blueangele
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since December 2003
Posts: 86
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Post by blueangele on Dec 26, 2003 20:03:07 GMT -5
Hi all, I am new to the board and new to tumbling, for the most part. I work at Wally World and was walking by the toys when I noticed a rock tumbler on sale for $15 and had a flash back to the time when I got my first tumbler when I was about 10, I remembered making it through the first batch, starting a second and then getting mad at it and it ending up turning into concrete cause I shut it off *grin*. Anyway, I bought the toy version and am about done with the first batch. For a toy it does pretty darn good! But, now I have been bit by the bug, I already bought some stones off of ebay and have been 'window shopping' the better tumblers, I just don't know if I can justify the expense when this little one seems to be doing a decent job, the main problem being that you can only do small amounts at a time. Anyway, I bought some apache tears and am wondering about the plastic pellets, are they a special kind or do the pellets that you put in dolls work? I have read several posts on this list and hope you guys are ready for a lot of questions from me!
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Noah
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2003
Posts: 102
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Post by Noah on Dec 26, 2003 20:17:34 GMT -5
Well generally the pellets are soft plastic that has no rough edges. The pellets can be bought online or at any rockstore...As for buying a tumbler...don't mess with the toys...you'll wear away the barrel in like a few batches...if you can't justify the expense just save up a bit at a time for them thats how most of us do it...Anyway I also wanted to announce to everyone that I just ordered 250 lbs more of rock...and i'm saving up for another 12lb tumbler...seems like I might not be far behind some of the nutty ones here *Insane smile*
Anyway hope ya'll had a good holiday I was plastered... -Noah-
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blueangele
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since December 2003
Posts: 86
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Post by blueangele on Dec 26, 2003 20:32:32 GMT -5
I already have the toy one so I guess I will use it until it breaks, it was cheap enough anyway. Wow though, I have been reading this site for awhile now and I just keep finding more and more stuff that blows my mind....baking soda and sope and grit 'sizes' ( the stuff that came with my tumbler say course, medium and polishing)and exploding barrels and , well, wow....of course the more I read the more I want to do more, I live in a small town that has probably never heard of rock stores or anything like that, and I work in a smaller town so no help there, so ebay and the internet are going to be my bestest friend that's for sure!
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Post by Noosh9057 on Dec 26, 2003 22:09:13 GMT -5
Welcome to the board. Yes the more you read and learn the more you want to tumble. I am saving for a 6 pound tumbler. I now am tumbling with a 3A, 3 pounder. Well goog luck and keep comeing back to the board.
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James
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since October 2003
Posts: 876
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Post by James on Dec 26, 2003 22:48:50 GMT -5
I just keep finding more and more stuff that blows my mind....baking soda and sope and grit 'sizes' ( the stuff that came with my tumbler say course, medium and polishing)and exploding barrels and , well, wow.... A word of advise, DON'T TRY FANCY STUFF! Water and grit do the job just fine. No sugar, no baking soda, no corn meal, no tums, (rocks don't get tummy aches) no soaps. Just plain old water and grit. I used to use soap, but it doesn't really make a difference. I only use it in a post polish 1 hour cleaning cycle (Cascade dish soap is great!.) Plastic pellets for the last 2 to 3 stages are essential! But more than anything else, you just need experience. And only time will tell. Anyways, welcome aboard! Cheers!
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blueangele
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since December 2003
Posts: 86
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Post by blueangele on Dec 26, 2003 23:37:36 GMT -5
I plan on leaving the fancy stuff alone, at least until I understand what the fancy stuff is for *grin*. I will for sure get pellets before I mess with the apache tears though, I love those stones and don't want to mess them up. I just wish I had a store within driving distance as I think people get a little carried away with the 'handling' part of shipping and handling. If anyone knows of any stores in Colorado, east of the mountains, let me know. I am also planning on hitting up an Uncle that used to do this stuff, see if he still has some things he can do a 'hand me down' with
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Noahon a friends puter
Guest
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Post by Noahon a friends puter on Dec 27, 2003 12:01:29 GMT -5
Yeah stay away from the fancy stuff, a lot of people think it makes a difference but the truth is your standard 4 cycle system works the best and is most efficient. If your looking for a decent deal check e-bay...I saw a few used tumblers up there from some reputable dealers i've dealt with and they were 3-6lbers ranging in price from 25 - 45 dollars. So if you search around on e-bay you might find something. Also if anyone on here has a question if someone is a reputable e-bay user I can always find out for you. Just send me a PM with the users name and i'll find out what I can.
Happy Tumbling!
Ps: Apache tears are awesome to tumble!
-Noah-
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Post by Misplaced Texan on Jan 2, 2004 2:22:36 GMT -5
I got the same tumbler that you got from Walmart and am working on my first batch. Hopefully this will come out like the picture
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Post by blueangele2 on Jan 2, 2004 19:10:49 GMT -5
my first batch came out pretty good, I rushed the first cycle though so about 1/4 of the rocks are going to have to be put through again, I put some of them in with the apache tears but they will only get a couple of days because the apache tears don't take that long, they are shaping up really nice and are going to be alot of fun. I have so many rocks coming from ebay now though that I am going to get a new tumbler when I get paid, and keep the small one for a polisher one and also for small loads. Keep in touch with me and we can compare 'newbie notes'
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Pdwight
has rocks in the head
Member since June 2003
Posts: 619
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Post by Pdwight on Jan 6, 2004 13:00:02 GMT -5
I just found out about the plastic pellets at Wal mart..they are the very same things that the people sell online..they are a bit cheaper online in bulk..but if you get in a bind...there they are at Wal Mart , and Hobby Lobby.
I compaired the plastic pellets under a lupe and they are the same exact thing.
Dwight P
PS Welcome to the board
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blueangele
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since December 2003
Posts: 86
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Post by blueangele on Jan 6, 2004 19:02:30 GMT -5
I guess I didn't find the cheaper ones on line, the stuff I found was like $5 a pound, and I found some here in town for $3.50 a pound. I did take some of those to work and compared them and found out they are the same.
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blueangele
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since December 2003
Posts: 86
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Post by blueangele on Jan 6, 2004 19:03:10 GMT -5
I guess I didn't find the cheaper ones on line, the stuff I found was like $5 a pound, and I found some here in town for $3.50 a pound. I did take some of those to work and compared them and found out they are the same.
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