Tommy
Administrator 
Member since January 2013
Posts: 12,989
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Post by Tommy on Mar 25, 2022 9:27:09 GMT -5
The RTH Forum community is a vast wonderland of thoughts, experiences, advice, tricks and tips, instructions, lessons learned, and ... on and on. It is our strength and also our weakness because with a few exceptions, most of what has been published on this forum is scattered and hidden by time and difficult to consolidate. This thread is an experiment of sorts - I'm calling it volume 1 of an information gathering exercise from which a consolidated informational post will come and if it goes well a peer reviewed article thread will result. The Vol 1. subject is general preparation for a rotary tumble run. Please think about this like I am a newcomer to rock tumbling, I have my very first rock tumbler, and all I know is I'm super excited to transform some rocks. Guidelines - please follow these simple guidelines and lets see how this goes. Let's keep this on a fairly high level on the subject of initial preparation and once it has ran it's course I will post subsequent threads diving deeper into the technical stages of tumbling, recharging, burnishing, cleaning up, etc. Post any general instructions or advice, grits to have, startup recipes, rock types advice, tips, tricks, cautions, etc. Anything that you use or think about when preparing and launching a new rotary tumble run - without being personally specific to the size or model of the tumbler you are using if that makes sense. Don't worry about or debate what anyone else has posted - differences in opinion or redundancy is OK this will all be sorted out later. It doesn't matter if we get the same concept posted twenty times - that just shows that it is something that needs to make the final article. Try to structure your post(s) in short and concise one or two sentences resembling this guidelines list, that are easy to read and glean information from. Post as often as possible as new thoughts come to you. No questions in this thread please - lets try keep this thread clean and flowing and free from chit-chat as much as possible. If you know of an RTH Forum original post similar to this, or you know that you recently dropped some pure gold nuggets of information in a different thread, please post the link as part of your submission, or even better, copy and paste parts of the contents (even if it wasn't your post) and let us know what thread it came from. Please no copying and pasting from website articles from other websites outside of the RTH Forum. I want this to be entirely organic from the minds of our community. Thank you everyone!  |
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Tommy
Administrator
Member since January 2013
Posts: 12,989
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Post by Tommy on Mar 25, 2022 10:07:47 GMT -5
I'll start this going with an example that came from original RTH website that went away when the site changed hands. Heavy editing is called for but you get the gist.
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Post by jasoninsd on Mar 25, 2022 10:17:41 GMT -5
Great idea Tommy!
- Organize your material to tumble into like hardness, so you're tumbling material that has a compatible Mohs hardness.
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JBe
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since January 2019
Posts: 103
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Post by JBe on Mar 25, 2022 11:53:01 GMT -5
-Regardless of what the instructions that came with your rotary tumbler may say, the first stage can be repaeted for a given stone until the overall shape is what you're looking for and/or all of the pits and imperfections have been removed. Keep in mind that the overall size of a stone will be reduced to the depth of the deepest pit on the stone.
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saxplayer
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since March 2018
Posts: 1,327
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Post by saxplayer on Mar 25, 2022 15:53:57 GMT -5
Saving a spot for later...
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brybry
Cave Dweller 
Enter your message here...
Member since October 2021
Posts: 1,221
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Post by brybry on Mar 25, 2022 17:34:22 GMT -5
Do not buy grit kits that are labeled Stage 1 through Stage 4.
Grit from reputable dealers will be labeled by type & size of the grit, ie ...
80SiC / SiC 80
60/90SiC / SiC 60/90
AO 500
AO 14000
You will use the most grit in Stage 1 for shaping and rounding.
Less for Stage 2 etc, etc.
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catskillrocks
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since July 2008
Posts: 1,270
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Post by catskillrocks on Mar 25, 2022 18:08:43 GMT -5
This is a mohs hardness scale, click on link: linkSiC = Silicon Carbide AO = Aluminum Oxide |
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Post by amygdule on Mar 25, 2022 18:38:39 GMT -5
Do Not let the slurry dry on your rocks during cleanouts !
I pour my barrels of tumbled rocks into a tub of warm soapy water
Swish them around by hand, gather them up
then rinse them off with clean water
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Post by Son Of Beach on Mar 25, 2022 18:56:43 GMT -5
A couple things I've learned is to get your levels at a good spot. A tumbler too full there isn't enough room for movement, too little rocks you'll get excessive chipping and bruising. I shoot for 75% of a barrel capacity but you get a feel for it. The weight of barrel, like 3, 6, and 12lbs are kind of misleading. You want consistent volumes not weights. Second I've learned to do my water level before adding grit. Ideally you are shooting for just enough to carry the grit but not so much that it's a swimming pool. Maybe 1-1.5 inches below your rock level. Adding the water first lets you adjust if you overfill. Not as easy when there is grit already in the tumbler.
Couple other things I learned from mistakes. Always good to check after about 15 minutes to make sure you've sealed your tumbler correctly, that should give enough time for any leaks to show.
Also, give it an honest week before you decide to change out your slurry.
Cheap tools that I've found handy: Set of dental picks for tough to get grit, old toothbrush, cheap loupe, and a canning funnel. Dollar store or Harbor freight purchases.
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lordsorril
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since April 2020
Posts: 937
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Post by lordsorril on Mar 25, 2022 19:40:36 GMT -5
It is easy to get discouraged when trying to tumble soft stones.
Agate and Jasper are good beginner materials: Practice on these until your skills are polished (pun intended).
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Post by perkins17 on Mar 25, 2022 22:17:40 GMT -5
Just going to start from the beginning here. When you first get your tumbler, you will need to oil the bearing to make sure the shafts spin freely. I use 3-in-1 oil for mine. Next, selecting your rough: for your first batch, I recommend hard stones, such as a agate or Jasper. Fill your barrel to around 3/4 full (no more) and add water to about 2/3 the level of the rocks. Add your grit, for whatever stage you are in, seal the barrel, making sure there is not grit/dirt on the lip. Put the outer lid on, washer, and nut. Tighten the nut so that the lid is firmly on, but not so much that the inner lid is warping. Then, shake the barrel from end to end to make sure the grit is dispersed throughout the tumbler. Put the barrel on the tumbler chassis and let run for desired time. Hope that is a worthwhile contribution.
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Post by susand24224 on Mar 26, 2022 2:11:01 GMT -5
Not all rocks that are the same Mohs hardness are created equal. If you want to avoid chipping, internal fractures, etc. with such rocks as amethyst, rose quartz, etc., do not mix them with jaspers and agates. Equality of hardness is important, but equally important for a super batch is equality of brittleness. Also, if you are breaking up large rocks to tumbling size, avoid smashing (especially the more brittle ones) with a hammer. Better to chip pieces off--less internal fractures.
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Tommy
Administrator
Member since January 2013
Posts: 12,989
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Post by Tommy on Mar 26, 2022 3:22:32 GMT -5
Thank you everyone  I know I shouldn't be at this point, after seeing it over and over thru the years, but still I'm blown away with the pearls of wisdom that have been shared already. Stuff I never would have thought of in a million years. Please keep it coming! Anyone with a website could write a "how to tumble" article - I could do it myself - but what we are creating here is on a whole nuther level of knowledge through experience. I know I aimed this at general prep for a new run but please feel free to veer into mid-cycle and even finishing tips and tricks if you want. |
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Post by fernwood on Mar 26, 2022 4:36:35 GMT -5
If you purchase an inexpensive or used tumbler, check the belt. I replaced the belt that came with my Chicago Electric tumbler with an O-Ring from the hardware store. It has yet to be replaced, after 5 years of almost constant tumbling.
When oiling bearings, use a fine oil, such as carbine or sewing machine.
I received the above advice from a RTH thread.
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dillonf
fully equipped rock polisher
Hounding and tumbling
Member since February 2022
Posts: 1,622
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Post by dillonf on Mar 26, 2022 7:16:45 GMT -5
Thank you for this post, and thanks to all the contributors. It is very helpful to a novice like me whose ambitions are far greater than his skills!
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nursetumbler
Cave Dweller
Member since February 2022
Posts: 994 
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Post by nursetumbler on Mar 26, 2022 9:21:43 GMT -5
Thank you for this post, and thanks to all the contributors. It is very helpful to a novice like me whose ambitions are far greater than his skills! AMEN to that. 👏 |
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Post by perkins17 on Mar 26, 2022 11:15:38 GMT -5
The best grinding/polishing grit I have ever bought came from the rockshed. That is where I reccomend you go if you are new. Tumblers nowadays are often sold with "polish" that does absolutely nothing. Contamination between stages can be an issue with tumbling. Each time you finish a stage, Hose down the rocks, barrel, and lid, making sure that as much grit as possible is washed away. None should be visible after this. Follow my instructions from the previous post to refill the tumbler, and let us run again.
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quartzilla
Cave Dweller
Member since April 2020
Posts: 1,240
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Post by quartzilla on Mar 26, 2022 11:27:01 GMT -5
Seems obvious but the adage “ trash in trash out” is always appropriate and good to remember. I love tumbling my finds, which is fun, but my best stones are nearly always purchased tumbling rough. A mix of finds and purchases in each run covers both of my tumbling cravings.
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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 Mar 26, 2022 12:13:34 GMT -5
Plan for how to handle barrel clean outs. A 5 gal bucket and some dollar store strainers are a good start. The initial dump and rinse of your barrel needs to be captured, not go down the drain. Some folks dump their slurry on their gravel driveway, but if that's not an option it can be discarded with the weekly trash. You can decant off the water, let it dry, then bust it out to toss it. If drying isn't an option, then scooping the clay-like slurry into empty containers, such as coffee cans works. Just tie it up in a bag before setting it in the garbage can so it doesn't make a mess if it pops open.
Clean the mating surfaces of your barrel and lid gasket immediately after dumping the rocks out. These are the critical surfaces that interface to create a good seal. Place some sort of catch pan under you tumbler when it's running to capture the mess in the event the barrel pops open.
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Post by susand24224 on Mar 27, 2022 22:25:28 GMT -5
With permission to move into polishing stage, I *always* use a dedicated barrel (even in the vibe) and always do a pre-polish wash (actually, I often do this with every stage). Put a TBS or so of a mild laundry detergent with no additives, or shave off some ivory soap, into the barrel. For the wash, add more water--since the purpose here is to clean any leftover grit, etc. off, rather than create a proper tumbling action, it should slop around in there. Likewise, after I am satisfied with the polish, I either (a) do a final wash, (b) stick the rocks in a jewelry cleaner, or (c) both. This will avoid those annoying white streaks that lodge in the cracks you didn't know you had--until they jump up and say "hello."
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I know I shouldn't be at this point, after seeing it over and over thru the years, but still I'm blown away with the pearls of wisdom that have been shared already. Stuff I never would have thought of in a million years. Please keep it coming! 
