johnnymac1969
starting to spend too much on rocks
I Like A Rolling Stone
Member since January 2016
Posts: 139
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Post by johnnymac1969 on Apr 16, 2016 23:10:04 GMT -5
Most of these came from members of this site… some are from my own experiences and observations.
- Fill the bottom of the barrel "hole" with epoxy (thanks for the tip, Jugglerguy!) - If you don't have enough material to fill the Lot-O, fill it with rough to smooth out the sides, then put them in your rotary to round the edges in Stage 1. There is no reason to ever have your Lot-O not working on something. - Rocks should not look like they're in a 40-yard dash… they should be moving like they're in a marathon. Slow and steady. - During the grit stages, your rocks should be coated with grit. If they're not, all of your grit is sitting at the bottom of the barrel. - Use a drop or two of Dawn liquid soap and a few squirts of water to help distribute the grit. - Use a pump or two of foam hand soap (not the instant sanitizer type) 5-10 minutes before rinsing the rocks. This makes rinsing the grit off your rocks SO much easier! - Buy a second barrel for POLISH ONLY! - Drill a 1/16th hole into the lid(s). This will allow excess pressure to escape without losing too much moisture. - Have fun and please share your own discoveries!
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taryn
starting to shine!
Member since March 2016
Posts: 38
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Post by taryn on Apr 17, 2016 5:47:19 GMT -5
Most of these came from members of this site… some are from my own experiences and observations. - Fill the bottom of the barrel "hole" with epoxy (thanks for the tip, Jugglerguy!) - If you don't have enough material to fill the Lot-O, fill it with rough to smooth out the sides, then put them in your rotary to round the edges in Stage 1. There is no reason to ever have your Lot-O not working on something. - Rocks should not look like they're in a 40-yard dash… they should be moving like they're in a marathon. Slow and steady. - During the grit stages, your rocks should be coated with grit. If they're not, all of your grit is sitting at the bottom of the barrel. - Use a drop or two of Dawn liquid soap and a few squirts of water to help distribute the grit. - Use a pump or two of foam hand soap (not the instant sanitizer type) 5-10 minutes before rinsing the rocks. This makes rinsing the grit off your rocks SO much easier! - Buy a second barrel for POLISH ONLY! - Drill a 1/16th hole into the lid(s). This will allow excess pressure to escape without losing too much moisture. - Have fun and please share your own discoveries! Great thread-starter and would love to see personal experiences on how much grit to use at each stage in the Lot-o - I wonder if there has been much experimentation?
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juniorg
off to a rocking start
Member since April 2016
Posts: 4
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Post by juniorg on Apr 17, 2016 16:31:04 GMT -5
I agree, it would be nice if someone could verify the amount of grit to use in the Lot-O-Tumbler. The instructions for the coarse grind (180-220 grit) are ambiguous, in one place calling for 2 tablespoons per 12-hour run and in another, only 1.5 teaspoons. That's a pretty significant difference. The little packet of coarse (medium?) grit that comes with the unit only has about 2 tablespoons in it total, so that makes me think they expect you to use less than that per 12-hours so the packet will do a full 3-4 day run. As a comparison, the instructions call for 0.5 teaspoon of 600 grit and 0.5 teaspoon of polish during those stages. Some clarification from experienced users would be much appreciated.
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Apr 17, 2016 16:47:07 GMT -5
I agree, it would be nice if someone could verify the amount of grit to use in the Lot-O-Tumbler. The instructions for the coarse grind (180-220 grit) are ambiguous, in one place calling for 2 tablespoons per 12-hour run and in another, only 1.5 teaspoons. That's a pretty significant difference. The little packet of coarse (medium?) grit that comes with the unit only has about 2 tablespoons in it total, so that makes me think they expect you to use less than that per 12-hours so the packet will do a full 3-4 day run. As a comparison, the instructions call for 0.5 teaspoon of 600 grit and 0.5 teaspoon of polish during those stages. Some clarification from experienced users would be much appreciated. There are variables involved that can change the amount of grit and run time per stage. If you rotary tumble first like most of us then stage one in the loto is way different then just tossing rough rocks in the loto for stage one. The loto instructions are geared toward people that do not rotary tumble stage one. Specify what you are trying to do and we can give more specific answers. Chuck
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juniorg
off to a rocking start
Member since April 2016
Posts: 4
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Post by juniorg on Apr 17, 2016 17:16:34 GMT -5
For my first test run (started yesterday) I put in some junk like you would find in a landscaping bed. It had already been mostly rounded but a lot of it was broken with pretty jagged edges. For the next run I plan to use some stuff I previously picked up off the ground mixed with some purchased tumbling media. I don't currently have a rotary tumbler so for now I will be doing natural loads. I'm using a Lot-O-Twin-Tumbler that has been sitting around for a while waiting for me to build the 100+ pound base it calls for.
I'm also really curious which quantity they intended to print. I mean, with a difference that big one of them has to be a misprint.
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Apr 17, 2016 17:38:52 GMT -5
For my first test run (started yesterday) I put in some junk like you would find in a landscaping bed. It had already been mostly rounded but a lot of it was broken with pretty jagged edges. For the next run I plan to use some stuff I previously picked up off the ground mixed with some purchased tumbling media. I don't currently have a rotary tumbler so for now I will be doing natural loads. I'm using a Lot-O-Twin-Tumbler that has been sitting around for a while waiting for me to build the 100+ pound base it calls for. I'm also really curious which quantity they intended to print. I mean, with a difference that big one of them has to be a misprint. You consider 1.5 and 2 tablespoons a big difference? I just added 48 tablespoons of stage one grit in my rotaries for the week. Order yourself five pounds of 120/220 from the rockshed and add 1.5 if you are doing 12 hr runs with "rough" rocks. Add 2 tablespoons if you are adding smooth stuff that will be ready for stage two and let the 2 tablespoons run for 24-48 hours. My lotos run 24-7 all year and 5 pounds of 120/220 has lasted years. For every 12 pounds of rock I plan on going through a bare minimum of 6 pounds of 46/70 just to get through stage one. Chuck
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juniorg
off to a rocking start
Member since April 2016
Posts: 4
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Post by juniorg on Apr 17, 2016 17:48:14 GMT -5
For my first test run (started yesterday) I put in some junk like you would find in a landscaping bed. It had already been mostly rounded but a lot of it was broken with pretty jagged edges. For the next run I plan to use some stuff I previously picked up off the ground mixed with some purchased tumbling media. I don't currently have a rotary tumbler so for now I will be doing natural loads. I'm using a Lot-O-Twin-Tumbler that has been sitting around for a while waiting for me to build the 100+ pound base it calls for. I'm also really curious which quantity they intended to print. I mean, with a difference that big one of them has to be a misprint. You consider 1.5 and 2 tablespoons a big difference? I just added 48 tablespoons of stage one grit in my rotaries for the week. Order yourself five pounds of 120/220 from the rockshed and add 1.5 if you are doing 12 hr runs with "rough" rocks. Add 2 tablespoons if you are adding smooth stuff that will be ready for stage two and let the 2 tablespoons run for 24-48 hours. My lotos run 24-7 all year and 5 pounds of 120/220 has lasted years. For every 12 pounds of rock I plan on going through a bare minimum of 6 pounds of 46/70 just to get through stage one. Chuck Thanks for the info Chuck. It was actually 2 TABLEspoons versus 1.5 TEAspoons. Tablespoons seems to be the common measuring unit on the threads I've read so that's probably the one they intended. Do you agree with the half TEAspoon for 600 grit and polish, or should that be tablespoons as well?
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Apr 17, 2016 17:51:54 GMT -5
You consider 1.5 and 2 tablespoons a big difference? I just added 48 tablespoons of stage one grit in my rotaries for the week. Order yourself five pounds of 120/220 from the rockshed and add 1.5 if you are doing 12 hr runs with "rough" rocks. Add 2 tablespoons if you are adding smooth stuff that will be ready for stage two and let the 2 tablespoons run for 24-48 hours. My lotos run 24-7 all year and 5 pounds of 120/220 has lasted years. For every 12 pounds of rock I plan on going through a bare minimum of 6 pounds of 46/70 just to get through stage one. Chuck Thanks for the info Chuck. It was actually 2 TABLEspoons versus 1.5 TEAspoons. Tablespoons seems to be the common measuring unit on the threads I've read so that's probably the one they intended. Do you agree with the half TEAspoon for 600 grit and polish, or should that be tablespoons as well? After stage one the rest go like this every time. 500 1/2 teaspoon for 24-48 hours 1000 if needed 1/2 teaspoon for 24-48 hours A/O polish 1/2 teaspoon for 24-48 hours Chuck
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taryn
starting to shine!
Member since March 2016
Posts: 38
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Post by taryn on Apr 17, 2016 18:26:52 GMT -5
That's great to know, Chuck, thanks! (Always seem to be sending you big thanks) :-)
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juniorg
off to a rocking start
Member since April 2016
Posts: 4
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Post by juniorg on Apr 17, 2016 18:49:58 GMT -5
Thanks for the confirmation, Chuck. Your help is much appreciated.
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Apr 17, 2016 19:21:29 GMT -5
Thanks for the confirmation, Chuck. Your help is much appreciated. Don't stress too much. Rocks are very forgiving. Get a few batches under your belt and post pictures as you go. Adding a rotary tumbler when you get a chance will be a game changer. The loto is one of my favorite tumbling tools but I started with rotaries and got spoiled with the rotaries ability to transform hammer broken rough into perfectly smooth rocks in stage one. Jugglerguy did an experiment trying to use the loto for stage one and it is worth reading. I don't have the link handy so maybe he will be able to post it for you. Chuck
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es355lucille
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since February 2016
Posts: 194
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Post by es355lucille on Apr 18, 2016 1:17:02 GMT -5
Great comments Chuck! It's amazing how little amount of grit you really use in a lot-o in comparison to a rotary. I sure like mine! I would not be without one now.
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rastageezer
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since December 2013
Posts: 169
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Post by rastageezer on Apr 18, 2016 1:30:12 GMT -5
"For every 12 pounds of rock I plan on going through a bare minimum of 6 pounds of 46/70 just to get through stage one." I'm such a cheapskate I tend to use less grit (about half of that) and run the tumbles for a long time (up tp 12 days). I might be wasting time and money on electricity. I sure can't disagree with Chuck's results. I run 12 # Lortones for stage one and Loto for the rest. Guess I should try more grit and more frequent clean outs for stage one. Read more: forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/thread/74621/tips-new-lot-users#ixzz469mYOq5g
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Post by Jugglerguy on Apr 18, 2016 5:29:45 GMT -5
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Apr 18, 2016 5:53:28 GMT -5
"For every 12 pounds of rock I plan on going through a bare minimum of 6 pounds of 46/70 just to get through stage one." I'm such a cheapskate I tend to use less grit (about half of that) and run the tumbles for a long time (up tp 12 days). I might be wasting time and money on electricity. I sure can't disagree with Chuck's results. I run 12 # Lortones for stage one and Loto for the rest. Guess I should try more grit and more frequent clean outs for stage one. Keep in mind that 95% of what I tumble starts off as very rough hammer broken or crushed stone. When tumbling beach rocks or semi-smooth nodules the times can be much less. I have 12 pounds of Lakers going right now that I started 8 weeks ago and just pulled out the first 10 or so rocks to move on this week. Some of them may take 12-16 weeks with grit changes every seven days. This is a good example of what I consider "rough" rocks And these are those same rocks shown wet after 46/70 for 8 weeks plus diamond wheel grinding before ever seeing a tumbler barrel. Chuck
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Post by orrum on Apr 18, 2016 9:26:27 GMT -5
Hey check out Chucks/ Drummondislandrocks threads about the Loto and both rounded rock tumbling, flat faced cab tumbling and cab tumbling for just final polish.
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rastageezer
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since December 2013
Posts: 169
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Post by rastageezer on Apr 19, 2016 1:13:57 GMT -5
yeah I just cleaned out 2 12# Lortones and dumped more 40/70 in. Got a few for the Loto......never ending tumble
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Post by Jugglerguy on Apr 20, 2016 12:38:28 GMT -5
Here's another tip. Use a short piece of PVC as a stand and a canning funnel to fill it.
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es355lucille
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since February 2016
Posts: 194
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Post by es355lucille on Apr 23, 2016 20:02:24 GMT -5
I had the canning funnel working.......nice addition of the PVC piping to hold the unit!! Thanks!
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