Nancy
off to a rocking start
Member since August 2004
Posts: 8
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Post by Nancy on Aug 17, 2004 20:45:08 GMT -5
I have a mini-sonic Raytech tumbler now. I basically tumble smooth rounded rocks but that is because I don't have a rolling tumbler. If I wanted to be able to do rocks the size of grapefruit and smaller, what do you use that you think would "float my boat"? I can't remember who posted the picture of the dual red tumblers, that was very awesome. I showed my husband and he looked at me like I had lost my mind. So I guess Santa won't have that under my tree but what else could I have that you love using to tumble? I think I do want dual barrels, I am kind of impatient when it comes to seeing the rocks polished. It is just a hobby and I do not do anything to my rocks but give them away to all my friends who love to see what just finished in the little tumbler. Thanks so much. Nancy Willson
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Post by sandsman1 on Aug 17, 2004 21:42:17 GMT -5
hey nancy face it when your hooked theres never enuff i want more this takes to long hahahaha
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WarrenA
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since November 2003
Posts: 1,530
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Post by WarrenA on Aug 17, 2004 23:14:03 GMT -5
do not be alarmed you have been infected with rocks---it will only get worse. there is no cure however you will find a lot of support here. as with most hobbies rocks is only limited on how much money you want to spend. Spend some time go through the old posts and get lots of tips and see mistakes we have made and see success also
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Post by cookie3rocks on Aug 17, 2004 23:23:16 GMT -5
Nancy I'm a vibe believer,: even in coarse (220 not 80) you can cut the time down by half! The bowls wear through pretty fast, but the whole cycle goes faster. Started some flint in 120/220 24 hours ago and it appears it just needs another 24 hrs to go to 600. I'm spoiled to the vibe.
cookie
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Nancy
off to a rocking start
Member since August 2004
Posts: 8
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Post by Nancy on Aug 18, 2004 2:17:42 GMT -5
Sandsman, I can't wait to show my husband your picture. I'll just print that and put it on the calendar for December! We just had our 18th wedding anniversary yesterday, I should have pushed for at least one tumbler as a prize for all those years of wedded bliss!! Instead we took our 8 yr old twins to a water park and rode water slides all day. I see the one problem with rolling tumblers, you can't watch the rocks rotate. I am always watching the rocks rotate. Thanks for the picture!!!! Nancy W.
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deepsouth
fully equipped rock polisher
He who rocks last rocks best
Member since January 2004
Posts: 1,256
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Post by deepsouth on Aug 18, 2004 3:01:12 GMT -5
Hmm indeed , tumbling rocks never goes fast enough, we want them ready almost before we put them in the tumbler. So nice to see all those wet rocks on the beach . Pick up a sackload , haul them up a steep slope over some gates and get home after an hours drive .......only to find that most of them have lost their shine ( wetshine) but the memory of that shine drives us almost to insanity !! We want more TUMBLERS.......and I join the long queue ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
Jack
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Post by connrock on Aug 18, 2004 20:18:23 GMT -5
Nancy,,,, Get out while the gettins good!! It "might" not be too late for you!! If you can believe,,,,,,,,,, I now have 7 tumblers (2 vibes and 5 rotary),,,, I "may" be getting 2 Lortones for free so that will make it 11,,,,,,,,,,, I have all sorts of other equipment and going to look at a used 18" Highland Park slab saw this weekend!! I have spent thousands on this so called hobby and I can't stop!! I have so many rocks and minerals that I have had rock slides!! My electric meter burned out twice from overloading the circuts!! It was going around sooooooo fast that it blew up!! The power company had to build a new plant just to supply me !! The Graves Company had to put on a third shift just to keep up with my grit needs!! KingsletNorth set up a "hotline" just for me !! Two UPS drivers had to have surgery due to back problems from delivering rocks to me!! FedEx and USPS won't deliver here anymore!!They burned out a few transmissions in their trucks trying to get up the hill with my rocks!! The neighbors complain constantly about the dump truck traffic running 24/7 up and down the street with rocks,,,rocks,,,,and more rocks!! Here's some of yesterdays traffic!! This is redwoodrocks gettin ready to send me another load of rough!! Last but not least,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, This is where I live now cuz my wife threw me out!! [shadow=red,left,300]P L E A S E [/shadow] consider all of the above before you even look at another rock!! Tom
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deepsouth
fully equipped rock polisher
He who rocks last rocks best
Member since January 2004
Posts: 1,256
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Post by deepsouth on Aug 18, 2004 20:45:51 GMT -5
Tom ............You lucky fellar...........right at home with your rocks and dumptrucks.
I envy you ;D
Jack
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Post by sandsman1 on Aug 18, 2004 20:57:30 GMT -5
HAHAHAHA too friggin funny tom before the beams give out in my apartment i think im gonna pitch a tent next to your shack ill split the electric bill with ya hahaha
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JKowalski33
spending too much on rocks
Member since August 2004
Posts: 451
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Post by JKowalski33 on Aug 18, 2004 21:06:29 GMT -5
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Post by cookie3rocks on Aug 18, 2004 21:16:07 GMT -5
The grind bowl in my vibe finally wore thru today. I have been using epoxy 330, cut up baggies and, what finally worked, a combo of epoxy and bandaids. Desperate times call for desperate measures. I'll order another bowl, but Iv'e got at least 24 hours in grind to go so I'll keep patching till then. I'm considering a bathtub silicone calk to make the fix permanent Tom, we all face this possibility in the future. but it's worth it all! cookie
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Post by puppie96 on Aug 23, 2004 3:16:23 GMT -5
Cookie, please keep us informed about your repair efforts. Thanks!
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llanago
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2004
Posts: 1,714
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Post by llanago on Aug 23, 2004 10:29:09 GMT -5
Tom, too funny! I needed a good chuckle this morning to get the week started.
Cookie, I'm curious to know where your bowls wore through, the bottom? the sides? My coarse bowl doesn't seem to be wearing thin anywhere, but the hole at the top keeps getting bigger and bigger. Guess from just going around and around on the threaded spindle the nut screws on. Also where it bowl hits the spindle, all the threads are worn away. I did order another spindle, but I have done some llanago engineering and will not put the new one on until I have to. I took an old tube BE gave me and cut a piece to wrap around the spindle and then put electrical tape around it up to where the nut screws down. Solved the problem of the big hole and the bowl spinning madly. I keep thinking I am going to line the bowl with rubber (innertube) and see if that will 1) cut down on the noise and 2) prevent the bowl from wearing thru faster. Just haven't gotten around to doing it yet! It's always too busy vibin' them rocks! LOL!
You start your rocks in 220? I got some 100 grit with my vibe and that's what I start in. For the life of me, I can't figure out how you can get done with the coarse stage in just a couple of days. I moved a batch from the rotary to the vibe in 100 grit on Saturday. I clean the bowl and rocks and recharge about every 12 hours and after three days they still have little cracks and pits in them. Almost my entire last load, that had gone all the way thru the polish stage I ended up putting back in the rotary because of the little cracks and pits - and I decided I really wanted to shape them a little more. So, what is your secret for getting through the coarse stage so fast!
llana
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Post by cookie3rocks on Aug 23, 2004 19:04:52 GMT -5
Llana, I'm trying to envision the hole getting bigger at the top and I'm having trouble. What brand do you use? Anyway, don't do anything to permanently stick the spidle to the bowl if you ever want to replace the bowl. That spindle will have to come completely out to change it. It sounds to me like your bowl isn't screwed down tight enough, it shouldn't be turning at all. twist the bowl counter clockwise till it wont turn any more, I think I used to use part 80, part 220 grit in the first grind, but now I just use 120/220. Tried straight 220 and it broke down too fast. And 80 doesn't help much, just eats the bowl up. Kinda depends on what I'm tumbling. Used 120/220 on the last batch of jasper and flint I did and it took 3 days. That was my first wet shine. The agate didn't do as well, niether did the quartz. The flint and pet wood I'm doing now have been in 120/220 for 3 days and I'm cleaning them now, will decide wether to move to 600 after I scrub them down, but I think they're ready. I want a very natural look for the fall/winter jewlery I want to do. I took all the epoxy, bandaids, ect off the coarse bowl and got some silicone, well, glue stuff, it's not caulk. Fixed it right up! The bowl wears through where the base curves at a 90 degree angle to fom the bottom, not at the bottom but just above it. Hope this helps, I know I'm confused cookie
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Post by cookie3rocks on Aug 23, 2004 19:07:40 GMT -5
Llana, I'm trying to envision the hole getting bigger at the top and I'm having trouble. What brand do you use? Anyway, don't do anything to permanently stick the spidle to the bowl if you ever want to replace the bowl. That spindle will have to come completely out to change it. It sounds to me like your bowl isn't screwed down tight enough, it shouldn't be turning at all. twist the bowl counter clockwise till it wont turn any more, I think I used to use part 80, part 220 grit in the first grind, but now I just use 120/220. Tried straight 220 and it broke down too fast. And 80 doesn't help much, just eats the bowl up. Kinda depends on what I'm tumbling. Used 120/220 on the last batch of jasper and flint I did and it took 3 days. That was my first wet shine. The agate didn't do as well, niether did the quartz. The flint and pet wood I'm doing now have been in 120/220 for 3 days and I'm cleaning them now, will decide wether to move to 600 after I scrub them down, but I think they're ready. I want a very natural look for the fall/winter jewlery I want to do. I took all the epoxy, bandaids, ect off the coarse bowl and got some silicone, well, glue stuff, it's not caulk. Fixed it right up! The bowl wears through where the base curves at a 90 degree angle to form the bottom, not at the bottom but just above it. Hope this helps, I know I'm confused cookie
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Post by cookie3rocks on Aug 23, 2004 19:08:43 GMT -5
Not sure what just happened there....?
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Post by krazydiamond on Aug 23, 2004 20:27:26 GMT -5
"confusion will be my epitaph, as i cross this cracked and broken path.."
don't know nothin' about vibes....not sure i want to.....
KD
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Post by cookie3rocks on Aug 23, 2004 21:48:19 GMT -5
OH but you DO KD, You'll never go back, as they say Llana, make that clockwise (righty tighty, lefty loosey) Just had to change my bowl, so I figured that out cookie
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RedwoodRocks
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since March 2003
Posts: 762
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Post by RedwoodRocks on Aug 24, 2004 0:10:45 GMT -5
Conn,
You're way too funny. Thanks for making my evening! Cal
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