vance71975
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since September 2022
Posts: 760
|
Post by vance71975 on Sept 27, 2022 15:48:51 GMT -5
So the post about the 12lb Barrel suggesting 20 tablespoons of grit and heavier amounts of rocks using up grit faster got me wondering, Is 4 tablespoons enough in a 4lbs Barrel or is that too little? Wondering if maybe that is why my Agates and Jaspers are cutting so dang slow lol.
|
|
nursetumbler
Cave Dweller
Member since February 2022
Posts: 928
|
Post by nursetumbler on Sept 27, 2022 19:25:10 GMT -5
So the post about the 12lb Barrel suggesting 20 tablespoons of grit and heavier amounts of rocks using up grit faster got me wondering, Is 4 tablespoons enough in a 4lbs Barrel or is that too little? Wondering if maybe that is why my Agates and Jaspers are cutting so dang slow lol. vance71975My "Professional Gemstone Tumbling" guide by Lortone, Inc. says a 4# barrel Capacity (Max volume) 5 cups Step 1 Coarse Grind 8 level Tablespoons Step 2 Medium Grind 8 level Tablespoons Step 3 pre-polish 8 level Tablespoons Step 4 polish 8 Tablespoons Step 5 Burnish (soap) 1/2 Tablespoon That's what the guide says BUT that's a general guide. Agate is HARD & will take longer. I had some in for 8 months start to finish. Agate is an "Iron Man race" not a "50 yrd dash" If you have 1 barrel it will be held up for awhile depending on how perfect you want your stones. 2 - 3# barrels turned to 4 then 6 and when that wasn't I got a Lortone QT66. Now I want a cabinet built so if I find just a barrel on franks list (husband uses that) or FB Marketplace or at lapidary estate sales I have somewhere for them.
|
|
vance71975
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since September 2022
Posts: 760
|
Post by vance71975 on Sept 27, 2022 20:22:03 GMT -5
So the post about the 12lb Barrel suggesting 20 tablespoons of grit and heavier amounts of rocks using up grit faster got me wondering, Is 4 tablespoons enough in a 4lbs Barrel or is that too little? Wondering if maybe that is why my Agates and Jaspers are cutting so dang slow lol. vance71975 My "Professional Gemstone Tumbling" guide by Lortone, Inc. says a 4# barrel Capacity (Max volume) 5 cups Step 1 Coarse Grind 8 level Tablespoons Step 2 Medium Grind 8 level Tablespoons Step 3 pre-polish 8 level Tablespoons Step 4 polish 8 Tablespoons Step 5 Burnish (soap) 1/2 Tablespoon That's what the guide says BUT that's a general guide. Agate is HARD & will take longer. I had some in for 8 months start to finish. Agate is an "Iron Man race" not a "50 yrd dash" If you have 1 barrel it will be held up for awhile depending on how perfect you want your stones. 2 - 3# barrels turned to 4 then 6 and when that wasn't I got a Lortone QT66. Now I want a cabinet built so if I find just a barrel on franks list (husband uses that) or FB Marketplace or at lapidary estate sales I have somewhere for them. Well Shit, I have been using about HALF of what I should be in my 4lb barrel going by their guide. As much as I love the jasper and Agate, I honestly think I should have went with a Nat Geo type tumbler for them considering how much faster they spin and cut lol. Im not going for Perfect, Just want to remove most of the gouges and big scratches, No way I will be running it for 8 months I dont have the patience for that and With only 1 tumbler stage one will be maybe 14 days if I last that long lol. I am already at about 9 days in.
|
|
quartzilla
Cave Dweller
Member since April 2020
Posts: 1,213
|
Post by quartzilla on Sept 27, 2022 21:12:53 GMT -5
Vance for the smaller barrels I use 1 tablespoon of course per pound so for a 3 lb I’ll use 3 tablespoons; sometimes I throw an extra 1 in there. For me putting more than that in I noticed lots of unused grit in the bottom of the little barrels. I do use more for the larger barrels and do so incrementally so a 12 lb barrel I will use 17 or 18 scoops. I say do a little experimenting and see what works for you. I suspect that it would be in Loretone’s best interest to use lots of grit since they also sell it and are probably hoping you purchase it from them.
|
|
vance71975
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since September 2022
Posts: 760
|
Post by vance71975 on Sept 27, 2022 23:48:30 GMT -5
Vance for the smaller barrels I use 1 tablespoon of course per pound so for a 3 lb I’ll use 3 tablespoons; sometimes I throw an extra 1 in there. For me putting more than that in I noticed lots of unused grit in the bottom of the little barrels. I do use more for the larger barrels and do so incrementally so a 12 lb barrel I will use 17 or 18 scoops. I say do a little experimenting and see what works for you. I suspect that it would be in Loretone’s best interest to use lots of grit since they also sell it and are probably hoping you purchase it from them. Well I have a Tumble-Bee with a 4lb Barrel and I was wrong earlier, I am 12 days in on the Jaspers and Agates I have going, so since i just added grit today, they will be going at least another 4 days lol.
|
|