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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Jun 8, 2021 6:19:59 GMT -5
It had probably been a good dozen years or so since I had tried to fully tumble obsidian using just a rotary. The most common tumbler out there is a 3 pound rotary so I recently challenged myself to see if it were possible to come close to my lot-o results using nothing but a 3 pound lortone barrel. I think the end result was acceptable but the amount of time and grit were off the charts just as I expected. My normal method for obsidian is to do the stage one grind in a rotary for as long as needed then about 10 total days in the lot-o. These rocks spent 90 days in the rotary in the various stages after stage one. So times longer and easily 6 times more grit and polish used. Chuck
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Post by Peruano on Jun 8, 2021 6:38:00 GMT -5
But they look great. Yes you can swim upstream, it just takes longer and you have to work harder.
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Post by orrum on Jun 8, 2021 6:38:34 GMT -5
Awesomeness
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Jun 8, 2021 6:56:42 GMT -5
But they look great. Yes you can swim upstream, it just takes longer and you have to work harder. Thanks- I am often asked how I get my obsidian or apache tears to look they way they do. My response has always been to tell them to go buy a $250 vibe tumbler to add to the rotary tumbler they already have. I don't really like that answer as many folks do not have the means to do that. This method did take more time but at least now I can say it can be done and I have all the steps documented. Chuck
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Post by Rockindad on Jun 8, 2021 7:10:10 GMT -5
Looks great Chuck! We still run rotary only batches, usually glass, in our dual three pound tumbler. Our experience have been the same as yours- just about ten times as long and use a lot more consumables. We can still produce some really nice results in rotary but the softer materials are usually one step down from what we get out of the vibe. Harder materials can be just as good, just requires more time, effort, grit.......
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Post by jasoninsd on Jun 8, 2021 8:48:57 GMT -5
One of these days I'm going to work some obsidian...one of these days! I'd say those look great, but that word doesn't even come close to describing them. They look beyond amazing Chuck.
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Jun 8, 2021 8:58:43 GMT -5
What a shine! Beautiful batch, Chuck. By those pictures, I couldn't tell you did those totally in a rotary.
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Post by miket on Jun 8, 2021 9:29:31 GMT -5
Fantastic results, Chuck! Thanks for sharing, sir...
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Jun 8, 2021 15:15:53 GMT -5
Fantastic results, Chuck! Thanks for sharing, sir... Thanks Mike
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Jun 8, 2021 15:17:04 GMT -5
One of these days I'm going to work some obsidian...one of these days! I'd say those look great, but that word doesn't even come close to describing them. They look beyond amazing Chuck. Thanks Jason. Long story short is to do them in a vibe if possible. Chuck
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Post by jasoninsd on Jun 8, 2021 15:24:57 GMT -5
One of these days I'm going to work some obsidian...one of these days! I'd say those look great, but that word doesn't even come close to describing them. They look beyond amazing Chuck. Thanks Jason. Long story short is to do them in a vibe if possible. Chuck Thanks Chuck. I do have a UV-18...but I think I'm going to try and make a cab with obsidian first. I have quite a few types of obsidian rough...it's just that something else keeps jumping the "to-do" line and I haven't gotten around to it yet.
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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 8, 2021 22:41:27 GMT -5
My normal method for obsidian is to do the stage one grind in a rotary for as long as needed then about 10 total days in the lot-o. These rocks spent 90 days in the rotary in the various stages after stage one. So times longer and easily 6 times more grit and polish used. Chuck Those are stunning! So doing the math in my head, the vibe knocks time spent on the last 3 stages to 10%? Don't mean to get ot, but what are you using vibe wise? Is there a discernible difference in outcome, because those are amazing!!!
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Post by oregon on Jun 9, 2021 0:03:21 GMT -5
It had probably been a good dozen years or so since I had tried to fully tumble obsidian using just a rotary. The most common tumbler out there is a 3 pound rotary so I recently challenged myself to see if it were possible to come close to my lot-o results using nothing but a 3 pound lortone barrel. I think the end result was acceptable but the amount of time and grit were off the charts just as I expected. My normal method for obsidian is to do the stage one grind in a rotary for as long as needed then about 10 total days in the lot-o. These rocks spent 90 days in the rotary in the various stages after stage one. So times longer and easily 6 times more grit and polish used. Chuck
Soo much obsidian around here, I get asked this often, after all it starts out pretty shiny.... I usually tell folks to start with something easier. Any chance you could post/sticky/store a side by side of the two recipes? (or if you have just point me in the right direction)
Thanks
btw, very pleasing tumbles!
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JR8675309
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since August 2019
Posts: 751
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Post by JR8675309 on Jun 9, 2021 6:58:57 GMT -5
Well done! I so have much obsidian down the road and one day I will try tumbling obsidian again because this is wicked inspiring.
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stefan
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,095
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Post by stefan on Jun 11, 2021 14:11:50 GMT -5
Wowzer! Love that shine.
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