|
Post by toiv0 on Apr 24, 2017 8:35:28 GMT -5
I aquired a light duty Thumbler 10 and someone said it wasn't heavy enough for rocks. I think I seen here somewhere that some tumble their jewelry to work harden ear wires (are they on the earing when you tumble). I also seen somewhere you can just drop your finished pieces in a dry mix like from Diamond Pacific. Is this what you would use for media? This 10 is a big barrel and looks to be full of corn cob media. Would you fill it full of media and just throw your finished pieces in for a time....how long? If anyone here does it would you do a little explanation of the process. thanks in advance.
|
|
|
Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Apr 24, 2017 8:44:19 GMT -5
I tumble all of my wire wraps and silversmithed pieces. I just use a small lortone 3 pound tumbler since I have small quantities of jewelry. I put in one pound of jewelers mix stainless steel shot and put in water till about a 1/2 inch above the steel shot. I then add a squirt of dawn dish soap and the pieces. I run them for about an hour. I use this for work hardening/cleaning when I make the jewelry and use the same process for any jewelry that sits around too long and starts to tarnish.
And yes the stones are in my wire pieces when I tumble them. I think for earwires I might just tumble them ahead of time though.
Chuck
|
|
|
Post by rockjunquie on Apr 24, 2017 9:32:33 GMT -5
What he says For earwires, I make them as pairs and string the pairs loosely on a copper wire to tumble. Makes a big difference.
|
|
|
Post by johnjsgems on Apr 24, 2017 13:00:21 GMT -5
Not to hijack but if dish soap works what is the dry burnishing compounds people sell to polish jewelry metals with stainless steel shot? It is usually pretty cheap and sold to polish.
|
|
|
Post by rockjunquie on Apr 24, 2017 13:42:54 GMT -5
Not to hijack but if dish soap works what is the dry burnishing compounds people sell to polish jewelry metals with stainless steel shot? It is usually pretty cheap and sold to polish. I have no idea about the dry stuff. The soap helps to degrease a piece and help lubricate the steel shot. Its the way I've been doing it for at least 15 years. I don't know of anyone who uses the dry medium. Maybe it is more for specific silversmithed or goldsmithed work?
|
|
metalsmith
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 1,537
|
Post by metalsmith on Apr 25, 2017 12:31:39 GMT -5
Dry? Walnut / maize (corn) particles perhaps; the latter is used for brass.
|
|
|
Post by johnjsgems on Apr 25, 2017 12:33:13 GMT -5
I don't know what it is but Diamond Pacific sells it for $5.95 per lb. so it isn't very expensive. Metal finishing is something I really don't know much about but trying to learn more. Pushing vibe tumblers and thinking I should carry metal finishing supplies to corner some of that market too. Hate to sell things I'm ignorant about.
|
|
gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 3,732
|
Post by gemfeller on Apr 25, 2017 13:26:39 GMT -5
I used to do a lot of casting and used stainless steel shot in my Vibrasonic to achieve a semi-polish on Sterling and gold items. I had best results with Super Sunsheen Burnishing Compound sold by Rio Grande. I used it for metal items *only.* It contains acid and might cause reactions with stones. It's cheap and effective. One quart makes about 10 gallons of burnishing solution.
I tried ground walnut shells that contained a polishing compound but it drove me crazy because little bits of walnut shell became embedded in recesses in the castings and required laborious removal by hand. Not a time saver! Back to the stainless shot.
|
|
|
Post by johnjsgems on Apr 25, 2017 14:20:54 GMT -5
This dry compound is mixed with water, not used dry. I have sold the red rouge in walnut shell in the past. Even with gloves you end up with red fingers weighing that stuff. There are some great liquids out there but they are wholesaled in 5 gallon buckets and buying and filling quarts or gallons not much fun. Shipping liquids a little tricky sometimes.
|
|