timv
starting to shine!
Member since March 2022
Posts: 31
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Post by timv on Mar 24, 2022 8:47:40 GMT -5
Don, thanks for the response. I let it go 3 days, but probably would have been better off listening to your advice. That last day seemed to take a bit of a tole on my rocks. Went thru the last stages and they turned out beautiful for my first set of finished rocks. Thanks for the help!
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catskillrocks
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since July 2008
Posts: 1,270
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Post by catskillrocks on Mar 24, 2022 19:21:50 GMT -5
You're welcome timv . If you can post pictures of your shiny gems we'd love to see them! |
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timv
starting to shine!
Member since March 2022
Posts: 31
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Post by timv on Mar 25, 2022 10:05:41 GMT -5
Soon as I can figure out how to upload them I will, thanks.
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timv
starting to shine!
Member since March 2022
Posts: 31
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Post by timv on Mar 26, 2022 20:04:36 GMT -5
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Mar 26, 2022 21:26:20 GMT -5
Great job posting your pictures!  Beautiful stones. You really got a great shine on them! |
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timv
starting to shine!
Member since March 2022
Posts: 31
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Post by timv on Mar 26, 2022 22:26:48 GMT -5
Great job posting your pictures!  Beautiful stones. You really got a great shine on them! Thanks very much, unfortunately my photographing of the rocks don't do them much justice...gotta work on that. What's really cool is that the first 2 pics are of the same rock, just opposite sides. |
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catskillrocks
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since July 2008
Posts: 1,270
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Post by catskillrocks on Mar 27, 2022 14:12:04 GMT -5
Well timv , I can clearly see that it was worth the wait. You've got some very colorful, wavy, shiny rocks there. |
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jul 19, 2022 20:59:09 GMT -5
So I know most recipes call for 2 tablespoons of 120/220 for the 1st stage in the lot-o. Every time I do that it is so gunky and I need to add so much water and watch it a lot on the first day. I decided to experiment to see if I could use less, save time and money. Sooo… I went to 1 tablespoon which worked fine. Then went down to 1/2 tablespoon. This has been working really well for me. I get a nice coat on the rocks. (See picture) I don’t need to tend to it as much and most importantly I get to save money and get the same results.  |
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hplcman
starting to spend too much on rocks
Just getting into this....
Member since August 2022
Posts: 201
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Post by hplcman on Aug 10, 2022 14:44:55 GMT -5
Just a newbie question, but is it worth it to get a Lot-O anymore now that the motors are rubbish? I keep reading that people are being discouraged from buying these because the motors don't last long at all anymore...
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Aug 17, 2022 13:45:47 GMT -5
Just a newbie question, but is it worth it to get a Lot-O anymore now that the motors are rubbish? I keep reading that people are being discouraged from buying these because the motors don't last long at all anymore... Everyone will have differing opinions but for me I love my lot o. If it conks out I will be very upset but I’m glad I bought it.It works great, as long as it is working. |
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Sept 16, 2022 12:43:46 GMT -5
So I know most recipes call for 2 tablespoons of 120/220 for the 1st stage in the lot-o. Every time I do that it is so gunky and I need to add so much water and watch it a lot on the first day. I decided to experiment to see if I could use less, save time and money. Sooo… I went to 1 tablespoon which worked fine. Then went down to 1/2 tablespoon. This has been working really well for me. I get a nice coat on the rocks. (See picture) I don’t need to tend to it as much and most importantly I get to save money and get the same results. Sooo, I wanted to try even less 120/220. Went down to 1 Teaspoon and it works great! Give it a go and see what you think! Saves money for sure and I get the same results. |
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timv
starting to shine!
Member since March 2022
Posts: 31
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Post by timv on Sept 16, 2022 17:52:13 GMT -5
So I know most recipes call for 2 tablespoons of 120/220 for the 1st stage in the lot-o. Every time I do that it is so gunky and I need to add so much water and watch it a lot on the first day. I decided to experiment to see if I could use less, save time and money. Sooo… I went to 1 tablespoon which worked fine. Then went down to 1/2 tablespoon. This has been working really well for me. I get a nice coat on the rocks. (See picture) I don’t need to tend to it as much and most importantly I get to save money and get the same results. Sooo, I wanted to try even less 120/220. Went down to 1 Teaspoon and it works great! Give it a go and see what you think! Saves money for sure and I get the same results. |
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timv
starting to shine!
Member since March 2022
Posts: 31
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Post by timv on Sept 16, 2022 17:55:04 GMT -5
I have found the same thing with the 2 tablespoons, will definitely reduce the amount of grit next time and see how that works. Thanks for the info.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Sept 16, 2022 18:17:13 GMT -5
timvYou’re welcome! Let me know how it works for you.
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keiths
off to a rocking start
Member since September 2021
Posts: 19 
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Post by keiths on Oct 9, 2022 21:20:56 GMT -5
I have 4 Lot-Os, one double and two singles. I have some success, and some PITAs. I have tried to tumble some calcite, four times with the same rocks, and have not gotten much more than one day before I stopped the process. 120/220 grit, and after 6 hours or so, the batch slows to little rotation and some vibration. Add a little water to speed it up and an hour or so later, repeat. Eventually, I give up and stop the process. This last try, I found the bottom half in the barrel quite solidified and all of the media was there. I know that calcite is a soft rock and that may be the issue. When I have agates and jasper available, I will try them in the Lot-O. If I continue to have the same issues I will replace the Lot-Os with a couple of UV-10s which work well for me.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Oct 10, 2022 7:47:58 GMT -5
keithsSorry to hear that. I have the same issue and it’s normally only in the first process with the 120/220. The ceramics will become a glob down in the middle after a day or so. I reduced the amount of 120/220 down to 1 Teaspoon and that has drastically reduced that issue. I have had it happen once since then when the rocks are just chattering around and not actually rotating and moving but that was because I had them in for 4 or 5 days. To fix it I dump it all out in a pot put some water in it and mix it all around, swish some water in the barrel and dump that then load the rocks back in, I dont clean the rocks or add so much water that all the grits gone just enough to “unglob” it. When I put it back I do not add more grit.
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ericabelle
spending too much on rocks
Instagram acct: @erica_shoots_everything
Member since April 2021
Posts: 482
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Post by ericabelle on Oct 10, 2022 13:50:42 GMT -5
keithsSorry to hear that. I have the same issue and it’s normally only in the first process with the 120/220. The ceramics will become a glob down in the middle after a day or so. I reduced the amount of 120/220 down to 1 Teaspoon and that has drastically reduced that issue. I have had it happen once since then when the rocks are just chattering around and not actually rotating and moving but that was because I had them in for 4 or 5 days. To fix it I dump it all out in a pot put some water in it and mix it all around, swish some water in the barrel and dump that then load the rocks back in, I dont clean the rocks or add so much water that all the grits gone just enough to “unglob” it. When I put it back I do not add more grit. Thanks for sharing your experiment with decreasing the grit amount. I had been having a problem recently with there still being lots of the 120/220 grit left at the end of that stage. (I guess something about my LOT-o changed and that just started happening.) So now I’m slowly decreasing my grit amount in that stage, and that has solved the problem with no negative effects on my rocks.🙂 |
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Oct 10, 2022 14:02:09 GMT -5
ericabelleYour welcome! I was surprised to see how little I could get away with and still get the same results.
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thebeef
having dreams about rocks
Member since September 2020
Posts: 62
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Post by thebeef on Oct 20, 2022 12:22:25 GMT -5
I have 4 Lot-Os, one double and two singles. I have some success, and some PITAs. I have tried to tumble some calcite, four times with the same rocks, and have not gotten much more than one day before I stopped the process. 120/220 grit, and after 6 hours or so, the batch slows to little rotation and some vibration. Add a little water to speed it up and an hour or so later, repeat. Eventually, I give up and stop the process. This last try, I found the bottom half in the barrel quite solidified and all of the media was there. I know that calcite is a soft rock and that may be the issue. When I have agates and jasper available, I will try them in the Lot-O. If I continue to have the same issues I will replace the Lot-Os with a couple of UV-10s which work well for me. I've had some success with calcite, but I usually start with 500 AO after doing a day or so in 120/220 in a rotary to shape. You might need to do a dry polish to get a high gloss shine. |
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dirtsifter
Cave Dweller 
Co to za kamyczek?
Member since September 2022
Posts: 401
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Post by dirtsifter on Feb 28, 2023 3:34:53 GMT -5
Well...just went through this whole thread and learned much. Thanks members for posting questions and those that posted answers.
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