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Post by catmandewe on Oct 1, 2014 0:18:18 GMT -5
I filled my new tumbler with some rather large rough in June (I think) and added 5 lbs of grit and let it run until yesterday. When I opened it up I couldnt see any rocks so I had to drain some sludge out before it got down to the rock level, it has reduced the mass by approx 40-50%. It is a mixture of Brenda agate and Owyhee jasper with a few other things thrown in. After a good washing this is what it looks like in a 6 gallon bucket after running 60/90 for approx 3 months (give or take a month). Filled up a new batch to run for a month or two. 90 lbs of Bruneau jasper and 5 lbs of grit I have 2 18-20 lb batches running in the vibes right now, went straight to polish, should be done in a couple of days. Thanks for lookin...............Tony
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Post by orrum on Oct 1, 2014 5:22:47 GMT -5
Wonder how shiny it is after 3 months? Can you skip a grit stsge? Vera interedting....
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bsky4463
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2013
Posts: 1,696
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Post by bsky4463 on Oct 1, 2014 7:14:08 GMT -5
Now that's how you tumble in Idaho, 90#s at a wack. FYI that matrix makes for a super thick slurry quick. I rolled the Bruneua without grit for a few days then cleaned out then went for the grind with grit. Tony, you might want to check after a few days to make surebu don't get fubared by the matrix..... Cheers.
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,676
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Post by Fossilman on Oct 1, 2014 8:39:20 GMT -5
Nice tumbles and HOLY MOLY,90#'s at a wack...GIT R DONE!!!
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Post by roy on Oct 1, 2014 8:53:00 GMT -5
lol 90 pounds ! killer load for sure
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Oct 1, 2014 9:40:58 GMT -5
hardcore tumbling in action. looking forward to the finished pics after the vibe is done with them.
Chuck
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tkvancil
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2011
Posts: 1,546
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Post by tkvancil on Oct 1, 2014 9:56:48 GMT -5
Assuming a 50% breakdown of grit per week it ended up at something like 90,000. I'll bet the surface on those is really smooth. Should shine up quite nicely.
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herchenx
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2012
Posts: 3,360
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Post by herchenx on Oct 1, 2014 10:25:47 GMT -5
great tumbler! How wide is the barrel and what is the diameter of the outer rim? I have a large tumbler but the poly barrel cracked last year (wrecked a lovely batch of pet wood and trashed the belt with the slurry) and I've been sitting on an otherwise great (big) tumbler that has no barrel.
I was going to try to repair it, but the way the barrel is built the mouth is so small I can't get a large enough solid flat piece of repair material in there to have me feel like it is safe to run again, so I've been toying with just replacing the barrel once some cashola comes in.
TIA!
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Post by snowmom on Oct 1, 2014 12:08:30 GMT -5
wow, that's bigtime! Going to enjoy seeing the finished products up close. (hint)
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Post by catmandewe on Oct 1, 2014 16:22:02 GMT -5
I will take some pics in the next day or two of the first batch out of the vibes. I have them running John's (JSGems) polish compound, it only takes a couple of days in polish and they will be done.
John, it is a DP 65T barrel, my first load was 65 lbs but since then I have found that 90 lbs seems to work better, it is one tough barrel! I think I am going to pick up another one in Jan. If you need one let me know and I will get you a great deal on one.
I have been paving my alley with the sludge out of the big tumbler, it makes the road hard as a rock!
Tony
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herchenx
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2012
Posts: 3,360
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Post by herchenx on Oct 1, 2014 16:31:28 GMT -5
I'd like to check the barrel dimensions if you can, the outer edge diameter and the end-to-end width
I am at the office and can't recall the brand name on mine, I think they were bought by DP so this should fit but I want to compare to what I have.
PM me, I'd be interested!
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Post by MrP on Oct 1, 2014 19:35:39 GMT -5
Catmandewe I have a barrel like that and have run it for 4 years. The bottom end wore through and started leaking. Took that end off and put a rubber gasket in. I would only run rough for a month or two then take it apart clean it then run the next stage for a month or two. After four years of running, many many loads, I now just use it for finer grits because it is getting a little thin. I will be getting another one for rough. When I run rough I fill it almost to the top put in 3-4 cups of 60 90 spin for a week then take out those that are rounded and do it over. With that much weight the grit is used in a week, at least that is what I find.............MrP
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bcrockhound
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2014
Posts: 418
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Post by bcrockhound on Oct 1, 2014 20:31:25 GMT -5
That's epic!
I have been wondering when rocks break down in the tumbler and lose mass, over time do you risk the tumbler not being full enough anymore and the action not being ideal? Do the rocks just continually polish to higher levels in there, or do bad things start to happen eventually (my technical terminology)?
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herchenx
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2012
Posts: 3,360
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Post by herchenx on Oct 2, 2014 0:00:14 GMT -5
Catmandewe I have a barrel like that and have run it for 4 years. The bottom end wore through and started leaking. Took that end off and put a rubber gasket in. I would only run rough for a month or two then take it apart clean it then run the next stage for a month or two. After four years of running, many many loads, I now just use it for finer grits because it is getting a little thin. I will be getting another one for rough. When I run rough I fill it almost to the top put in 3-4 cups of 60 90 spin for a week then take out those that are rounded and do it over. With that much weight the grit is used in a week, at least that is what I find.............MrP MrP is yours identical to Tony's barrel (metal ends) or is yours the older all-poly version? I have the all-poly version and the welded plastic seam came apart on mine. I thought about repairing it but that style also has the narrower mouth so I couldn't fit a big enough solid piece in the bottom to feel like it would adequately support the repair.
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Post by MrP on Oct 2, 2014 4:37:17 GMT -5
Catmandewe I have a barrel like that and have run it for 4 years. The bottom end wore through and started leaking. Took that end off and put a rubber gasket in. I would only run rough for a month or two then take it apart clean it then run the next stage for a month or two. After four years of running, many many loads, I now just use it for finer grits because it is getting a little thin. I will be getting another one for rough. When I run rough I fill it almost to the top put in 3-4 cups of 60 90 spin for a week then take out those that are rounded and do it over. With that much weight the grit is used in a week, at least that is what I find.............MrP MrP is yours identical to Tony's barrel (metal ends) or is yours the older all-poly version? I have the all-poly version and the welded plastic seam came apart on mine. I thought about repairing it but that style also has the narrower mouth so I couldn't fit a big enough solid piece in the bottom to feel like it would adequately support the repair. It is all-poly. Looks just like Tony,s with the large ends. I did not repair the barrel it's self, just made it so it would not leak. Grit can be caught between the barrel and rubber gasket, but if you only use it for one grit size it doesn't seem to be a problem..............MrP
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Post by pghram on Oct 6, 2014 14:25:46 GMT -5
Mega tumble, I really like your process.
Rich
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Post by catmandewe on Oct 7, 2014 10:48:26 GMT -5
Catmandewe I have a barrel like that and have run it for 4 years. The bottom end wore through and started leaking. Took that end off and put a rubber gasket in. I would only run rough for a month or two then take it apart clean it then run the next stage for a month or two. After four years of running, many many loads, I now just use it for finer grits because it is getting a little thin. I will be getting another one for rough. When I run rough I fill it almost to the top put in 3-4 cups of 60 90 spin for a week then take out those that are rounded and do it over. With that much weight the grit is used in a week, at least that is what I find.............MrP MrP is yours identical to Tony's barrel (metal ends) or is yours the older all-poly version? I have the all-poly version and the welded plastic seam came apart on mine. I thought about repairing it but that style also has the narrower mouth so I couldn't fit a big enough solid piece in the bottom to feel like it would adequately support the repair. The barrel is a one piece molded polypropylene barrel, no metal ends. The only metal in it is the studs and butterfly nuts. I think it is the toughest barrel I have ever used. Tony
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herchenx
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2012
Posts: 3,360
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Post by herchenx on Oct 7, 2014 14:17:29 GMT -5
My barrel was poly but was molded from a single piece, and the seam in the bottom was weak. I'd assumed the ends of that new barrel were metal but poly makes sense.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,154
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Post by jamesp on Oct 7, 2014 15:34:57 GMT -5
A bright light may help see thin spots.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2014 20:09:34 GMT -5
90# of tumble. Now we know the logic behind Mt. catmandewe<speechless>
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