Gabriel_GER
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since May 2022
Posts: 229 
|
Post by Gabriel_GER on May 28, 2022 13:13:46 GMT -5
Hi everyone! Just finished my first attempt with my new vibratory tumbler. I did choose to attempt to smoothen the edges of the new ceramic media - as recommended by Michigan Rocks. Filled the bowl with wet media, fixed the bowl, started the machine, slowly added two teaspoons of 220 grit, secured the lid. Aside from spraying a little water once a day I let it run for exactly 48h. At the end i did add a little dish detergent and let it run für another 20min. Then: rinse, clean... all the good stuff.  Results as shown:
And I am left with this bowl:
Some feedback would be greatly appreciated. |
|
markb
Cave Dweller 
Member since May 2022
Posts: 472
|
Post by markb on May 28, 2022 14:37:57 GMT -5
Lookin' good, brother!
My only feedback would be offering up some advice on how to Edit and Rotate your photo, before posting.
But since the bowl is round, you're good there. <ba dum bump>
|
|
|
|
Post by manofglass on May 28, 2022 15:54:59 GMT -5
The color in the bowl won't have any effect of the stone
|
|
dshanpnw
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since December 2020
Posts: 1,160
|
Post by dshanpnw on May 28, 2022 16:24:24 GMT -5
I agree with MarkB, looking good.
|
|
brybry
Cave Dweller
Enter your message here...
Member since October 2021
Posts: 1,221
|
Post by brybry on May 28, 2022 19:18:36 GMT -5
Looks about right
|
|
Gabriel_GER
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since May 2022
Posts: 229
|
Post by Gabriel_GER on May 28, 2022 19:46:08 GMT -5
Lookin' good, brother! My only feedback would be offering up some advice on how to Edit and Rotate your photo, before posting. But since the bowl is round, you're good there. <ba dum bump> ... ... ... your humor truly amazes me. no... really.
Seriously... I had a hard look at it and the decided:"Ah eff it, it's fine." Should have known.  Man, I could just have done it in windows... ok - next time. 
|
|
Gabriel_GER
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since May 2022
Posts: 229
|
Post by Gabriel_GER on May 28, 2022 19:48:44 GMT -5
Thanks for the feedback!
No major screw-up sounds fantastic to me.  |
|
jasonshort
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since June 2019
Posts: 113
|
Post by jasonshort on May 28, 2022 22:10:32 GMT -5
Why are you tumbling ceramic?
First stage is 20% ceramic in 120/220 SC 2 days, the second is 500AO..2 day then polish for 2 days. By the time the ceramic arrives in polish the edges are smooth.
|
|
Gabriel_GER
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since May 2022
Posts: 229
|
Post by Gabriel_GER on May 29, 2022 5:12:51 GMT -5
Why are you tumbling ceramic? First stage is 20% ceramic in 120/220 SC 2 days, the second is 500AO..2 day then polish for 2 days. By the time the ceramic arrives in polish the edges are smooth. A: Following advice from Michigan Rocks. To not leave any scratches from the new ceramics on the rocks in any stage of the vibratory. B: I wanted to see if the tumbler works, and if so - if it works properly.
The rotary coarse stage will be done in a few days... could not wait that long.
... and yea... you are probably right. ^^
|
|
jasonshort
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since June 2019
Posts: 113
|
Post by jasonshort on May 29, 2022 13:03:21 GMT -5
Just thought I would tell you my story for how I learned to tumble rocks. Several years ago I got a 4lb barrel tumbler and a raytech tv-5. I talked to Rob with michigan rocks and he pointed me in the right direction. The rotary recipie worked awesome, but I still struggled with the recipie for the tv-5. The reason being is that Rob uses a Lot-o vibe and not a tv-5. The tumbling action is differentand the bowel is rubber and smaller on the Lot -o and plastic on the tv-5 and bigger. Rob also tumbles in his basement and I use a shed that is warmer than his basement, therefore I needed to spray more water in the tv-5 bowel. After being frusterated about the tumbling with the tv-5 I met Walt (manoglass) and since he tumbled for years I used his recipie and low and behold IT WORKED AWESOME! since then I now run 7 12lb rotaries and 3 tv-5's ( each tv- has 2 bowels, 1 for 120/220SC and 1 bowel for 500AO and polish)
I have tumbled hundreds of pounds of rocks using the rotary for 60/90 stage 1 and the TV-5 for stage 2 120/220 thru polish.
The rotary recipie is simple- 1 tablespoon of grit per pound of the barrel. 12lb barrel =12tablespoons of grit.
Then after polish fill up barrel with hot tap water and add 1/4 bar of shreded ivory, run for 24 hours.
The tv-5 recipie is also simple.
1. Step 1, 120/220 Silican Carbide: Add your rocks and 20% small ceramic in the bowel till it is 1/2" from the top of your bowel. ( the more ceramic you add, the more quiet it is, but the more ceramic you add, the less the rocks get tumbled correctly, so there is a balance. For obsidian I use 50%ceramic because I don't want the obsidian to scratch. It is best to use ceramic that has been used a few times to ensure the ceramic has no sharp edge when tumbling obsidian.) Next full up your bowel with water, slosh it around then hold the lid on and drain out all the water. Put the bowl on the tumbler. Screw the first rubber nut on. Next add 1 tablespoon of 120/220 then use a water sprayer and spray 6 sprays of water on the top, put the lid on and put the other nut on. Turn it on. Run 48 hours. Spray 6 sprays in the morning and in the afternoon. Where I live it gets 80 degrees, if you live in hotter weather, might need to spray 3 times a day. If your rockd dry out you will make concrete in your bowel... dont ask..lol yep... rookie mistake.. after 48 hours add 3 squits of dawn dish soap and fill up bowel to the top with hottest tap water. Run 30 min. This loosens the grit off of rocks, then rince off the rocks using a garden hose. Once rocks are rinsed, put rocks into your second bowel( amazon sells a bowel and lid for $30) hold lid on and drain out all water.
2. Step 2, 500Aluminum oxide ( i buy grit from rockshed). Now put 1 teaspoon of 500AO and 1 tablespoon of borox. (Borox helps coat the grit on the rocks). Follow above steps to tumble for 48 hours.
3. Step 3, Aluminum Oxide polish works the best, ( I have tried cerium, TSP and many others, AOpolish works the best in a TV-5). Use 1/2 teaspoon AO polish and 1 Tablespoon of borox. ( I have tried lots more polish, but there is no difference in the polished rocks, you are just wasting grit). Follow above steps to tumble for 40 hours.
4. Burnish step... well this is interesting, using a rotary, i always do an ivory burnish step at the end, but I have found it makes no difference with a TV-5, so at this point I rinse with a garden hose and boom done... now if you are tumbling rocks with pits like broken creek bed agate, you really need to spray off the rocks and get the left over polish bits out of the cracks because once the rocks dry, you cannot clean it.
The thing to remember is that this tumbler motor cools itself from under the tumbler. I put the tumbler on two 2x4's and then put rubber cabinet drawer liner on top of the woid. My shed has sound board in the walls and I have sound board I put in front of the tumbler. Soundboard gets rid of 50% of the sound. Dont use insulation because it does not keep sound out. I also run a fan becide the tumblers to keep airflow so the tumblers dont get too hot.
Hope this helps,
Happy tumbling.
|
|
|
|
Post by Peruano on May 29, 2022 14:01:35 GMT -5
There is good advice from Jasonshort. I use dawn liquid instead of the borax to carry the grit with the rock movements. I sometimes run my vibe without the lid, but bowl must be secured with the first nut, and the water needs must be monitored more carefully due to increased evaporation. I have eynough scrap rock from my trim saw that I don't use much ceramic. I just fill with tiny to small agate, jasper, etc to make the proper load. A friend gave me a couple of liters of tiny garnets which I used to get into irregular surfaces of some chalcedony I was trying to polish. Needless to say garnet was a good filler. Happy polishing.
|
|
rockchipkip14
off to a rocking start
Member since August 2020
Posts: 23
|
Post by rockchipkip14 on Jun 23, 2022 10:53:47 GMT -5
Just thought I would tell you my story for how I learned to tumble rocks. Several years ago I got a 4lb barrel tumbler and a raytech tv-5. I talked to Rob with michigan rocks and he pointed me in the right direction. The rotary recipie worked awesome, but I still struggled with the recipie for the tv-5. The reason being is that Rob uses a Lot-o vibe and not a tv-5. The tumbling action is differentand the bowel is rubber and smaller on the Lot -o and plastic on the tv-5 and bigger. Rob also tumbles in his basement and I use a shed that is warmer than his basement, therefore I needed to spray more water in the tv-5 bowel. After being frusterated about the tumbling with the tv-5 I met Walt (manoglass) and since he tumbled for years I used his recipie and low and behold IT WORKED AWESOME! since then I now run 7 12lb rotaries and 3 tv-5's ( each tv- has 2 bowels, 1 for 120/220SC and 1 bowel for 500AO and polish) I have tumbled hundreds of pounds of rocks using the rotary for 60/90 stage 1 and the TV-5 for stage 2 120/220 thru polish. The rotary recipie is simple- 1 tablespoon of grit per pound of the barrel. 12lb barrel =12tablespoons of grit. Then after polish fill up barrel with hot tap water and add 1/4 bar of shreded ivory, run for 24 hours. The tv-5 recipie is also simple. 1. Step 1, 120/220 Silican Carbide: Add your rocks and 20% small ceramic in the bowel till it is 1/2" from the top of your bowel. ( the more ceramic you add, the more quiet it is, but the more ceramic you add, the less the rocks get tumbled correctly, so there is a balance. For obsidian I use 50%ceramic because I don't want the obsidian to scratch. It is best to use ceramic that has been used a few times to ensure the ceramic has no sharp edge when tumbling obsidian.) Next full up your bowel with water, slosh it around then hold the lid on and drain out all the water. Put the bowl on the tumbler. Screw the first rubber nut on. Next add 1 tablespoon of 120/220 then use a water sprayer and spray 6 sprays of water on the top, put the lid on and put the other nut on. Turn it on. Run 48 hours. Spray 6 sprays in the morning and in the afternoon. Where I live it gets 80 degrees, if you live in hotter weather, might need to spray 3 times a day. If your rockd dry out you will make concrete in your bowel... dont ask..lol yep... rookie mistake.. after 48 hours add 3 squits of dawn dish soap and fill up bowel to the top with hottest tap water. Run 30 min. This loosens the grit off of rocks, then rince off the rocks using a garden hose. Once rocks are rinsed, put rocks into your second bowel( amazon sells a bowel and lid for $30) hold lid on and drain out all water. 2. Step 2, 500Aluminum oxide ( i buy grit from rockshed). Now put 1 teaspoon of 500AO and 1 tablespoon of borox. (Borox helps coat the grit on the rocks). Follow above steps to tumble for 48 hours. 3. Step 3, Aluminum Oxide polish works the best, ( I have tried cerium, TSP and many others, AOpolish works the best in a TV-5). Use 1/2 teaspoon AO polish and 1 Tablespoon of borox. ( I have tried lots more polish, but there is no difference in the polished rocks, you are just wasting grit). Follow above steps to tumble for 40 hours. 4. Burnish step... well this is interesting, using a rotary, i always do an ivory burnish step at the end, but I have found it makes no difference with a TV-5, so at this point I rinse with a garden hose and boom done... now if you are tumbling rocks with pits like broken creek bed agate, you really need to spray off the rocks and get the left over polish bits out of the cracks because once the rocks dry, you cannot clean it. The thing to remember is that this tumbler motor cools itself from under the tumbler. I put the tumbler on two 2x4's and then put rubber cabinet drawer liner on top of the woid. My shed has sound board in the walls and I have sound board I put in front of the tumbler. Soundboard gets rid of 50% of the sound. Dont use insulation because it does not keep sound out. I also run a fan becide the tumblers to keep airflow so the tumblers dont get too hot. Hope this helps, Happy tumbling. |
|
rockchipkip14
off to a rocking start
Member since August 2020
Posts: 23
|
Post by rockchipkip14 on Jun 23, 2022 10:55:27 GMT -5
O.M.G. Best thread for me! I need to figure out how to print these darn words of wisdom! Thanks!
|
|
markb
Cave Dweller
Member since May 2022
Posts: 472
|
Post by markb on Jun 23, 2022 12:58:03 GMT -5
The thing to remember is that this tumbler motor cools itself from under the tumbler. I put the tumbler on two 2x4's and then put rubber cabinet drawer liner on top of the woid. My shed has sound board in the walls and I have sound board I put in front of the tumbler. Soundboard gets rid of 50% of the sound. Dont use insulation because it does not keep sound out. I also run a fan becide the tumblers to keep airflow so the tumblers dont get too hot. , Can you please show me a picture of your "soundboard"? There are lots of references on the web and they all look different. I need to soundproof my vibe because we live in a duplex. Thanks! |
|
