Creighton

Thanks for the info, I couldn't find that CLR for sale anywhere in the UK. So I contacted them directly expecting them to give me a UK dealer. They did answer my question with :-

"Unfortunately we do not sell in the UK or Europe and are unable to do so at this time. Currently we only sell to the U.S., Canada, Australia and Mexico"

Well, I guess that's out then. I'll just have to use your suggestion of washing up liquid and vinegar.

I tried my first batch of parts today.

Before shot below ;-

[IMG]http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj213/diddle001/001before021213008_zps3dc2fca4.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj213/diddle001/001before021213007_zps955b6021.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj213/diddle001/001before021213009_zps04ef8655.jpg[/IMG]

They are THE WORST parts I've EVER had. Set of Ludwig & Ludwig Temple block clamps. Some idiot had painted them, had them in the machine with 25/52 fine grit walnut shell. Had them in for 6 hours and absolutely no change. I don't think the "fine" has made any impression whatsoever !

I'll have to get some courser material. Also not sure about what polishing powder to get or even if I should be putting this in with the walnut?

So while I'm waiting to get some courser media I though I'd give them a helping hand the old fashioned way. I soaked them for 2 hours with paint stripper and it worked well, got about 90% of that blue paint off but I'll have to give them another go tomorrow, would the courser media remove the rust or should I be pre-treating that issue first?

I'm not dissapointed just a little frustrated that it may take a little time (and money) to get the recipe correct in the tumbler.

Thanks for all your help so far guys, updates as soon as I get some new media.

Dave

Dave,

Understand the frustrated part. Not easy fixing years of neglect.

Sorry I don't know anything about Ludwig bits. Are the flat metal parts chrome plated or just steel? If chrome Dawn blue dish soap soak for a couple of days. I change it out after 24hrs. Un-plated steel wool/wire brush and white vinegar soak. After previous then I'll toss in the tumbler. Sometimes this routine needs to be repeated a few times.

The wing nuts should be ok in Dawn. Carriage bolts vinegar with wire brushing then Dawn. Toss in tumbler.

A coarser grit will remove some rust but not very deep. It is a remove one layer then on to the next kinda of a deal. You will get near new bright and clean but takes quite a bit of time and effort.

Terrible how anal I am about getting down to clean metal but it is the only way to stop the rust process from starting back up in a couple of days.

Any questions just ask and hope your restoration goes well.

Creighton

Creighton,

Thanks for the post. The Ludwig & Ludwig parts are nickle plated under all that gunge, paint, and rust. This is my 3rd lot of trap table parts I've done, but, all the others were cleaned on my buffing wheel. This is the first time I've tried with he tumbler.

As the parts are nickle plated, anything wire brush wise is out as it'll scratch the plating, as you say it's sometimes just trial and error.

I've re coated them this morning with the paint stripper as there is still some left on there, another hour to go then I'll look at them. Next step I think is your vinegar suggestion, I've got some now and the bolts, wing nuts, washers, are soaking as I type.

"Terrible how anal I am about getting down to clean metal"

I'm the same but not bare untreated metal, If the parts are that far gone then I'd have them re-plated, not a thing I like to do but sometines it's the only option, and not a decision I take lightly. That really is the last resort as far as I'm concerned.

You should see the results I've had with a lot of early Ludwig & Luwig parts, there plating is beautiful when polished up, things I thought would never shine again just came up superb. As you say, patience is the key word.

Would the coarser walnut do a better job than the fine on lets say "averagely" dirty parts? Also, do I need to put anything else in the mix to improve the recipe? What about the polishing powder, I thought of polishing them on my wheel when finished just to give them a nice clean/smart finish.

Thanks.

Dave

Creighton,

As I cannot get any other media till Saturday I thought I'd just keep plugging away and just see what the part came out like on the buffing wheel. I know this thread is about using the tumbler, hopefully I've not offended anyone by using the wheel a little.

All the other parts except these two, are soaking in vinegar, I'll check em' tomorrow.

As I've done Ludwig & Ludwig parts plenty of times before, I hoped they would come out ok this time. Until you start, you can never tell what the plating is like under all the muck.

Cleaned two of the top part of the clamps, they were the best of the five, they came out as I hoped they wood.

Pics are :-

In bowl covered in paint stripper.

Finished result both sides of clamp.

[IMG]http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj213/diddle001/templeblockclamps001_zps74e9b482.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj213/diddle001/templeblockclamps002_zps90469dea.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj213/diddle001/templeblockclamps003_zpsc7b4bf0e.jpg[/IMG]

And yes, these ARE the same parts.

More updates when we get the vinegar results !!

Dave

Dave,

All information is good to hear on cleaning these bits up. Most of my Slingy stuff is nickel plated as well. I'm getting best results with windex to get the first layer. Vinegar soak first, rinse then Dawn soak. Into the Tumbler. Hand/buffing wheel polish.

With nickel, I have the best luck with Mothers Mag Wheel polish. On your question of what to add to the tumble. I wipe Mothers on the part and then toss in the tumbler. On the final hand polish it's not done until the micro fiber towel stops getting black. Hope you can get Mothers polish over there.

Attached is a crappy workshop photo of parts that are just about done. Will take another in the daylight. Getting out of this cold weather for a few days. May not have wifi so hope all goes well.

Creighton

Creighton is that your new RK stamp I see in the pic? ;)

That is one of yours. Check your email :-)

Hope not confusing folks. Bit of a side project. Had a plate made. Here are the stamps for heads and such.

I'm not sure of the copyright issues yet. So I can't and have no desire sell these. They will meet the fair use for personal restoration purposes clause. To stay on topic the quarter and a bunch of change was tumbled just for grins. Worked fine.

Creighton

Creighton,

Thanks for the info on your parts steps. Thanks also for you Vinegar tip, I tried it on all the parts and actually to my surprise got some good results. Now, it's not like a "revalation" or anything, but it did take quite a bit of that rust off.

Great.

Pic below after soak in vinegar :-

[IMG]http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj213/diddle001/templeblockclamps005_zps297da430.jpg[/IMG]

Then a polish on the wheel :-

[IMG]http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj213/diddle001/templeblockclamps006_zpsa71edd67.jpg[/IMG]

another :-

[IMG]http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj213/diddle001/templeblockclamps007_zpse3a044bc.jpg[/IMG]

last one :-

[IMG]http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj213/diddle001/templeblockclamps008_zpsc42b2553.jpg[/IMG]

Overall so far, not too bad. Plating has held up well for 80+ years of abuse.

Can't get media till Saturday so just plodding along.

Lets hope the rest of the parts come out as nice.

Re: Mothers Mag Wheel polish, as I don't drive I'd not heard of this product before, I can get it in the UK so I'll get some and give it a go, I've used Meguiars for a few years on various things, takes a lot more work to get parts to shine with it though.

Thanks again guys, more updates soon.

Dave

I've been reloading my own ammo for 30 years,and I never thought to try using my case tumbler/vibrator to clean drum parts.It does a great job on shell casings,either brass unplated or nickel plated brass.

I have the Lyman Turbo Pro also,great machine.I toss some ***lers rouge in with cob or walnut shells.

Steve B

Hey Steve,

I've only just got my tumbler, I've been cleaning parts up by hand for over 25 years and had a buffing wheel for the last two. As the wheel is dirty to use and mess gets everywhere, I thought I'd try the tumbler after reading this thread.

Some good advice from other members who are already using them.

Is the ***elers rouge powder? Also, I read that the corn doesn't clean nickle over brass parts all that well, do you know if this is correct?

Also what grade/course do you use for your drum parts? I've only used fine but didn't have any affect at all on the parts I did. I think/sure I'm using the wrong one.

Thanks Steve.

Dave