slabcabber
has rocks in the head
Member since April 2010
Posts: 590
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Post by slabcabber on Jul 7, 2013 21:05:24 GMT -5
Has anyone ever heard of tumbling you rocks in 60/90 only? I heard that you can run them in 60/90 for 5 weeks straight and that is all you need to do? Any comments?
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Post by Jugglerguy on Jul 7, 2013 21:13:43 GMT -5
I've never tried that, but since silicon carbide keeps breaking down into finer and finer grits, I have heard that you can do that. The biggest problem would be that most rocks have to go through many stages of 60/90 before they're ready for the next stage. So it would be better to change the 60/90 grit each week until you have enough rocks ready for the next stage. Then you could let them go for five weeks to see what happens.
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snuffy
Cave Dweller
Member since May 2009
Posts: 4,319
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Post by snuffy on Jul 7, 2013 21:20:16 GMT -5
Has anyone ever heard of tumbling you rocks in 60/90 only? I heard that you can run them in 60/90 for 5 weeks straight and that is all you need to do? Any comments? I have heard of some doing that.I haven't myself.A larger tumbler,say a 6 or 12 lber would do it with more grinding action,better than a small one.I do a 2 week run in my 12's on the last 60/90 charge,and they are ready for 1000 in loto.But I've got a barrel of obsidian that I'm gonna roll a month or longer,will see what that does. snuffy
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slabcabber
has rocks in the head
Member since April 2010
Posts: 590
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Post by slabcabber on Jul 7, 2013 21:23:14 GMT -5
Thanks guys, I think I am going to give it a shot.. Will keep updating as I roll along.
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Post by johnjsgems on Jul 9, 2013 10:44:30 GMT -5
I had a neighbor that ran 60/90 only and in 12 lb. barrels. He added a little 60/90 each week for about a month. Then polish after cleaning. He only did Montana agate so everything was water rounded already. Some rocks make a thick slurry so even letting it run for weeks you would need to check every week or so and adjust water. Another method I heard of and tried was running 60/90 for 7-10 days, adding 220 for 7 days, and 600 for 7 days. Then wash well and polish. It worked. I also tried 60/90 then added 220. Washed and ran 600. Washed, burnished, polished, burnished. Also worked. Started following the $5 tumbling book method, it worked. The common thread seems to be it isn't rocket science. Try any method that sounds practical. Make changes as needed and before you know it you have your own method. The only time I ever measured grit in a rotary was in a 40 lb. barrel. And I never used a scale when tumbling.
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slabcabber
has rocks in the head
Member since April 2010
Posts: 590
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Post by slabcabber on Jul 13, 2013 17:24:16 GMT -5
Thanks John, I do the 60/90 then 220 then the 600 wash polish and wash now but was just wondering about the 60/90 for 5 week thing , I had heard of someone doing this and was just trying to find out more about it..
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