Ready to buy a tumbler

Yellow Dog Girl · #1 2012-08-01, 1:50pm

I'm ready to buy a tumbler. Although I'll probably use it most for polishing and work-hardening silver, I'd like to be able to etch beads in it as well.

So, here's my question: should I buy 2 single barrel tumblers or 1 double barrel? Thoughts? Pros/cons?

Thanks in advance.

SuzyQ · #2 2012-08-01, 4:33pm

A one barrel is fine but get more than one barrel. I wouldn't want to clean out my silicone carbide every time I switched to tumbling silver.

Karen Hardy · #3 2012-08-01, 4:38pm

2 barrel Lortone. Love it to death. Never had a single problem with it.
My Harbor Freight one was a piece of crap.

Alaska · #4 2012-08-01, 5:36pm

Depending on what is to be done, there are 2 choices of tumbles - rotary and vibrating. In either case multiple drums are a plus.

This firm has both....

http://therockshed.com/

AmorphousDesigns · #5 2012-08-01, 6:10pm

I have the single barrel Lortone 3B with 3 barrels (etching, copper and silver). I know 3 barrels is a little extravagant, but I don't like cleaning between batches so I just leave each set up and ready for use. Also, I like Argentium silver and don't want to mix that with copper (although many people mix copper and silver with no problems). This works for me as I don't do enough work to need more than 1 barrel running at a time.

Yellow Dog Girl · #6 2012-08-02, 6:14am

Wow - 3 barrels! I think I might be in tumbler lust!

Do the barrels operate independently, or just one at a time? I didn't ask that very well - I'm wondering if I could do etching in one while I'm doing polishing in another, for example. That's one of the reasons I was considering two separate tumblers.

And thanks for the feedback on the Lortone. I've always heard good things about them.

Thanks to everybody who took the time to answer.

Yellow Dog Girl · #7 2012-08-02, 6:24am

And, Alaska, thanks for the link. They have very good prices.

I'm assuming most of y'all use the rotary? But I did forget to ask about capacity. 1.5 pound or 3 pound?

chrisann · #8 2012-08-02, 7:03am

I have the lore tone 2 barrel and hate it, have to use it as a single barrel cause it just gets hung up when running 2. Also,bought the harbor freight one when it was on a great sale, it has been going strong so far.
Chrisann

AmorphousDesigns · #9 2012-08-02, 7:35am

the style i have only tumbles 1 barrel at a time.

Eileen · #10 2012-08-02, 9:55am

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrisann

I have the lore tone 2 barrel and hate it, have to use it as a single barrel cause it just gets hung up when running 2. Also,bought the harbor freight one when it was on a great sale, it has been going strong so far.
Chrisann

I'm so glad to hear that the HF one is doing good for you. I bought a 2 barrel one when they were on sale, and now have to figure out what to put in there with the beads to tumble them. I know I read it, but have misplaced the info and have to search again and then figure out where to buy. I think I remember reading you only need a few table or teaspoons of it.