Noah
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2003
Posts: 102
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Post by Noah on Nov 16, 2003 17:56:24 GMT -5
Greetings all,
I'm new to this list and new to rock tumbling. I make jewlry on the side for fun, and sell my work. I'm trying to get into making the stones myself now. I've talked to a bunch of people, ad gotten different information, but the biggest thing I'm looking to find out is what is a good tumbler to start out with. I'm not looking for a super huge tumbler a 3lb one, but if anyone has any good reccomendations it would be a great help.
Thanks, Noah
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Post by docone31 on Nov 16, 2003 19:02:15 GMT -5
I absolutely reccomend a double barrel 3lb tumbler. For what you are trying to do, a simple grinding wheel, a water cup, and a double barrel tumbler will produce some fine stones for jewelery. The commercial cabbers, cab their stones, and tumble them. Buy well, buy once, and use forever. Single barrel tumblers have never done it for me. I save the second barrel for final polish. Keeping the barrel isolated really helps.
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Pdwight
has rocks in the head
Member since June 2003
Posts: 619
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Post by Pdwight on Nov 17, 2003 18:46:01 GMT -5
Can I chime in, buy a Lortone tumbler. They have a much superior barrel design than Thumlers..and Doc is quite right you need a dual 3lb tumbler. If you fill the tumbler to about 80% capacity and start the "job" you will find that you loose an amazing ammount of rock in the polishing process..............or at least I do. Usually if I have my starting load about 1 inch from the top......it will be less than 1/2 of the barrel when I finish polishing the batch.
You have a good place to start here....lots of nice people that can save you months of trial and error....Welcome!
Dwight Pilkilton
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mudd1973
starting to shine!
new member of Culver City Rock and Mineral Club
Member since May 2003
Posts: 33
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Post by mudd1973 on Nov 17, 2003 21:15:39 GMT -5
I got into tumbling when I was given an old Lortone 6lb tumbler. I'm impressed with how sturdy the design is. I'm planning to use it mostly to make stone beads for jewelry. It is a little too big for me, especially for the final polishing stages. So, I plan to use it mostly for the first rough phase. I just bought the new Lortone 315B on eBay. It has three 1.5 barrels. I will most likely use them for the three final phases of tumbling and polishing, so I can keep a steady flow of batches moving along. Be careful - this tumbling stuff is addictive.
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SirRoxalot
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since October 2003
Posts: 790
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Post by SirRoxalot on Nov 17, 2003 21:54:46 GMT -5
To echo everybody else, buy a double 3 lb barrel Lortone. Support your local rock shop. The really small tumblers just don't produce much finished product though they take more or less the same amount of work as the big ones - you have to do the same load, clean, x4 cycle. Bear in mind that only a fraction of the rocks that come out of polish are really suitable for jewelry, some stuff that looks great going in looks pretty damn doggy coming out. Run a 12 pound barrel and you'll have enough for a month of pendants etc, and lots to give away to friends, family, local children, etc.
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WILDONE
off to a rocking start
Member since September 2003
Posts: 13
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Post by WILDONE on Nov 18, 2003 15:17:26 GMT -5
I am just starting out myself, I have the lortone with two 3 lb barrels and i have a single 3 lb that is from harbor freight , it seem to be a good tumbler. I use the double for the first 2 tumbles and the single for the last 2. I am doing my first ever polish as we speak, but as for what tumblers....I say lortone, I foiund out the double I bought on e-bay was over 20 years old , I just replaced the motor and it is rocking and rolling, I dont think I would try any other tumblers myself.
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Noah
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2003
Posts: 102
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Post by Noah on Nov 18, 2003 16:12:05 GMT -5
Thanks everyone for the great info! Its truly very very helpful ;D I bought a small 3lb single barrel since I wound up getting an excellent price on it, and I'm going to purchase the lortone 3lb dual barrel tonight to accompany it. I can't wait to get started. I've been cleaning and sifting 2 pounds of stones so I'm ready when i get the machines Thanks again =) Noah
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Post by puppie96 on Nov 20, 2003 4:29:40 GMT -5
HI -- as another newbie, I've been wondering why it seems that everyone is only talking about using barrel tumblers and not vibratory ones. I just "upgraded" afer my first batch because I wanted to run more and faster --figured the vibe would be good for some applications/stones and the barrel for others. I'd be interested in any opinions. Thanks!
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Noah
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2003
Posts: 102
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Post by Noah on Nov 20, 2003 13:19:15 GMT -5
Not totally sure why, but a friend of mine told me that vibratory ones just don't do the justice that a rotary can. I'm sure theres a real reason, or its probably just peoples preference. Also the fact that vibes cost between 50-80$ more than barrels.
-Noah-
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James
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since October 2003
Posts: 876
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Post by James on Nov 20, 2003 13:40:02 GMT -5
Don't buy a 3 lb barrel, or even 2 3 lb barrels to start off with. I did, and I soon found myself confined and limited on what I could produce. SirRoxaLot was right when he said: " only a fraction of the rocks that come out of polish are really suitable for jewelry." On that note, invest yout money in a larger tumbler. I personally like "Thumlers Modle B." I'm not going to argue about which brand is better, because I've never owned a lotone. All I can say is that Thumler pioneered rock tumbling and I buy from them. Plus they're made in the U.S.A. In addition, I sespect you'll soon find youself addicted rock tumbling (just like the rest of us) and need a larger tumbler any way
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Pdwight
has rocks in the head
Member since June 2003
Posts: 619
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Post by Pdwight on Nov 20, 2003 15:17:18 GMT -5
Let me add something to this post , I have a Model B as well and it is a fine tumbler, what is the problem is the lids on the small 3lb Thumler barrels..they are cheay and east to leak...this is where Lortone has them beat hands down.
Dwght P
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James
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since October 2003
Posts: 876
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Post by James on Nov 20, 2003 16:28:19 GMT -5
I saw you post on leaking barrels. I have a total of 8 (eight) 3 lb barrels and I've never had a problem. Whenever I open them to check on the contents, I carefully clean the rim of the barrel with a toothbrush to ensure a tight fit with the lid. If any grit get's on the rim of the barrel, it will leak. The 15lb barrel is a bolt-on design and therefor will not leak.
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Pdwight
has rocks in the head
Member since June 2003
Posts: 619
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Post by Pdwight on Nov 20, 2003 16:41:03 GMT -5
Hi , thanks for the post. My problem was not with the seal or the O ring..it was the fact that a hole formed in the middle of the lid..I guess the grit just ate through the lid..this is where the leak came from.
Dwight P
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James
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since October 2003
Posts: 876
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Post by James on Nov 20, 2003 16:43:43 GMT -5
Wow, that's very wierd. It must have been a defected lid. How many tumbles did it go through before it broke down?
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Pdwight
has rocks in the head
Member since June 2003
Posts: 619
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Post by Pdwight on Nov 20, 2003 16:51:21 GMT -5
I actually had two do this, I would say they were used 24/7 for about 3 months before this happend.
Dwight P
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