meviva
Cave Dweller
Member since July 2013
Posts: 1,474
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Post by meviva on Oct 28, 2014 19:54:28 GMT -5
I am running a batch of mixed stones and ceramics in 500 pre polish in an ultra vibe. I just got the tumbler a few weeks ago. These same rocks were run in 120/220 earlier this week in the vibe, after running for weeks in a Lortone QT66. They have been running for 68 hours. I just took out a rock see the progress and there are little black specks in the slurry. I can't really feel the specks just see them while rinsing the rock. I didn't notice it in the 120/220 run. I'm thinking the specks might be small pieces of the tumbler bowl. The action in the vibe is good. Has anyone else had this happen when using a new bowl? Anyone have any ideas?
Thanks, Andrea
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Post by MrP on Oct 28, 2014 20:01:26 GMT -5
Yes, the newer bowls are worse then the older ones. I don't really think it hurts anything...............MrP
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Post by Peruano on Oct 28, 2014 21:15:00 GMT -5
Are you sure the flecks are not 100 grit that was carried forward from the last step. Were the stones individually handled, wiped, rinsed, and or brushed to see that grit was not being carried forward in any rough edges or pits? One way to avoid carrying grit forward (especially if you tend to use a lot of grit that may not have broken down in the previous step) is to run an hour or two in just soap and water between critical steps dislodging loose grit and dumping it before you add the next finer step. Mind you I don't do this except when I have rough edged stones that are likely to carry grit forward. Good luck. Tom
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meviva
Cave Dweller
Member since July 2013
Posts: 1,474
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Post by meviva on Oct 28, 2014 21:25:57 GMT -5
Thanks both of you. They are larger than the 120/220 grit. I did run them in borax for couple of hours and rinsed really well. I think it part of the bowl. I just don't want to ruin the new tumbler.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Oct 29, 2014 4:45:48 GMT -5
Greetings [meviva] with regards to the black specks it is the vibe's hopper degrading, the black specks only shows up when running pre-polish and polish stages. The black specks I get in my 42 year old vibe still with the original hopper the black specks float. Please check out my Sticky's below. -- Please click images to open larger images in a new Tab, same with everything that is Underlined! I currently have a 3lb Beach (UK), Lortone QT 12/66 (USA) rotaries & 2x Viking Vibrasonic (Diamond Pacific) (USA) virbrating tumblers, with Silicon Carbide grit F80, F220, F600, F1200, with Tin Oxide (1.0 micron) & Aluminum Oxide (1.0 micron & 0.3 micron) polishes. I hail from (The Barony of Seabegs) Bonnybridge, Stirlingshire, U.K, where aliens (15mb) sometimes come for a visit & about 4 miles west from that monstrosity & 7 miles west of this new monstrosity! Sticky's: their contents are resource information 1#: Vendors worldwide (2mb), 2#: How to use the forum, 3#: How to identify rocks & minerals, 4#: Save money on expensive grits & polishes, 5#: Aussie Lapidary Forum: Rock Tumbling Guide!
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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 29, 2014 8:09:55 GMT -5
Yup. Little pieces of plastic from the bowl. Won't hurt a thing. Be sure and post pics of the finished rocks, please.
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user6244
off to a rocking start
Member since December 2014
Posts: 1
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Post by user6244 on Dec 27, 2014 7:55:06 GMT -5
Yup. Little pieces of plastic from the bowl. Won't hurt a thing. Be sure and post pics of the finished rocks, please. Hey, I am new to this hobby or uh got roped into it with the wife who decided to collect rocks while I metal detect the beaches here in South Korea. We had just finished running our rocks through the vibe with medium grit and had just progressed into the pre polish phase and during one of the inspections noted that nearly all the rocks had black specks on them , some could be removed easily by wiping your finger across others didn't want to budge at all, We really had no desire to try and clean off the black specs and so back to the medium grit. Prior to restarting we cleaned the bowl and sure enough you could tell that some material transfer had occurred,, being new we are confused as to how this may have happened and at first thought maybe we had to much water? But I am certain that wasn't the case as I could not see much if any down below, and the rocks had a good grey wet sheen and not washed, and was getting great movement?? When we measured the grit the only thing we deviated from was the amount of grit we added just 6oz or roughly 6 tablespoons, and after adding 4 tablespoons water and getting good movement of the material it seemed like we didn't have enough grit so added 1 tablespoon more... Is it possible that the cause of the transfer was from the grit? Or wait after the first run we cleaned and cleaned the bowl and material very well, it is possible we did the same with the pre polish by adding one additional tablespoon of pre polish,, guess same question applies did we just add to much PRE? Oh and if this is common any thoughts on how to make a rubber liner for the bowl?
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Post by Jugglerguy on Dec 27, 2014 10:57:02 GMT -5
Newuser6244,
Catchy name! I'm not sure what brand of vibe you have. I have a Lot-O, so my experience is with that, but I think they all work operetta much the same. The Lot-O doesn't have any of the barrel break down problems, so I can't help you there, but you may be off a bit on your water and grit amounts. The Lot-O has a 4.5 lb. barrel. The rocks should only be wet, there shouldn't be any standing water in the bottom. I fill my barrel with water so all the rocks are covered in water and then dump all the water out.
For grit, I use 2 tablespoons of 220. This is after rough tumbling in my rotary tumblers. Then I use only 1/2 teaspoon of 500, then 1000, then polish. I put 1 tablespoon of either Dreft soap or borax in each stage.
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Post by johnjsgems on Dec 27, 2014 11:57:01 GMT -5
All vibes that I know of run damp, not wet. If you see water you will end up with the grit settling to the bottom of the bowl and wearing holes through (usually about 1/2" from bottom). I don't tumble much anymore but in my little GyRoc 2.5lb. I rinse the rocks and ceramics (30%-70% by volume) in a stainer. Dump the mix wet into the bowl (bowl must be full). Add 1 teaspoon 220 grit. Start and observe. Water from rinsing usually works. Add drops of water every 1-2 hours as slurry forms and tumbling action slows for first 6-8 hours. Run two days, rinse and repeat. After 2 more days rinse well and run two days with teaspoon of 600. rinse, burnish rock and bowl and run polish (.3 micron aluminum also 1 teaspoon). Check every day until done. Better to have dedicated polish bowl.
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tkvancil
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2011
Posts: 1,546
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Post by tkvancil on Dec 28, 2014 11:02:32 GMT -5
Yup. Little pieces of plastic from the bowl. Won't hurt a thing. Be sure and post pics of the finished rocks, please. Hey, I am new to this hobby or uh got roped into it with the wife who decided to collect rocks while I metal detect the beaches here in South Korea. We had just finished running our rocks through the vibe with medium grit and had just progressed into the pre polish phase and during one of the inspections noted that nearly all the rocks had black specks on them , some could be removed easily by wiping your finger across others didn't want to budge at all, We really had no desire to try and clean off the black specs and so back to the medium grit. Prior to restarting we cleaned the bowl and sure enough you could tell that some material transfer had occurred,, being new we are confused as to how this may have happened and at first thought maybe we had to much water? But I am certain that wasn't the case as I could not see much if any down below, and the rocks had a good grey wet sheen and not washed, and was getting great movement?? When we measured the grit the only thing we deviated from was the amount of grit we added just 6oz or roughly 6 tablespoons, and after adding 4 tablespoons water and getting good movement of the material it seemed like we didn't have enough grit so added 1 tablespoon more... Is it possible that the cause of the transfer was from the grit? Or wait after the first run we cleaned and cleaned the bowl and material very well, it is possible we did the same with the pre polish by adding one additional tablespoon of pre polish,, guess same question applies did we just add to much PRE? Oh and if this is common any thoughts on how to make a rubber liner for the bowl? I don't think it was the grit that caused the plastic to stick to the rocks. The only time I've had that happen was when the rock had a spot in it that was softer than the rest.
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