J9
having dreams about rocks
Never met a rock I didn't like
Member since October 2003
Posts: 66
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Post by J9 on Oct 14, 2003 10:11:07 GMT -5
Help - My last few runs through both the first and second phase have produced a smooth thick sludge at the bottom of the barrel. Several stones get lodged in there. I think I have enough water so I am not sure if this just happens after a few days and I need to clean and recharge or if I am doing something wrong. You expert opinions would be appreciated. Thanks
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SirRoxalot
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since October 2003
Posts: 790
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Post by SirRoxalot on Oct 14, 2003 10:42:08 GMT -5
Freezing up your barrel is somewhat of a safety hazard: I don't know what the odds are of a stalled barrel burning up the motor and your house are, but it's something to think about. So fixing the problem today is probably rather important. I'm not an expert, but the following suggestions are fairly obvious:
1) Re-read the instructions that came with the tumbler, to make sure you get all the quantities right.
2) Start again with more water, or less rock. Don't add any thickening agents, like sugar, etc. Make sure you're using a mix of sizes of rock, not all exactly 1" across.
3) Carefully watch the process, checking every day; every 12 hours would be better, and keep a log of how things progress. You want a nice pancake batter consistency slurry, usually takes a while to form, efficient grinding is said to take place only when it is formed.
4) Check that the pulley isn't slipping, check if the axle driving the barrel is greasy and not transferring power. Weigh the load so you're not turning a barrel that is too heavy for the motor. Old, homemade rigs can be pretty dodgy and need to be watched. (I just threw out my old beater, it froze up and got really hot, too risky. New tumblers are actually pretty cheap when you look at the cost of most lapidary tools.)
Hope this helps. If it doesn't, repost a _precise_ summary of the process you are using and we'll start from there.
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James
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since October 2003
Posts: 876
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Post by James on Oct 14, 2003 12:51:50 GMT -5
I would fish out the sludge and recharge the grit. You could also add a SMALL amount of dove or ivory soap. Soap has a soaking agent in it that should prevent the sludge from hardening.
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Post by docone31 on Oct 14, 2003 16:20:01 GMT -5
Sludge is a component of what we do. You will get more the coarser and rougher the grit and stones. Unless someone hotwired the motor, engine is internal combustion, before it bursts into a raging inferno, the fuse blows. The amperage is very low. My Loretone dual has a three amp fuse. I have come home after a day of power outages and the motor was just humming, not turning. Do not throw the sludge down the drain. It makes a wonderful concrete mix. I use the sludge to kill plants in an area I want to keep free from vegetation. With the coarse grit, and finer, when I come home from the shop I shake it for about a minute. Sludge means it is working.
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J9
having dreams about rocks
Never met a rock I didn't like
Member since October 2003
Posts: 66
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Post by J9 on Oct 14, 2003 17:18:45 GMT -5
Thanks everyone for your input. I think this last batch bogged down a bit because the moonstone is really disintegrating. I have a new lortone, so hopefully it is not a machine problem, just an operator one I may try a few less rocks on the next one, I tend to be closer to the 3/4 full than the 1/2, and do the shake. Have a good evening.
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WILDONE
off to a rocking start
Member since September 2003
Posts: 13
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Post by WILDONE on Oct 14, 2003 22:54:40 GMT -5
I am doing my first load in a Lortone and the same thing happened to me I took out a few of the rocks and stirred it up, it has been running fine since, I add a half tbs of grit too and a little water, I am guessing to much rock, the bbl is 3 lbs but 3 lbs of rock didnt fit so i put like 2 and a half....that may have been too much too...but like I said soon as I took some out and mixed up the sludge at the bottom of the barrel it has been running fine
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Post by docone31 on Oct 15, 2003 6:57:19 GMT -5
Barrel capacity is an issue. There are times when I have just too full a bbl. I run the tumbler and cull the stones that are too large to polish as the tumbles go. I save these for tumbles that are too small and I use them as filler. They all get polished sooner or later and the smaller stones get into the crevices of the larger ones. I have found that a few large stones will make the smaller ones real small real quickly however.
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