mikeinsjc
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2010
Posts: 329
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Post by mikeinsjc on Dec 16, 2015 16:10:13 GMT -5
OK, the rules are it cannot be a piece of homemade junk, and must be designed for lapidary work. So the cement mixer you used for tumbling doesn't qualify.
My vote is the Highland Park 27" vibrating lap.
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Post by captbob on Dec 16, 2015 16:15:17 GMT -5
You ought to include why.
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indiana
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2015
Posts: 285 
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Post by indiana on Dec 16, 2015 16:24:19 GMT -5
I don't know if this actually counts as lapidary equipment.   It did get me into it though. My "delightfully surprised" piece of equipment is my Harbor Freight 3lb tumbler. It's a great piece of equipment for $38 bucks delivered. |
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Post by jakesrocks on Dec 16, 2015 17:01:50 GMT -5
Gotta be the Inland flat lap. Within 15 minutes the water control valve broke. Piece of junk, but their diamond laps are OK. (Just OK).
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Post by Rockoonz on Dec 16, 2015 23:17:15 GMT -5
If it has to be personally owned the worst was a Hi-Tech 4" trim saw, generally cheap and weak.
The High Tech 6" flat lap that came with it was a close 2nd for the same reasons.
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OregonBorn
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since September 2015
Posts: 88 
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Post by OregonBorn on Jun 27, 2016 19:22:35 GMT -5
I bought a Chicago dual mini roller tumbler at HF about a year ago for $44 with the 20% off coupon. I used it for about 2 weeks and it ran really hot. The rollers were bent pretty badly and it wobbled fiercely causing the barrels to chafe badly. That was just a test as more or less of a joke though, as I only bought it for the two barrels to use in an older Lortone 3A that I got w/o any barrels. The on/off switch was a nice feature, and the power cord was nice though.
After that I have a Pacific Diamond/Mini-Sonic vibratory tumbler that the controller circuit died on me after 6 months of heavy use. They are really LOUD to run and of you use them with anything more than medium grit the canisters wear out really fast. They do a nice job tumbling though, and use less grit and remove less rock material, but... they do wear out, just like roller tumblers do.
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,640
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Post by QuailRiver on Jun 27, 2016 20:33:06 GMT -5
 My first cabbing machine. Circa 1971 The machine used 4" diameter laps, was extremely noisy, and had plastic gears that stripped out after just a few stones were cut. Soon after moved on to a B&I Gem Maker. Larry C. |
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Post by orrum on Jun 28, 2016 9:56:34 GMT -5
Loto!!!! Yes I said Loto!!! This was a used Loto that I was gifted. My Loto had a huge crack break all the way thru the frame and the massive vibration caused the motor to shear a bolt and ruin the motor bearings and tear up the fans and break a spring and bounce the drum loose and throw rocks and snot everywhere!!!! Of course the rocks dried and were a bear to clean. The new owners of Loto replaced the frame after a intervention by Shawn at The Rock Shed! The Rock Shed is fantastic!!! So there I was with a fancy red brand new frame, no motor, no fans, and one broken spring.... Ahh the pleasures of Loto ownership!!! So I ordered a new Loto from Shawn at the Rock Shed, I figured I could use the drum frombthe old one as a dedicated polish drum. So after a few months the long bolt thru the motor sheared. Yep but this time all it did was ruin the load by massively bruising the stones beyond use! The motor was replaced on warranty. Next the springs, yes the springs broke, both of the double ones!!! So I use the springs left from the old one! Now remember I am only home 3-4 months a year when not RVing!! So now I am home for this summer and fire up the Loto and it breaks two springs. I have extras that I ordered with grit so no big deal I replace them. Last week I go up to the Horse Barn office/rock shop and the Loto isn't running and the motor is hot as a two dollar bicycle! I check it out and the fan shaft on one side is flopping everywhere so the bearing is out and the motor is going to have to be replaced again!!! Of course the rocks in the Loto are horribly bruised and unusable due to it trying to beat itself to death!!! All this being said would I reccomended you buy one??? Yes.... Why?  Because everybody on here using one never complains so I guess my experience is not the normal good service that a Loto is capable of..... Also because a Loto shine in my opinion is unbeatable!!! I wonder tho about a few things....Why do they advertise the newer Lotos as having a new improved motor? Why do they sell replacement springs? Ahh the pleasures of lapidary addiction, it is the challenge that gives you a sense of accomplishment and peaceful serene mental balsnce, right??? LOL |
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Don
Cave Dweller 
He wants you too, Malachi.
Member since December 2009
Posts: 2,616
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Post by Don on Jun 28, 2016 14:50:24 GMT -5
I have a love/hate relationship with my Diamond Pacific Pixie. Love the foot print and wheels, hate the endless rusty bearings, continuously poor performing water pump, freight train loud, ear busting noise when running and the non-existent DP online support and customer service.
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,494
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Post by Sabre52 on Jun 28, 2016 15:36:19 GMT -5
Torn between a Lortone vibe lap ( conked out real fast), Lortone 14 inch drop saw ( Ultra messy, coolant system didn't work, not enough weight on arm and hard to clean) and Mini Sonic vibe tumbler ( shook itself apart and sounded like a Huey helicopter landing). Ain't crazy about my Covington 10 inch saw neither, but have earned to live with it...Mel
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Tommy
Administrator 
Member since January 2013
Posts: 12,980
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Post by Tommy on Jun 28, 2016 15:36:59 GMT -5
My vote is for the Covington 10" trim saw:  My reasons I will copy from this post. "... Within two weeks of getting mine brand new two years ago I became so annoyed at the auto-feed mechanism I stripped every single piece and just use the saw as a push-thru or trim saw. I still have the mechanism if anyone is looking for one - can't swear that all the pieces are there. The saw now resides in a Tupperware container that catches the constantly spilling oil - I keep rags around to sop up the oil and keep it from reaching the bottom of the motor which is thankfully 1" higher than the floor of the containment device. The double-reservoir system with a check valve which is supposed to meter the amount of oil flowing into the blade reservoir is a complete bust in my opinion - nobody in their right minds should have the patience to keep that adjusted properly as gunk begins to build up in both reservoirs. Both reservoirs are IMPOSSIBLY small to get my fat hands into for cleaning. I have started using a bucket-head vacuum from HomeyD which has improved the situation a little bit. I have been sorely tempted to bring out an angle grinder and cut channels between the two reservoirs and get some of my sanity back. I have also learned not to even put the screws back in the top plate anymore because it has to be cleaned out so often. Of course with the electrical switch mounted to the top plate even removing the plate is a complete pain in the butt because you have to twist the wiring around and setting it down where it won't drip all over the motor that it is still connected to. ..." |
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Post by orrum on Jun 28, 2016 21:10:33 GMT -5
Hey Don get some Smokey Cut from JSgems, it will fix your rusty bearing problem! It is all we use on n the Opal equipment in the Opal shop at Quartzsite Az rock club.
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Post by broseph82 on Jun 29, 2016 13:47:13 GMT -5
I'd say my Covington 16" slab saw.
-top lid isn't tight and saw oil mists not only from around the viewing window, but from the sides and hinges (I have to keep a large beach towel on top when running).
-pulleys cannot be adjusted and blade wobbles due to...the arbor. Blade has never given a clean cut without marks no matter how hard I've tried to adjust every damn thing inside the saw.
-drain position sucks
-not enough room inside to clean out properly with something as small as a scooper. Just not enough room!
-their customer service sucks too. Advice ranging from lower level employees all the way up to CEO differ from one to another. Almost nothing can be found online to fix,change, or maintain these damn things (Covington brand).
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Post by Pat on Jun 29, 2016 13:54:20 GMT -5
Wow! What a list of what not to get!
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jul 4, 2016 18:41:26 GMT -5
broseph82 Jimi, get some bardahl no smoke to stop mist. 
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Post by spiceman on Jul 4, 2016 23:36:59 GMT -5
Wow! What a list of what not to get! Very true. I worked at Trimble inc. for years and our marketing manager said bad news travels 10x faster than good news. If you ask someone, "I need to buy a drill, what one is the best one to buy? He will probably tell you what not to buy because....(leaks, squeaks, smokes ) So, don't release a product till it's ready. |
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geezer
spending too much on rocks
Member since April 2016
Posts: 338
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Post by geezer on Jul 5, 2016 0:03:57 GMT -5
WAY back in 1966 my parents gave me my first rock tumbler. The "barrel" was made of a hard (and brittle) plastic, the lid was a thin metal screw-on. and there were pieces of rubber that you put in the lid and the "barrel". Never got a load tumbled in it before the "barrel" cracked.
It worked a lot better for another purpose. Replaced the old barrel with a glass pint jar, coated the inside with silicone rubber, then used it out in our old shed to mill my own homemade black powder (used marbles to do the milling). Did this when I was 8 years old (back then you could buy salt peter and flowers of sulphur at the corner drug store).
It was green, It wasn't muzzle loader quality, but it did work!
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Post by glennz01 on Jul 5, 2016 1:39:16 GMT -5
Anything Graves. Horrible customer service, Sent back my defective wheels which they said they would mail out about 2 weeks ago.. They had them for over 2 months.
The machines aren't horrible but the fact there is efects and I never got all that was supposed to come with the unit.
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Post by Rockoonz on Jul 5, 2016 2:24:52 GMT -5
The thread IS NOT about customer service, it's about equipment quality.
Love my Graves machines, and never had a communication problem with them.
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Post by glennz01 on Jul 5, 2016 11:01:37 GMT -5
The thread IS NOT about customer service, it's about equipment quality. Love my Graves machines, and never had a communication problem with them. Tis not just the customer service as it is more about the defects in the wheels.. It could take 3 hrs to get all the scratches out from wheel 2. The manufacture put on too fine of a grit... also my 220 wheel's grit looks more like an 80 grit. That is the main thing I haven't liked about it. Depending on how the new wheel works, I may buy a new set of wheels from a different company. |
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