jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,154
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Post by jamesp on Dec 28, 2017 19:15:18 GMT -5
Running smooth and good bit quieter than PVC. About 20 pounds and 12 pounds. 4 inch and 6 inch entry. With bulk grit they grind 5 or 6 days for a 7 day clean out at a quick 63 RPM clip. Times out well. Grind is rapid. Big chunks leftover after two weeks and two semi clean outs.
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Wooferhound
Cave Dweller
Lortone QT66 and 3A
Member since December 2016
Posts: 1,423
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Post by Wooferhound on Dec 28, 2017 20:08:43 GMT -5
After using this ungraded SiC for 2 weeks. Coming straight out of the box. Am thinking about Crunching these with a hammer to make them more effective.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,154
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Post by jamesp on Dec 28, 2017 20:20:43 GMT -5
After using this ungraded SiC for 2 weeks. Coming straight out of the box. Am thinking about Crunching these with a hammer to make them more effective. You will find it easy to crush woofer. If you can find a couple of say 1/2 inch steel plates about 1 foot square you can mill it down easily between the plates. Or roll a steel barbell over it on concrete. At 60 RPM and 8 inch barrels it gets beat up well. Maybe a tablespoon left over from 1 3/4 cups.
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quartz
Cave Dweller
breakin' rocks in the hot sun
Member since February 2010
Posts: 3,339
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Post by quartz on Dec 28, 2017 23:37:23 GMT -5
I got my 8" barrel running Sunday, 57 RPM. Anxious to see how that "road gravel" grit works, and the Corian end covers. Burped w/no gas today so I'll let it go for about 10 more days.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,154
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Post by jamesp on Dec 29, 2017 3:42:49 GMT -5
I got my 8" barrel running Sunday, 57 RPM. Anxious to see how that "road gravel" grit works, and the Corian end covers. Burped w/no gas today so I'll let it go for about 10 more days. Should have no problem with breaking down the bigger pieces with that size barrel at that speed. Anxious to see how the Corian works for you. I was surprised to find the high wear areas on the HDPE don't even seem to have a sanded finish after a week with the coarse SiC.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,154
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Post by jamesp on Dec 29, 2017 6:14:51 GMT -5
Those 2 barrels will coarse tumble more faster with less electricity, less clean outs and less abrasive costs than any set up I have ever had.
I have a lifetime supply of course fast cutting time release SiC. A big pile of red clay for slurry thickener. A reliable rugged speed variable tumbler with grease able industrial bearings running at 20% capacity. Long lived easy entry barrels and caps. Plenty of water tanks/supply adjacent for washing and clean outs. Provisions to dump slurry adjacent. Dialed in vibe 50 feet away and separated from the coarse grind area. Ventilated wet use pre-grinder in same area. Solar heated space. Carts and tables for moving stuff around. High visibility rock, abrasive and media storage. Rock saw and heat treatment furnace on site.
Prepper tumbling. Finally got tumbling dialed in after 7 years and many changes. Wish I knew then what I know now.
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Post by captbob on Dec 29, 2017 8:34:47 GMT -5
Wish I knew then what I know now. Thanks for taking us along for the ride!!!
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notjustone
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2017
Posts: 426
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Post by notjustone on Dec 29, 2017 10:59:19 GMT -5
I keep threatening to speed mine up but haven't gotten to it yet.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,154
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Post by jamesp on Dec 29, 2017 11:15:30 GMT -5
Wish I knew then what I know now. Thanks for taking us along for the ride!!! I think that saga has come to a close Bob. Basically my tumbling system has been seriously rearranged. That's just my way, if it isn't running 100% it goes in the dump and gets recreated. I thought I was going to be committed to running the bulk grit with bigger barrels and faster speeds. Nothing further from the truth. The bulk SiC is about 50% SiC 30 and smaller. So I can easily screen it to use in slower smaller barrels. The Rio's and coral and many other Mohs 7 rock can be run with the big fast barrels which is the bulk of what I tumble anyway. I seem to use the bigger SiC faster than the smaller stuff due to demand. I have enough fittings to make 3 more of the stubby barrels with the 6 inch opening. They probably hold 12 to 14 pounds. Doubt I will need that much capacity. I have a 5 gallon bucket of coarse shaped rocks waiting for the vibe at this point. I am running one stubby now to make sure it does well. I sure do like that big 6 inch opening. Granted they are noisier than rubber barrels but it is not an issue here. Might as well get the heavy grind on. I can also run say 1 inch steel balls or 1 inch nuts(from bolts) in those black barrels dry and crush the big chunks of SiC. I tried it and it works like a champ. You have to limit the run time or it gets too fine. So I can make my own finer SiC on the tumbler frame.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,154
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Post by jamesp on Dec 29, 2017 11:26:43 GMT -5
I keep threatening to speed mine up but haven't gotten to it yet. If you can handle the noise and your machine will take it then I would. I sped up again from 6 inch barrels at 55 RPM to 8 inch barrels at 63 RPM. I believe that works out to 65% faster surface speed increase. I believe a 60 RPM barrel filled to 80% is a faster gentler grind than a 40 RPM barrel filled to 65%. So that was another criteria. I start with the barrels at 70% and slowly work up to 80-85% towards end of coarse grind. And add smaller bulk grit each time. Screened 3 sizes. Not precision measurements but I do go out of my way to add more rock and use smaller grit as weekly clean outs proceed on a batch. Coarse grind sucks and takes forever. Why not feed it artillery.
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quartz
Cave Dweller
breakin' rocks in the hot sun
Member since February 2010
Posts: 3,339
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Post by quartz on Jan 22, 2018 0:40:22 GMT -5
I did a quickie cleanout and check on the 8" dia.x12" long barrel [57 R.P.M.] I've been running the x-coarse in for three weeks. The barrel is 2.1 gallon, so I initially loaded 2 cups of grit and 2 cups of cat litter with the rock for a 90% fill. I tried to save most of the slurry so a good look at what was left of the grit wasn't possible. I did find a half-dozen pieces of grit maybe 3/16" in long dimension, grit seems very used up, and the rocks lots smaller and smoother. That stuff really grinds. Reloaded with 2 cups grit and I'll let it go for another 2 or 3 weeks. Thanks to jamesp for the opportunity to try this grit.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,154
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Post by jamesp on Jan 22, 2018 8:50:04 GMT -5
I did a quickie cleanout and check on the 8" dia.x12" long barrel [57 R.P.M.] I've been running the x-coarse in for three weeks. The barrel is 2.1 gallon, so I initially loaded 2 cups of grit and 2 cups of cat litter with the rock for a 90% fill. I tried to save most of the slurry so a good look at what was left of the grit wasn't possible. I did find a half-dozen pieces of grit maybe 3/16" in long dimension, grit seems very used up, and the rocks lots smaller and smoother. That stuff really grinds. Reloaded with 2 cups grit and I'll let it go for another 2 or 3 weeks. Thanks to jamesp for the opportunity to try this grit. Been my findings too Larry. The higher fill at 80 to 85% in 8 inch round barrels at higher ~60 RPM speeds is one gentle but mean grinding method. Quiet too. Add the time release characteristics of this giant grit and I rarely fool with the coarse grind barrels. Nice protective slurry development in unison with lowering rock level. Ultimately dialed in. Subliminal erotic harmony, gets no better.
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Post by captbob on Jan 22, 2018 9:13:28 GMT -5
I was curious 'bout sumtin' when I first watched the video above, but figured it would take awhile to know the answer. It's been awhile.
Are there no wear issues with the butt of the smaller barrel riding against the cap of the larger barrel? Seems that butt would wear the rubber cap down and the barrels might need some separation. How is that cap doing now that it has been almost a month?
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,154
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Post by jamesp on Jan 22, 2018 10:47:13 GMT -5
I was curious 'bout sumtin' when I first watched the video above, but figured it would take awhile to know the answer. It's been awhile. Are there no wear issues with the butt of the smaller barrel riding against the cap of the larger barrel? Seems that butt would wear the rubber cap down and the barrels might need some separation. How is that cap doing now that it has been almost a month? Been running 8" and 6" barrels with those caps for years against each other. I have had some brands of caps wear out from the inside(grit + rocks). Never had any damage on the outside from the slipping/rubbing of different speed barrels go figure. I would think it increases the power bill a bit. I try to avoid it when possible.
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