WTB - Electric rock tumbler / polisher

[jarrodaden]

Anyone have one of these to sell? Alternatively, can someone recommend where to buy this sort of thing locally in a store?

Technically not fish related, but my reason for wanting one is.

[SteveCGG]

From Geology.com http://geology.com/store/rock-tumblers/

The type of tumbler that you should buy depends upon the types of material that you will be tumbling, how fast you need results and how much rock you have to tumble. Here are some advantages and disadvantages of each.

Rotary Tumblers
Advantages

Very easy to use - best for beginners.
Lower cost than a vibratory tumbler.
Shapes rough into rounded stones.

They run quietly if you get a rubber barrel.

Disadvantages

Each tumbling step takes about one week.
Requires more grit and polish.
Occasional leaks..

Vibratory Tumblers
Advantages

Tumbling takes a few days per step.
Requires less grit and polish.
Gentle action polishes fragile rocks.

Does not leak.

Disadvantages

Rough rocks receive minimal shaping.
A bit more challenging to use.
More expensive.
More noise that a rubber-barrel rotary machine.
Vibrations! They can "walk" or shake the building.
Some must be attached to a weight or to the floor.

In summary, if you are starting out with crushed rocks with jagged edges and desire tumbles that are nicely smoothed and rounded then a rotary tumbler is best for you. A vibratory tumbler does not do a lot of shaping so if you put in angular rocks your finished product will be angular tumbles. On the other hand, if you are working with pre-shaped rocks (such as beach stone or cut cabochons), thin slabs, or very delicate material such as glass or obsidian then a vibratory tumbler would be more effective.

Also, if you opt for a rotary tumbler, purchasing a double-barrel tumbler is helpful in reducing tumbling time. Two barrels allow you to simultaneously tumble rocks in two different steps of the tumbling process, or rocks of two different hardnesses.

[jarrodaden]

What I am trying to do here is a do it yourself "little bites" fish food. This is the ultra fine powder for feeding fry that is ridiculously overpriced.

My plan was to mix up store bought food to get the desired nutritional content and then put it in the tumbler with steel balls to pulverize the food into a powder.

All of this said, I need a very basic tumbler.

[Fire_chair]

Why not use a mortar and pestle?

[jarrodaden]

I don't have one of those either. Also, a mortar and pestle can't be plugged into a wall outlet.

[fshfrk]

I use a Krups coffee grinder.

[BeefyG]

I think a hammer would be more fun... but thats just me...

[Tiapan]

yeah it doesnt take long to powder fish food. easier just to have a jar or can with the ball bearings. and shake and repeat. but there was a recipe for baby food that was easy to make with a blender and its a liquid form if i remember. its somewhere referenced on this site. gonna go look for it

[Tiapan]

here is the link if i got it right. http://www.aquaria.info/index.php?na...=article&sid=1

[Mzungu]

here is the link if i got it right. http://www.aquaria.info/index.php?na...=article&sid=1

Hmm, link's not taking me to the right place, I don't think.