markb
Cave Dweller
Member since May 2022
Posts: 472
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Post by markb on May 23, 2022 19:33:33 GMT -5
Hello, I'm just starting with using a vibratory tumbler. I've got a Thumler's UV-10 coming soon and trying to get educated on the process before it arrives. My plan is to tumble stage 1 in a Lortone double rotary, 80 grit, then move to the UV-10 for the next 3 steps. Appreciate the input on general grit size and volumes and for those who may not know, conversions between the UV-18 and UV-10 can be found at here: www.rockshed.com/instructions1.htmlWhen I bought my Lortone from Richardson's they sold me a so called "high end" polish. Told me to ignore the manufacturers directions and only use 1 tsp/ 3 lb barrel to polish. I finally called them back for more clarification on it and they said the polish is a "10 micron alumina". Online it says "alumina" is equivalent to Aluminium. Thus, does anyone know how the 10 micron equates to available polish? Also, the instructions at Rockshed say you shouldn't try to cover the tumbler because of noise due to fire hazard. Has anyone really ever experienced this or is it just a precautionary statement? My tumble location is in a garage of a duplex, so if noise becomes an issue and I can't cover it, I may have to make a sound insulated doghouse for it w/a small fan for cooling control. Has anyone ever done something like this before? Thanks for all the great help! Mark
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Post by vegasjames on May 23, 2022 22:19:12 GMT -5
Welcome to the forum.
I do not bother with grit in the rotary, although I am mainly doing the rotary to clean the rocks and smooth them out a little before throwing them in the vibe. I still get a nice polish on the stones with no grit or polish.
Although, my rotary are 12 pound barrels and the larger the barrel the faster the grinding action. So a larger barrel can compensate somewhat for the absence of grit.
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markb
Cave Dweller
Member since May 2022
Posts: 472
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Post by markb on May 24, 2022 13:49:24 GMT -5
Thanks for the welcome.
No grit, eh? Can you please post a picture of the rocks coming out of your stage one barrel?
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Post by vegasjames on May 24, 2022 17:07:55 GMT -5
Thanks for the welcome. No grit, eh? Can you please post a picture of the rocks coming out of your stage one barrel? Here are examples of stones I simply ran in the tumbler for a month with only water, no grit or polish. They do have a nice shine. Not a super high gloss, but that is fine with me since I do not like that look. I like a more natural look.
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markb
Cave Dweller
Member since May 2022
Posts: 472
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Post by markb on May 25, 2022 0:51:00 GMT -5
Interesting, but I think I’m looking for something a bit more uniform in shape and with a higher gloss.
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Post by vegasjames on May 25, 2022 4:00:26 GMT -5
Interesting, but I think I’m looking for something a bit more uniform in shape and with a higher gloss. People can like different things.
I do not tumble to polish to begin with, especially since I do not like an ultra-high gloss on stones. To me it makes them look and feel like they have been coated in plastic.
I tumble my rocks primarily to clean them up from things like alkalis, moss, dirt, mud, silica coatings, varnish, etc. This also cleans them up so I can see colors and patterns better so I can decide which ones I wish to cut for cabs and I can see what the best direction for cutting will be.
After a month they come out with a nice, not over the top shine and with a lot more of the colors and patterns showing, which is what I want.
The stones are actually glossier than they look in the pics, but again not ultra-high in gloss.
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Post by jasoninsd on May 25, 2022 7:13:37 GMT -5
Hello, I'm just starting with using a vibratory tumbler. I've got a Thumler's UV-10 coming soon and trying to get educated on the process before it arrives. My plan is to tumble stage 1 in a Lortone double rotary, 80 grit, then move to the UV-10 for the next 3 steps. Appreciate the input on general grit size and volumes and for those who may not know, conversions between the UV-18 and UV-10 can be found at here: www.rockshed.com/instructions1.htmlWhen I bought my Lortone from Richardson's they sold me a so called "high end" polish. Told me to ignore the manufacturers directions and only use 1 tsp/ 3 lb barrel to polish. I finally called them back for more clarification on it and they said the polish is a "10 micron alumina". Online it says "alumina" is equivalent to Aluminium. Thus, does anyone know how the 10 micron equates to available polish? Also, the instructions at Rockshed say you shouldn't try to cover the tumbler because of noise due to fire hazard. Has anyone really ever experienced this or is it just a precautionary statement? My tumble location is in a garage of a duplex, so if noise becomes an issue and I can't cover it, I may have to make a sound insulated doghouse for it w/a small fan for cooling control. Has anyone ever done something like this before? Thanks for all the great help! Mark Hey Mark! I've got a UV-18, so I'll try to answer what questions I can... Don't use any grit in the vibe more coarse than 120/220. They're not designed for more coarse grit. Depending on the material, I run material in my Model B, then move it to the vibe after I feel they're ready to move on. However, I do tumble Teepee Canyon Agate slabs...and those I start off right in the vibe. I generally use 1/2 TBSP of grit per pound in the vibe - so generally about 6 TBSP in the UV-18. Flat out...the best grit and polish comes from The Rock Shed...there's plenty of "reviews" for them on the forum... Nope...you "shouldn't" cover the vibe as the motor needs to be able to cool down. That being said...I have put a cardboard box over mine during winter months - but mine has been in the unheated garage and I didn't want it freezing in below zero temps. The heat from the motor heated up the air under the box, and kept it from freezing.
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markb
Cave Dweller
Member since May 2022
Posts: 472
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Post by markb on May 25, 2022 14:46:55 GMT -5
Thanks for the info Jason.
I'll be starting out with rocks rated at 7 Mohs (jaspers, agates, pet wood). Based on what I've read, stage one is 120/220 for 2-7 days, stage two at 500 for 2-3 days, and stage 3 for polish for 2-3 days. I'm hoping I can accomplish a complete cycle in the UV-10 in 1 week. Are you reducing the amount of 500 and polish you put in and if so by what ratio? Also, what kind of polish are you using? I'm thinking 3TBS or less if I can for 500/polish, using an Aluminium Oxide for polish.
I realize in the end it will be about trial and error, but am looking for a general starting point to build from. Plus, I also need to order grit ASAP.
Also, wondering if I can repolish a previously polished rock done in a rotary that I want to be more shiny, by just putting them into the polish stage of the vibe, or if I need to go back to the 500 grit stage first?
Thanks for the help!
As a side note, I went to college in Rapid, but unfortunately I wasn't into rockhounding at that time.
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Post by jasoninsd on May 25, 2022 18:58:51 GMT -5
Honestly, I never go with any "set" time-frame...so that's not going to help you much. LOL - I really let them go in 120/220 for up to five days...depending on how they look along the way. I'll snag a couple out, rinse them off, and take a look at them...then make a decision based on what I see.
I do the 500 from 2-5 days...usually pushing it to the five day mark...only because I know as time goes on the grit keeps breaking down...so by day five, I figure it's a good "pre-polish" level of grit. I use about the same amount as I do in the 120/220 stage. Some might think that's too much.
Polishing I'll do the check it method at day two...and have left it in this stage from 3-5 days. The five days was because it was too cold to empty it out at the time. LOL - Again, I usually put 4-5 TBSP of AO in...generally because I add Borax, so I don't feel I need the same amount of polish.
REMEMBER - My UV-18 is almost double capacity, so about half of the quantity of grit for the UV-10.
ORDER YOUR GRIT FROM THE ROCK SHED IN KEYSTONE. I have never heard/read about ANY complaints about their grit and polish...in fact most people recommend it.
I'd put the "re-do" rocks into polish and just see if it works. If not...add them to the 500 stage next go-around.
Hmmm...I'm guessing SDSM&T! What were you majoring in?
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nursetumbler
Cave Dweller
Member since February 2022
Posts: 981
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Post by nursetumbler on May 25, 2022 19:42:21 GMT -5
Thanks for the welcome. No grit, eh? Can you please post a picture of the rocks coming out of your stage one barrel? Here are examples of stones I simply ran in the tumbler for a month with only water, no grit or polish. They do have a nice shine. Not a super high gloss, but that is fine with me since I do not like that look. I like a more natural look.
vegasjamesIs that flint ridge flint in the second and possibly 3 photo?
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markb
Cave Dweller
Member since May 2022
Posts: 472
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Post by markb on May 26, 2022 0:44:10 GMT -5
Vegasjames (sorry I can’t figure out how to respond to someone after another has posted after them) :while I’m looking for polishing info now using the UV-10, I still like the way your rocks look after your water tumble and think that’s a good idea, especially if you’re going to cut and make something afterwards. Definitely something for me to think about! Thanks for the unique perspective.
jasoninsd : I didn’t go to SDSM&T, although, I would have preferred to, but rather National College of Business. My degree there was in Computer Science. If I had gone to the Mines, I would have probably majored in Geology or something similar, but that wasn’t in the cards at that time. I did, however, start caving while in South Dakota. Worked at Bethlehem Cave (aka the original Crystal Cave) for a couple of Summers, and also up at Mount Rushmore. Fun memories.
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Post by vegasjames on May 26, 2022 1:25:48 GMT -5
Here are examples of stones I simply ran in the tumbler for a month with only water, no grit or polish. They do have a nice shine. Not a super high gloss, but that is fine with me since I do not like that look. I like a more natural look.
vegasjames Is that flint ridge flint in the second and possibly 3 photo? None of this is Flint Ridge.
The first photo are common chalcedonies from Southern Nevada. I find this material in a wide variety of colors. Some examples of rough.
Second photo is Sunset Jasper from Northern Nevada. This is what it looks like fully polished by tumbling. I traded some of the material to have it tumbled.
And this is the rough.
Third photo is candy rhyolite, also known as sandstorm rhyolite, from Southern Nevada.
Some examples of rough.
This is my favorite piece of rhyolite from the area.
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dshanpnw
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since December 2020
Posts: 1,071
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Post by dshanpnw on May 26, 2022 9:10:53 GMT -5
Hi Markb, welcome to the best tumbling forum. There are tutorials here in the forum that give the most excellent instructions on using the vibratory tumblers, forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/thread/29369/instructions-vibe-tumblers. You must take a look at them. I use the UV-10 for stages 2-5; 220, 500, pre-polish (1000), and polish. I just love the UV-10, it works great. The amount of grit might vary a little depending on how full your bowl is, but I usually use 2 1/2 - 3 tablespoons of grit for each stage. For polish it is about the same 2 1/2 tablespoons, but that can vary a little. If you're wondering about how much water to use in the vibe, this is how I do it, with the bowl full of rocks and media, I then fill it with water, then position the lid on it so that I can drain all the water out pouring it into the sink until no more water is dripping out. Then it is ready for the grit or polish. I hope your questions get answered. Good luck.
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markb
Cave Dweller
Member since May 2022
Posts: 472
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Post by markb on May 26, 2022 14:45:23 GMT -5
Thanks for the help, dshanpnw. I started reading the vibe instructions you referenced, but thought it was mostly aimed at the Lot-O crowd. I will now read it all the way through.
I appreciate all the specifics on the amounts of grits, especially since the Thumler site suggests using so much more than is really probably necessary.
Looks like this feedback was just in time as my UV-10 just showed up this morning in the mail. I'm working on getting a mobile tool bench set up in my garage today, then after receiving my grit I'll be doing my first vibe run. So many buckets of rocks sitting around waiting for the vibe experience!
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nursetumbler
Cave Dweller
Member since February 2022
Posts: 981
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Post by nursetumbler on May 26, 2022 20:33:24 GMT -5
vegasjamesIt is beautiful. Nothing like that on this side of the states.
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