tumblee
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2021
Posts: 154
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Post by tumblee on May 18, 2021 22:48:52 GMT -5
So Monday is cleanout day now... Have some pics of progress. Lesson #1 - Don't do your cleanouts in the sink .
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Post by jasoninsd on May 19, 2021 7:33:40 GMT -5
You'll destroy your pipes if you do your cleanouts in the sink like that... Definitely getting good progress on the tumble though.
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Benathema
has rocks in the head
God chased me down and made sure I knew He was real June 20, 2022. I've been on a Divine Mission.
Member since November 2019
Posts: 703
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Post by Benathema on May 19, 2021 13:24:10 GMT -5
The dollar store is a great place to pick up containers, strainers, and measuring spoons/cups. For 33B cleanouts, you could get away with a small 2.5 gal bucket and a strainer that would fit over it.
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tumblee
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2021
Posts: 154
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Post by tumblee on May 20, 2021 22:34:27 GMT -5
Did the cleanout in the dark. Slurry had settled I suppose. 3 days pic. on stage two on rt. Going after wet like this.
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tumblee
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2021
Posts: 154
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Post by tumblee on May 26, 2021 1:39:40 GMT -5
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tumblee
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2021
Posts: 154
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Post by tumblee on Jun 6, 2021 1:57:44 GMT -5
Tiger 6 days in stage 3. Continue 3 or move on to four? Either way, how much longer? I'm beginning to think my patience is lacking somehow or my tumble skills need amendments. Anyhow, bone dry and wet pics. Thanks all!
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stewdogg
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2020
Posts: 388
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Post by stewdogg on Jun 6, 2021 11:45:18 GMT -5
I would move them to stage 4 at this point. They certainly look ready to take a shine. When I started tumbling the need for patience was the greatest and I had the least amount of it. Now that I have many rounded rocks under my belt I have so many excuses to not look at the rolling rocks for weeks at a time. Two to four weeks is getting to be common place for my coarse grind barrels. Although, now I had more time to buy a 10" tile saw and start cutting rocks, which I need more rocks for. I'm also recently looking into getting a handheld polisher. So, there's more fun toys and addictive things to look out for once you get patience with tumbling rocks. And here's the part where I try and support your addic... hobby. One other thing that helps with patience is a vibratory tumbler. I have the cheaper (to the lotto) Raytech TVL5 vibe and have had great luck with it for close to two years. It takes about a third of the time to do the work that a rotary tumbler does. You can't really use the vibe for the first/coarse stage, but is great for all the following stages. The rotary tumbler will round the shape of the rocks due to the tumbling action and the vibe will keep the natural shape that the rocks had when they went into the vibe initially. Good luck shinning those rocks!
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tumblee
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2021
Posts: 154
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Post by tumblee on Jun 6, 2021 19:20:47 GMT -5
Continue stage 3 or graduate to 4? Anyone else? Just put in borax. I have 2 hrs. to decide so any input is much appreciated! stewdogg Thanks for your reply. So the vibratory knocks the stage one down to 1/3 the time? I'm down! I will surely start studying them in that case. I was under the impression they were for final polish stages. Lapidary may be hard to justify with the Bride...
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Post by HankRocks on Jun 6, 2021 19:39:29 GMT -5
I would move them to stage 4 at this point. They certainly look ready to take a shine. When I started tumbling the need for patience was the greatest and I had the least amount of it. Now that I have many rounded rocks under my belt I have so many excuses to not look at the rolling rocks for weeks at a time. Two to four weeks is getting to be common place for my coarse grind barrels. Although, now I had more time to buy a 10" tile saw and start cutting rocks, which I need more rocks for. I'm also recently looking into getting a handheld polisher. So, there's more fun toys and addictive things to look out for once you get patience with tumbling rocks. And here's the part where I try and support your addic... hobby. One other thing that helps with patience is a vibratory tumbler. I have the cheaper (to the lotto) Raytech TVL5 vibe and have had great luck with it for close to two years. It takes about a third of the time to do the work that a rotary tumbler does. You can't really use the rotary for the first/coarse stage, but is great for all the following stages. The rotary tumbler will round the shape of the rocks due to the tumbling action and the vibe will keep the natural shape that the rocks had when they went into the vibe initially. Good luck shinning those rocks! Disagree with your statement that you can't use a rotary for the coarse stage. For me that's the best bet for coarse stage as it removes more material than a Vib. In my case I only use a Vib for Polish with all other stages in the Rotary.
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treadledad
Cave Dweller
Member since February 2021
Posts: 48
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Post by treadledad on Jun 6, 2021 20:18:37 GMT -5
I believe stewdogg meant to say you can't really use the vibe for the first/coarse stage.
As for the vibe shortening stages 2-4, for me, stages 2-4 take about 48 hours each in the vibe rather than a week each in a rotary.
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tumblee
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2021
Posts: 154
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Post by tumblee on Jun 6, 2021 21:40:25 GMT -5
One last question for a little while. Decided to graduate to 4. Ceramic or plastic. Had been moving the ceramic along with rocks, occasionally adding fresh ceramic to fill. If plastic, any need to burnish it before use. Well maybe more than one question that is. Thanks!
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stewdogg
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2020
Posts: 388
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Post by stewdogg on Jun 6, 2021 23:53:19 GMT -5
I believe stewdogg meant to say you can't really use the vibe for the first/coarse stage. As for the vibe shortening stages 2-4, for me, stages 2-4 take about 48 hours each in the vibe rather than a week each in a rotary. That is correct, I meant to say vibe when I said rotary shouldn't do stage one. I will fix the one word that throws the whole thing off.
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stewdogg
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2020
Posts: 388
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Post by stewdogg on Jun 6, 2021 23:57:31 GMT -5
I would move them to stage 4 at this point. They certainly look ready to take a shine. When I started tumbling the need for patience was the greatest and I had the least amount of it. Now that I have many rounded rocks under my belt I have so many excuses to not look at the rolling rocks for weeks at a time. Two to four weeks is getting to be common place for my coarse grind barrels. Although, now I had more time to buy a 10" tile saw and start cutting rocks, which I need more rocks for. I'm also recently looking into getting a handheld polisher. So, there's more fun toys and addictive things to look out for once you get patience with tumbling rocks. And here's the part where I try and support your addic... hobby. One other thing that helps with patience is a vibratory tumbler. I have the cheaper (to the lotto) Raytech TVL5 vibe and have had great luck with it for close to two years. It takes about a third of the time to do the work that a rotary tumbler does. You can't really use the rotary for the first/coarse stage, but is great for all the following stages. The rotary tumbler will round the shape of the rocks due to the tumbling action and the vibe will keep the natural shape that the rocks had when they went into the vibe initially. Good luck shinning those rocks! Disagree with your statement that you can't use a rotary for the coarse stage. For me that's the best bet for coarse stage as it removes more material than a Vib. In my case I only use a Vib for Polish with all other stages in the Rotary. Sorry, brain fart and we do agree, I never use my vibratory tumbler for my coarse stage. Thanks for catching that.
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tumblee
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2021
Posts: 154
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Post by tumblee on Jun 7, 2021 0:47:10 GMT -5
That is correct, I meant to say vibe when I said rotary shouldn't do stage one. I will fix the one word that throws the whole thing off. Glad to hear that, considering time vested in stage one. Or am I? Sure would love to shave stage 1 to 1 week as opposed to 3+ weeks! I would say the vibe reducing three stages from three weeks to ~one is a good return on time. Thanks again.
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treadledad
Cave Dweller
Member since February 2021
Posts: 48
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Post by treadledad on Jun 7, 2021 9:01:46 GMT -5
Stage 1 takes the longest of all the stages. Generally speaking, it takes as long as it takes for you to be happy with the shapes of the rocks. From what I read on here, you can speed it up slightly by using much larger tumblers, that can be spun faster, but you also need to use slurry thickeners to get the slurry generated faster. It sounds like it takes a lot of trial and error and good record keeping to dial it in.
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tumblee
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2021
Posts: 154
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Post by tumblee on Jun 11, 2021 22:32:40 GMT -5
treadledad Stage 1 was frustrating, but I might be able to get over it if I buy a vibe. Might shave 2 weeks off of the last three stages from what I have read. My exercise in patience is not going that great. Here is the tiger after 4 days in 1200 and then boraxed last night (worried about transfer) and dry. Will try to let polish for another week. Just have to quit peeking!
Any suggestions on a small to medium vibe? Thanks!
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Post by miket on Jun 11, 2021 23:25:29 GMT -5
I have a Raytech TV-5, I'm pretty satisfied with it for $88...
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tumblee
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2021
Posts: 154
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Post by tumblee on Jun 11, 2021 23:40:04 GMT -5
I have a Raytech TV-5, I'm pretty satisfied with it for $88... That's what I'm talking about. I could sneak that past the bride if I had somewhere else to run it. It can polish jewelry right. hmmm, might work..... Thanks miket Going to research now while she sleeps! This hobby is addictive.
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tumblee
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2021
Posts: 154
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Post by tumblee on Jun 20, 2021 21:10:24 GMT -5
Ok, another stage 4 for a ~week. Here is what the plastic media looked like: Put them in a borax wash for a couple of hours and new plastic media and here are the results: I will check back in a week with the tiger if my patience doesn't falter. Next question, am I wasting time on these. Fractures everywhere After a week in stage 1: And last question, Is it a good sign or bad when the bride tells you to, "go play with your rocks." Thanks all!
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tumblee
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2021
Posts: 154
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Post by tumblee on Jun 20, 2021 21:28:40 GMT -5
And here is my favorite. Reminds me of the Paul Rodgers song:
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