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Post by Condor on Mar 17, 2020 22:45:25 GMT -5
For those of you who use the MT10 minisonic vibrating tumbler, what speed do you keep it at for agates and petrified wood? I just can't seem to get a good polish like I do on the rotory, or Lot-O. I pretty much know the amount of grit to use, so that is not an issue. If you do have a recipe that works, I'll try that too. I have gone back to old posts and seen some.
Thanks
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Post by broseph82 on Mar 19, 2020 10:51:09 GMT -5
For those of you who use the MT10 minisonic vibrating tumbler, what speed do you keep it at for agates and petrified wood? I just can't seem to get a good polish like I do on the rotory, or Lot-O. I pretty much know the amount of grit to use, so that is not an issue. If you do have a recipe that works, I'll try that too. I have gone back to old posts and seen some. Thanks Let’s see your recipe first. I have the 4lb and get great results especially with agates. Obsidian takes a day or two longer as I have it on a slower speed. Hard material I have mine full blast.
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Post by Condor on Mar 19, 2020 15:24:26 GMT -5
Combined pet wood and agates. After 1st stage 60/90 in rotory, move to vibe three days 120/220 5 tbs with about 3 tbs of borax. Next step same but 500 AO, then AO polish from Rockshed 3 tbs with 2 tbs borax. Four to five days. All using ceramic media.
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NevadaBill
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2019
Posts: 1,332
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Post by NevadaBill on Apr 6, 2020 12:45:27 GMT -5
Condor, I will throw my hat in here, not because I am an expert, but because I have a good deal of time and experience with the Mini-Sonic units. The real problem in my opinion with the Mini-Sonic design, is that it really only shines as a finish tumbler. Meaning that in my experience it SHAPES rocks very poorly. You could be waiting a very very long time, when a Rotary unit will do the job much much better. In my limited experience with tumblers, I have abandoned feading anything rougher than 1200 stage material to the Vibe tumbler. I leave the 36, 60/90, 120/220, 500/600, stuff all up to a Rotary. Having different barrels for each stage in the rotary is even better, as there is less chance of contaminating loads, but not required. I would pick up a couple other barrels for your Rotary anyway, and work the rocks in there, right up until the last stage or two (1100/1200, and Polish). At that point though, the Vibe will do a far better job polishing, in a much shorter duration (read: days instead of weeks).
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faodail
off to a rocking start
Member since February 2018
Posts: 24
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Post by faodail on Apr 21, 2020 20:14:18 GMT -5
Hello
I am so happy to see some MT Mini Sonic questions and some feedback!!!!! It seems that it is not a very popular unit- compared to others. I know that vibes are vibes, so you can apply that, but I find so little information and videos on the Mini sonic specific information (such as speed for different stones/stages etc). There is a great tutorial on U-Tube that covers some issues and hints which is great and much appreciated.
I always do all my shaping in the Lortone rotary tumbler. I only finish in the MT Mini Sonic. I have a pre polish hopper and a polish hopper. Likewise I have a separate barrel for each rotary stage. My rocks come out nicely, the shine is great. I don't get the same level of chipping than I sometimes do in the rotary. I have to watch it more in terms of the water level, so it was a STEEP learning curve.
My recipe is do all the usual steps in the rotary until the pre polish stage
Aluminium oxide 1500 for about 3 days (about 1 tsp-1.5 tsp per pound- but I kinda guess til it looks good) 48 hours (abt) take out Borax or grated soap to wash Scrub hopper and check stones Tin oxide polish, its what I have to use up (about the same as the pre-polish) Burnish.
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