Tumblers and Polishers
Introduction
Due to an increased local interest, we wanted to do a short feature on tumblers.
We at CigarBoxRock Lapidary realize that we are far from experts when it comes to tumbling. We do, however, have a fairly good knowledge of Lortone products. We recognize that others will have a vastly superior knowledge of tumbling and as such we strongly encourage them to share their knowledge and wisdom of what equipment and methods they have employed, and the results that they have achieved.
CigarBoxRock Lapidary is an Authorized Dealer of Lortone Products.
Tumblers work by creating motion which gently works an abrasive across the surface of a desired stone to smooth and polish it.
What To Know…
There are a couple of different kinds of tumblers vibratory or rotary.
Rotary is the most common.
They typically use a little more abrasive but tend to leave a much more professional finish.
Tumblers are rated by the weight of the material to be polished, usually on a per drum basis.
Some units only have a single drum like the:
Lortone 3A (1 drum @ 3 lbs)
Lortone QT6 (1 drum @ 6 lbs)
Lortone 45C (1 drum @ 4 lbs)
Lortone QT12 (1 drum @ 12 lbs)
Some units have multiple drums like the:
Lortone 33B (2 drums @ 3 lbs each = 6 lbs)
Lortone 3-1.5 (3 drums @ 1.5 lbs each = 4.5 lbs)
Lortone QT66 (2 drums @ 6 lbs each = 12 lbs)
Vibratory tumblers are more commonly used in the latter stages, for pre polish and polish. They are also great for burnishing raw stones to remove mineral deposits. They do not grind down the stones and the stones done in a vibratory tumbler maintain their angular shapes.
Vibratory Tumbler
BERRY’S QD -500 TUMBLER WITH EXTRA BOWL AND MEDIA
This new model of Berry’s has the very cool detachable bowl with on and off clip
As a bonus we are including:
2 Pounds of Crushed WALNUT SHELL tumbling media! Works great with a diamond paste additive!
CigarBoxRock Lapidary is an authorized distributor for these tumblers.
We use these quality units for Lapidary, Jewelry and Rifle Brass.
The owner of CigarBoxRock Lapidary has used a Berry’s Tumbler for years on his rifle brass.
Please see the photos of the Red Falcon Jasper after only 24 hours in the Berry Vibratory Tumbler. The after photo shows the jasper has an attractive satin finish, the white coating has been removed!
You will love being able to see what is going on. The clear top allows for easy viewing!
Young and old alike can check the progress of the stones.
You will enjoy the low noise level and will be amazed how much you use this vibratory unit in your Jewelry and Lapidary shop.
Consumables
Really the only consumables for running a tumbler are your abrasives.
These can be ordered individually.
Most commonly they are ordered in a four step kit.
The Small Four Step Kit,
contains enough abrasive to polish 12 lbs of rock.
The Large Four Step Kit, Lortone
contains enough abrasive to polish up to 25 lbs of stone.
Infrequently but on a occasion the tumbler belts or gaskets do wear out over time.
We carry replacement tumbler belts, gaskets, and inner and outer lids as well as barrel washers and knurled nuts.