mikeinsjc
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2010
Posts: 329
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Post by mikeinsjc on Apr 14, 2014 10:27:18 GMT -5
In my tumbling mix are a lot of slices, 1-3" across. I tumble in a rotary for two weeks, then go to a 50 lb Diamond Pacific vibrating tumbler. My steps in the vibe are; 220 for 24 hrs. 400 for 24 hrs. 600 for 24 hrs. 800 for 48 hrs. TXP for 24 hrs.
Round or near-round stones come out fine. For the slabs or any stone that has the slightest flat surface, that surface is dull. I run 3/8 x 3/4" ceramic pellets, and have run up to 50% pellets by volume, and the flats are still dull. Does anyone have any specific experience in dealing with this problem?
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Post by deb193redux on Apr 14, 2014 12:19:58 GMT -5
I would let the slabs go longer at 220. the amount of energy to round an edge is small compared to the amount of energy to level a plane. If you have enough pellets to keep slabs from sticking face-to-face and riding together, they should polish if the rock can take a polish. I often did slabbetts in my Lot-O
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snowdog
fully equipped rock polisher
RIP David Fildes, aka: snowdog
Member since January 2005
Posts: 1,527
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Post by snowdog on Apr 14, 2014 15:25:08 GMT -5
About all I do is slabs in a #50 vib --same as what Daniel said above --I usually do at least 3 days ,maybe 5 in 220, then I jump to 600 for another 3-5 days then 1000-1200 for another 3-5 days then polish for maybe up to 7 days -- the flats just take a lot longer than the corners do
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mikeinsjc
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2010
Posts: 329
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Post by mikeinsjc on Apr 14, 2014 16:51:55 GMT -5
snowdog, what would you estimate your ratio is, rocks to pellets? Do you use ceramic? If so, what size?
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snowdog
fully equipped rock polisher
RIP David Fildes, aka: snowdog
Member since January 2005
Posts: 1,527
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Post by snowdog on Apr 15, 2014 3:25:17 GMT -5
probably 60/40 (60 being ceramic) and they probably started out the size you mentioned but some have wore down over the years and are smaller--- I dump the whole batch on a screen I have to wash them and the little crums do fall thu so no tiny pieces are in there ( screen holes are @ pencil lead size) but every size from there on up is. just last summer I started a new batch for polish so they are all 3/8's x 3/4 ( haven't wore down much yet ) was thinking about the % as I was typing this and it may be even lower 70/30 or 80/20 as I leave the ceramic in the tumbler all the time then add slabs after I turn it on -- I like for them to "swim" around and when they get close/tight to each other I quit putting them in --but do different size batches from 20 to 50 # -- I also don't worry about 2-3-4 slabs sticking together as long as they have some slurry between them (will come apart when they get washed before the next size grit)
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,154
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Post by jamesp on Apr 15, 2014 7:52:12 GMT -5
I crush smalls of the slab material. 70% slabs and 30% smalls, maybe 80/20. The slabs spend a lot of time stuck together...The smalls get between them. Typical mass cut slabs that were tumbled. Did about 50 pounds of them in 16 pound rotary barrel. 30/60 then 220 then 500 and finally polish. a week each.
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mikeinsjc
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2010
Posts: 329
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Post by mikeinsjc on May 9, 2014 9:28:42 GMT -5
snowdog, it seems the amount of time you need to let the slablets run in the vibe is approaching the times you would run them in a rotary,negating the time savings a vibe offers. Do they polish ok in a rotary? Have you tried it?
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Post by deb193redux on May 14, 2014 8:12:52 GMT -5
the times he gives are in days. in a rotary that 3-5 days become 3-5 weeks or at least 3-5 5-day sets. I am not seeing the time comparison you make.
the edges will also get much thinner in a rotary.
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