Everything at Highland Park Lapidary is on sale for 10% off through the end of November. If you’re thinking of buying any equipment or supplies, this is the time to do it. There’s free shipping, too. This is an affiliate link, so I'll make a commission if you use it. It doesn't cost you more though. Thanks for using it! hplapidary.com/?ref=ROBERTABRAM
@@MichiganRocks I went broke on other Black Friday stuff, so I didn't have the money to purchase one in time. So I chatted with one of their reps today and the lady said that if I put 10% down they would lock it in at the Black Friday price till I get my check next Tuesday. It was really easy for me to come up with the $15.
Wow - Like you said those are built like a tank ! Very, very impressive. Lightly sanding or even light filing of the sharp edges of the guides should help the wear problem. Applying a dry lubricant such a candle wax, bar soap or even crayon would help too. Appearantly the dc motors are very efficient to boot. That barrel design is the best too. Awesome review Rob !
I’ve had two of these units for 6 months, just like yours, going full time. Heavy duty and a dc motor. quiet and cool running. Solid steel, no speed control on mine. Love em both…oh and I love ur channel as well!
@@MichiganRocks my biggest problem is affording to buy the things I need it's a long story mate. I've been out again and found more beautiful rocks I'm going to do a short video in a little while I hope you watch it mate got a really good collect I think just now😁🙏👍
Can you do a maintenance and oiling tutorial video down the road some time? I have Loritone double 3lb and haven't figured out sweet spot yet for oiling. Yesterday I guess the free rolling bar got stuck and some damage was done to rubber coating on both roller bars. Booooo. Anyway, I'd appreciate it and probably not the only one. As always, You Rock!
My first tumbler was a Lortone 33B like you have. I oiled both ends of both shafts every week or two with 3 in 1 oil. At some point, the little plastic bushings a the ends of the shafts wore through and the frame wore into the shafts. I had to replace them, but it works fine now. Keep an eye on those. That's the only maintenance I ever did to it.
@@daveerik75 It's not loud. The motor makes very little noise, it's the rocks in the barrel that make some noise. Smaller barrels are much quieter than larger barrels because the rocks fall a shorter distance. I don't know what to say about using it in an apartment. We couldn't hear it in the basement of our house, but a lot depends on the construction of the apartment you live in. I think it would be worth giving it a try.
I bought one of the 3lb tumblers from HP a few months ago - I love it! It has been running continuously, never gets hot and is relatively quiet. I tried to purchase a Lortone but they were sold out everywhere and no one knew if they were going to be available again. So I researched lots and found HP, was intrigued by the belt-less motor and went ahead and purchased one. I have been really happy with it (although I’m going to go and sand the stainless guide because it is grinding at the brass nut) 😊.
I used to always recommend Lortone tumblers, but that has been hard to do for the past few years since they made very few of them. These tumblers look like twice the quality though.
I'm glad I already got my 2x 3 lbs tumbler from them. I ordered in August and had to wait 2 months for it to arrive but it was WELL worth the wait. All the other models were available immediately but the 2x 3 lbs is in extremely high demand. I'm beyond happy with it. Probably ordering a 3x 1.5 lbs model soon. Also worth mentioning the customer service team has been excellent. It's easy to see how much John cares about his company and these tumblers. This is literally the first tumbler I've ever owned but I've studied extensively and read all the pitfalls of belt-driven tumblers with 110v AC motors. Unfortunately, I'm not a pyromaniac .My Highland Park has been running in my basement 24/7 for just about 4 weeks now, and the metal casing that encloses the motor is literally cool to the touch. My brass caps have rhe same wearing issue mentioned but i believe John is sending the new stainless steel replacements to customers free of charge. Class act. A CEO like John is someone I will happily follow and trust until the end of time.
Thanks for confirming the good impression I got of these tumblers and the company. I called a couple times with questions while I was making this video and got really good service too.
I’ve had the double 3lb tumbler for about 6 months. It is freaking fantastic. Solid. Excellent build quality. Really easy to use. I got their single 6lb tumbler with variable speed control and it is even more impressive. I can’t recommend them more; brilliant gear.
@@MichiganRocksI’m happy to hear that they’re working on the guide grinding the brass nut. It’s a minor issue, and I’ve had luck with a drop of 3-in-1 oil every few weeks, but something more permanent would be welcome!
@@copasetic1 They already have a fix for the brass nut. They are replacing it with a stainless-steel nut and will be providing them to everyone that already has brass nut barrels.
Those sound very cool. Soon, I will be able to start tumbling again, and I just might have to check one of these out. I love your reviews. Always very honest.
As a fellow Michigander and rockhound this is great news. I've only been hand polishing the Petoskey Stones I've found up in Charlevoix so I don't own a tumbler. The power usage statistic is awesome news. I might just have to check this out! Thanks for the great video!
I was so upset when I found out that Lortone went out of business until I decided to try one of these Highland Park models. I love it. There is nothing that I know of that is better than my Highland Park tumbler. BTW, I just deleted my desktop shortcut to Highland Park, and replaced it with your affiliate link. That way I don't forget about it.
I received the twin 6 lb model today as a Christmas gift I ordered myself using your affiliate link, and let my wife wrap it for me. It looks and feels very high quality. I was surprised it didn't come with any instructions, and their website has no info about recommended maintenance or any suggestion about how much grit to use. Based on your video about saving money on grit, and 3 tbs for a 3lb barrel seemed to be the sweet spot, so I'm going to go with 6 tbs of 60/90 silicon carbide per 6lb barrel. I'm looking forward to your future videos on this to see how you run it.
That's what I would use in a six pound barrel. Kate from the UA-cam channel Katydid Rocks is editing a manual now. As for maintenance, I just add one drop of 3 in 1 oil to each end of the shafts each week when I clean out my barrels.
Wow! Those are very impressive!! Nice selection available at the link you provided and great pricing too. 👍👍 Glad they sent you a couple to show us. I suddenly feel the urge to start tumbling again👍👍
I love your videos! I also enjoy your videos with Sam 😊 Maybe a future video could cover maintenance of this tumbler. My husband gave me this as a gift after watching your video. This week I will begin a new batch of rocks. The tumbler looks fantastic. My biggest complaint is lack of instructions. My other tumblers need oil from time to time, I have no idea about this tumbler. It would be very nice to have even one sheet of information and I don’t understand why the company doesn’t include information. The website has zero information as well. I am excited to use the tumbler though. Maybe John at the company could speak to someone about at least putting a user guide on their website. Thank you for your very informative videos!
Do you know Kate from Katiedid Rocks? She's editing a manual now. Honestly, most manuals are garbage and just lead people down the wrong path, although maintenance instructions are pretty important. The only thing I plan to do is put a drop of 3 in 1 oil at the end of each shaft each week when I clean out the barrels. I don't think there's much else to do.
I have one of their 14" Hitone saws. They are indeed built like tanks. I have had it for 4 or 5 years now and other than loosing an insert on the blade (about a $5 fix) it has been great. I have been looking at these tumblers for a while, but my Thumler's (all 6 of them) just keep on running (my oldest is over 20 years now!)
Do you have the Model B? I have heard good things about those. I have a Thumler's A-R2 and I don't like it at all. It's mainly the barrel lids that I don't like. They leak and wear out quickly. When they wear out they leak too. The barrels also come off the base once in awhile.
@@MichiganRocks I have a Model B, AR12, 3xAR-2 and a model T! Yes the lids do wear out, but I repair them with some rubber material and they last for years! Never really had too much trouble with leaks as long as I keep the rim nice and clean and replace the barrel band every couple of years.
Wow, I had no idea on those prices. I just assumed this type of eqpt was in the thousands, but was shocked to see 150-350. For a noob like me, this is a great way to get started and maybe work my way up to a cab machine. Thx for the review, very helpful.
Very good review! I run some of the cheap Amazon tumblers. They've been running 24/7 for the last 1.5 years. I've changed the belt on one, the motor burnt out on another, and on some models, the barrels are a hard rubber or plastic. The lids are a pain in the butt to get off and one model actually comes with a small flathead (standard) screwdriver for you to remove the lid. As far as I'm concerned, HP look like they are professionally built and have addressed some of the complaints. I personally think the best tumbler in that room is the one you personally built. The cabinet tumbler. You were on to something there Rob...🙌🏻
That tumbler wasn't my design, but I did build it. I love it. However, that one costs closer to $20 a month to run, so if I don't have it full, I'll probably be using these new tumblers.
@Mike-br8vb I suppose I could look into that. It never occurred to me. The motor is on top, so it should be fairly easy to swap out if I found the right motor.
I've been running the 4.5 and double 3's daily since last Christmas. These things work beautifully. I've had fantastic success with the process thanks to your prior tutorials! The only issue I have is the brass nuts are wearing thin.
I just bought a cheap Vevor branded tumbler. It ran for 2 minutes then lost all power. After some back and forth with Vevor they agreed to send a replacement. In the meantime I stripped the first one down and hit it with a multimeter to discover it's only the power supply that is dead so ordered a new one. Fingers crossed I have two working rock tumblers to start a new hobby with. 👍
A few months back when Lortone production was paused, I checked reviews of all tumblers on the market to see what would match up - and selected Highland Park. Glad to know my choice is Michigan Rocks approved!
I have two Lortone tumblers that match up with the two HP tumblers I now have and the quality of the HPs is impressive in comparison. I have always thought the Lortones were the best out there, but I don't think that anymore. One thing about the Lortones that I don't like is the power of the motors. On the twelve pound specifically, it was a bit underpowered. I'd have to start it with one barrel and then add the other barrel. After it got a bit older, it wasn't powerful enough to start both barrels from a stopped position.
Wow, nice improvements on these Highland Park tumblers! Not having a belt is great and definitely lower maintenance. Can't wait to see how they tumble. Thanks for sharing! TUMBLE ON!! 😁👍🏻🪨💦
A shoutout to Highland Park!! They are currently running Black Friday deals on all machines including these tumblers. Stock is constantly being replenished, so if the site shows out of stock, give them a call or chat, as their customer service is spectacular! They may actually have them available, but due to rapid sales, they might not have been able to keep the site updated. On the brass nut issue, they have already come up with a stainless-steel nut as a fix and will be making them available for free to anyone that already has their tumblers with the brass nuts. They fully support their machines. Rob, you can probably teach them a bit about tumbling grits and the tumble rough they should be providing. They are just starting to provide tumbling material; however, they have an unbelievable amount of high quality lapidary rough with only a small percentage of it listed on their site. Best to watch their live rock sales to see what they actually have to offer. Their motto is "Life's too short to cut ugly rocks!"
I didn't even realize they carried polish until I talked to John on the phone. They have grit and polish on two separate parts of the site, so I missed it. I thought they would all be in one category. I didn't realize that they had more rough than what they listed on their site. I don't really have time for live sales (video making is very time consuming), so I haven't been to one of those. I suppose I should stop in and take a look one of these days. John mentioned that he had some stainless steel nuts that looked promising. Hopefully that's the fix that's needed.
Before I saw these, Lortones were my favorite too. These have the same size barrels, so they're interchangeable. Other than that, these seem way better. I found the motor on the Lortone QT66 a bit weak. I couldn't start it up with both barrels on it. I had to get it going, then add the second barrel. I think the motors on the HP tumblers have more torque.
Thanks for sharing the advice for sanding down the holder. I've been using my 4.5 lb model for just over a month and my only complaint is the wearing of the brass nut.
They have other models on their website too. There are seven different models, although some are just a difference in having two six pound barrels or one twelve pounder with the same base.
I just received the Highland Park 2 barrel (3lb)tumbler last week! Got a decent Black Friday deal. So far I’ve only had one issue, that being the issue mentioned in the video. But customer service was very helpful, sent me a video on how to improve the fit of the bolt in the guide. I like how relatively quiet it is and no worries about overheating or replacing belts! I was so excited to see you doing a review on these tumblers!
You had me worried when you said that you had a problem. I'm really glad it's the same one I already knew about. Do you have a link to that video? I'd like to see it.
Those units absolutely exude quality. I don't imagine that they're inexpensive, but it's a buy-once, cry-once situation. Over the course of my life, I've learned the lesson... quality is an investment that pays long term dividends. Thanks for introducing these products Rob.
I agree about buying quality, at least if it's something you'll be using a lot. I don't think I've ever been disappointed when I bought the better version of something. I have been disappointed when I tired to save a buck, though.
@@MichiganRocks I went to the website and was quite surprised that they are not as expensive as I thought they would be. They're actually quite a bargain for the quality of the units. I'm thinking about getting one because I've been a good boy and Santa knows it!
I was looking into these when I invested in my Lortone. I really wanted to try one, but I was set on Lortone. Highland Park seems like they make awesome lapidary equipment.
Lortone makes good tumblers, but these look even better. I think you'll be happy with your Lortones though. I found the motor on my QT66 to be a little underpowered, but otherwise they have been good tumblers.
@MichiganRocks I was gifted a tumbler for Christmas about 5 years ago. It was a cheap National Geographic Hobby edition. I was set on owning a Lortone since day one. About a year ago, I invested in a 33B. Overall, it's been a great tumbler. I would love to try the Highland Park tumbler.
Hi Rob, I finally have some time off from a busy concrete season and decided to catch up on your videos. I purchased one of the Highland Park 3 lb tumblers earlier this year. Been running pretty much full time since then, without any problems. Highland Park makes some nice equipment, I have there 6" and 10" Trim saws, and there 14" slab saw. I also just watched your video with the new improved Kingsley North cab machine. I also just received the new upgraded top for mine and plan on installing it tomorrow. I'll make sure to use your link on any further purchases from Highland Park.
Great review Rob! I was looking forward to this. I have been very impressed with Highland Park and the Rowland brothers. They are doing great things for the lapidary community.
I have a Highland Park 3lb double barrel tumbler - running it for about a year now. Love the tumbler itself, runs great and have no issues. I’m not a fan of the barrels. Lids fit almost too tight, pain to get them off and putting them on. I have also cut myself more than once on the brass nut, screwing them on and off. My solution…Lortone barrels. Now it’s perfection!
I was very pleased to see the DC motor comparison on wattage as part of this video. I have a watt meter just like yours and I've used it on my rock equipment and consistently the DC motors use 1/3 the power of AC. A few bucks per month doesn't seem like much until you have several tumblers and other equipment using DC. It adds up. Incidentally, I just bought a Highland Park 10" rock saw and that thing is a tank too. I'm very impressed with their engineering and desire to build quality!
What timing for this video. The nat.geo. tumbler we got in May has stopped working. I will be taking the motor out tomorrow to do some tests. Not sure we are ready to upgrade, but them stainless ones look great. Direct drive, nice! Thanks for the review. Cheers from Wisconsin.
As someone in the control valve and instrumentation field I will say I love the wiring job as well. This looks like it was assembled by someone who cares about the equipment.
I talked to John Rowland for about an hour on the phone. He is an engineer and loves this hobby. He really cares about making stuff that works well and holds up. I like that he's always looking for a way to improve on his the current design.
@@MichiganRocks If he used a round nylon bushing (cut in half) to fit that guide it would stop the brass nut from getting cut and it would cut down on noise. And it's pretty cheap to find.
Wow, the quality of the build looks astonishing for the price! If I had seen any Highland Park models at any of the shows, I don't think I would have gone to all the effort of building my own five-seater (inspired by your cabinet model). To be honest, none of the other hobbyist tumblers come even close to my minimum standard for design/build quality. They all seemed so incredibly flimsy for the price, I just couldn't bring myself to buy another one (hence the home-brew build). The 12-pound model looks intriguing, I'd like to try tumbling some large rocks I have been collecting. I just re-watched your large unakite rock tumble. Do you have any more videos using the 12-pound tumbler? Although I have zero desire (or a suitable work area) to do any manual grinding, and the PPE required, for either dry or wet process, is not something I want to get into. I have access to plenty of smooth hard plain-Jane rocks without cracks or pits (mostly jaspers and quartz) of various sizes that I can use for fill, like you did with your unakite tumble. The horrible efficiency of fractional horsepower AC induction motors has always annoyed me. They are purposely designed to scrimp on copper and iron, which is why they run so dang hot. I don't really mind the electricity usage so much, but I worry about the fire hazard, and the excessive heat dramatically shortens the motor life, particular the bearings and insulation. I didn't realize that brushless DC motors could run so much cooler, I'll try to find a suitable motor & driver to retrofit on my five-banger tumbler. It would be nice if Highland Park had a wider range of vibratory tumblers, something smaller that I could afford. Vibratory tumblers is another area where I have not been at all impressed with the quality versus price of the current hobbyist offerings.
I don't always have my homemade tumbler filled up, and when I don't I'll be using the Highland Park tumblers for their great energy savings. I don't think I have any other videos of running really big rocks in my 12 pound tumbler. It's not something I do very often, although I have tumbled a couple big crazy lace agates that way. When I talked to John on the phone, I told him the same thing you just said about their vibratory tumblers. They're just too big for me. Since I spend so long on the first stage, it would take me forever to get enough rocks done for the next stage. They seem to just keep cranking out new products, so maybe they'll come up with something in the future.
I have 4 of the double 3 pound ones and 2 of the 4.5 pound ones. They all have rubber sleeves on the rollers which after over a year of use the rubber on the rollers is shot and had to wrap the rollers to prevent the guide from eating the lid brass nut. Also the rubber on the lids is pretty thin and had to replace them several times. No issues with the motors. I see the newer models don’t have the rubber on the rollers which is nice. Overall not bad machines just which I waited to buy the 6 of them I own till some of the kinks have been worked out.
I got to make an edit I have only replaced the 3 pound lids not the 4.5 lids which are extremely worn out with a huge hole but they continue to work it just results in more time cleaning.
You should contact the company. John said that they have corrected those problems. He said that if you contact them, they'll send you new rollers. They have also thickened the rubber on the lids and they have just found a fix for the nut issue.
I was currious about your power readings. When I googled if dc motors used less power than ac motors, it said "generally no". When you did the comparison you mentioned the AC motor being hot which made sense that it would take more power because some of that is getting thrown off as heat. Now wondering. May have to talk with one of my electrical friends. In the old days, I would have said that it was easier to get an AC motor if something went wrong. Don't think that is true any more. Any motor is hard to get. Great review! The HP tumblers look really well built and especially like the SS construction and the screwed on feet (as my feet on the Lortone models have all come off).
There are many types of AC and DC motors. Some more efficient that others. These tumblers use brushless DC motors which are far more efficient than any similar size AC motors.
Hi all. Another great video but the Highland park 12 pound barrels are very flimsy. Mine keeps popping open during tumbling (what a mess). No problem with the 12 pound Lortone. Tumbler is great just the barrel is not up to high standards. FYI.. Tumbling for 5 years :} Thanks
To adjust the speed of the RT3L rotary tumbler with two 3-pound barrels using the internal potentiometer, both of the red/white DIP switches must be in the UP/OFF position to adjust the speed with the blue built-in potentiometer. The instructional video that Highland Park directs users to does not mention setting the DIP switches, but HP support confirmed that both switches should be UP/OFF, which is different from the factory setting of my unit. Video: ua-cam.com/video/_QmWMXxRaEk/v-deo.html My tumbler came from the factory with DIP SW1 up and SW2 down, as shown in the video. When I adjusted the on-board potentiometer, it made no change in the motor RPM, which was rotating the barrels at about 58-60 RPM. I contacted Highland Park support, and they instructed me to change both DIP SW1 and SW2 to UP/OFF position, which enables the potentiometer to adjust the motor RPM. The potentiometer setting is very sensitive, so a small change will make a large change in motor RPM. I commented on the instructional video but thought it might be helpful here too since there aren't many videos discussing HP tumblers yet.
@@MichiganRocks Oh good deal. I missed the Reddit discussion when I was searching for solutions. HP customer service was quick to help get the issue sorted though!
Hey Rob, just an FYI for you and maybe others: the issue you described with the brass nut has cropped up for me. I've been using the 2 x 6 lb. model for a week and twice now I've had the nut unscrew causing the lid on one barrel to come loose and spill the contents. On the barrel guide right underneath the brass nut I notice a good-sized pile of brass shavings, which makes me think the nut is rubbing on the guide, perhaps causing the nut to unscrew (the nut was tight when I closed it up). I've filed the guide like you suggested and rubbed some petroleum jelly on it and we'll see how that works. I'm a little concerned because if that doesn't work I'm not sure what my other options are. If it continues I'll contact Highland Park and see what they have to say. Love the tumbler otherwise; I just hope this little issue can be corrected somehow.
I really like mine. I have the dual 3lb model and it works great though if you don’t get the cap on 1000% level, it makes the rubber on the roller bar move and grinds into the side of the case. Mine is about 3 inches shorter than it was when I first got it. The screw top on the barrels gets worn down pretty good. Every time I change barrels I get brass dust all over my hands. I’ll eventually need new caps as they wear complete through.. But maybe I’m doing it wrong. This is my first real tumbler though.
John said that he has a stainless steel nut he's trying out instead of the brass one and it looks promising. I'm not sure what to say about putting the lids on straight. I have been using Lortone barrels for years and have never noticed anything like that. The HP lids seem to be the exact same design.
I just finished testing of a new barrel nut and those will be available soon, also, if you have the blade rubber on your rollers just call my staff and we will send you a new set of rollers under warranty. we found that some of the black rubber sleeves were not consistent and some wore out prematurely so we will cover those new rollers under warranty. ;)
Only thing we dont know, it is easy to get spare parts? Lids, plastic bushing for shaft etc ... Brushless motor and no belt, you eliminate 80% of tumbler failure.
Finally, another industrial grade tumbler! I was surprised at the power usage difference. I have add-on fans on all my Covington tumblers; never forget to cool your motors (every manufacturer should make these stock). I use roller bearings (PlusRoc 8 Pack Self Adhesive Caster Wheels 1 Inch for Furniture") on the ends of all my tumblers and shake my head that no manufacturer includes them.
I just looked those up and they look good. The guides that the nut rides on work great, though. I have never had a problem with them on my big Lortone tumbler or my homemade tumbler. It's simple and doesn't take up quite as much space.
I bought the single barrel model but the shafts are coated with a black wrap and within the first year the shaft wrap deteriorated and I've now taken the machine out of my process due to that. I still use the barrel but I consider the shaft design to be bad so I'll just go with my other machines. If the barrel holds up then I will prefer to buy the highland park barrels. Maybe I could speak with the "JOHN" person that you mentioned and see if the clear wrap could be a better design, and then I might repair the unit I have. Thanks for the review, Rob.
John told me that he likes when people let them know the problems they're having so he can make improvements. I'd contact HP and let them know you're having problems. I see they sell replacement shafts too.
Just give our Highland Park Lapidary staff a call and we will provide you the new rollers at no cost. Definitely want you to be happy with your machine!! John
A $1.65 a month? I gotta get me one of those tumblers. I just came back from their website. I have never heard of 1970's Malawi classic agate before. I think it's worth a tumbling experiment to try. The lid on those tumblers look aesthetic, too.
I recently purchased the 4.5 lb model. This has become my favorite tumbler because of it's performance and quality. It's also the most quiet tumbler of the 4 that I own. My only regret is that I didn't get it sooner--like when I bought my first tumbler. I wish that it had a power switch, but you can buy a separate plug that has an off/on rocker switch.
Why do you want a power switch? I have always thought that was completely unnecessary. I just leave mine running all the time, even when I clean out the barrels. I have mostly double barrel tumblers, so when I take one off, the other one keeps tumbling.
Hi Rob, hoping you can answer what may be a silly question. Are the tumblers with the 6 lb. barrels more commonly used to tumble larger rocks, or just greater quantities of the smaller rocks, or both? Thanks!
Both. You can also get a twelve pound barrel for even bigger rocks. Larger barrels also grind faster because there's more weight pushing down on them. It's like if you were sanding a board with sandpaper and applying more pressure vs. less pressure.
I don’t understand the short wide diameter barrels. The purpose of having a big one would be to tumble big rocks. Not sure what you would use the short ones for. I would love to be able to tumble a four inch diameter rock- have you ever done that?
You can buy this tumbler with one big barrel or two short ones. The third tumbler I ever bought was a Lortone QT66. It had two barrels just like this. I opted for that over one big barrel so I could do two separate kinds of rocks at the same time. I could have mixed them in one big barrel, but I like to keep my rocks separated sometimes. I have tumbled rocks as big as that. Here's one: ua-cam.com/video/4eX-IcZtZfU/v-deo.html
One more comment, i did see they have a tumbler rougher that can do pre stage one in 15 minutes as opposed to several weeks, looks like it weighs 300 pounds and costs just under $1000, but time saving might be worth it too! That's the machine I'm curious about.
These look like great tumblers. Since the demise or Lortone I have a number of their 3lb barrels in inventory, will they work with the Highland Park tumblers?
They don't have very catchy names, but they're easy to understand. The small one is "Rotary Tumbler with (2) 3.0 LB Barrels" and the big one is. "Rotary Tumbler with two 6.0 LB Capacity Barrels".
Now, if they would make equivalents for the UV10 and UV18, as their only vibratory tumbler is huge. If I didn't have so many working Lortones, I would be in the market for a few of these.
Yes they are, considering how well built they are. I think my Nat Geo Pro model was $90 when I bought it, although they're often on sale for less. A single three pound barrel Highland Park is $120, although it's on sale for $108 right now. There's just no comparison in the quality of the two and Highland Park also sells replacement parts if you were to ever need them.
Here's hoping I did it right and you get the commission. I just ordered the dual 3lb barrel tumbler. Here's a question, however, can I buy a separate 1.5lb barrel and run it on the same machine or would I need a separate machine?
I think that barrel will run on the machine you ordered, but I'm not 100% sure. I'd contact them through their online chat or even call them. I have found customer support to be really good when I had a couple questions during the making of this video.
That's probably because of the sale that's been going all month. John told me that there were more on the way, although that was a couple weeks ago and they may have already arrived and been sold. Thanks for ordering one. I think it will be worth the wait.
Great video review.....so many things I want in a tumbler.....starting with barrel guides, on/off switch, direct drive among other things. I've got half a dozen tumblers now but would sell them off in a second to buy a couple of these. And looking at HP's site, those prices are spot on.....except for one thing - I'M IN CANADA. The Canadian dollar has tanked, shipping is crazy $ and I can't find anyone in Canada who sells Highland Park equipment here - Doh!!!!
Oh, that's a shame. I don't understand why shipping to Canada is so expensive. I shipped some rocks to MeMiner (another UA-cam guy) once and it was really expensive. He's not all that far away either.
K so ive never actually tumbled anything. I just find random ones i would like to see what the results would be... do you have any recommendations for a beginner on a budget that isnt sure how much exactly i want to invest in the hobby yet...?
I guess I'd go with the Harbor Freight tumbler and buy the extended warranty. Those are very unpredictable from what I've read. Some people have decent luck with them and other people can hardly get them to work at all. Personally, I'd just save up your money for a little longer and buy a quality machine.
@MichiganRocks I am a man of......many hobbies. It's hard to find space for everything. Thanks for giving me an idea though. I could gift this tumbler to some youngster that has a love for tumbling rocks!
Hello Rob, I found what looks like an Omar stone on a little beach in Manistee. Is this possible or are they only found in the U P - lake Superior ? Very cool stuff with the Omars and laser Thank you Carl Zatsick
I'm not sure, Carl. I don't think we have them on Lake Huron. I'm not sure about Lake Michigan. You get agates over there where we don't get them in Lake Huron, so maybe you get Omars there too.
I tend to buy quality even when starting new to me projects so I plan on ordering the 2 3lb barrel tumbler. Here is my first noob question, however. I went rock hounding on the river bank and on the mountain land we own (Western Montana). Many of the rocks I picked up would be too large for a 3lb tumbler. Should I just break them up with a chisel or only select smaller specimens?
Personally, I only pick up smaller rocks for the tumbler. Breaking them up is just too much trouble. But you can do either. A lot of the rock I buy online has been crushed to bring it down to size.
I ordered a single barrel from highland park and just received it, Im buying as a father/daughter gift for my 3 year old and trying to educate myself about everything by watching your videos. Would a kit with 1lb each 80 and 220 carbide along with 1lb 500 aluminum oxide plus 4ozmicro alumina polish be okay for a beginner? Maybe that and a pound of ceramic media? I know you said you like going away from carbide in the 3rd stage.
At those quantities, you'll be paying the maximum amount for your grit. I'd go with two pounds of everything, except the 80 grit, or whatever you decide to go with for the first stage. I'd buy at least ten pounds of that. I'd also buy at least a pound each of small and large ceramic media. I like to mix the two sizes.
I have always bought from Kingsley North and the Rock Shed. They're both great businesses. I just ordered a couple barrels from Highland Park and I bought 50 lbs. of grit there last year. You can find links to all three stores in the description of this video.
I have an A-R2, so I just ran down and plugged them both in. I ran them with and without one barrel each. The volume of the noise is about the same, but the Highland Park might be just a little louder. They sound different though. The Highland Park tumbler has a fan, and I think that's what makes most of the noise. It's a little higher pitched sound than the Thumler's tumbler. Neither tumbler is very loud.
All that stainless steel and brass sounds expensive. What do you think of Tumble Bees? That's what I got, and it's been flawless so far. I picked that one _because_ it has a power switch. It is simply not convenient to be plugging and unplugging a device I'm going to want to mess with at least once a week. Edit: Oh, not as pricey as I thought
I have no experience with the Tumble Bee, but I think I heard they spin pretty fast. As for the power switch, I almost never turn mine off. Why do you turn it off when doing weekly clean outs? I just let mine keep running.
I don't know how to determine how fast it spins, and I don't have another tumbler to compare it to Uh...I think it's because I've been conditioned to turn things off when they're not actively being used
@@Brandyalla It only takes a minute to figure out how fast it spins, literally. Put a piece of tape on the barrel. Then set a one minute timer on your phone and count how many times the tape goes by. That will give you the revolutions per minute or rpms. If you don't have a minute, you can count for thirty seconds and double it.
The wearing out of the brass nut is a problem. I have a 2 barrel unit so it has brass nuts on both ends. They wore out, leaving a "scalpel edge". Mfr sent new ones and mentioned they are aware of problem and devising a solution. The new nuts are also wearing out. They asked for photos which I sent. Included pics of spirit level laying on the table in both the NS and EW positions; the table is level. Question: Why bother letting the nut's groove ride in the aluminum carrier? Just let it sit there. Let the end of the brass nut touch/roll against the aluminum carrier. So far the 6 pound, larger barrel unit shows no wearing on the brass nut. Have not tried sanding/smoothing the aluminum guides. --jim
I think the guides are stainless steel, so they're way harder than the brass. They've made some new nuts out of stainless steel that are working better. I don't know when they'll be available.
Everything at Highland Park Lapidary is on sale for 10% off through the end of November. If you’re thinking of buying any equipment or supplies, this is the time to do it. There’s free shipping, too. This is an affiliate link, so I'll make a commission if you use it. It doesn't cost you more though. Thanks for using it! hplapidary.com/?ref=ROBERTABRAM
I just saw this and thought I had lost my mind. I'm glad it's pinned. Don't know why it's showing up twice though.
@@MichiganRocks I went broke on other Black Friday stuff, so I didn't have the money to purchase one in time. So I chatted with one of their reps today and the lady said that if I put 10% down they would lock it in at the Black Friday price till I get my check next Tuesday. It was really easy for me to come up with the $15.
@@MichiganRocks I'm a little short on cash at moment I need to sell some specimens first mate🤠
Mate I'm finding citrines diamonds Ruby's emerald and garnets the rock gods must love me🤣😂😁
@@MichiganRocks I'm in disbelief I think I have found diamond heaven I could fill the biggest trailer my car could to with diamonds mate 🤑
Wow - Like you said those are built like a tank ! Very, very impressive. Lightly sanding or even light filing of the sharp edges of the guides should help the wear problem. Applying a dry lubricant such a candle wax, bar soap or even crayon would help too. Appearantly the dc motors are very efficient to boot. That barrel design is the best too. Awesome review Rob !
Thanks, David. I'll do what you suggested with the wax.
I’ve had two of these units for 6 months, just like yours, going full time. Heavy duty and a dc motor. quiet and cool running. Solid steel, no speed control on mine. Love em both…oh and I love ur channel as well!
There is a speed control inside, but I had to take the motor and motor controller out to get to mine. I haven't actually adjusted it yet though.
@@MichiganRocks my biggest problem is affording to buy the things I need it's a long story mate. I've been out again and found more beautiful rocks I'm going to do a short video in a little while I hope you watch it mate got a really good collect I think just now😁🙏👍
Can you do a maintenance and oiling tutorial video down the road some time? I have Loritone double 3lb and haven't figured out sweet spot yet for oiling. Yesterday I guess the free rolling bar got stuck and some damage was done to rubber coating on both roller bars. Booooo. Anyway, I'd appreciate it and probably not the only one. As always, You Rock!
My first tumbler was a Lortone 33B like you have. I oiled both ends of both shafts every week or two with 3 in 1 oil. At some point, the little plastic bushings a the ends of the shafts wore through and the frame wore into the shafts. I had to replace them, but it works fine now. Keep an eye on those. That's the only maintenance I ever did to it.
How loud is your loritone 3lbs tumbler? What about a tumbler in an apartment setting?
@@daveerik75 It isn't very loud compared to some I've heard. There are tricks online for how to help with noise like putting it inside a cooler.
@@daveerik75 It's not loud. The motor makes very little noise, it's the rocks in the barrel that make some noise. Smaller barrels are much quieter than larger barrels because the rocks fall a shorter distance.
I don't know what to say about using it in an apartment. We couldn't hear it in the basement of our house, but a lot depends on the construction of the apartment you live in. I think it would be worth giving it a try.
Great thanks for the replies!
I bought one of the 3lb tumblers from HP a few months ago - I love it! It has been running continuously, never gets hot and is relatively quiet. I tried to purchase a Lortone but they were sold out everywhere and no one knew if they were going to be available again. So I researched lots and found HP, was intrigued by the belt-less motor and went ahead and purchased one. I have been really happy with it (although I’m going to go and sand the stainless guide because it is grinding at the brass nut) 😊.
I used to always recommend Lortone tumblers, but that has been hard to do for the past few years since they made very few of them. These tumblers look like twice the quality though.
Great to see you spreading out and into other facets within the hobby. Always leading the way! Many thanks.
But I've been tumbling the whole time.
I'm glad I already got my 2x 3 lbs tumbler from them. I ordered in August and had to wait 2 months for it to arrive but it was WELL worth the wait. All the other models were available immediately but the 2x 3 lbs is in extremely high demand. I'm beyond happy with it. Probably ordering a 3x 1.5 lbs model soon. Also worth mentioning the customer service team has been excellent. It's easy to see how much John cares about his company and these tumblers.
This is literally the first tumbler I've ever owned but I've studied extensively and read all the pitfalls of belt-driven tumblers with 110v AC motors. Unfortunately, I'm not a pyromaniac .My Highland Park has been running in my basement 24/7 for just about 4 weeks now, and the metal casing that encloses the motor is literally cool to the touch. My brass caps have rhe same wearing issue mentioned but i believe John is sending the new stainless steel replacements to customers free of charge. Class act. A CEO like John is someone I will happily follow and trust until the end of time.
Thanks for confirming the good impression I got of these tumblers and the company. I called a couple times with questions while I was making this video and got really good service too.
I’ve had the double 3lb tumbler for about 6 months. It is freaking fantastic. Solid. Excellent build quality. Really easy to use.
I got their single 6lb tumbler with variable speed control and it is even more impressive. I can’t recommend them more; brilliant gear.
That's great to hear! They sure seem well built.
@@MichiganRocksI’m happy to hear that they’re working on the guide grinding the brass nut. It’s a minor issue, and I’ve had luck with a drop of 3-in-1 oil every few weeks, but something more permanent would be welcome!
@@copasetic1 They already have a fix for the brass nut. They are replacing it with a stainless-steel nut and will be providing them to everyone that already has brass nut barrels.
Really great review, those are beautiful machines, love the direct drive and power switch!!!
Those sound very cool. Soon, I will be able to start tumbling again, and I just might have to check one of these out. I love your reviews. Always very honest.
They are really awesome looking tumblers. I hope to get them going next week.
As a fellow Michigander and rockhound this is great news. I've only been hand polishing the Petoskey Stones I've found up in Charlevoix so I don't own a tumbler. The power usage statistic is awesome news. I might just have to check this out! Thanks for the great video!
This video is a few years old so the prices have changed, but it shows the cost of running other tumblers: ua-cam.com/video/anvqmnXwyH4/v-deo.html
I was so upset when I found out that Lortone went out of business until I decided to try one of these Highland Park models. I love it. There is nothing that I know of that is better than my Highland Park tumbler. BTW, I just deleted my desktop shortcut to Highland Park, and replaced it with your affiliate link. That way I don't forget about it.
Thanks, I appreciate that. It's been great to hear so many positive comments about these tumblers.
I received the twin 6 lb model today as a Christmas gift I ordered myself using your affiliate link, and let my wife wrap it for me. It looks and feels very high quality. I was surprised it didn't come with any instructions, and their website has no info about recommended maintenance or any suggestion about how much grit to use. Based on your video about saving money on grit, and 3 tbs for a 3lb barrel seemed to be the sweet spot, so I'm going to go with 6 tbs of 60/90 silicon carbide per 6lb barrel. I'm looking forward to your future videos on this to see how you run it.
That's what I would use in a six pound barrel. Kate from the UA-cam channel Katydid Rocks is editing a manual now. As for maintenance, I just add one drop of 3 in 1 oil to each end of the shafts each week when I clean out my barrels.
Wow! Those are very impressive!! Nice selection available at the link you provided and great pricing too. 👍👍
Glad they sent you a couple to show us. I suddenly feel the urge to start tumbling again👍👍
You stopped? I like to think I could stop anytime I want, but I haven't tested that theory.
I love your videos! I also enjoy your videos with Sam 😊 Maybe a future video could cover maintenance of this tumbler. My husband gave me this as a gift after watching your video. This week I will begin a new batch of rocks. The tumbler looks fantastic. My biggest complaint is lack of instructions. My other tumblers need oil from time to time, I have no idea about this tumbler. It would be very nice to have even one sheet of information and I don’t understand why the company doesn’t include information. The website has zero information as well. I am excited to use the tumbler though. Maybe John at the company could speak to someone about at least putting a user guide on their website. Thank you for your very informative videos!
Do you know Kate from Katiedid Rocks? She's editing a manual now. Honestly, most manuals are garbage and just lead people down the wrong path, although maintenance instructions are pretty important. The only thing I plan to do is put a drop of 3 in 1 oil at the end of each shaft each week when I clean out the barrels. I don't think there's much else to do.
I have one of their 14" Hitone saws. They are indeed built like tanks. I have had it for 4 or 5 years now and other than loosing an insert on the blade (about a $5 fix) it has been great. I have been looking at these tumblers for a while, but my Thumler's (all 6 of them) just keep on running (my oldest is over 20 years now!)
Do you have the Model B? I have heard good things about those. I have a Thumler's A-R2 and I don't like it at all. It's mainly the barrel lids that I don't like. They leak and wear out quickly. When they wear out they leak too. The barrels also come off the base once in awhile.
@@MichiganRocks I have a Model B, AR12, 3xAR-2 and a model T! Yes the lids do wear out, but I repair them with some rubber material and they last for years! Never really had too much trouble with leaks as long as I keep the rim nice and clean and replace the barrel band every couple of years.
The rubber repair is a good idea. I'm glad they're working well for you.
Wow, I had no idea on those prices. I just assumed this type of eqpt was in the thousands, but was shocked to see 150-350. For a noob like me, this is a great way to get started and maybe work my way up to a cab machine.
Thx for the review, very helpful.
Yes, they're really reasonably priced.
Very good review!
I run some of the cheap Amazon tumblers. They've been running 24/7 for the last 1.5 years. I've changed the belt on one, the motor burnt out on another, and on some models, the barrels are a hard rubber or plastic. The lids are a pain in the butt to get off and one model actually comes with a small flathead (standard) screwdriver for you to remove the lid.
As far as I'm concerned, HP look like they are professionally built and have addressed some of the complaints.
I personally think the best tumbler in that room is the one you personally built. The cabinet tumbler. You were on to something there Rob...🙌🏻
That tumbler wasn't my design, but I did build it. I love it. However, that one costs closer to $20 a month to run, so if I don't have it full, I'll probably be using these new tumblers.
I understand. Thanks
Rob, can you replace the motor with a variable speed motor, or a DC motor and see if that will lower the kilowatt hrs?
@@Mike-br8vb I have been thinking that same thing every time Rob opens that cabinet! There should be the perfect motor out there for a conversion.
@Mike-br8vb I suppose I could look into that. It never occurred to me. The motor is on top, so it should be fairly easy to swap out if I found the right motor.
This was a great video, Rob. Can’t wait to see your updates after you use them. Thanks!
It might be awhile before you see that video, but I'll get started on it soon, hopefully next week.
I've been running the 4.5 and double 3's daily since last Christmas. These things work beautifully. I've had fantastic success with the process thanks to your prior tutorials! The only issue I have is the brass nuts are wearing thin.
Sounds like a fix is on the way for the nut issue.
I just bought a cheap Vevor branded tumbler. It ran for 2 minutes then lost all power. After some back and forth with Vevor they agreed to send a replacement.
In the meantime I stripped the first one down and hit it with a multimeter to discover it's only the power supply that is dead so ordered a new one. Fingers crossed I have two working rock tumblers to start a new hobby with. 👍
Hopefully that does the trick.
I absolutely love my 2, 3# barrel machine.
Cannot wait for the test run edition of this video
I'm starting on that next week. Right now we have family here.
Thisi is a great overview, Rob - fun to see you enjoying great equipment. :)
It's nice stuff, as you told me it was.
Nice informative video, Rob. Looks like it's well built and I like the idea of a brushless DC motor which runs cooler too.
Your video must have spurred folks to buy, I see out of stock on the dbl 3 pound tumbler 🙂
A few months back when Lortone production was paused, I checked reviews of all tumblers on the market to see what would match up - and selected Highland Park. Glad to know my choice is Michigan Rocks approved!
I have two Lortone tumblers that match up with the two HP tumblers I now have and the quality of the HPs is impressive in comparison. I have always thought the Lortones were the best out there, but I don't think that anymore. One thing about the Lortones that I don't like is the power of the motors. On the twelve pound specifically, it was a bit underpowered. I'd have to start it with one barrel and then add the other barrel. After it got a bit older, it wasn't powerful enough to start both barrels from a stopped position.
Thank you for all the useful information. My next tumbler will be a Highland 😊
Wow, nice improvements on these Highland Park tumblers! Not having a belt is great and definitely lower maintenance. Can't wait to see how they tumble. Thanks for sharing! TUMBLE ON!! 😁👍🏻🪨💦
I just finished this video, so I haven't started yet. I hope to get them loaded next week. I'd do it right now, but I have to film it all.
@MichiganRocks Right! We'll patiently wait, Rob! Take care. 😁👍🏻
A shoutout to Highland Park!! They are currently running Black Friday deals on all machines including these tumblers. Stock is constantly being replenished, so if the site shows out of stock, give them a call or chat, as their customer service is spectacular! They may actually have them available, but due to rapid sales, they might not have been able to keep the site updated.
On the brass nut issue, they have already come up with a stainless-steel nut as a fix and will be making them available for free to anyone that already has their tumblers with the brass nuts. They fully support their machines.
Rob, you can probably teach them a bit about tumbling grits and the tumble rough they should be providing. They are just starting to provide tumbling material; however, they have an unbelievable amount of high quality lapidary rough with only a small percentage of it listed on their site. Best to watch their live rock sales to see what they actually have to offer. Their motto is "Life's too short to cut ugly rocks!"
Theyre sold out of the 3lb double barrel ones. I just backordered one but wont be available til next month
I didn't even realize they carried polish until I talked to John on the phone. They have grit and polish on two separate parts of the site, so I missed it. I thought they would all be in one category.
I didn't realize that they had more rough than what they listed on their site. I don't really have time for live sales (video making is very time consuming), so I haven't been to one of those. I suppose I should stop in and take a look one of these days.
John mentioned that he had some stainless steel nuts that looked promising. Hopefully that's the fix that's needed.
@jacknife10000 John said that might be a problem due to the sale that's on right now. Should be worth the wait though.
Always loved the Lortone rotary tumblers and these look like them but better they probably last longer
Before I saw these, Lortones were my favorite too. These have the same size barrels, so they're interchangeable. Other than that, these seem way better. I found the motor on the Lortone QT66 a bit weak. I couldn't start it up with both barrels on it. I had to get it going, then add the second barrel. I think the motors on the HP tumblers have more torque.
Thanks for sharing the advice for sanding down the holder. I've been using my 4.5 lb model for just over a month and my only complaint is the wearing of the brass nut.
Hopefully that works for you. Jonathan said it worked well for him.
@@MichiganRocks Indeed. No more brass powder.
Thanks for the review. I just ordered a 2x6 lb tumbler from Highland Park.
I think you'll like it. I'm really impressed.
I am really looking forward to your review on these they look great.
It's going to be a bit, since I take my time tumbling, but you probably knew that.
@MichiganRocks it will be worth the waut, Happy Thanksgiving
I've been looking to buy a tumbler for my GF and either of these seem like a good proposition. Thanks.
They have other models on their website too. There are seven different models, although some are just a difference in having two six pound barrels or one twelve pounder with the same base.
I just got one! I love it so far!
I just received the Highland Park 2 barrel (3lb)tumbler last week! Got a decent Black Friday deal. So far I’ve only had one issue, that being the issue mentioned in the video. But customer service was very helpful, sent me a video on how to improve the fit of the bolt in the guide. I like how relatively quiet it is and no worries about overheating or replacing belts! I was so excited to see you doing a review on these tumblers!
You had me worried when you said that you had a problem. I'm really glad it's the same one I already knew about.
Do you have a link to that video? I'd like to see it.
I have a studio full of Highland Park machines and they are all well built.
I was very impressed with the tumblers. I hope to add more machines to my shop in the future.
Those units absolutely exude quality. I don't imagine that they're inexpensive, but it's a buy-once, cry-once situation. Over the course of my life, I've learned the lesson... quality is an investment that pays long term dividends. Thanks for introducing these products Rob.
I agree about buying quality, at least if it's something you'll be using a lot. I don't think I've ever been disappointed when I bought the better version of something. I have been disappointed when I tired to save a buck, though.
@@MichiganRocks I went to the website and was quite surprised that they are not as expensive as I thought they would be. They're actually quite a bargain for the quality of the units. I'm thinking about getting one because I've been a good boy and Santa knows it!
@@CplSkiUSMC I agree. They're very fairly priced.
Thanks so much for making this video.
This is looking like my upgrade purchase very soon!
You ROCK 😂
You're welcome!
Very sweet looking machines. If I ever need to buy another tumbler I will invest in this well built machine.
They really do seem great.
Thank you Rob for this video. I am saving up for my first tumbler and this looks like contender. I look forward to seeing the tumbling results.
I was looking into these when I invested in my Lortone. I really wanted to try one, but I was set on Lortone. Highland Park seems like they make awesome lapidary equipment.
Lortone makes good tumblers, but these look even better. I think you'll be happy with your Lortones though. I found the motor on my QT66 to be a little underpowered, but otherwise they have been good tumblers.
@MichiganRocks I was gifted a tumbler for Christmas about 5 years ago. It was a cheap National Geographic Hobby edition. I was set on owning a Lortone since day one. About a year ago, I invested in a 33B. Overall, it's been a great tumbler. I would love to try the Highland Park tumbler.
@@troylarsen2454 The 33B is a good tumbler. That was my first tumbler.
Hi Rob, I finally have some time off from a busy concrete season and decided to catch up on your videos. I purchased one of the Highland Park 3 lb tumblers earlier this year. Been running pretty much full time since then, without any problems. Highland Park makes some nice equipment, I have there 6" and 10" Trim saws, and there 14" slab saw. I also just watched your video with the new improved Kingsley North cab machine. I also just received the new upgraded top for mine and plan on installing it tomorrow. I'll make sure to use your link on any further purchases from Highland Park.
Thanks, Scott. I'd love to try that 14" saw.
I was hoping you got to keep them both. Thanks Rob, Happy Friday.
I did. Lucky me!
How tempting!!!
Great review Rob! I was looking forward to this. I have been very impressed with Highland Park and the Rowland brothers. They are doing great things for the lapidary community.
I wasn't expecting to be as impressed as I was with these machines. They're really nice.
Nicely done. Looking for another 12 pound tumbler, and with Lortone currently MIA, this looks like a great option. Thanks.
Hi Dan! I just ordered a 12 pound barrel for it. I'm impressed with what I've seen so far.
I have a Highland Park 3lb double barrel tumbler - running it for about a year now. Love the tumbler itself, runs great and have no issues. I’m not a fan of the barrels. Lids fit almost too tight, pain to get them off and putting them on. I have also cut myself more than once on the brass nut, screwing them on and off. My solution…Lortone barrels. Now it’s perfection!
To me, the barrels looked exactly like Lortone barrels. I'm surprised that they don't work the same way. I'll keep an eye on them as I test them out.
@@MichiganRocks Some of the newer Lortone barrels I have are tough to get on and off also.
I was very pleased to see the DC motor comparison on wattage as part of this video. I have a watt meter just like yours and I've used it on my rock equipment and consistently the DC motors use 1/3 the power of AC. A few bucks per month doesn't seem like much until you have several tumblers and other equipment using DC. It adds up.
Incidentally, I just bought a Highland Park 10" rock saw and that thing is a tank too. I'm very impressed with their engineering and desire to build quality!
I'm hoping I'll get to review a saw in the future. I have never owned a new saw. I think most of my saws are older than I am.
@@MichiganRocks I looked for used saws for over a year and could never find anything worth the money. Frustrating but that's the market!
What timing for this video. The nat.geo. tumbler we got in May has stopped working. I will be taking the motor out tomorrow to do some tests. Not sure we are ready to upgrade, but them stainless ones look great. Direct drive, nice!
Thanks for the review. Cheers from Wisconsin.
Hopefully you can get your other one working, but if not, this would be a huge upgrade.
That sounds like an excellent tumbler!
I think I want a Highland!
New tumblers
“In your fleet”… love it
Happy to drop by
9:57
As someone in the control valve and instrumentation field I will say I love the wiring job as well. This looks like it was assembled by someone who cares about the equipment.
I talked to John Rowland for about an hour on the phone. He is an engineer and loves this hobby. He really cares about making stuff that works well and holds up. I like that he's always looking for a way to improve on his the current design.
@@MichiganRocks If he used a round nylon bushing (cut in half) to fit that guide it would stop the brass nut from getting cut and it would cut down on noise. And it's pretty cheap to find.
Wow, the quality of the build looks astonishing for the price! If I had seen any Highland Park models at any of the shows, I don't think I would have gone to all the effort of building my own five-seater (inspired by your cabinet model). To be honest, none of the other hobbyist tumblers come even close to my minimum standard for design/build quality. They all seemed so incredibly flimsy for the price, I just couldn't bring myself to buy another one (hence the home-brew build).
The 12-pound model looks intriguing, I'd like to try tumbling some large rocks I have been collecting. I just re-watched your large unakite rock tumble. Do you have any more videos using the 12-pound tumbler? Although I have zero desire (or a suitable work area) to do any manual grinding, and the PPE required, for either dry or wet process, is not something I want to get into. I have access to plenty of smooth hard plain-Jane rocks without cracks or pits (mostly jaspers and quartz) of various sizes that I can use for fill, like you did with your unakite tumble.
The horrible efficiency of fractional horsepower AC induction motors has always annoyed me. They are purposely designed to scrimp on copper and iron, which is why they run so dang hot. I don't really mind the electricity usage so much, but I worry about the fire hazard, and the excessive heat dramatically shortens the motor life, particular the bearings and insulation. I didn't realize that brushless DC motors could run so much cooler, I'll try to find a suitable motor & driver to retrofit on my five-banger tumbler.
It would be nice if Highland Park had a wider range of vibratory tumblers, something smaller that I could afford. Vibratory tumblers is another area where I have not been at all impressed with the quality versus price of the current hobbyist offerings.
I don't always have my homemade tumbler filled up, and when I don't I'll be using the Highland Park tumblers for their great energy savings.
I don't think I have any other videos of running really big rocks in my 12 pound tumbler. It's not something I do very often, although I have tumbled a couple big crazy lace agates that way.
When I talked to John on the phone, I told him the same thing you just said about their vibratory tumblers. They're just too big for me. Since I spend so long on the first stage, it would take me forever to get enough rocks done for the next stage. They seem to just keep cranking out new products, so maybe they'll come up with something in the future.
Those new tumblers sound amazing. Going to check them out after your review. Thanks
I have 4 of the double 3 pound ones and 2 of the 4.5 pound ones. They all have rubber sleeves on the rollers which after over a year of use the rubber on the rollers is shot and had to wrap the rollers to prevent the guide from eating the lid brass nut. Also the rubber on the lids is pretty thin and had to replace them several times. No issues with the motors. I see the newer models don’t have the rubber on the rollers which is nice. Overall not bad machines just which I waited to buy the 6 of them I own till some of the kinks have been worked out.
I got to make an edit I have only replaced the 3 pound lids not the 4.5 lids which are extremely worn out with a huge hole but they continue to work it just results in more time cleaning.
You should contact the company. John said that they have corrected those problems. He said that if you contact them, they'll send you new rollers. They have also thickened the rubber on the lids and they have just found a fix for the nut issue.
Great info Rob. Thanks.
You're welcome.
Oh now I want a few!
Buy several!
@ my neighbors will love me🤣
I was currious about your power readings. When I googled if dc motors used less power than ac motors, it said "generally no". When you did the comparison you mentioned the AC motor being hot which made sense that it would take more power because some of that is getting thrown off as heat. Now wondering. May have to talk with one of my electrical friends. In the old days, I would have said that it was easier to get an AC motor if something went wrong. Don't think that is true any more. Any motor is hard to get. Great review! The HP tumblers look really well built and especially like the SS construction and the screwed on feet (as my feet on the Lortone models have all come off).
I don't know enough about motors to help you out. I just know what I read on my "Kill a Watt" gizmo.
There are many types of AC and DC motors. Some more efficient that others. These tumblers use brushless DC motors which are far more efficient than any similar size AC motors.
Hi all. Another great video but the Highland park 12 pound barrels are very flimsy. Mine keeps popping open during tumbling (what a mess). No problem with the 12 pound Lortone.
Tumbler is great just the barrel is not up to high standards. FYI.. Tumbling for 5 years :} Thanks
That's good to know. I wonder what the difference is, they look pretty much identical.
Direct drive DC!!! Nice.
To adjust the speed of the RT3L rotary tumbler with two 3-pound barrels using the internal potentiometer, both of the red/white DIP switches must be in the UP/OFF position to adjust the speed with the blue built-in potentiometer.
The instructional video that Highland Park directs users to does not mention setting the DIP switches, but HP support confirmed that both switches should be UP/OFF, which is different from the factory setting of my unit.
Video: ua-cam.com/video/_QmWMXxRaEk/v-deo.html
My tumbler came from the factory with DIP SW1 up and SW2 down, as shown in the video. When I adjusted the on-board potentiometer, it made no change in the motor RPM, which was rotating the barrels at about 58-60 RPM. I contacted Highland Park support, and they instructed me to change both DIP SW1 and SW2 to UP/OFF position, which enables the potentiometer to adjust the motor RPM. The potentiometer setting is very sensitive, so a small change will make a large change in motor RPM.
I commented on the instructional video but thought it might be helpful here too since there aren't many videos discussing HP tumblers yet.
Thanks for that information, Eric. I actually found similar information on a Reddit post. I haven't adjusted mine yet.
@@MichiganRocks Oh good deal. I missed the Reddit discussion when I was searching for solutions. HP customer service was quick to help get the issue sorted though!
Looking very great❤
Hey Rob, just an FYI for you and maybe others: the issue you described with the brass nut has cropped up for me. I've been using the 2 x 6 lb. model for a week and twice now I've had the nut unscrew causing the lid on one barrel to come loose and spill the contents. On the barrel guide right underneath the brass nut I notice a good-sized pile of brass shavings, which makes me think the nut is rubbing on the guide, perhaps causing the nut to unscrew (the nut was tight when I closed it up). I've filed the guide like you suggested and rubbed some petroleum jelly on it and we'll see how that works. I'm a little concerned because if that doesn't work I'm not sure what my other options are. If it continues I'll contact Highland Park and see what they have to say. Love the tumbler otherwise; I just hope this little issue can be corrected somehow.
I have contacted John Rowland about this issue. You're the second one to mention it in the comments.
Cool beans Rob.
I really like mine. I have the dual 3lb model and it works great though if you don’t get the cap on 1000% level, it makes the rubber on the roller bar move and grinds into the side of the case. Mine is about 3 inches shorter than it was when I first got it. The screw top on the barrels gets worn down pretty good. Every time I change barrels I get brass dust all over my hands. I’ll eventually need new caps as they wear complete through.. But maybe I’m doing it wrong. This is my first real tumbler though.
John said that he has a stainless steel nut he's trying out instead of the brass one and it looks promising.
I'm not sure what to say about putting the lids on straight. I have been using Lortone barrels for years and have never noticed anything like that. The HP lids seem to be the exact same design.
I just finished testing of a new barrel nut and those will be available soon, also, if you have the blade rubber on your rollers just call my staff and we will send you a new set of rollers under warranty. we found that some of the black rubber sleeves were not consistent and some wore out prematurely so we will cover those new rollers under warranty. ;)
Solid review!
Thanks, Natalie!
Only thing we dont know, it is easy to get spare parts? Lids, plastic bushing for shaft etc ...
Brushless motor and no belt, you eliminate 80% of tumbler failure.
They sure do have parts. hplapidary.com/collections/rotary-tumbler-parts?ref=ROBERTABRAM (affiliate link)
@@Patrickroche1 I'd be surprised if they don't have spare parts. Their other equipment is well supported.
I can't wait until I can afford to buy a tumbler diamond tester and a cutting device I am definitely going to need it mate😊
Finally, another industrial grade tumbler! I was surprised at the power usage difference. I have add-on fans on all my Covington tumblers; never forget to cool your motors (every manufacturer should make these stock). I use roller bearings (PlusRoc 8 Pack Self Adhesive Caster Wheels 1 Inch for Furniture") on the ends of all my tumblers and shake my head that no manufacturer includes them.
I just looked those up and they look good.
The guides that the nut rides on work great, though. I have never had a problem with them on my big Lortone tumbler or my homemade tumbler. It's simple and doesn't take up quite as much space.
Gotta luv new tumblers!!
I sure do!
Looks incredible, good price, now I want to maybe replace my Lortones or ad to them
I'd go with add to them. More tumblers is better, right?
I bought the single barrel model but the shafts are coated with a black wrap and within the first year the shaft wrap deteriorated and I've now taken the machine out of my process due to that. I still use the barrel but I consider the shaft design to be bad so I'll just go with my other machines. If the barrel holds up then I will prefer to buy the highland park barrels. Maybe I could speak with the "JOHN" person that you mentioned and see if the clear wrap could be a better design, and then I might repair the unit I have. Thanks for the review, Rob.
John told me that he likes when people let them know the problems they're having so he can make improvements. I'd contact HP and let them know you're having problems. I see they sell replacement shafts too.
Just give our Highland Park Lapidary staff a call and we will provide you the new rollers at no cost. Definitely want you to be happy with your machine!! John
@@MichiganRocks, Thank you and I will make contact
@@JohnRowland-bl9uv, thank you. I really liked the product so I will contact the staff.
A $1.65 a month? I gotta get me one of those tumblers.
I just came back from their website. I have never heard of 1970's Malawi classic agate before. I think it's worth a tumbling experiment to try.
The lid on those tumblers look aesthetic, too.
They're pretty machines with all the stainless steel and the red lids. Those Malawi agates do look pretty cool.
i wish they had some in stock.
I think their November sale really put a dent in their stock.
Mine came in one week, they told me it would arrive apx 12.28.24. I love the double six lb tumbler!
@@DougMilholin That's a really nice surprise!
I recently purchased the 4.5 lb model. This has become my favorite tumbler because of it's performance and quality. It's also the most quiet tumbler of the 4 that I own. My only regret is that I didn't get it sooner--like when I bought my first tumbler. I wish that it had a power switch, but you can buy a separate plug that has an off/on rocker switch.
Why do you want a power switch? I have always thought that was completely unnecessary. I just leave mine running all the time, even when I clean out the barrels. I have mostly double barrel tumblers, so when I take one off, the other one keeps tumbling.
How do the noise levels compare? It seemed like the Highland Park one might have been a bit louder than the other one.
I noticed that in the video, but not in person.
@@ReSilverKiento I just got the double six lb one. You can’t hear the rocks but you can hear the cooling fan. Still not very loud.
You own a lot of rock tumblers! Well surprise surprise surprise
I own two more now!
Hi Rob, hoping you can answer what may be a silly question. Are the tumblers with the 6 lb. barrels more commonly used to tumble larger rocks, or just greater quantities of the smaller rocks, or both? Thanks!
Both. You can also get a twelve pound barrel for even bigger rocks. Larger barrels also grind faster because there's more weight pushing down on them. It's like if you were sanding a board with sandpaper and applying more pressure vs. less pressure.
@@MichiganRocks Awesome, thank you :)
I don’t understand the short wide diameter barrels. The purpose of having a big one would be to tumble big rocks. Not sure what you would use the short ones for. I would love to be able to tumble a four inch diameter rock- have you ever done that?
You can buy this tumbler with one big barrel or two short ones. The third tumbler I ever bought was a Lortone QT66. It had two barrels just like this. I opted for that over one big barrel so I could do two separate kinds of rocks at the same time. I could have mixed them in one big barrel, but I like to keep my rocks separated sometimes.
I have tumbled rocks as big as that. Here's one: ua-cam.com/video/4eX-IcZtZfU/v-deo.html
One more comment, i did see they have a tumbler rougher that can do pre stage one in 15 minutes as opposed to several weeks, looks like it weighs 300 pounds and costs just under $1000, but time saving might be worth it too! That's the machine I'm curious about.
I saw that too. I have never heard of anything like it until I saw that on their site. Interesting idea.
These look like great tumblers. Since the demise or Lortone I have a number of their 3lb barrels in inventory, will they work with the Highland Park tumblers?
Yes, they're the same size.
Hey, RockGod! I ❤ your channel. Could you tell me which models these are? (Apologies if I missed it.)
They don't have very catchy names, but they're easy to understand. The small one is "Rotary Tumbler with (2) 3.0 LB Barrels" and the big one is. "Rotary Tumbler with two 6.0 LB Capacity Barrels".
Drats!
Both are SOLD OUT!!!
@@yvonnecarns2434 Well Rob's video isn't going to help that situation based on all these comments! LOL.
They've been on sale all month and Christmas is coming up, so I'm not surprised.
These look great. Are you going to be able to use them for a tumble?
Yes, I'll do another video when I get a batch of rocks done.
Great video, thank you for making it, to bad the Rotary Tumbler 3.0 lb is out of stock, do you own any 1.5 lb or it is to small to start? Thank You
I don't have any barrels smaller than three pounds. I wouldn't want anything that small, personally.
Now, if they would make equivalents for the UV10 and UV18, as their only vibratory tumbler is huge. If I didn't have so many working Lortones, I would be in the market for a few of these.
I told John the same thing, their vibratory tumblers are too big for most hobbyists.
Wow, they are reasonably priced too!
Yes they are, considering how well built they are. I think my Nat Geo Pro model was $90 when I bought it, although they're often on sale for less. A single three pound barrel Highland Park is $120, although it's on sale for $108 right now. There's just no comparison in the quality of the two and Highland Park also sells replacement parts if you were to ever need them.
3 rubber feet is good -- easier to balance on an uneven surface than 4 feet.
I noticed that. You're right.
Here's hoping I did it right and you get the commission. I just ordered the dual 3lb barrel tumbler. Here's a question, however, can I buy a separate 1.5lb barrel and run it on the same machine or would I need a separate machine?
I think that barrel will run on the machine you ordered, but I'm not 100% sure. I'd contact them through their online chat or even call them. I have found customer support to be really good when I had a couple questions during the making of this video.
Theyre already sold out of the 3lb double barrel tumblers. I did backorder one with your link though
That's probably because of the sale that's been going all month. John told me that there were more on the way, although that was a couple weeks ago and they may have already arrived and been sold. Thanks for ordering one. I think it will be worth the wait.
@@MichiganRocks Any time. Ive learned more from you than I would have ever learned on my own
Great video review.....so many things I want in a tumbler.....starting with barrel guides, on/off switch, direct drive among other things. I've got half a dozen tumblers now but would sell them off in a second to buy a couple of these. And looking at HP's site, those prices are spot on.....except for one thing - I'M IN CANADA. The Canadian dollar has tanked, shipping is crazy $ and I can't find anyone in Canada who sells Highland Park equipment here - Doh!!!!
Oh, that's a shame. I don't understand why shipping to Canada is so expensive. I shipped some rocks to MeMiner (another UA-cam guy) once and it was really expensive. He's not all that far away either.
K so ive never actually tumbled anything. I just find random ones i would like to see what the results would be... do you have any recommendations for a beginner on a budget that isnt sure how much exactly i want to invest in the hobby yet...?
I guess I'd go with the Harbor Freight tumbler and buy the extended warranty. Those are very unpredictable from what I've read. Some people have decent luck with them and other people can hardly get them to work at all. Personally, I'd just save up your money for a little longer and buy a quality machine.
I just went to their website. This is a no brainer. Hopefully my Harbor Freight rock tumbler has something break soon.
Ha! That's a funny way to put it. Are you only allowed one tumbler?
@MichiganRocks I am a man of......many hobbies. It's hard to find space for everything. Thanks for giving me an idea though. I could gift this tumbler to some youngster that has a love for tumbling rocks!
@@Hakken1 I know what you mean. I just started building a couple new cabinets for my shop. The shop is getting pretty full.
Hello Rob, I found what looks like an Omar stone on a little beach in Manistee.
Is this possible or are they only found in the U P - lake Superior ?
Very cool stuff with the Omars and laser
Thank you
Carl Zatsick
I'm not sure, Carl. I don't think we have them on Lake Huron. I'm not sure about Lake Michigan. You get agates over there where we don't get them in Lake Huron, so maybe you get Omars there too.
I tend to buy quality even when starting new to me projects so I plan on ordering the 2 3lb barrel tumbler. Here is my first noob question, however. I went rock hounding on the river bank and on the mountain land we own (Western Montana). Many of the rocks I picked up would be too large for a 3lb tumbler. Should I just break them up with a chisel or only select smaller specimens?
Personally, I only pick up smaller rocks for the tumbler. Breaking them up is just too much trouble. But you can do either. A lot of the rock I buy online has been crushed to bring it down to size.
I ordered a single barrel from highland park and just received it, Im buying as a father/daughter gift for my 3 year old and trying to educate myself about everything by watching your videos. Would a kit with 1lb each 80 and 220 carbide along with 1lb 500 aluminum oxide plus 4ozmicro alumina polish be okay for a beginner? Maybe that and a pound of ceramic media? I know you said you like going away from carbide in the 3rd stage.
At those quantities, you'll be paying the maximum amount for your grit. I'd go with two pounds of everything, except the 80 grit, or whatever you decide to go with for the first stage. I'd buy at least ten pounds of that. I'd also buy at least a pound each of small and large ceramic media. I like to mix the two sizes.
@MichiganRocks Thank you for the info, do you mind sharing where you buy from supplies wise?
I have always bought from Kingsley North and the Rock Shed. They're both great businesses. I just ordered a couple barrels from Highland Park and I bought 50 lbs. of grit there last year. You can find links to all three stores in the description of this video.
I wonder how their 3lb's noise level compares to the Thumler AR-1.
I have an A-R2, so I just ran down and plugged them both in. I ran them with and without one barrel each. The volume of the noise is about the same, but the Highland Park might be just a little louder. They sound different though. The Highland Park tumbler has a fan, and I think that's what makes most of the noise. It's a little higher pitched sound than the Thumler's tumbler. Neither tumbler is very loud.
@MichiganRocks thanks for checking!
All that stainless steel and brass sounds expensive. What do you think of Tumble Bees? That's what I got, and it's been flawless so far. I picked that one _because_ it has a power switch. It is simply not convenient to be plugging and unplugging a device I'm going to want to mess with at least once a week.
Edit: Oh, not as pricey as I thought
I have no experience with the Tumble Bee, but I think I heard they spin pretty fast. As for the power switch, I almost never turn mine off. Why do you turn it off when doing weekly clean outs? I just let mine keep running.
I don't know how to determine how fast it spins, and I don't have another tumbler to compare it to
Uh...I think it's because I've been conditioned to turn things off when they're not actively being used
@@Brandyalla It only takes a minute to figure out how fast it spins, literally. Put a piece of tape on the barrel. Then set a one minute timer on your phone and count how many times the tape goes by. That will give you the revolutions per minute or rpms. If you don't have a minute, you can count for thirty seconds and double it.
@@MichiganRocks 60 RPM. I guess that's fast, but it seems to be doing a good job
The wearing out of the brass nut is a problem. I have a 2 barrel unit so it has brass nuts on both ends. They wore out, leaving a "scalpel edge". Mfr sent new ones and mentioned they are aware of problem and devising a solution. The new nuts are also wearing out. They asked for photos which I sent. Included pics of spirit level laying on the table in both the NS and EW positions; the table is level.
Question: Why bother letting the nut's groove ride in the aluminum carrier? Just let it sit there. Let the end of the brass nut touch/roll against the aluminum carrier.
So far the 6 pound, larger barrel unit shows no wearing on the brass nut.
Have not tried sanding/smoothing the aluminum guides.
--jim
I think the guides are stainless steel, so they're way harder than the brass. They've made some new nuts out of stainless steel that are working better. I don't know when they'll be available.