bagofhammers
off to a rocking start
Member since February 2012
Posts: 4
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Post by bagofhammers on Feb 11, 2012 18:41:48 GMT -5
Just like the title says, I'm looking for a vibratory tumbler. My main concern is something that isn't horribly loud. I will be using it to polish small batches of carved gemstones, so I don't need a huge barrel, and I may be able to skip coarse grit, depending on how finely I grind during the carving stage.
I do understand that the tumbler won't polish the deeply recessed parts of the carving, but whatever it does will be most welcome. I'm patient (or crazy) enough to enjoy faceting, but prepolishing and polishing gem carvings with a flex shaft is S-L-O-W.
I'm currently looking at the Lot-O-tumbler or the Mini Sonic, but I'm open to any suggestions.
[shadow=red,left,300]Thanks![/shadow]
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Post by jakesrocks on Feb 11, 2012 18:49:38 GMT -5
No help on which to buy, but you might want to check out ceramic tumbling media in various shapes and sizes. The may help to polish those hard to polish places. Don
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Post by helens on Feb 11, 2012 20:25:39 GMT -5
I did a batch of Welo opals in my Lot-O just fine. Just do NOT put ANYTHING with a higher hardness (MOH) with them at all. And Ceramic tumbling media is a must to help fill up the batch unless you have a lot of rounded scrap glass instead (gems, even soft gems like opals, will eat up your glass).
I have to note something... when I talked to Shawn at the RockShed on the phone, I asked him why his ceramic media did not come in round balls like I've seen for sale.... seems logical that round balls would get into the tighter spots. He said that he used to carry them, but people were complaining that they were able to actually drill HOLES in flat rock faces and get stuck there. They stopped carrying it.
That tell me to buy NO round ball-like ceramic media!! LOL! Rockshed sells cylindrical shaped ceramic media, and the little ones should work just fine (I use glass because I have lots of glass).
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