Paul
starting to shine!
Member since April 2015
Posts: 38
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Post by Paul on May 2, 2015 16:57:51 GMT -5
So my daughter and I just finished one week in 60/90 with our best beach tumbled stones. Started with about 5lbs or so and found a little more than a handful that seemed ready for the next stage so we set those aside and refilled and reloaded the barrels. Here's what we have so far (shot wet). Full sizeFigure about two more weeks before we have a full load or the beach tumbled ready for the next grit. Can already see we'll definitely need more 60/90, especially when we start trying to tumble the rough that came with our kit since that stuff is going to take several weeks to round. Already thinking about getting another 33b so we can always have two batches of rough going. So far, so good! As always any advice appreciated.
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Post by captbob on May 2, 2015 17:30:25 GMT -5
Nice work, you're on the way paul! I like that striped stone at the bottom and the greens on the right side. Looking forward to updates.
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Post by orrum on May 2, 2015 19:17:02 GMT -5
Very nice rocks!
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,681
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Post by Fossilman on May 2, 2015 21:26:26 GMT -5
Great looking bunch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Post by snowmom on May 3, 2015 4:05:57 GMT -5
another one hooked.. love it! Those firsts are looking good, watching with interest.
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rockymom
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2015
Posts: 118
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Post by rockymom on May 3, 2015 8:44:41 GMT -5
Hi Paul, I am new to tumbling as well, your pebbles look very similar to the rocks that I find here in New England. Curious, are you located in the north east? Have fun with the new hobby, my boys have lost interest but I am still going strong after two months.
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Post by gingerkid on May 3, 2015 13:11:45 GMT -5
Yours and your daughter's tumbles are coming along nicely, paul!
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Post by Jugglerguy on May 3, 2015 14:31:05 GMT -5
Those are looking good Paul. I bought a second tumbler before my first 33b batch was finished. You might want to consider a vibratory tumbler for your second. I bought a Lot-O and I love it. It saves time and grit. After the 60/90 stage is done you can have them finished up in a week or two. I use 2 tablespoons of 220 and then 1/2 teaspoon of 500, 1000, and polish. I figured that the money saved in electricity and grit justified the cost of the tumbler,
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grizman
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since July 2011
Posts: 878
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Post by grizman on May 3, 2015 18:07:55 GMT -5
Keep up the good work. Playing with rocks and your children just doesn't get any better! I too started out with breach rocks that I had collected on the Oregon coast. I still have a few left, but I am also figuring out how to refill my 5 gal. bucket. Have fun with the daughter, they move on too soon!
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Paul
starting to shine!
Member since April 2015
Posts: 38
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Post by Paul on May 3, 2015 19:00:51 GMT -5
Thanks for all the great comments! rockymom - No, we're on the west coast. Southern California. I'm hoping my daughter stays interested. We've been rockhounding and shell searching beaches and other places for quite a long time and she still really enjoys it. I'm hoping that once we get to start doing some crafts with our polished rocks that gives her the sort of end-to-end experience that will help her want to continue with the hobby and suffer through any "boring" parts. She was definitely excited to see the changes in the rocks this week. Jugglerguy - I read up on the Lot-O single tumbler and it certainly sounds great and seems easy to use. It is quite a bit more expensive than the 33b so I might have a hard time getting financial approval for it, if you know what I mean. grizman - Ain't that the truth! Working hard to grab these moments while I can. I actually forgot to post a question when I put these up. We had checked our barrels after about 24 hours and they were very foamy. I set them aside and did some research on these forums and read that usually that foam will die down and all we need to do was keep an eye on the barrels for bulging. We got things started again and there was no bulging but at the end of the week they were still really foamy, like nearly to the brim with foam and foam clinging to the underside of the lids. I forgot to take a picture unfortunately but it was very similar to this, only smaller, more tightly compact bubbles: That picture is from a thread on these forums actually. Is that normal at the end of a week? Thanks again for all the comments and encouragement. We greatly appreciate it.
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Post by Jugglerguy on May 3, 2015 20:34:33 GMT -5
I definitely know what you mean about getting approval for your spending. If that's the case, I'd wait for a birthday or play whatever game you have to with your wife, because I think in the long run spending twice as much on a Lot-O will save you much more time and money than spending half as much on a 33b. My third tumbler was a Lortone QT66 that I bought to feed my Lot-O.
I wouldn't worry about the foam. Sometimes mine foams, most of the time it doesn't. It never seems to hurt anything.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,154
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Post by jamesp on May 3, 2015 21:00:41 GMT -5
Welcome to tumbling Paul. Great that you got a perfect partner. snowmom, steal away, I mean flatter away
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rockymom
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2015
Posts: 118
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Post by rockymom on May 7, 2015 8:48:39 GMT -5
Hi paul, my tumbles get frothy like your picture, I just blow the bubbles off and continue on. I agree on the suggestion of a vibrating tumbler, they are so fast. The pebble in your picture would take five to seven days to complete.
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Paul
starting to shine!
Member since April 2015
Posts: 38
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Post by Paul on May 7, 2015 16:09:16 GMT -5
Wow! Now if I can just convince the CFO to let me go over my budget...
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tkvancil
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2011
Posts: 1,546
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Post by tkvancil on May 7, 2015 16:15:15 GMT -5
Most of the foaming I've seen like that occurs in the first week or two and seems to die down after that. As long as there is no bulging barrel all should be well.
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