rockrich
off to a rocking start
Member since June 2022
Posts: 6
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Post by rockrich on Jun 13, 2022 3:30:24 GMT -5
Hi all,
I wondered from other UK based tumble-persons who you use for supplies.
So far I’ve bought machines from UKGE’s Rocktumble retailer. Also rocks and grit from Littlegems. Then various randoms - Etsy seems to be a really good source for rough rocks.
I would love to order from the US but £30 of rocks was costing me another £170 in postage and tax.
All advice gratefully received.
Thanks, Rich
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Post by As I in does tries! on Jun 13, 2022 21:35:10 GMT -5
Greetings and welcome from this side of the pond (Scotland), what's wrong with Lapidary Vendors Worldwide? Recommendations: Creetown: 3lb Beach tumbler with 3lb plastic barrel currently £18 cheaper. Littlegems: 5lb Beach tumbler with 5lb rubber barrel currently £12 cheaper. Mineral Craft North: Fixed80 (need 5-10 times than other grits), F220, F400 Silicon Carbide grit, Aluminum Oxide Polish, Cerium Oxide polish and plenty of rocks! All grits and polishes are currently the cheapest in the UK. UKGE: F600, F1200 Silicon Carbide grit, Zinc Oxide polish. I Don't recommend the Evans CR2 with 2 3lb rubber barrels as it is around £150 overpriced at £398 an imported Lortone QT12 is far better for same or less money. TheRockShed: USA Lortone QT12 with 12lb rubber barrel 220V 50/60Hz Euro plug, spare boot gaskit. |
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rockrich
off to a rocking start
Member since June 2022
Posts: 6
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Post by rockrich on Jun 15, 2022 5:36:20 GMT -5
Greetings and welcome from this side of the pond (Scotland), what's wrong with Lapidary Vendors Worldwide? Recommendations: Creetown: 3lb Beach tumbler with 3lb plastic barrel currently £18 cheaper. Littlegems: 5lb Beach tumbler with 5lb rubber barrel currently £12 cheaper. Mineral Craft North: Fixed80 (need 5-10 times than other grits), F220, F400 Silicon Carbide grit, Aluminum Oxide Polish, Cerium Oxide polish and plenty of rocks! All grits and polishes are currently the cheapest in the UK. UKGE: F600, F1200 Silicon Carbide grit, Zinc Oxide polish. I Don't recommend the Evans CR2 with 2 3lb rubber barrels as it is around £150 overpriced at £398 an imported Lortone QT12 is far better for same or less money. TheRockShed: USA Lortone QT12 with 12lb rubber barrel 220V 50/60Hz Euro plug, spare boot gaskit. |
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rockrich
off to a rocking start
Member since June 2022
Posts: 6
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Post by rockrich on Jun 15, 2022 5:36:44 GMT -5
Greetings and welcome from this side of the pond (Scotland), what's wrong with Lapidary Vendors Worldwide? Recommendations: Creetown: 3lb Beach tumbler with 3lb plastic barrel currently £18 cheaper. Littlegems: 5lb Beach tumbler with 5lb rubber barrel currently £12 cheaper. Mineral Craft North: Fixed80 (need 5-10 times than other grits), F220, F400 Silicon Carbide grit, Aluminum Oxide Polish, Cerium Oxide polish and plenty of rocks! All grits and polishes are currently the cheapest in the UK. UKGE: F600, F1200 Silicon Carbide grit, Zinc Oxide polish. I Don't recommend the Evans CR2 with 2 3lb rubber barrels as it is around £150 overpriced at £398 an imported Lortone QT12 is far better for same or less money. TheRockShed: USA Lortone QT12 with 12lb rubber barrel 220V 50/60Hz Euro plug, spare boot gaskit. |
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rockrich
off to a rocking start
Member since June 2022
Posts: 6
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Post by rockrich on Jun 15, 2022 5:37:09 GMT -5
Thanks everso. I’ll take a look at all those.
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rockrich
off to a rocking start
Member since June 2022
Posts: 6
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Post by rockrich on Jun 21, 2022 4:06:52 GMT -5
Hi there. Please can you clarify the comment about needing 5-10 times on 80 grit? This looks like great value but just wanted to check on the comment before I order. Thanks in advance. Rich Mineral Craft North: Fixed80 (need 5-10 times than other grits), F220, F400 Silicon Carbide grit, Aluminum Oxide Polish, Cerium Oxide polish and plenty of rocks! All grits and polishes are currently the cheapest in the UK. Greetings and welcome from this side of the pond (Scotland), what's wrong with Lapidary Vendors Worldwide? Recommendations: Creetown: 3lb Beach tumbler with 3lb plastic barrel currently £18 cheaper. Littlegems: 5lb Beach tumbler with 5lb rubber barrel currently £12 cheaper. Mineral Craft North: Fixed80 (need 5-10 times than other grits), F220, F400 Silicon Carbide grit, Aluminum Oxide Polish, Cerium Oxide polish and plenty of rocks! All grits and polishes are currently the cheapest in the UK. UKGE: F600, F1200 Silicon Carbide grit, Zinc Oxide polish. I Don't recommend the Evans CR2 with 2 3lb rubber barrels as it is around £150 overpriced at £398 an imported Lortone QT12 is far better for same or less money. TheRockShed: USA Lortone QT12 with 12lb rubber barrel 220V 50/60Hz Euro plug, spare boot gaskit. |
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Post by As I in does tries! on Jun 28, 2022 22:20:27 GMT -5
Greetings sorry I did not see this earlier; yes you need between 5 - 10 times of primary course grit, don't believe ask in RTH: Rock Tumbling. Anyway I find it best to do 5 runs in F80 one after another after the first run and each run there after add an extra stone to the mix, load the barrel up for the sixth time and let it run for three times as long, then you are ready for F600, you can run the tumbler for either 5 days or 7 days per run In a 3lb barrel you will use 60g of F80 per run and 20g of F600 per run usually one run is enough, then you can move onto your polish with a maximum of 5g of polish, even in a Lortone 12lb barrel. I started in 2009 with a 3lb Beach tumbler with two 1.5lb plastic barrels from UKGE the most expensive supplier at the time. |
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nursetumbler
Cave Dweller 
Member since February 2022
Posts: 994 
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Post by nursetumbler on Jul 4, 2022 2:39:29 GMT -5
Greetings sorry I did not see this earlier; yes you need between 5 - 10 times of primary course grit, don't believe ask in RTH: Rock Tumbling. Anyway I find it best to do 5 runs in F80 one after another after the first run and each run there after add an extra stone to the mix, load the barrel up for the sixth time and let it run for three times as long, then you are ready for F600, you can run the tumbler for either 5 days or 7 days per run In a 3lb barrel you will use 60g of F80 per run and 20g of F600 per run usually one run is enough, then you can move onto your polish with a maximum of 5g of polish, even in a Lortone 12lb barrel. I started in 2009 with a 3lb Beach tumbler with two 1.5lb plastic barrels from UKGE the most expensive supplier at the time. I am pretty new to tumbling and I hope this doesn't come across as being miss know it all because heaven knows I am not. The amount of time really depends on the stone quality to begin with (beach rocks in the US are already rounded) and your liking of the look of the stone plus how hard (mohs) it is. Apatite mohs 5 I think, lost more than 1/2 it's mass in 1 week of tumbling in 60/90 where as brazillian agate mohs 7 I tumbled from January 30th of this year cleaning out every week to 10 days. I think there is still a piece or two tumbling with carnelian because they weren't ready (to my liking) to move on. I tumbled orchid calcite, (mohs 3) for approximately 36 hours in 60/90, 3 days in 120/220 and a week in each pre-polish and polish. Didn't like the shine after wet polish so I dry polished them in corncob for 2 more weeks (length of time only because i didn't need the barrel so I just let it run) So what I am getting at is there are to many variables to tumbling to have a set time on any stage of tumbling. Please forgive me for stepping in. |
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muaddib
off to a rocking start
Member since July 2022
Posts: 10
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Post by muaddib on Jul 25, 2022 11:39:14 GMT -5
Hi all, I wondered from other UK based tumble-persons who you use for supplies. So far I’ve bought machines from UKGE’s Rocktumble retailer. Also rocks and grit from Littlegems. Then various randoms - Etsy seems to be a really good source for rough rocks. I would love to order from the US but £30 of rocks was costing me another £170 in postage and tax. All advice gratefully received. Thanks, Rich
I found eBay to be a good source of grits, they all compete with each other meaning we (the customers) get a better deal.
I imagine rough rocks could be the same, I almost never buy rough rocks as I live near the sea and often go rock hounding, so I have many sources.
I did once buy a kilo of rocks but was disappointed to find lots of small chippings that will become grit after a week in a barrel tumbler !
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Post by As I in does tries! on Jul 27, 2022 0:43:34 GMT -5
Greetings [nursetumbler] if you have soft stones in the mix then it's highly likely that they would just have a silk finish if they survived at all, there is a "Aussie Lapidary Forum: Rock Tumbling Guide!" in my signature that all noobs should take a look at least.
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