diddle - Sorry I couldn't respond sooner... other things on my mind today!
I bought 25 lbs. of the medium course walnut media. You don't have to drain out the media to retrieve your parts! That would be a waste because the media can be reused. I got the polishing powder at Harbor Freight, Google it.
Hope this helps...
John
That looks to be a nice tumbler. Medium grit walnut is best for parts with pitting.
If just years of crud a good soak in Dawn wipe/rinse/dry, tumble fine grit, polish repeat as needed. Chrome plated parts if pitted will need a pre-soak in diluted white vinegar. Pitting is from poor factory plating and the reactions that have taken place over the years between base metal and the surface plate. These will clean up nice. Can't get rid of pits but can make them less visible.
Quick pass with buffing wheel and micro fibre towel hand polish good to go. A few steps and takes awhile but results are stunning.
I'm liking coat the parts in metal polish and then toss into the tumble.
Badly pitted Nickel over pot metal (Slingy). Is a bit more intense. Diluted CLR...
What are you cleaning up?
Creighton
tillerva, Purdie Shuffle, Creighton,
Thanks guys for your imput, still waiting for the machine to come in stock before I pick it up and start working with it.
Purdie, we don't have any "Harber Freight" in the UK. No such luck as that bag you bought is cheap too.
I'm looking for somewhere else to buy the "media" from over here. Trying to find it at a good price for a reasonable weight.
Re polishing powder. I'll have to try and get that also. I've seen it in liquid form but not powder, why Amazon USA and Amazon UK can't just stock the same products is beyond me, aren't they the same dam company !!!
More to come from me once I have my machine in my hands. Can't wait !!
Thanks again guys for you valuable info.
P.S. Are there any other UK forum members that are trying/using this method of cleaning your parts?
diddle
I can't endorse this process enough!!! All thanks to nopork, Purdue Shuffle and Creighton for introducing me to tumbling and walking me through the process. I'm getting very close to unveiling my late 40's Radio King project.
The investment was COMPLETEY worth it.
Just to add, I've been using CLR on some parts too. I put some VERY rusty floor tom legs to soak over night and the rust is wiping right off.
tillerva, Purdie Shuffle, Creighton,
Got my machine today, just waiting for the media to arrive, nowhere anywhere near me had it in stock... I had to order it. Hopefully should be here in a day or so.
Two quick questions though:-
1. What grade of walnut should I be using to clean the parts with. Is it better to start with course and work down to fine?
2. What the heak is "CLR"??? Sorry if it sounds like a dumb question guys. Some terms differ in the UK to you guys.
Dave
Hey Dave,
Glad you are under way. I just use med. grit. Might be some gain with finer grit with parts that aren't in terrible shape. Haven't tried that yet.
CLR best I can tell is concentrated White Vinegar. Here's a pic of a CLR bottle. If not available would not worry. Dawn/Vinegar and the tumbler will get the job done.
Creighton
On another note/beat not happy with how threaded T-rods were coming out. Flash rust etc... PBR spray let soak overnight and golden. Working well on small screws etc. as well. This be after majority of the rust has been removed.
http://www.blastercorporation.com/PB_Blaster.html
Creighton
Hey that Blaster stuff is interesting. How well does it work and does it really take overnight soaking for it to work? I'd like to try it on some badly rusted tension rods on an old Radio King I have.
John
These were pretty bad. CLR,Tumble,Dawn some wire brushing along the way. Then PB Blaster. Not quite as bright as the picture shows but darn nice.
Creighton
