reynedrop
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since February 2020
Posts: 204
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Post by reynedrop on Mar 8, 2020 16:15:08 GMT -5
Oh! Got it. The only technical terms/jargon I know is medical If I had any idea how to actually do that (and it wasn't too difficult/I could actually DIT), I'd definitely want to make that modification. Seems kind of similar in concept to what my 1# tumbler has. Some day (in like, over 8 years) I'll have a nice little shop and all the hobby time.
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Post by rockpickerforever on Mar 8, 2020 16:17:27 GMT -5
Here is the guide wheel on jamesp 's tumbler (on the left). It does the job. Go big or go home lol.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,155
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Post by jamesp on Mar 8, 2020 16:41:42 GMT -5
grrrrr !
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reynedrop
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since February 2020
Posts: 204
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Post by reynedrop on Mar 8, 2020 17:42:29 GMT -5
I understand why tumblers get dirty and why it's completely unnecessary to have them spotless all the time... but that photo gives me SO MUCH anxiety.
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Post by rockpickerforever on Mar 8, 2020 17:55:39 GMT -5
Oh yeah, you know I like to antagonize you, lol. (And you LIKE it...) But a large tumbler NEEDS a big guide wheel to do the job. You know it works, the proof is in the pudding. Umpteump batches of shiny polished rocks of a diverse variety, over xnth years. So how many rocks is that? I was just showing it off for you.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,155
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Post by jamesp on Mar 8, 2020 18:15:44 GMT -5
I understand why tumblers get dirty and why it's completely unnecessary to have them spotless all the time... but that photo gives me SO MUCH anxiety. I am so sorry to have let my tumbler become so untidy and covered with stains reynedrop. My best guess would be over 2000 pounds of tumbles have been run thru it since 2013. This one was kept cleaner. It was used to tumble curling stones. Curling stones typically weigh 41.5 pounds:
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reynedrop
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since February 2020
Posts: 204
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Post by reynedrop on Mar 8, 2020 18:51:14 GMT -5
jamesp That's a fair bit of tumbling. Was NOT a judgement, btw. I'm a bit particular about certain things.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,155
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Post by jamesp on Mar 8, 2020 19:55:30 GMT -5
jamesp That's a fair bit of tumbling. Was NOT a judgement, btw. I'm a bit particular about certain things. I'm just messin with you. Welcome to the RTH. Can't wait to see some beautiful tumbles from Montana. You are so fortunate to live in a location loaded with so many fine rocks. I hope that you can collect some local rocks for your tumbler.
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reynedrop
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since February 2020
Posts: 204
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Post by reynedrop on Mar 8, 2020 21:02:42 GMT -5
jamesp That's a fair bit of tumbling. Was NOT a judgement, btw. I'm a bit particular about certain things. I'm just messin with you. Welcome to the RTH. Can't wait to see some beautiful tumbles from Montana. You are so fortunate to live in a location loaded with so many fine rocks. I hope that you can collect some local rocks for your tumbler. Despite living in MT, I have found pretty much no local rocks. I THINK I may have found some jasper a couple weekends ago. Maybe. But it's a boring solid yellow color. I have a couple trips planned to locations (planned for May and June) that should have some good rocks though.
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quartz
Cave Dweller
breakin' rocks in the hot sun
Member since February 2010
Posts: 3,341
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Post by quartz on Mar 8, 2020 22:32:16 GMT -5
In a way you answered your problem with the description of the soft rotating pad on your smaller tumbler.
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Post by knave on Mar 8, 2020 22:42:27 GMT -5
Wow jamesp your dog is waaay in the background and still shows up shoulder high!!!
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,155
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Post by jamesp on Mar 9, 2020 8:47:56 GMT -5
Lol. She was sniffing arm pits knave.
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gatyam
off to a rocking start
Member since September 2021
Posts: 1
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Post by gatyam on Sept 7, 2021 21:01:53 GMT -5
I recently purchased two Lortone 33B tumblers and I'm experiencing the same shifting of barrels toward the end away from the motor on both units. Raising those ends didn't seem to help much and seemed totally unnecessary. Eventually the plastic washer at that end will wear down. While the plastic washer at the motor end can be replace by removing a screw that holds it, the plastic washer at the other end is riveted, so replacement will be difficult. Based on my early experience with this model of tumbler, I probably won't buy another one or recommend it to anyone.
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Post by perkins17 on Sept 7, 2021 22:03:51 GMT -5
I purchased my 33B direct from Lortone. The first week, it ran fine- very quiet, no issues running one full barrel (I do have the empty barrel on it as well). On Wednesday evening, I cleaned out the barrel and refreshed the grit. For the last three days: persistent, annoying squeak. I first noticed this on Thursday, when I cleaned out my smaller (and much louder) barrel on another tumbler. Husband was sick and complaining about the squeak, so I investigated a bit. After watching it run for a few seconds, I quickly realized that the metal washer was rubbing against the offset nylon washer on the far end of the machine (away from the motor). I moved my barrels, thinking I had just been hapless when putting the barrel on, and within a minute it was squeaking again. Moved the barrels again, and I watched both barrels crawl towards the far end, eventually ending with a squeak. My first instinct was that my desk wasn’t level enough. I propped the far end up with paper. Squeak returned. Over the last day or so, I’ve slowly added more and more small booklets and cardboard (eg, instruction manuals, the little cardboard packaging). Eyeballing it, the machine looked definitely lopsided. And it was- the machine was sloped towards the motor end (confirmed with my actual level), and the barrel was STILL crawling towards the far end. Currently, I have a 1/2” book propping up the far end. It’s been going for about 30 min without squeak, which is an acceptable solution. A 3/4” book causes the barrels to slide towards the motor end. But now I’m wondering: does anybody else have this issue? Where the rotation from your tumbler (Lortone?) somehow exerts enough force to make the barrels “crawl?” It’s been a minute (eh, probably 7 years) since I touched any physics, though I could probably figure out the physics of why if I thought about it. You’d think though that the engineers would design it to work though. Mine squeal on the washers too. I drop a bit of 3 in 1 oil on a rag and wipe it on the nylon washers. Fixes it for a while.
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waterboysh
spending too much on rocks
Member since April 2021
Posts: 369
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Post by waterboysh on Sept 20, 2021 8:18:06 GMT -5
I just happened to stumble upon this thread. I've had my 33B for about 6 months and for about the two months it's been squeaking really badly. At first I thought the bushings just needed lubricating, so I did that. But the noise would come back pretty much immediately. It took an embarrassingly long time to realize the squeak was not coming from the bushings, but from the barrel lid rubbing on the nylon washer. I can shift the barrels closer to the motor and the sound stops completely. But after maybe only 10 minutes they are back rubbing against the far end. Even if I place some shims under the other side, it'll slow down how long it takes, but the barrels will still travel away from the motor and then start squealing once it's rubbing on the washer. It's an extremely annoying high pitched sound too. Has anyone come up with a more permanent fix than just lubricating the washer?
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waterboysh
spending too much on rocks
Member since April 2021
Posts: 369
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Post by waterboysh on Sept 30, 2021 9:06:28 GMT -5
Here's a video I took of the issue. I figured out that if I rotated the nylon washer a little bit, the noise completely stopped. It seems the increased surface area in contact with the lid after the washer develops a flat spot is the culprit. I think sometime in the nearish future, a modification to use a bearing or something like that will produce less noise.
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Cackling Chick
starting to spend too much on rocks
I LOVE ROCKS! 😁👍🏻🪨⛏️
Member since March 2022
Posts: 101
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Post by Cackling Chick on Apr 24, 2022 22:05:23 GMT -5
Benathema Excellent info. My new 33B walks, too, so this is good to know. I'll definitely remember. Thanks!
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Cackling Chick
starting to spend too much on rocks
I LOVE ROCKS! 😁👍🏻🪨⛏️
Member since March 2022
Posts: 101
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Post by Cackling Chick on Apr 24, 2022 22:11:01 GMT -5
gatyam Your tip is GOLD! You saved me from the hassle of dealing with that in the future. Thanks! And Benathema 's comment below is the fix. IT WORKS! Thanks to you both!
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