cobbledstones
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2014
Posts: 482
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Post by cobbledstones on Nov 25, 2014 14:10:34 GMT -5
I am really inspired by the resent tumbler projects, and have decided to build one. Most of my lapidary time is spent slabbing and cabbing, so I have end cuts and pieces of slabs that can supply the tumbler. I also have buckets of interesting river cobbles (mostly agate, jasper, and petrified wood), and pick them up way faster than I can use them.
Now, I always tend to jump in and go way too big at the outset, that's why I am asking. I want to be sure I can 'feed' the tumbler I end up building. My rough estimate is that the stage 1 grind on agate/jasper can take up to 4 months. ( I plan to finish in a vibe). So I should have a tumbler with the capacity to take my 4 month accumulation of stones. In that way, a double story-multiple barrel tumbler that can do ~100lbs total seems reasonable. Am I asking for trouble with something that big?
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quartz
Cave Dweller
breakin' rocks in the hot sun
Member since February 2010
Posts: 3,332
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Post by quartz on Nov 25, 2014 15:14:11 GMT -5
Butt cuts and pieces do little to feed a tumbler on a long term basis. I just finished an 8" dia.x 7 3/4 long barrel for an acquaintance, his intended use just that, cuts and pieces. When he came to get it, he said man, that's kinda big. He really hadn't thought it out well. Now he wants a 6" by the same length. We figure a bucket of rocks at ~65 lbs., how many buckets do you have in stock and what is your accumulation rate? I wouldn't say you are asking for trouble with that size, but how long will you keep it fed. The advantage of a double story, you can easily disable the top half. Food for thought, I hope.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,154
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Post by jamesp on Nov 25, 2014 15:53:11 GMT -5
I would do four barrels, about 20 pounds each. That way you can run slabs, cobbles, hand broken stuff, end cuts, softer materials separately. Some stuff coarse grinds faster than others. Nice to run them separated. Coarse grit bill can be $300 per year for 100 pounds...
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Post by nowyo on Dec 5, 2014 20:05:23 GMT -5
Having built a largish tumbler I agree with quartz and james. In it's next reincarnation my setup will have multiple smaller barrels. That way I can run all of them or as many as I have time to deal with. The other thing to keep in mind with a bigger barrel is the time it takes to do a clean out and recharge, for me it's easier to grab more shorter chunks of time.
Russ
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,154
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Post by jamesp on Dec 5, 2014 22:33:51 GMT -5
Having built a largish tumbler I agree with quartz and james. In it's next reincarnation my setup will have multiple smaller barrels. That way I can run all of them or as many as I have time to deal with. The other thing to keep in mind with a bigger barrel is the time it takes to do a clean out and recharge, for me it's easier to grab more shorter chunks of time. Russ 15-25 pounders is fine w/me. Nice to have even smaller ones for many situations. If some of the tumbles could be sold big would be fine.
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