anubis63
off to a rocking start
Member since February 2018
Posts: 18
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Post by anubis63 on Mar 5, 2018 9:19:45 GMT -5
I've been running my tumblers, 8 barrels in all, and with my harder stones I've been tumbling a month on stage one. I know stage two is to smooth out the scratches but do I need to run it a month or will two weeks do on the other three stages? Also I haven't oiled my tumblers except on the shaft that turns the barrels. Where else would I oil? I had a bad experience on my first tumbler the first day I got it I had oiled the shaft with WD40 and it got under the rubber that the barrel rolls on so it slipped and I had to take it apart, slide the rubber off and thoroughly clean it and I don't want to make that mistake again. So my two questions "how long on stage two, three, and four" and "where to oil the tumbler".
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Post by gmitch067 on Mar 5, 2018 9:44:12 GMT -5
Stage-2 (220 grit SiC) usually only takes me 1-2 weeks. The scratch marks of the previous 80 grit stage are pretty easy to see using a 10X magnifier. After that... Stage-3 to the polishing each only take me a week. I have been known to take the polish stage out a second week if not satisfied (for polish stage do not just dump it out... polish can be reused in a tumble. Just pick out a few rocks and check out the shine).
I use Lortone 3A and QT-66/12 rotary tumblers. The motors do not have to be oiled, but you should put a drop of oil on the bushings where the rollers go through the frame... NOT a lot.. just a small drop each week when you have to check out the tumblers anyway (I use 3-in-One oil in a very small squeeze bottle). I purchased some alcohol wipes at the store to clean the rubber part of the rollers if I get some oil on them.
I hope this helps
Glenn
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anubis63
off to a rocking start
Member since February 2018
Posts: 18
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Post by anubis63 on Mar 5, 2018 10:53:52 GMT -5
That's kind of what I thought. Thanks for the confirmation and thank you for spending the time to post.
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anubis63
off to a rocking start
Member since February 2018
Posts: 18
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Post by anubis63 on Mar 5, 2018 11:28:53 GMT -5
By the way gmitch067, do you know if there's a special way to tumble petrified wood?
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Post by grumpybill on Mar 5, 2018 12:06:42 GMT -5
I tumble petrified wood the same way I do agate or jasper.
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Post by gmitch067 on Mar 5, 2018 12:16:53 GMT -5
Most of the petrified wood I have tumbled was part of a commercial mix that came with my 3A tumbler, and like grumpybill advised, they should be treated the same as jaspers and agates. Beautiful stones.
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nchillbilly
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since January 2018
Posts: 212
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Post by nchillbilly on Mar 5, 2018 17:55:17 GMT -5
Not sure what brand of tumbler you're using, but I have a thumler's ar-2 and model b. Both of those have a small hole on top of the motor case, one at the front of the motor, and one at the rear. About once a month I add a drop of 3-in-1 oil into each hole, and oil the shafts/bushings in the frame at the same time.
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anubis63
off to a rocking start
Member since February 2018
Posts: 18
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Post by anubis63 on Mar 8, 2018 4:03:00 GMT -5
Not sure what brand of tumbler you're using, but I have a thumler's ar-2 and model b. Both of those have a small hole on top of the motor case, one at the front of the motor, and one at the rear. About once a month I add a drop of 3-in-1 oil into each hole, and oil the shafts/bushings in the frame at the same time. I have 5 dual drum (3 Lb. per drum) Chicago Electric tumblers and need to oil those I suppose. Where should I oil on those machines? Thanks so much.
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nchillbilly
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since January 2018
Posts: 212
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Post by nchillbilly on Mar 9, 2018 10:47:04 GMT -5
I can't say on the chicago electric machines. I just don't have any experience with those tumblers. Have you checked online to see if there is any info regarding maintenance on those?
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