toddbarrett
off to a rocking start
Member since June 2020
Posts: 16
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Post by toddbarrett on Jun 30, 2020 18:08:18 GMT -5
Hello All: I am finished with step one of some Brecciated Jasper, and I want to move on to step two in a Lot-O Tumbler. This will be my first batch in a Lot-O. During the first step in the rotary tumbler I wound up with a lot of very small stones. You can see in the photo below, the pieces are between 1/4" to 1" and pretty thin. When I fill the Lot-O barrel up with the larger pieces and these smaller pieces, it is just about filled up. In all the tutorial videos I have seen on Lot-O Tumblers, they use ceramic media at each step. Can these small rocks take the place of the ceramic media, or would I be better off, removing a few larger pieces and most of these small pieces and add ceramic media instead? Thanks in advance for your advice! Todd B. Ramona, CA
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EricD
Cave Dweller
High in the Mountains
Member since November 2019
Posts: 1,142
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Post by EricD on Jun 30, 2020 18:23:19 GMT -5
I frequently use the smalls in the Lot-O. Normally from the same grit as the rocks I'm tumbling next. I also roll small rocks in the rotary preparing for them to be eaten by the vibe.
Hey, some people buy large aquarium gravel at pet-co and run that for smalls/media
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Post by rockpickerforever on Jun 30, 2020 18:28:10 GMT -5
I frequently use the smalls in the Lot-O. Normally from the same grit as the rocks I'm tumbling next. I also roll small rocks in the rotary preparing for them to be eaten by the vibe. Ha ha, eaten by the vibe! Great description of those smalls, and their next role in the process. ETA - Welcome to the forum, Todd in Ramona, from Jean in Spring Valley.
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Post by rmf on Jun 30, 2020 18:30:22 GMT -5
I just keep recycling my <1/2" stones. very cheap
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EricD
Cave Dweller
High in the Mountains
Member since November 2019
Posts: 1,142
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Post by EricD on Jun 30, 2020 18:34:35 GMT -5
I just keep recycling my <1/2" stones. very cheap The little ceramic/media I have left has a lot of little obsidian pebbles in it. Once they get really small (<1/2") they don't seem to wear as much? Or maybe I just toss them and don't notice since they got so small so fast or disappeared
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toddbarrett
off to a rocking start
Member since June 2020
Posts: 16
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Post by toddbarrett on Jun 30, 2020 18:54:32 GMT -5
I frequently use the smalls in the Lot-O. Normally from the same grit as the rocks I'm tumbling next. I also roll small rocks in the rotary preparing for them to be eaten by the vibe.
Hey, some people buy large aquarium gravel at pet-co and run that for smalls/media
Hi Eric: I thought the Lot-O was "gentler" on the stones... I guess I'm about to find out! Shame, I like these little guys too! :-) The aquarium gravel I remember as a kid was neon pink and neon green! Thanks for the info! Todd
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toddbarrett
off to a rocking start
Member since June 2020
Posts: 16
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Post by toddbarrett on Jun 30, 2020 18:57:45 GMT -5
I frequently use the smalls in the Lot-O. Normally from the same grit as the rocks I'm tumbling next. I also roll small rocks in the rotary preparing for them to be eaten by the vibe. Ha ha, eaten by the vibe! Great description of those smalls, and their next role in the process. ETA - Welcome to the forum, Todd in Ramona, from Jean in Spring Valley. Hi Jean! Love the photos of your furbabies. We have two dogs, two horses and a cat out here in Ramona. That number of pets is GREATLY reduced from just a few years ago :-( Todd
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toddbarrett
off to a rocking start
Member since June 2020
Posts: 16
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Post by toddbarrett on Jun 30, 2020 19:00:07 GMT -5
So in general, I don't need ceramic media if the level is correct and I have enough of these small stones?
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Post by rockpickerforever on Jun 30, 2020 19:26:26 GMT -5
Ha ha, eaten by the vibe! Great description of those smalls, and their next role in the process. ETA - Welcome to the forum, Todd in Ramona, from Jean in Spring Valley. Hi Jean! Love the photos of your furbabies. We have two dogs, two horses and a cat out here in Ramona. That number of pets is GREATLY reduced from just a few years ago :-( Todd Hi, Todd. Thank you. I have always had pets, unfortunately, I don't have any right now. Lucy, the brown pit mix with the funny eyes, was my last. She has been gone for at least three years now. All the rest went through attrition before her. Love your pets, you never have them for as long as you think you will. That photostrip was my tribute to all the furbabies I've loved before. All my pets had a forever home with me. I kept them all to the end.
I have a Lortone QT12/66 rotary tumbler and a small vibe. A Lotta would be too much for me to feed, lol. Actually, I have not been tumbling recently. Maybe that will change...
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EricD
Cave Dweller
High in the Mountains
Member since November 2019
Posts: 1,142
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Post by EricD on Jun 30, 2020 20:04:02 GMT -5
I frequently use the smalls in the Lot-O. Normally from the same grit as the rocks I'm tumbling next. I also roll small rocks in the rotary preparing for them to be eaten by the vibe.
Hey, some people buy large aquarium gravel at pet-co and run that for smalls/media
Hi Eric: I thought the Lot-O was "gentler" on the stones... I guess I'm about to find out! Shame, I like these little guys too! :-) The aquarium gravel I remember as a kid was neon pink and neon green! Thanks for the info! Todd It is, in that it doesn't really shape them. It does wear them away at least with 220 grit. AO-500 and polish not so much
The aquarium gravel you're looking to buy is more quartz. The large size.
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EricD
Cave Dweller
High in the Mountains
Member since November 2019
Posts: 1,142
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Post by EricD on Jun 30, 2020 20:05:36 GMT -5
So in general, I don't need ceramic media if the level is correct and I have enough of these small stones? Correct. If you have a scale, weigh your barrel and keep it between 4.5 and 5lbs, and about a 50% or more small rocks load
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gatorflash1
spending too much on rocks
Active in Delaware Mineralogical Society, Cabchon Grinding and Polishing, 2 Thumlers B's and a UV-18
Member since October 2018
Posts: 375
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Post by gatorflash1 on Jul 5, 2020 7:34:10 GMT -5
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toddbarrett
off to a rocking start
Member since June 2020
Posts: 16
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Post by toddbarrett on Jul 5, 2020 17:29:59 GMT -5
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EricD
Cave Dweller
High in the Mountains
Member since November 2019
Posts: 1,142
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Post by EricD on Jul 5, 2020 18:04:27 GMT -5
It may be a mix of different hardness, but after the soft stuff disappears you should be good to go on the rest! Worth a try anyway
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