|
|
Post by Bob on Jan 5, 2021 17:49:41 GMT -5
I have been tumbling some very large rocks that can barely fit inside my Lortone C40 40lb barrel. It's 8.5" inside flat-to-flat. I have some rocks that are too big to tumble inside of it.
Does anyone know for certain the flat-to-flat distance inside DP 65lb barrel? Someone told me years ago it might be as much as 12.5".
If anyone has this tumbler, I would enjoy knowing something. How in the heck do you get wrestle this barrel up onto a workbench to deal with it?
I lift the 40lb barrel weekly and do so by it's handle. I'm strong, but it's still touchy and great care is needed. I'm not certain how much it really weighs including the steel barrel and the rubber liner--both of which are quite heavy--and the water and rocks. I think I weighed it a few years back and it was 62lbs!
A 65lb barrel would have to be bear-hugged I guess and it would not be fun. I'm going to guess that either 1) people don't lift it, but merely "roll" it off the shafts, tilt it up, and do all the recharge work on the floor which doesn't sound fun, or 2) have a hoisting mechanism of some type such as a block and tackle from a secure overhead attachment point. The barrel would weigh less because it's linerless polyethelyene.
|
|
|
|
Post by HankRocks on Jan 5, 2021 18:00:13 GMT -5
I have been tumbling some very large rocks that can barely fit inside my Lortone C40 40lb barrel. It's 8.5" inside flat-to-flat. I have some rocks that are too big to tumble inside of it. Does anyone know for certain the flat-to-flat distance inside DP 65lb barrel? Someone told me years ago it might be as much as 12.5". If anyone has this tumbler, I would enjoy knowing something. How in the heck do you get wrestle this barrel up onto a workbench to deal with it? I lift the 40lb barrel weekly and do so by it's handle. I'm strong, but it's still touchy and great care is needed. I'm not certain how much it really weighs including the steel barrel and the rubber liner--both of which are quite heavy--and the water and rocks. I think I weighed it a few years back and it was 62lbs! A 65lb barrel would have to be bear-hugged I guess and it would not be fun. I'm going to guess that either 1) people don't lift it, but merely "roll" it off the shafts, tilt it up, and do all the recharge work on the floor which doesn't sound fun, or 2) have a hoisting mechanism of some type such as a block and tackle from a secure overhead attachment point. The barrel would weigh less because it's linerless polyethelyene. I would not want to be any smaller rocks in a 65 pound barrel when there's a 11 inch diameter monster rolling!! Heck! I wouldn't want to be the barrel!! I probably would not mind being your Orthopedic Doctor!! Have you ever considered just buying a big saw and a Vibe Lap, cutting one of those big rocks and flat polishing one surface? |
|
|
|
Post by Bob on Jan 5, 2021 18:35:12 GMT -5
One of my greatest fears is dropping one of these monster rocks on my foot. So when I'm working with them, I don't let anyone distract me. I think one piece of psilomelane weighs almost 40lbs although it is small enough to be worked in the 40lb barrel. The thought has occurred to me that maybe steel toed boots might be wise.
Actually, my rock to rock problems aren't as great as one might think, but I've done a lot of experimentation and learned a lot and what to do and what not to do. If you want to see disaster try throwing some brittle long pieces of pet wood in with a huge piece of granite the size of a cantaloupe. It's a very good way to make thumbnail size pieces of pet wood.
|
|
rockstock
spending too much on rocks
Member since April 2019
Posts: 472
|
Post by rockstock on Jan 5, 2021 18:35:44 GMT -5
I believe it's like 17" total height, so inside isn't much less than that. I originally heaved it onto a bench top. I had it leak once and now it's on the floor. Added smaller tumbler stuff to it without rinsing dish soap out, I anticipate that caused the leakage. Very heavy! I guess you probably meant width. It's like a 5 gallon pail, I'll have to check later. Small rocks definitely don't all disappear or get crushed. Landscape quartz seems fine and doesn't all get tiny with the abuse I give it.  |
|
rockstock
spending too much on rocks
Member since April 2019
Posts: 472
|
Post by rockstock on Jan 5, 2021 18:41:17 GMT -5
I can load up an amount like this picture. Plus filler rock and the large ones do not damage each other, other than fractures and issues they may already have or if a fossil is mixed in but still does ok. I haven't done beyond rough tumbling with it. I will have to after winter is over. I love it much more than the small ones.  |
|
|
|
Post by Bob on Jan 7, 2021 16:10:09 GMT -5
Well, according to info sent to me from Diamond Pacific, I was right 12.5" flat-to-flat. Wow, that would allow me to tumble rocks up to 4" larger than my current max.
As to how to handle the barrel, one of their employees told me "it is sometimes difficult to handle the full load that it can be over 110 lbs. and you just have to maneuver it, kind of roll of the tumbler then turn upright". Boy, wouldn't that be fun from which to attempt to pour out used slurry! Guess it would need to be ladled out.
Currently my 40lb barrel is consuming 4 cups of coarse grit per week. This monster would need 6.5 cups.
I worry that the polyethylene barrel interior would potentially embed grit and so taking such a large linerless barrel into finer grit stages or polish would be asking for trouble. Does anyone know about that concern?
|
|
rockstock
spending too much on rocks
Member since April 2019
Posts: 472
|
Post by rockstock on Jan 7, 2021 16:41:02 GMT -5
Depends how you do loads. If many larger rocks, manually sifting to remove larger ones one by one then possibly light enough to pour out portions of slurry and filler rock (multiples of this). If one or two large rocks then perhaps a smaller scoop or something to lighten the load until you can lift and pour. Or, having it set on a higher platform that would allow you to tilt over to your bucket or clean out container. Depends how clean or messy you can or want to be.
You could buy additional, expensive, barrels for your grit carrying concerns.
|
|
|
|
Post by Bob on Jan 7, 2021 17:00:46 GMT -5
Possibly I could make a removable barrel liner out of Flex Seal liquid rubber too. I would need to first line the barrel with wax paper or spray it with silicon to form a release layer. If I bothered with this, it would probably be only put in there for polish runs.
|
|
|
|
Post by Bob on Jan 22, 2021 11:58:05 GMT -5
rockstock, do you have that 65lber running all the time? My God you must be churning through grit and in the rock selling business!
It suddenly dawned on me a few days ago I could just buy the barrel alone. It would fit on the custom tumbler base I have built that currently holds 5 barrels, including the 40lb one. I could just run the barrel when needed to for very large rocks. No way I would feel like processing the 65lb barrel more frequently than weekly just in my personal hobby. My 40lb completes rough grind in 6 days in the winter, and only 4 days in the heat of summer. Dealing with it so often and my smaller barrels is just right for my needs as I on average have at least 1 barrel to do each evening. The turnaround time on the 40lb barrel is significant. The turnaround on the 65lb would be even more, especially given the logistics of the weight of it we have discussed.
Or, I could run this 65lb barrel, and get rid of most of my other barrels so that the total time each week and total grit consumed might work out to be about the same. 40+20+20+12+12+12+6+6 I currently am running 128lbs 24/7 in those barrels sizes.
Any chance you are getting tired of this huge barrel and might want to sell it? Or have me trade you something for it?
|
|
rockstock
spending too much on rocks
Member since April 2019
Posts: 472
|
Post by rockstock on Jan 22, 2021 13:37:02 GMT -5
Haha. I'm newer to it, in the sense I haven't gone through polish yet. I actually bought more to not be contained to just the one and wanting to rough tumble the crud away to reveal the pretties! This spring there will be more than 1 65T rolling.
It's definitely daunting to clean out and lug around. I've had it running on the current rough since Oct/Nov , but likely got thick and stopping grinding, I haven't popped it open to check or water or grit. Not concerned about the grit consumption, but I also don't have my technique dialed in either.
I put one large rock in a 15lb tumbler and was very disappointed in it compared to the many large in the 65T. This is only related to rough tumbling.
|
|
|
|
Post by Bob on Jan 22, 2021 15:45:17 GMT -5
Wow, you started with that monster barrel?! I guess you though bigger is better and why start out gradually!
|
|
rockstock
spending too much on rocks
Member since April 2019
Posts: 472
|
Post by rockstock on Jan 22, 2021 16:12:32 GMT -5
Ha, no, I escalate quickly  I have a dual 3, 4, 12 and a 15 rotary. Then the 65T. I thought about 25 or 40 but the cost up to the 65 was less significant from the 15 to the 25/40 so I didn't mess around and got the biggest available. 600 for a 25 or 800 for a 65, was a no brainer capacity wise. There are less strenuous reasons to have the smaller ones. |
|
reeniebeany
starting to spend too much on rocks
Rotary Only
Member since January 2020
Posts: 125
|
Post by reeniebeany on Jan 22, 2021 17:28:15 GMT -5
Tumblers seem to be referenced by weight 3 lb, 6 lb, etc. What is the reference media for the weight on them? The recommendations are to fill to 3/4 volume, not by weight. Is there a common thing that is being used for the weight? A pound of flour is like 3-4 cups depending, a pound of sugar is 2 cups. I know I just have to go fill my 3 lb barrel and put it in a measuring cup. I was just curious how the ratings were derived and if there is a standard. Like are all 3 lb tumblers the same volume? I figured someone here probably knows  |
|
quartz
Cave Dweller 
breakin' rocks in the hot sun
Member since February 2010
Posts: 3,359
|
Post by quartz on Jan 23, 2021 0:12:16 GMT -5
Bob, have you given any thought to building a barrel about that size vastly cheaper and likely just as durable?  Double 5 gallon barrels, each holds 50 pounds of rock, $65.00 to build with some serious scrounging.
|
|
rockstock
spending too much on rocks
Member since April 2019
Posts: 472
|
Post by rockstock on Jan 23, 2021 5:20:40 GMT -5
Build me some cheaper custom tumblers and barrels! |
|
Wooferhound
Cave Dweller
Lortone QT66 and 3A
Member since December 2016
Posts: 1,434 
|
Post by Wooferhound on Jan 23, 2021 9:08:45 GMT -5
Tumblers seem to be referenced by weight 3 lb, 6 lb, etc. What is the reference media for the weight on them? The recommendations are to fill to 3/4 volume, not by weight.
I don't know why barrels are not rated by volume, but instead by weight ?
Fill your barrel properly, do Not worry about the weight.
|
|
|
|
Post by Bob on Jan 23, 2021 9:42:44 GMT -5
Bob, have you given any thought to building a barrel about that size vastly cheaper and likely just as durable? Double 5 gallon barrels, each holds 50 pounds of rock, $65.00 to build with some serious scrounging. I might go crazy doing that many cover bolts twice a week. I like that way Lortone even on 40 has only 3. But I know the DP 65 has way more. Your tumbler looks very nice. My customized base holds 5 barrels totaling 90 lb. |
|
markymark
Cave Dweller
Member since November 2015
Posts: 404
|
Post by markymark on Jan 27, 2021 21:08:00 GMT -5
Is there some sort of blueprints on building that double 5 gal barrel tumbler.😍🤩
|
|
|
|
Post by Bob on May 28, 2021 11:30:13 GMT -5
The owner of Minnesota Lapidary Supply, who I had a good sit down with a few days ago, really discouraged me from buying this barrel. I had planned on buying one this year--just the barrel not the tumbler--to run on the same shaft pair on which I run the Lortone C40 40lb barrel.
He said he predicted I would have barrel wear through after only 12 loads! This really shocked me. He said to stay away and just stick with C40 barrels which are really long term proven performers. I was wanting the greater flat to flat distance on that 65lb barrel for even larger rocks, but I guess this has scared me away from trying it.
I don't know whether his prediction of wear through was because he knew I tumbled a lot of large rocks or not. I had told him of how I do that and use 50-60 grit as first stage and how some of these large rocks take more than a year.
Has anyone ever had wear through on this 65lb plastic barrel?
|
|
|
|
Post by catmandewe on May 28, 2021 20:58:24 GMT -5
I have worn the end out on my barrel, I make new gaskets and ends out of material I scrounge up so it is still useable. I only use it for rough grind and then it moves onto a viking vibratory.
I put a coffee can full of grit in and run it for 1 month without opening it, when it comes out in a month it is ready for polish. It is kind of a bear to clean out but the larger barrel produces faster action.
Tony
|
|
... to the New Guys from The ChatBox V.2 Crew