tumbler media question

chief · Post by **chief** » Sat Aug 01, 2009 1:46 pm

All,

Today's thread about blast cabinet media reminded me of a similar question I've been considering.
I recently aquired a vibratory tumbler for cleaning shell casings during reloading. For that, like most folks I use corn cob media, but I would like to use the tumbler for cleaning up metal working projects also. Jobs like removing scale after heat treating, or maybe surface rust. As you probably know these types of tumblers aren't very large, so it would be small pieces of metal to be tumbled.

So my long winded question is, what might be a good general purpose media for the tumbler? I have read about ceramic triangles and other things, but I would like to get something that can do more than one job if possible.
Thanks
Chief

mechanicalmagic · Post by **mechanicalmagic** » Sat Aug 01, 2009 3:03 pm

Chief,
I have the same issue. I use Walnut shells with a little rouge for cases, works great. I bought some resin abrasive from HF:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/d ... mber=93832
My thought was to use it for deburring Aluminum. I'm not happy with the results. It puts a fine coat of ground off Aluminum on the abrasive, and the parts. Then I have to clean the Al with caustic to remove the junk. The deburring action was not very good either. I have used it with water flow, and it's better, but a mess.

I have a near that uses Ceramic on Al, with great results. His is a big tumbler, and he runs it with a water flow. I need to remember to get 10# next time he buys some.

I've never used it for steel.
Dave J.

chief · Post by **chief** » Thu Aug 06, 2009 1:41 pm

Guess we're the only two guys that want to do this!

Black_Moons · Post by **Black_Moons** » Thu Aug 06, 2009 2:40 pm

I know the local hobby shop sells small 1lb~ or so bags of verious grits (I think from like 80 to 600) of... hmm, I forget what exactly.. rock polishing abrasive anyway.. I think it was aluminum oxide or something harder.
Might be worth checking out since you can buy small indivual bags of whatever grit you want and give it a shot.

when you tumble, do you put anything else in there? Like small marbels or stones to help provide more things 'tumbleing around' to remove corners/burrs?

Post by **GlennW** » Thu Aug 06, 2009 2:55 pm

Contact Burr King, they will tune you right up on what media to use.

http://www.burrking.com/

mechanicalmagic · Post by **mechanicalmagic** » Thu Aug 06, 2009 3:56 pm

chief wrote:Guess we're the only two guys that want to do this!

Yes.

Black_Moons wrote:When you tumble, do you put anything else in there? Like small marbels or stones to help provide more things 'tumbleing around' to remove corners/burrs?

I don't.

Dave J.

chief · Post by **chief** » Fri Aug 07, 2009 8:36 pm

Glen, thanks for the link to BurrKing, I'll give them a call Monday.

Black Moon, I will try for a local hobby shop type operation, I would like to try a small quantity first, that's why I was looking for recommendations.

In answer to your question, no, I've only been tumbling empty cases so far, and with them I just put in the cases and corncob media, sometimes a little metal polish....
Chief