llanago
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2004
Posts: 1,714
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Post by llanago on Nov 20, 2004 12:10:03 GMT -5
I was moaning to BE one day about how I hate those stinkin' pellets. She told me that somebody on some thread had said they used tile spacers. I missed that, so don't know who said it. Anyway, I bought some plastic tile spacers and used them in 2 loads I put into prepolish last week. I used them for washing a load of stuff between the 220 and 500 stage just to see what they were like. They were much easier to deal with than the pellets in a wash, but won't know how they do in a barrel with grit until tomorrow when it's check the barrels time. I am SO hoping they serve the purpose! If not, I will have some broken stones! BooHoo! If they do stand up to the test, I will be jumping for joy and not using pellets anymore! I don't know that they would be less expensive - they were $1.99 for 100 of them at the hardware store here, probably get them for less at Lowes or HomeDepot. I used a whole package of them in one barrel and a bit less than a package in the other. I know they will wear down, as the pellets do, but don't know how long it will take before they are unusable, but the hassel of not having to deal with those pellets will be worth the extra expense. I HATE THOSE DANG PELLETS! I have fingers crossed the tile spaces will do the job! ;D llana
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Post by Cher on Nov 20, 2004 16:28:08 GMT -5
Heeheehee ;D I don't even know what you're talking about but I'll check it out next time I'm in a hardware store. I hated the pellets tooo but with using the fish net to scoop them up, it takes seconds and they are gone. Be interesting to know how these things hold up to the test though.
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WarrenA
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since November 2003
Posts: 1,530
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Post by WarrenA on Nov 20, 2004 19:23:32 GMT -5
I am experimenting with some 1/4 ceramic balls instead of pellets I bought them on ebay and told the seller to join the group and maybe sell some here. I like them so far.
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llanago
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2004
Posts: 1,714
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Post by llanago on Nov 20, 2004 20:01:51 GMT -5
Cher, they are plastic, cross shaped little ditties that you put between tiles to space them properly. I think they come in several sizes, but the hardware store where I got mine only had one size. Will know tomorrow if they stood the test! That is, if I am not too lazy to check the barrels! llana
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Post by rockyraccoon on Nov 20, 2004 23:30:57 GMT -5
llana you'll have to let me know about this. i can just get the ones out of my husbands pocket lol. no, no i want clean ones!
kim
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Post by connrock on Nov 21, 2004 12:23:11 GMT -5
It was me that posted about the tile spacers Llana. I don't use them in the rotary's,,,,just in the vibe units. Here's a pic of what they look like,,,, Now I want you to tell me what kind of problems you're having with the pellets.I use them all the time and have no probs what so ever!! Tom
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Post by Cher on Nov 21, 2004 12:28:39 GMT -5
Isn't the idea of using plastic pellets to "cushion" the rocks so they aren't banging against each other?
Ceramic medium is hard, wouldn't that defeat the idea of providing a cushion?
Or, am I totally confused on the idea of why we use plastic pellets?
Thank you .... Cher
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llanago
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2004
Posts: 1,714
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Post by llanago on Nov 21, 2004 20:26:32 GMT -5
Checked my barrels today and the tile spacers survived in one opiece! I even had some in a 3# barrel of 60/90. I think they are going to work fine. No chipped or broken rocks in the 550 and 220 barrels. So, I give them an A! Tom, so that was your post that BE saw. I missed it somehow, but sure am glad BE told me about them. They worked great in the rotary. Haven't used them in the vibe yet, but I am sure they will work great there too! Not having any problems with the pellets, I just hate them! Just a hassel to deal with, stick to everything, take too lond to dry out so I can store them in the right Ziploc,etc. Just don't like 'em! lllana
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Tellfamily
spending too much on rocks
Member since September 2004
Posts: 476
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Post by Tellfamily on Nov 21, 2004 20:27:48 GMT -5
I only use plastic pellets in the polish stage. I use ceramic pellets for all the other stages. The ceramic is LOTS easier to clean & reuse.
I tried to reclaim the plastic pellets and they are more of a pain than they are worth. Nasty little things! The only reason I use them in the polish stage is I do not even attempt to reuse them.
I think the ceramic provide better tumbling action and they hold up better than you would think. In going through 4 batches of medium and two of pre-polish, then show very little wear.
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SirRoxalot
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since October 2003
Posts: 790
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Post by SirRoxalot on Nov 24, 2004 14:01:39 GMT -5
I really don't get the aversion to plastic pellets.
They float. Dump your barrel in a bucket. Add water. Skim pellets out with an little sieve.
What's all the fuss about? There's no cheaper cushioning medium out there.
I'm experimenting with small India garnets as filler. Doesn't seem to speed the grind up but the experiment isn't done yet.
SirRoxalot
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HarryB41
has rocks in the head
Member since September 2004
Posts: 605
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Post by HarryB41 on Nov 24, 2004 15:38:06 GMT -5
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WarrenA
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since November 2003
Posts: 1,530
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Post by WarrenA on Nov 24, 2004 22:42:52 GMT -5
yep that is what they look like I bought mine from a different guy tumbling them with a big rock now about the size of a grapefruit
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Post by cookie3rocks on Nov 24, 2004 22:55:15 GMT -5
I recently found some plastic and wooden beads at a flea market that I thought would be useful for making necklaces, but the holes were too small. I had some stones ready for polish but I have never tried pellets, so I threw them in. Seems to have worked well. No breaking or chipping in this batch so far. I'm only using a 3 lbs. vibe so they are easy to seperate.
cookie
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Post by puppie96 on Nov 25, 2004 1:30:14 GMT -5
I agree plastic pellets are a pain in the butt. Yeah, I know they are supposed to float to the top, but some always seem to get stuck amongst the rocks and show up forever. Then I'm always having a spill and they are sticking to everything.
I bought ceramic media (2 sizes of cylinders) at the rock show. They are much easier to retrieve and clean. Remember, though, they are a space filler but they DON'T cushion. Main use is to fill a load; also, they come in handy little sizes to help carry the grit into all the surfaces of your rocks. I like them for the vibe, especially, since plastic pellets don't help anything in the vibe. I like the tile spacer idea, since you have said they are plastic, not ceramic, so they should provide cushioning for the polish stage.
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MichiganRocks
starting to spend too much on rocks
"I wasn't born to follow."
Member since April 2007
Posts: 154
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Post by MichiganRocks on Nov 25, 2004 9:40:58 GMT -5
I also have an immense dislike of plastic pellets. Floating them off works, except I have to do everything indoors in my basement. That means that water use has to be kept to a minimum. That makes the plastic pellets a whole lot harder to deal with. I would rather use the water to better clean my rocks.
Ron
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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 Nov 25, 2004 16:59:12 GMT -5
The plastic pellets I use are only half pellets and they stick readily to the sides of the tumbler and are quite hard to remove at times. If they were rounded I believe that problem would not arise !!
I usualy let them go into a 4 gallon baucket with plenty water and aferwards I tip the bucket over a strainer to retrieve the pellets. I am lucky I can do all my washing outdoors...except on days it is too cold , just wait for a better day.
My tumblinggritsupplier mentioned that I should be using wallnut shells. Anyone here use them?
Jack
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WilliamC
spending too much on rocks
Member since August 2003
Posts: 416
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Post by WilliamC on Dec 6, 2004 15:47:46 GMT -5
Greetings All,
I must say I do prefer the walnut shell instead of plastic pellets or even tile spacers, though I haven't used those. The walnut shells can be reused, at least from the 600 grit and polishes, the 220 grit chews it up pretty good. If I'm careful I can rinse most of the walnut shell out of the barrel before the rocks come out, scoop it into a baggie or such, then the remainder just washes into my rock pile. The plastic pellets or such I wouldn't want to discard in the environment like that. I even use walnut shell in the Borax washes and save that too, after 20 or 30 minutes in Borax it's hardly even "used" and a waste to throw it all away. So by recycling it I can probably cut my use at least in half if not by 3/4ths. So my 50 lb bag should last a good long time...at least long enough until I find somewhere to go get a few hundred pounds all at once.
WilliamC
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HuntingHuron
starting to shine!
Member since October 2020
Posts: 39
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Post by HuntingHuron on Jun 20, 2021 12:24:43 GMT -5
Just came across this thread from 17 years ago. Has anyone successfully used tile spacers in a 3lb or 6lb rotary tumbler? If so, for which stages?
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Post by broseph82 on Jun 21, 2021 9:02:35 GMT -5
Just came across this thread from 17 years ago. Has anyone successfully used tile spacers in a 3lb or 6lb rotary tumbler? If so, for which stages? I think it’s time for you to bring back this thread and just try it out and see how you like it.
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Post by greig on Jun 21, 2021 10:48:20 GMT -5
Here's my answer: Tile spacers (in a rotary)are fine to use, except with some the plastic is can get imbedded with grit, so don't use the same ones for polish as used in earlier grits. They come in various sizes and a mix is probably ideal. The downside is they are more expensive than other media. I intent to use some left over from a renovation in my next silver nugget tumble, instead of the little round plastic pellets, because the round ones find their way into holes and cracks in the nuggets and get stuck there. If you want to save some money, they can usually be found for sale at a re-use store where people drop off/donate construction materials.
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