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Post by captbob on Jan 18, 2015 12:31:35 GMT -5
from the wife unit. 40 lb Lortone tumbler on eBay www.ebay.com/itm/301478308498?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AITMy high bid of $411.51 didn't even enter as the bid had passed that between when I entered my bid amount and when I hit the Submit Bid button. *whew* Not that I didn't want it, but I should probably wait at least a week between adding new pieces of lapidary equipment to my shop to keep the pot from boiling over around here.
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Post by roy on Jan 18, 2015 12:36:24 GMT -5
lol chicken !
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jamesp
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Member since October 2012
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Post by jamesp on Jan 18, 2015 14:34:16 GMT -5
I gotta build all my stuff, not allowed such massive purchases. So you were a trigger second away, that's funny.
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Post by captbob on Jan 18, 2015 15:03:47 GMT -5
The timing was moot, someone else simply thought it was worth more than I did.
I'll still probably end up building my own and just buying the barrel, unless a "deal" comes my way before hand. Not like I need it right away, just want one.
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Jan 18, 2015 17:20:57 GMT -5
The rolling system is simple. The barrel was the challenge, a rubber one for sure. You would be happier with 3 twelve or fifteen pound barrels. i'm telling ya.
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Post by captbob on Jan 18, 2015 17:55:33 GMT -5
I already have four 15 pound and two 12 pound tumblers. I want the 40 to do larger pieces. I won dozens and dozens of auctions for small Lavic Jasper pieces like this: Most were mostly just a buck or two, but I like the look of the stuff and want to see it tumbled. I want to do a couple 40 pound barrel loads with this material with larger than average sized pieces of the Lavic. If I could rent a 40 pounder for a year that would work, but I don't see that happening, so I'll find or build one eventually.
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Jan 18, 2015 18:13:48 GMT -5
Those are big, looks like you are going the right route. Biggest was 12 ounces in mine. Pretty stuff, tumbled it before.
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Post by captbob on Jan 18, 2015 18:25:11 GMT -5
I need to make some kinda grinder before doing the Lavic load(s), or the rough tumble would take 6 months or better. Haven't decided whether to make something like you have with the diamond grinding wheel or put together one of those units where ya put like 7 saw blades together as one. I've had this Lortone thing sittin' out in my shed for the past 5 or 6 years doing nuttin', and thought I'd put the saw blades on one side and maybe a 30 or 60 coarse 8" diamond wheel on the other. That would probably do what I'm after without having to make something new.
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Jan 18, 2015 20:11:00 GMT -5
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blackout5783
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2011
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Post by blackout5783 on Jan 18, 2015 22:12:50 GMT -5
I picked up the 10 pack of these: www.mcgillswarehouse.com/db3799-7in-segmented-granite-general-purpose-c7fc6gd6fg. Can't even get a 6" diamond grinding wheel for that price, and these will last 10x longer. I didn't even put spacers in between the blades, they were acting like 10 very close together saw blades instead of a single wheel. One note after some trial and error. The "super grinder" design works best at a minimum of 1750 rpm. I had the blades going a bit slower than that (just used the pulleys I had on hand) and it wasn't so great. I have it at about 1800 now and it's a lot better. Might even be better than that at a higher speed (I think the blades top out at 3500 or so?), but it's plenty intimidating at the current speed. And wear safety glasses (or face shield)! This thing throws chips like crazy, but that might be from the segments.
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Jan 19, 2015 8:16:37 GMT -5
I picked up the 10 pack of these: www.mcgillswarehouse.com/db3799-7in-segmented-granite-general-purpose-c7fc6gd6fg. Can't even get a 6" diamond grinding wheel for that price, and these will last 10x longer. I didn't even put spacers in between the blades, they were acting like 10 very close together saw blades instead of a single wheel. One note after some trial and error. The "super grinder" design works best at a minimum of 1750 rpm. I had the blades going a bit slower than that (just used the pulleys I had on hand) and it wasn't so great. I have it at about 1800 now and it's a lot better. Might even be better than that at a higher speed (I think the blades top out at 3500 or so?), but it's plenty intimidating at the current speed. And wear safety glasses (or face shield)! This thing throws chips like crazy, but that might be from the segments. Mcgills is great. those are the best bargain on 7 inch blades. And tall diamond segments.
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jamesp
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Member since October 2012
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Post by jamesp on Jan 19, 2015 8:34:31 GMT -5
I need to make some kinda grinder before doing the Lavic load(s), or the rough tumble would take 6 months or better. Haven't decided whether to make something like you have with the diamond grinding wheel or put together one of those units where ya put like 7 saw blades together as one. I've had this Lortone thing sittin' out in my shed for the past 5 or 6 years doing nuttin', and thought I'd put the saw blades on one side and maybe a 30 or 60 coarse 8" diamond wheel on the other. That would probably do what I'm after without having to make something new. That may turn a bit slow. Unfortunately that grinder of mine is much more effective over 3000 RPM. But if sitting there grinding, exposed to that wheel at any speed about the same dangers exist. So you might as well run it fast and get the job done quicker. Have yet to draw blood, but a few thin skins, and those were because of small rocks. Big rocks way safer. way safer
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Post by connrock on Jan 19, 2015 8:57:08 GMT -5
The pieces of Lavic Jasper are pretty big.How many do you think you can tumble at once? connrock
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Post by captbob on Jan 19, 2015 9:28:38 GMT -5
I don't know Tom, I've never seen a 40 pound tumbler barrel, so I'm not sure what they can hold. I figure that pre-grinding will small 'em up some as well as cutting the rough tumble run. Hoping I can get maybe 15 in the barrel at a time. (?) Also thinking that once they pass the initial 60/90 shaping run that I can divvy them up among my 15 lb barrels a few at a time. I've got dozens of pieces this size and quality to work with and many larger pieces that can be cut smaller for filler. It's just a project for down the road a ways - gotta get/build the 40 pounder first! jamesp - I would like to see tumbles you have done with Lavic if you have pics available.
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Jan 19, 2015 10:00:45 GMT -5
I don't know Tom, I've never seen a 40 pound tumbler barrel, so I'm not sure what they can hold. I figure that pre-grinding will small 'em up some as well as cutting the rough tumble run. Hoping I can get maybe 15 in the barrel at a time. (?) Also thinking that once they pass the initial 60/90 shaping run that I can divvy them up among my 15 lb barrels a few at a time. I've got dozens of pieces this size and quality to work with and many larger pieces that can be cut smaller for filler. It's just a project for down the road a ways - gotta get/build the 40 pounder first! jamesp - I would like to see tumbles you have done with Lavic if you have pics available. I take most my photos out in the sun so the shine does not show so well, but that stuff polishes very easy. The biggest issue is well healed material, and it can have brittle areas and fractures. Good solid laic is about as pretty as it gets This was the batch, mostly coral Shotgunner sent me a MFRB. Have not tumbled but a few each load, photos scattered. Should let me see how that stuff coarse grinds on the kingkong, it may break.
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Post by connrock on Jan 20, 2015 10:34:35 GMT -5
I love big polished rocks but have never had much luck with them. I found it pretty hard to find big agate and jasper that wasn't flawed so bad it would take forever to rough if it would rough out at all. I've managed to get a few that came out perfect but they were far a few between. I think the rough is the key! Good luck captbob. connrock
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Fossilman
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Post by Fossilman on Jan 20, 2015 11:08:43 GMT -5
Liking that petwood,got some going now,its ready for Part two of grit.. Just cut some Brazilian agate yesterday,it was beautiful stuff,except it had two healed fractures going through it,so will break it up for tumbling..
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Jan 20, 2015 21:58:37 GMT -5
I love big polished rocks but have never had much luck with them. I found it pretty hard to find big agate and jasper that wasn't flawed so bad it would take forever to rough if it would rough out at all. I've managed to get a few that came out perfect but they were far a few between. I think the rough is the key! Good luck captbob. connrock Only big ones I ever had luck with was a 6 inch ID barrel. Seems like the smaller barrel was gentle and did not create such hard bumping. 6 inches in inner diameter but 24 inche long. Did about 10 half pounders, lots of smalls. Ended up with fine polish. Rolled em fast too. That big bowl tumbler beats up rocks half the size that the 6 inch barrel tumbled. Bowl tumbler doing 2-3 ounces and less. Don't like it.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 21, 2015 23:27:08 GMT -5
captbob - those lavics are HUUUUUGE by todays standards! I have collected my share of buckets and have seen maybe three pieces that big and only one larger. If I were to tumble a really BIG piece I would add the ONE piece into the barrel and fill (all the way!) with pea gravel, grit and water and let it roll. I have a piece of royal purple burro creek from a friend and need to sort out how to tumble it. It is amazing in color and sculptural in shape but wont fit thru a 4" cleanout. jamesp - are you aware of a 5" (or 6") cleanout fitting? Color washed out in cellphone pic. This stuff polishes to an almost BLUE color, a true royal purple color.
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Jan 22, 2015 6:41:49 GMT -5
@shotgunner-If i had to tumble something that heavy I would do it in a wide mouth Lortone 12 pound barrel if it would hold up. With a lots of agate filler from 1/2 to 1.5 inches. And no other big rocks. When I put a rock 1/4 that size in my big steel bowl tumbler it is bruised to pieces the next morning. I do not know how people tumble 2 or more rocks bigger than 1-2 pounds together in one barrel and keep them from banging together. A bunch of 8-12 ounces corals is as big as I could go, and those in a small diameter 6 inch barrel to avoid rolling bruises. The only other alternative I know to do is pre-grind it and finish it in a large vibe.
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