mikeydbd
starting to shine!
Member since October 2020
Posts: 39
|
Post by mikeydbd on Jan 4, 2021 9:45:04 GMT -5
Hey guys, I just got a Lot-O for christmas and I have watched countless videos of how they are used and many instructions on how to use them properly. I am however having issues and can't seem to figure out the culprit. I shall explain.
1. I filled barrel approx. half full of rocks and then added a mixture of small and large ceramic media up to about an inch from the top of the barrel. Filled it to the top with water and then drain out all the water in barrel leaving all the media wet. 2. I plugged it in and I put in a 1/2 tsp of Aluminum Oxide polish and 1 tbsp of Borax. 3. The movement is so much slower than I am seeing in all the videos, and I dumped it out and for some reason a lot of the media was clumped in the bottom of the barrel. 4. I restarted the process following same steps this time there was no clumping when I dumped it all out but the movement is still lacking. 5. Someone told me to check the fins and make sure the weights are aligned and they are to my knowledge. So I am running out of Ideas as to why I am not getting the movement that I see everyone else has in their Lot-O
Any advise helps!
|
|
|
Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Jan 4, 2021 10:23:37 GMT -5
Sounds like you started off correctly. If it is running and the movement is not correct that usually means not enough water or too much water. Borax is a thickener so it may have just needed a few squirts of water to get it moving. On the other hand if the consistency looked really thin and was kind of splashing water when you opened it then that would be too much water. If it was neither of those then I start looking at the machine itself.
Chuck
|
|
mikeydbd
starting to shine!
Member since October 2020
Posts: 39
|
Post by mikeydbd on Jan 5, 2021 10:09:06 GMT -5
Thanks Chuck. I will continue to tinker with it and if I can't figure out any results I'll reach out to manufacturer.
|
|
|
Post by greig on Jan 5, 2021 14:04:34 GMT -5
It may be broken and you need to send it to me. hehe I am sure you will figure it out. I will monitor this thread, as someday (soon) I will also have one.
|
|
old hound
starting to shine!
Member since August 2018
Posts: 36
|
Post by old hound on Jan 7, 2021 1:09:47 GMT -5
Grieg I would love to see what you could do with a lot-o after seeing your rotary work.
|
|
|
Post by greig on Jan 7, 2021 13:53:20 GMT -5
Grieg I would love to see what you could do with a lot-o after seeing your rotary work. I want to pull the trigger and buy one. I keep fussing with whether to get a single or double Lot-O. I flip between thinking a single is good enough because I will only use it for stage 3 & 4. Then I remember that I regret every time I go cheap. I have looked for used machines, but they are not common in Canada. In fact, I will probably have to import even if I buy new. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
|
|
rockhoundmn
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since November 2020
Posts: 75
|
Post by rockhoundmn on Jan 15, 2021 8:58:20 GMT -5
Hope this issue got sorted out and the rocks are moving nicely!
Greig, I also had the same dilemma and someone suggested the single because both barrels must run at the same time for the double to work (I didnt want that kind of limitation). I also spoke with a local rockhound who told me that the single operates much better than the double, as told to him by the product designer here in MN. I didn't think to ask why that was, but it was good enough for me as I'd already made my decision to buy the single.
|
|
saxplayer
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since March 2018
Posts: 1,327
|
Post by saxplayer on Jan 15, 2021 11:43:33 GMT -5
Grieg I would love to see what you could do with a lot-o after seeing your rotary work. I want to pull the trigger and buy one. I keep fussing with whether to get a single or double Lot-O. I flip between thinking a single is good enough because I will only use it for stage 3 & 4. Then I remember that I regret every time I go cheap. I have looked for used machines, but they are not common in Canada. In fact, I will probably have to import even if I buy new. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Get the single! The issue with the double is you HAVE to have both barrels equally full to run either. If you don't have enough to polish at the time you have to wait until you can fill both.
|
|
|
Post by greig on Jan 15, 2021 12:25:31 GMT -5
Great advice. Thanks
|
|