ebechan
off to a rocking start
Member since August 2004
Posts: 23
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Post by ebechan on Aug 27, 2004 20:16:20 GMT -5
I am a week and a half in the first stage tumble and my belt broke! I thought I had and extra belt, but NOOOOOOOOO! So, i just ordered 5 more and have to wait for them to come in. my question is, I just recharge the grit a couple hours before the belt broke. Will it be ok for the my amethyst, quartz, and purple jasper to just sit there in the gritty slurry for a week or more? I can't think of any reason it would hard them, except maybe the slurry could stain the rocks in a sedimentation pattern. But I doubt that too. I just in case, I am asking you guys. Evelyn
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Post by Cher on Aug 27, 2004 20:39:28 GMT -5
Awww I'm sorry Evelyn. I don't know the answer to your question but would it be to hard to take the rock out and put them in plain water until the belt gets here?
[glow=red,2,300]Cher[/glow]
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Post by sandsman1 on Aug 27, 2004 20:43:28 GMT -5
naaaaa wont hurt just give them a shake and put them back on the rollers when you get the new belt they will roll loose and finish
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Post by BearCreekLapidary on Aug 27, 2004 21:54:14 GMT -5
Hello Evelyn,
You'll be fine with leaving them in the mix. Too bad about the belt!
I have a Gy-Roc 3 pound tumbler, that is currently running on a standard o-ring from my local auto parts store. I was told that they generally do not hold up to the task of a tumbling belt (because that it not what it was intended for), but, it's been running for a month and a half without any problems!
Have a great day!
John
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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 27, 2004 22:53:57 GMT -5
Evelyn, I had a belt break in the middle of the night last night. My tumblers are in my bedroom, so I am pretty much deaf to them unless something happens. I woke up and there was a strange sound. Checked the tumblers and sure enough, that little fan was just a-spinnin', but the barrels were just a- sittin' and the belt was just a hangin' there. Since I have three 33bs and one wasn't tumblin', I just moved the barrels to it.
Now, if it was me and the belt broke and I didn't have another tumbler to move the barrels to, I would either go to the autoparts store and find one similar and try it. Or go to WalMart or wherever and see if I could find a vaccum cleaner belt the same size.
As they say, girlfriend, necessity is the mother of invention and a serious tumbler would never let a broken belt slow them down! So, go forth to NAPA and/or WallyWorld and find a subsitute belt that will work til your new ones arrive. ;D
llana
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MoonStone
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since August 2004
Posts: 202
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Post by MoonStone on Aug 28, 2004 3:51:27 GMT -5
Hello Evelyn! ;D
I'm no expert here, I really just wanted to say Hello & share some ideas!!!;D
Anyway... I will just tell you what I will probably do in a situation like yours.
Being new to tumbling and anxious for action, if my belt breaks and I have to wait for the replacement I will probably try to rationalize and excuse to opening that tumble to have some action. I will probably say to myself something like "better to play it safe than to be exposed to the chance of being sorry" and I will take my rocks out, clean them nicely, explore their progress so far, and perhaps will even take some pictures! That's what I will probably do, but...I really think the others are right and your rocks could stand the wait in there!;D
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ebechan
off to a rocking start
Member since August 2004
Posts: 23
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Post by ebechan on Aug 28, 2004 4:40:18 GMT -5
hhhhhhhwwwwmmmm~~~~ to quiet in my house without the tumbler going, can't sleep. I think I can't wait for the belts, so in the morning, I think i will be off to nappa to see if i can find a quick fix. Thanks all for the support, Evelyn
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Post by connrock on Aug 28, 2004 12:21:19 GMT -5
Hi Evelyn, We make some of our bigger (24" and up) "O" rings in work. We buy the material in bulk and glue them together. If you take the old belt and cut the 2 ends where it has broken ,as straight as possible, which is not all that easy,then put just a very tiny amount of a crazy type glue on both surfaces,push the ends together without gluing your fingers to the oring or eachother,hold them together for about 60 seconds by pushing as hard as you can without distorting the o ring you will have your belt back in working order. When you cut the belt use a brand new single edged razor blade and just kind of roll the blade and belt back and forth with a slight amount of pressure until you cut through it.If the ends aren't PERFECTLY flat and square the glue will NOT hold.These types of glue cure in the absence of oxygen so it's important to push the ends together as hard as possible. Wipe off the excess glue with an old clean cloth to make sure the belt won't stick to your fingers or the pulley. Loctite brand glue is VERY good for this type of application but I guess a pig in the poke won't hurt either. The fixed belt may not last a full week but it just may.I've made several for my smaller tumblers this way and the last quite a while. Tom K
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James
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since October 2003
Posts: 876
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Post by James on Aug 28, 2004 12:53:31 GMT -5
That's why I pack a spare... or two... or three..... or four...... In fact, I had one wear out yesterday! Always keep extra lids on hand too.
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