What
Comes In The Basic Package?
*3A
Lortone Rock Tumbler/Polisher
*1lb
Grit Kit: This includes 1lb of each of the 4 grits used to
polish rocks. 1Lb of 46/70, 1lb of 120/220, 1lb Pre-Polish, 1lb of
Polish which is Aluminum Oxide. (This kit is enough grit to run the
tumbler 5 times or approx. 14-15lbs of rock)
*Plastic
Pellets (buffing medium to be used with polish)
*2lbs
of Crushed Agate
*2
Year Exclusive Warranty!
What
Else Will I Need Once My Basic Package Comes?
*Water
*An
outlet to plug your tumbler into
*3
in 1 light weight oil
Lortone
3A Tumblers
The
Lortone 3A Tumbler holds up to 3 pounds of rock. The maximum size
stones you can tumble in this machine are 1" diameter (see
below). The Lortone 3A Tumblers are perfect for children or beginning
rock tumblers! They are also ideal for anyone who is using a rock
tumbler to polish jewelry. Recommended for use by anyone 6 years and
older. At Rockpick Legend Co., we have been using these rock tumblers
for decades, and we love them! The belts last years and the motors
are heavy duty--built for years of rock tumbling fun! All you need to
do to keep this little tumbler turning is to oil the bearings between
loads, and keep grit, slush, and dust from settling into the bearings
or motor. The motors tend to run on the warm side. Just know that
this is normal and use caution when touching the tumbler after it’s
been running. Lortone tumblers all have a solid rubber barrel which
allows for extremely quiet tumbling. If the barrel is kept 3/4 of the
way full, the tumbler should be no louder than a dishwasher or a
tabletop fountain. They can easily be run in houses or apartments,
making rock tumbling accessible to everyone!
If
you're not sold on the Lortone brand just yet, consider this, most
brands of rock tumblers come with a 14 to 90 day warranty and must be
sent back to the manufacturer with a copy of the original receipt for
any warranty work to be done. At Rockpick Legend Co. we warranty the
rock tumblers we sell for a full 2 years! And the best part is, if
you’ve lost your receipt, we can look it up for you!
Why
Purchase From Rockpick Legend Co.?
We
aren't just another business we're rock enthusiasts! Rick got his
start in rock and mineral collecting in 6th grade
when he was tasked with a science fair project that took him into a
tiny rock shop on Redwood Road in Salt Lake City, Utah. The science
fair project turned into a hobby, which turned into a passion, a life
time of studying (including at the University of Utah, and Montana
School of Mines) and eventually led Rick back into that same small
store to work there and eventually take over. Now Rick, his wife
Anita and their children, grand-children, and in-laws run Rockpick
Legend Co. Each person here has found their own specialty niche in
the rock world, and we offer a complete rock experience! From our own
love for rocks, minerals, and the world that has created them, to our
passion for helping young and old rock hounds alike get their start
into this exciting field you can rest assured we'll be there to help
you with all your rock related needs. If you have any questions now
or once you get started please call us at 888-762-5746 we'll
be glad to help you and look forward to having you in our rock
family! You can also connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Pintrest,
YouTube, and on our Blog!
Common
Questions & Answers
Q.
How loud are Lortone Tumblers?
A.
The 3A tumbler is about as loud as the average dishwasher. These are
not "toy store" tumblers, made of plastic. The Lortone
tumblers have a solid rubber barrels making them very quiet! When
kept full and maintained it can easily be running in the kitchen.
Q.
How much electricity does a Lortone Tumbler use?
A.
It has a 36 watt motor which uses approximately the same amount of
electricity as a refrigerator light.
Q.
How long does it take to polish my rocks?
A.
It takes 4 solid weeks to go from start to finish in any rotary rock
tumbler. There are four different grits or "stages" of rock
tumbling, each takes 5-7 days. At the end of each cycle you take the
rock out of the barrel and wash everything, add the correct grit for
the next step, and seal the barrel up again. You can see a noticeable
difference each week when you wash out the barrel; however they will
not be shiny until the very last stage is completed.
Q.
Can I open the tumbler between stages?
A.
Yes! It does not hurt anything for you to open up the tumbler and
check on your rock. If the tumbler is all the sudden louder than you
expect it may have too little water in it, so you may want to open it
and check on the water level. Kids love to see the process and it's
perfectly fine to open the barrel every 15 minutes for excited young
eyes! (Caution: be careful to not contaminate the grit with other
grits.)
Q.
How large of rock can I polish in the 3A rock tumbler?
A.
In the 3A rock tumbler you can polish rocks 1" or smaller. You
polish approximately 3 cups of rock at a time.
Q.
How many rocks can I polish at once?
A.
In the 3A Rock Tumbler you can polish approximately 3 cups (of rock).
Q.
What if I polish the wrong type of rock?
A.
The worst case scenario is that your rocks will disintegrate in the
tumbler. Regardless of the type of rock you tumble it will not hurt
the tumbler. Some rocks may not polish and some may be so soft they
disappear completely, but you will not damage the tumbler. Specific
types of rock can have acid in them similar to stomach acid which can
cause the lid to pop off. If this happens refill the barrel and add
baking soda or Tums to your mixture. This will prevent acid from
building up and the lid from popping off.
Q.
How can I tell if my rocks will polish together?
A.
Take two rocks and scrape them together. If they leave equal marks on
each other, or neither rock is damaged you can most likely put them
in the tumbler together. If one stone leaves a larger mark on the
other, then they should be tumbled separately. This is the part of
rock tumbling that can be considered a learning curve, and may take
some practice. Remember that softer stones or rock that doesn't take
a good polish can always be re-polished separately later. (Caution:
Mixing very hard stones with soft stones may cause the softer stones
to disintegrate in the tumbler.)
Q.
What are the plastic "beads" I received with my tumbler
for?
A.
Rocks wear down during the tumbling process. Because of this, filler
is needed to bring the barrel back to 3/4ths full level. Plastic
pellets are the perfect filler. Besides providing volume, they
protect your rocks from chips and scratches. Use plastic pellets in
the "polish" stage to help achieve a professional gloss! We
include them in our kits to ensure your rock tumbling success.
Q.
Is my child too young for a rock tumbler?
A.
Rock tumblers are recommended for children 6 years and older. With
adult supervision, they can be exciting and fun for children of any
age.
Q.
I have lost my instruction book, now what?
A.
No problem, you can download a digital copy for free
here: http://www.lortone.com/pdf/Model_3A_PartsList_Instructions.pdf
