quartz
Cave Dweller
breakin' rocks in the hot sun
Member since February 2010
Posts: 3,341
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Post by quartz on Feb 14, 2023 23:57:29 GMT -5
We do a lot of petrified wood from the Northwest and have found a week of burnish after a thorough post polish cleaning gives our stuff a better luster. This doesn't hold as well with everything, beach and river agates don't improve as much. For my burnish mix I stir up cheap dry laundry soap in water to get a near thin pancake batter viscosity and I pad the load with chunks of cut up leather scraps in the 1/2 to 1" size range, about 75% rock and 25% leather.This in a large barrel, smaller chunks for smaller, say 12 pound, barrels. It is a little messy but works for us, and I do reuse the mix.
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quartz
Cave Dweller
breakin' rocks in the hot sun
Member since February 2010
Posts: 3,341
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Post by quartz on Feb 13, 2023 23:38:16 GMT -5
Most plastics have a fairly high thermal expansion rate, in other words they grow quite bit as temperature increases, and shrink as it gets colder. You might try dipping the barrel right up to, but not including the lid in cold water, colder the better but not freezing. Let it soak in that for say half an hour then turn the barrel over and dip only the lid in hot water, at least tap water hot. The lid might expand enough to loosen.
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quartz
Cave Dweller
breakin' rocks in the hot sun
Member since February 2010
Posts: 3,341
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Post by quartz on Jan 9, 2023 17:13:33 GMT -5
The Archimedes Trammel has gotten to more often be called a BS grinder, made by many, and some out of the finest of materials with the closest of running tolerances. This is a fine item for setting around and grinding the BS when the weather is too miserable, or whatever excuse can be made. Trouble is, it can only be operated by one person at a time, nothing like grinding the BS with a good friend. I decided to fix that by building a two person BS grinder with padded seats for good tush cush that swivel for either hand operation. Also included are cup holders for the liquid beverage of choice.
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quartz
Cave Dweller
breakin' rocks in the hot sun
Member since February 2010
Posts: 3,341
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Post by quartz on Dec 18, 2022 23:16:57 GMT -5
Henry, I have a hose to hook to my laundry room tub faucet so I can use my rock washing station in the winter, dress warm and enjoy some water at your desired temperature, if you have provision for it.
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quartz
Cave Dweller
breakin' rocks in the hot sun
Member since February 2010
Posts: 3,341
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Post by quartz on Dec 9, 2022 23:51:00 GMT -5
As to your original question about the rolling rods, you should use cold rolled steel, no need for galvanized {zinc coated}. Another forum member showed his tumbler grinding metal at two bearings, so thinking the material was undersize I went to my local Lowes with a micrometer, he said he got his rod material at Lowes. Not to say my store and his have the same material source but I measured some pieces of 1/2" rod at -.0015 inch, acceptable for fitting into a bearing. Some of the rods ran as much as .004-.005 " undersize, not normally acceptable for use in a bearing, too loose a fit in the bearing bore. Cold rolled rod runs no smaller than .003 undersize per standard, normally .001-.002. If you don't have a micrometer perhaps a friend does, suggest measuring your choice of material to get as close as possible to the size you are going to use; assuming likely 1/2 or 5/8 inch. Or spring for cold rolled.
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quartz
Cave Dweller
breakin' rocks in the hot sun
Member since February 2010
Posts: 3,341
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Post by quartz on Dec 7, 2022 12:46:53 GMT -5
The start capacitor is there to provide a bit of stored power as a boost to turn motors that already have a load attached to them, some fans and pumps for instance. A saw shouldn't ever have to start under load, and once it's running the cap isn't really necessary. A run cap is there to smooth out the minor changes to the incoming power supplied to your machine, sort of like a shock absorber for when your neighbor turns all his Christmas extravaganza contest lights on all at once. The run cap soaks up a bit of power when the line is up in power and releases it when the power drops a bit to smooth out the average supply. It can also help keep a heavily loaded motor running.
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quartz
Cave Dweller
breakin' rocks in the hot sun
Member since February 2010
Posts: 3,341
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Post by quartz on Dec 7, 2022 0:10:34 GMT -5
If you are willing to buy the cheaper 1/4 horse motor, why the need for a 1/3 Dayton. I have an 8" and 10" saws and neither has a capacitor and I've never had a start problem. Look at the service factor too, 1/4 has a 1.15 and the Dayton has a 1.35, as does the 3K771 1/4 horse Dayton {$20 cheaper than the 1/3}, higher service factor translates to more robust windings.
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quartz
Cave Dweller
breakin' rocks in the hot sun
Member since February 2010
Posts: 3,341
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Post by quartz on Nov 29, 2022 23:28:47 GMT -5
When we bought this place it had way too many trees, mostly fir, planted everywhere by the original owner. One evening my wife said "I want to get a tree up for Christmas", meaning now. I said "but its dark out now we will get one tomorrow". she walked outside and in a few minutes asked me to saw the end of our tree square and put it in the stand. She had grabbed the axe and chopped down a right size one that was going away anyhow.
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quartz
Cave Dweller
breakin' rocks in the hot sun
Member since February 2010
Posts: 3,341
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Post by quartz on Nov 28, 2022 23:53:37 GMT -5
If you can get the motor on end just put a couple drops of oil right where the shaft comes out of the housing and let soak in for a while. Same on the other end, but harder to get at.
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quartz
Cave Dweller
breakin' rocks in the hot sun
Member since February 2010
Posts: 3,341
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Post by quartz on Nov 28, 2022 23:41:15 GMT -5
It would be most helpful to know in what part of the country you live.
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quartz
Cave Dweller
breakin' rocks in the hot sun
Member since February 2010
Posts: 3,341
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Post by quartz on Nov 27, 2022 23:11:19 GMT -5
Try cleaning the motor, not in the machine, take it out and give it a good cleaning and a few drops of oil into the bushing areas of the shaft.
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quartz
Cave Dweller
breakin' rocks in the hot sun
Member since February 2010
Posts: 3,341
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Post by quartz on Nov 27, 2022 22:56:23 GMT -5
Use blue removable thread locker Loctite #243 on the setscrews. Are your pillowblocks self-aligning or rigid, I can't tell from the pictures, self-aligning pillowblocks allow the bearing to swivel a little in the housing, curing slight misalignment problems. Rigid bearing pillowblocks need near perfect alignment to work without some binding, which would likely cause the problem you are having. If you run the tumbler near all the time, give the bearings a shot of grease every 2-3 months. P.S. That is a nice looking build.
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quartz
Cave Dweller
breakin' rocks in the hot sun
Member since February 2010
Posts: 3,341
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Post by quartz on Nov 24, 2022 23:35:32 GMT -5
I had to move my wife to an assisted living a couple weeks ago, her deteriorating condition {Multiple System Atrophy} has made it impossible for me to care for her at home, and dependable home help near impossible to find here. Went there today for a good Thanksgiving dinner together and time well spent. I'm thankful she is still alive. Hope everyone had a special day.
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quartz
Cave Dweller
breakin' rocks in the hot sun
Member since February 2010
Posts: 3,341
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Post by quartz on Nov 24, 2022 23:11:38 GMT -5
I hate raining on other peoples parade but what you are doing by indicating only on one side on the rotated blade is reading the runout of the blade, any improvement you saw during your test was the result of something changing either with the blade or the indicator being accidently moved. I worked my entire career as a machinist and have run manual machines from tiny to the biggest, very familiar with lining things up. You have to mark a spot on the blade, set your indicator that's mounted on the carriage, and rotate the blade so the mark is on the opposite side of the arbor, then move the carriage to the mark being careful not to disturb the indicator position. Split the difference as Tony said to get the blade parallel with the carriage rails.
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quartz
Cave Dweller
breakin' rocks in the hot sun
Member since February 2010
Posts: 3,341
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Post by quartz on Nov 16, 2022 23:33:44 GMT -5
Normally if you or someone else in the past hasn't mashed up both ends on a pin they can be reused, and are not directional. The pins come in standard sizes, measuring your picture I'd say yours are 3/16", very common. That is the size the hole should be carefully drilled. the pins are about .010 {ten thousanths of an inch} over size, and the split in the pin allows them to compress a bit to fit into the hole fairly tight. The hole can be marked on the shaft by putting the flanged hub on the shaft where it will be permanently positioned and using a piece of sharpened 3/16 rod, or the same size center punch if you can come up with one and hitting the "punch" to mark the shaft. There are transfer punches made just for this but they come in sets, perhaps someone you know has a set. The end of a pin entering the hole should be chamfered, tapered just a bit, to aid in it starting into the hole. If you get your old ones out and can reuse them at least look at a new one to see the chamfered end. Thought about this today, forgot one thing. If you go ahead with replacing the rod, drill the pin holes with a drill press and the rod in a vise if at all possible. The opportunity to get an on center hole is greatly enhanced. Let the vise do the holding part which allows you better control over the process.
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quartz
Cave Dweller
breakin' rocks in the hot sun
Member since February 2010
Posts: 3,341
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Post by quartz on Nov 16, 2022 0:01:10 GMT -5
Years ago the pins were called "roll pins", then they became "spring pins", and now "split pins" only your hardware store will know. They have a light press fit into the respective holes and are driven out with light taps with a hammer and drift punch. Drift punch having a straight end of a diameter the same as the pin and a flat face on the end, or ideally a few thousanths of an inch smaller. If your pins are 1/4 inch in diameter, a 1/4 drift punch is what you want.
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quartz
Cave Dweller
breakin' rocks in the hot sun
Member since February 2010
Posts: 3,341
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Post by quartz on Nov 15, 2022 23:49:24 GMT -5
I like the way you did that, left enough "skin" to make the piece identifiable, nice tumble.
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quartz
Cave Dweller
breakin' rocks in the hot sun
Member since February 2010
Posts: 3,341
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Post by quartz on Nov 15, 2022 0:21:23 GMT -5
Realistically both the places described are good for a nice spring day out, gather some tumbling fodder and maybe a cutter or two, and have an enjoyable picnic lunch. Great rockhounding isn't in the chips around here. When I get to the quarry, likely March, and I find it to have changed for the better I'll let you know. Google Earth shows activity since we have been there.
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quartz
Cave Dweller
breakin' rocks in the hot sun
Member since February 2010
Posts: 3,341
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Post by quartz on Nov 14, 2022 0:17:48 GMT -5
Yes there is lots of Biggs under 84, and some near-Biggs material on the hill above Rufus. There is some fair rockhounding in the area, one a logged off place west of Yamhill, and a quarry west of here off Peavine road that has a lot of not-real-nice grayish material that makes good yard debri. A friend said he has found some red in it, plan to go there again in early spring. Willamette river is loaded with agate and wood but hard to get at because of private property. You must be fairly local, few call Mac, Mac.
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quartz
Cave Dweller
breakin' rocks in the hot sun
Member since February 2010
Posts: 3,341
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Post by quartz on Nov 3, 2022 22:11:54 GMT -5
If you skin a bit off the split line you could shim the lever and spring to make it work without having to rotate the lever. It looks like replacing the threaded feed rod and a good cleaning of the clutch threads would be a good place to start.
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