matt2432
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since December 2014
Posts: 171
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Post by matt2432 on Mar 20, 2015 15:01:33 GMT -5
For all of you that have been running vibrator tumblers, what's the best bet to start with? My budget is in the $175-$250 price range. I'll be running mostly self collected agates and pet wood in the 1"-3" size range through it after rough tumbling in the Model B.
Ultravibe? Lot o? Mini-sonic? What are the pros and cons of each? Is the "Industrial" version of the ultravibe worth the extra money? Which has a bigger opening for larger rocks?
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Mar 20, 2015 15:06:54 GMT -5
This question gets asked quite often and the usual response is that everyone likes what they have. Us loto folks swear by them and the UV-10 guys swear by those too. My loto has run 24-7 for the last three years with zero issues. I bought a second one last year that gets used for special projects pretty often too.
Chuck
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Post by Jugglerguy on Mar 20, 2015 15:15:45 GMT -5
As Chuck said, everyone seems to be pretty happy with what they have. I love my Lot-O. I bought it because it wasn't as big as the UV-10. The Lot-O has about a 4.5 lb. barrel. I have two six pound rotary barrels and two three pound barrels to feed it and I don't come close to keeping it fed. I wouldn't want a larger barrel. The hole in the top is about 2.25 inches and you can tumble anything that can fit through the hole.
There are a few things that you have to do to prepare your new Lot-O for use that some people consider negatives, but they aren't bad at all. You have to mount it to a concrete block. I used one block with the holes filled with Quikrete, but some people use a stack of blocks to put the Lot-O at a height that doesn't require bending down. I painted my block while I was waiting for the tumbler to arrive.
The Lot-O also has a hole in the bottom of the barrel that likes to trap small rocks and ceramic pieces. I filled mine with epoxy by twirling some on the end of a stick and lowering it into the barrel where it dripped off into the hole. I've never touched it since.
Other than these minor set up chores, there's not really a downside to the Lot-O.
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Post by johnjsgems on Mar 20, 2015 15:18:22 GMT -5
If you buy the Ultra Vibe it has to be Industrial model for rocks. Mini sonics are good too.
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Post by captbob on Mar 20, 2015 15:57:46 GMT -5
I'm guessing that it's a coin toss between the Lot-O and the Ultra Vibe as far as quality and owner approval.
The deciding factor may be how much material you care to tumble, with the Lot-O holding 4.5 lab vs the roughly 10 pounds the UV-10 can hold.
I just opted for the Ultra Vibe 10 to test the vibe waters. *sigh* Can't believe that I even want to be strapped to a tumbler the way a vibe seems to require! < banging head on desk > Guess I'll find out soon enough...
Other considerations in choosing may be how well you can keep the vibe fed.
I have 4 Model B tumblers and a couple 12 lb units, so I figured I could keep the UV-10 busy should I choose to use it. As far as I'm concerned, it remains to be seen if the vibe will get much use, but I want to see what all the hype is about. I am reluctant to try new things and rotary tumblers have yet to fail me. I may have a UV-10 for sale in a few months! Time will tell I suppose.
If you have just the one Model B tumbler, I would think that a Lot-O will more than keep up with your Model B output.
The Lot-O is also about 50 bucks less expensive at the Rock Shed, but both within your budget range. It looks to me as though the UV-10 may be able to take larger rocks if that matters. I could be wrong...?
A separate bowl is recommended for the polish cycle with the UV-10 - I don't know if that holds for the Lot-O as well.
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KathyG
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since February 2015
Posts: 85
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Post by KathyG on Mar 26, 2015 8:17:46 GMT -5
I agree with Jugglerguy about the Lot-O if you want to do a smaller amount. Your price range, however, enables you to have more choices about the size. I've heard that the UV-10 is really good and if I was in the market for a larger vibe, that's what I would get. My choice of a smaller vibe is definitely the Lot-O. Great advice given above, I must say.
K.
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matt2432
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since December 2014
Posts: 171
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Post by matt2432 on Mar 26, 2015 9:47:17 GMT -5
Thanks everyone for all the input. I'm leaning towards the UV-10.
There doesn't seem to be any down side to getting the larger UV-10, even if it just means the batches are farther apart or I have to use more filler/grit. I would have the ability to put larger rocks/slabs in as well. Either way I'm not going to be able to keep it running 24/7, so for $230 vs $180 I gain a lot of flexibility in what I can run through it and will have greater future capacity as well.
I'm assuming that you have to fill the vibe up to capacity to run it?
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Post by johnjsgems on Mar 26, 2015 10:33:08 GMT -5
Yes on full loads. Use 30% filler for "normal rocks" and 70% for flats or cabs. Damp not wet for all vibes. Have a LOT of patience first few loads. Vibes are tricky at 220 (first step). As slurry forms the load slows. You need to add literally a few drops of water at a time to restore initial movement. If you are using for polish only after running the rotary maybe not such a big deal.
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SirRoxalot
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since October 2003
Posts: 790
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Post by SirRoxalot on Mar 29, 2015 17:48:20 GMT -5
I've been using the UV-10 for a while now, and am thinking about going back to the rollers for every step. Vibes are just so darn finicky, checking 3x a day is mandatory... they're like kids, you don't get a break from them even if you're sick, lol. And the UV-10 just isn't well made. The centre post is a ten cent threaded rod that strips, it's a pain to keep the lid from vibrating off, the rubber on the lid is thin and weak, as is the rubber the bowl sits on, and the bowl itself is a joke, mine just wore out. And a new bowl is about a third the price of the whole machine. Compare that to a Lortone rotary barrel, which you can roll for ten years and it will show zero wear... it's maddening. And the polish stage takes a WEEK, not much of a time saver.
I run a big roller that takes 6 of the 12 lb Lortone barrels, and it's such a contrast. Throw the rocks in and check 'em every weekend, no fuss, and no muss. Well, except when I'm doing hematite. That stuff makes a heckuva muss. Good thing I'm not a hand model.
Don't mean to sound all crochety, but that's been my experience with it. YMMV.
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meviva
Cave Dweller
Member since July 2013
Posts: 1,474
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Post by meviva on Mar 29, 2015 19:03:48 GMT -5
I have the Ultra Vibe 10MB. It has a 4 lb bowl. I got my at therockshed.com for $185. I am happy with it. I have a QT-66 and it takes a while to get enough rocks through the rough stage to fill the 4 lb. bowl.
Andrea
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Post by MrP on Mar 29, 2015 19:07:42 GMT -5
I've been using the UV-10 for a while now, and am thinking about going back to the rollers for every step. Vibes are just so darn finicky, checking 3x a day is mandatory... they're like kids, you don't get a break from them even if you're sick, lol. And the UV-10 just isn't well made. The centre post is a ten cent threaded rod that strips, it's a pain to keep the lid from vibrating off, the rubber on the lid is thin and weak, as is the rubber the bowl sits on, and the bowl itself is a joke, mine just wore out. And a new bowl is about a third the price of the whole machine. Compare that to a Lortone rotary barrel, which you can roll for ten years and it will show zero wear... it's maddening. And the polish stage takes a WEEK, not much of a time saver. I run a big roller that takes 6 of the 12 lb Lortone barrels, and it's such a contrast. Throw the rocks in and check 'em every weekend, no fuss, and no muss. Well, except when I'm doing hematite. That stuff makes a heckuva muss. Good thing I'm not a hand model. Don't mean to sound all crochety, but that's been my experience with it. YMMV.
I sure don't understand what all the fuss is about the vibe tumblers. I have 2 - lot-o's, 1- UV-10, 2- UV-18's, 1 - UV-45, and a Ultrasonic Vibe 45. When I put a new load in I check it a few hours later and never more then once a day after that. If all is going well I let it run a few days just to let the grit break all the way down. Now that I have been doing the ingawh 2-step I just let it run. If you get things within reason it seems to work fine.
As far as the rubber on the lid, well that is gone who needs it. The rod is not the best but I use new stainless nuts every so often. I have no real problem with the bowl and I have used the first UV-18 for over 4 years. The original bowl I have been using it for polish this last year. I only had 1 bowl the first 3 years ........................................MrP
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agatemaggot
Cave Dweller
Member since August 2006
Posts: 2,195
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Post by agatemaggot on Mar 29, 2015 19:44:27 GMT -5
One of the first problems a new vibe owner runs into is the wing nut coming loose on the bowl lid. Go to Ace hardware or other store and buy a couple wing nuts AND a couple ( STAR ) type lock washers. Put the star washer between the wing nut and the flat washer it rides on, sandwich it. Hand tighten really snug and leave the wrench and vise grips in your tool box. You put excess tension on the threaded rod by using hand tools to tighten the top nut and you will shorten the life of the rod. You might check the action of the stones after 2 or 3 hours to make sure the action hasn't slowed down , give it a spritz of water to speed it up if necessary and then check it again tomorrow.
Kinda like sex in jolly old England,
Once a King, always a King, but, once a knight's enough !
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matt2432
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since December 2014
Posts: 171
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Post by matt2432 on Mar 29, 2015 20:10:33 GMT -5
Well I took the plunge on the uv-10. Appreciate all the input. Any good beginner posts for a vibe? Grit/water amounts, etc? Never mind, I see the pinned thread on it. derp.
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jakoe
off to a rocking start
Member since May 2015
Posts: 3
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Post by jakoe on May 12, 2015 13:44:13 GMT -5
First time trying to polish rocks. A friend loaned me their Raytech Tumble-Vibe, he said it never worked very well and gave up. From videos I've seen it should be rolling the rocks, but it kind of just spins them. I've tried more/less water, removing some of the larger rocks, adding plastic pellets, filling it more. I'm at a loss for why it isn't working. I could use suggestions? Here's the video of how it works no matter what I do:
Is the shape of the bowl the problem?
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Post by captbob on May 12, 2015 14:13:08 GMT -5
Welcome to the forum jakoeNot sure what more/less water means to you. Have you tried no water? The rocks should be just beyond damp. No standing water in the tub. The videos I just watched seen to show rocks rotating around the center more than rolling up and over like in a UV-10. Hopefully a Raytech owner will chime in soon. Are all the springs there and where they are supposed to be? I've also read of these bowls splitting open, make sure where you have your unit set up isn't going to create a catastrophe if this happens.
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matt2432
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since December 2014
Posts: 171
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Post by matt2432 on May 12, 2015 15:53:52 GMT -5
It looks like there is too much water to me. I'm fairly new at vibes, but when I first ran it I had way too much water and it moved just like that, just in a circle.
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jakoe
off to a rocking start
Member since May 2015
Posts: 3
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Post by jakoe on May 13, 2015 14:53:12 GMT -5
Thanks! Draining all the water out seems to be making it work a little better. It also might need some more filler material but most sites recommend ceramic media, but the Tumble-Vibe instructions says not use ceramic media. I'm learning!
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Post by gingerkid on May 13, 2015 15:30:45 GMT -5
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jakoe
off to a rocking start
Member since May 2015
Posts: 3
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Post by jakoe on May 14, 2015 11:08:32 GMT -5
Great suggestion, thanks!
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