snuffy
|
|
johnnymac1969
starting to spend too much on rocks
I Like A Rolling Stone
Member since January 2016
Posts: 139
|
Post by johnnymac1969 on Jan 22, 2016 17:08:26 GMT -5
Thanks for the replies/info everyone. Like others have mentioned, I think I was using too much grit. But it's odd that Lortone's own manual calls for 4tbsps of grit for a 3lb barrel.
|
|
|
Post by parfive on Jan 22, 2016 22:26:15 GMT -5
Put some water in a glass jar. Half, two-thirds, whatever. Add a spoonful of coarse grit and put the lid on. Shake it up, roll it like a tumbler for a few seconds, then set it down.
What happened? How soon did it happen?
Save it for the next recharge. Four tablespoons of coarse grit is typical in a 3lb barrel. Cut it back to three when you move on to 500. Forget the 120/220 bit. Waste of time, money and effort in a rotary.
|
|
Intheswamp
Cave Dweller
Member since September 2015
Posts: 1,910
|
Post by Intheswamp on Jan 23, 2016 8:32:46 GMT -5
I have a Lortone 45C and haven't had any settling issues in mine but after reading what Drummond Island Rocks said, I am starting to worry I am putting too much grit in my barrel and wasting it. I noticed when I cleaned out my 120/220 run last night that I had grit stuck on rocks after rinsing them throughly. It was stuck on them like mud, i rinsed them off by had and scrubbed them off but it took way longer than my 60/90 stage to clean. According to my Lortone book it says I should be putting in 8 tablespoons of grit for each stage in a 4 lb barrel. Is that way too much? Thanks for the replies/info everyone. Like others have mentioned, I think I was using too much grit. But it's odd that Lortone's own manual calls for 4tbsps of grit for a 3lb barrel. I'm curious...is this the same book that is saying two different things? The latter mention of 4tbsp per 3lb barrel is about what most people go with...a little over a tablespoon per pound. But, there again, I've only stayed at Holiday Inn Expresses on occasion...I'm no expert. By the way, I pulled my daughters' old Model T tumbler out to tumble some rocks with my *granddaughters* a while back... I used restraint and in no shape, form, nor fashion did I get sucked into this hobby. No way... ETA: This is for coarse stage and in a rotary...
|
|
osuguy0301
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since December 2015
Posts: 203
|
Post by osuguy0301 on Jan 25, 2016 17:22:12 GMT -5
Here is the manual that came with my Lortone 45C. The measurements didn't make sense to me when I first was looking at it but figured "what did I know?" since it was my first try. It will be 4 tablespoons from now on though.
|
|
|
Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Jan 25, 2016 17:46:56 GMT -5
Here is the manual that came with my Lortone 45C. The measurements didn't make sense to me when I first was looking at it but figured "what did I know?" since it was my first try. It will be 4 tablespoons from now on though. With 4.5 pounds of rock I would not go less then 5 tablespoons. Better to error on the heavy side a tad to make sure you are getting all the bang for your buck after running 7 days. Chuck
|
|
|
Post by parfive on Jan 26, 2016 2:22:09 GMT -5
That Lortone chart bumps quantities for steps 3 & 4, pre-polish & polish.
What are they smokin? NEVER seen anyone go that route.
|
|