eccman
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since August 2021
Posts: 93 
|
Post by eccman on Mar 9, 2022 16:40:35 GMT -5
Hello,
I have been using ceramic media in each stage of tumbling. I read in another forum that it is best not to use in the 1st stage. What are your thoughts.
Eccman
|
|
catskillrocks
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since July 2008
Posts: 1,270
|
Post by catskillrocks on Mar 9, 2022 17:04:30 GMT -5
You really shouldn't use it in coarse grit,
46/70 - 60/90; instead, if smalls are needed
pea gravel is a better alternative for coarse.
|
|
|
|
Post by rmf on Mar 9, 2022 17:05:51 GMT -5
In the very first stage (coarse) you will be paying for grit to grind away your ceramic pellets which you also pay for. They will never be pretty and polished so why do it. Just put more rocks in the coarse grit to keep the drum 75-80% full. Rocks you want to round and make pretty.
There could be specialty loads where you might want/need them but not for 98% of your tumbling unless it is soft like glass or petoskey stone.
|
|
|
|
Post by victor1941 on Mar 10, 2022 10:01:20 GMT -5
Eccman, I run a UV-18 vibe and need a a lot of material to fill it to the correct height. Since the only thing I am processing is usually cabs or small slabs then media is used for all stages. In other runs the mix is some media, a lot of end/side trims and the actual material to be tumbled. The others are correct about the money spent on grit and pellets but I am not rough tumbling in a rotary and do not start with a 60/90 but a 120/220.
|
|
eccman
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since August 2021
Posts: 93
|
Post by eccman on Mar 10, 2022 23:42:25 GMT -5
Thanks for the replies. I will stop adding ceramic in stage 1.
Eccman
|
|
