Art Jewelry - Using a Tumbler to Polish Metal
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 23 ก.ย. 2009
- Art Jewelry magazine associate editor Jill Erickson shares some tips on using a rotary tumbler with stainless steel shot to polish and harden metal. Visit www.artjewelrymag.com/howto for more information and videos.
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Tumbler was one of the best purchases I've made :) so helpful! And work hardens like a charm!
I'm so glad you said this! I heard a long time ago that you can work harden in a tumbler but now that i'm looking into it, it only comes back as a polishing thing. I was starting to think I was crazy that tumblers help work-harden copper.
Hi! Yes, definitely work hardens :) I make tiny, super thin dainty rings and they are very soft after soldering etc, not suitable to wear. But after 3-4 hours in the tumbler they come out firm and sturdy :) Same with charms made with thinner silver sheet.
It saves me a heck of a lot of time especially silver chain
Very good video Jill! Thanks for setting the standard. Really informative and I'm not into jewelery!! Shall be looking for more from you for sure.
I would have liked to see the beginning to the end with the same piece of jewelry.
Thanks for the tips! It answers a lot of my questions
LOL at the fate of the little frog. I was wondering and waiting for him to appear when you strained the shot, and chuckled at the video notation.
Information I was looking for. Thank you.
@allybruce08 A short answer from Jilla from the Art Jewelry forum: Yes you can. Line the barrel of your tumbler with 400-600-grit wet/dry sandpaper, using two strips to make one long strip. Check the direction the barrel turns, and overlap the ends of the strips so the beads will go with the strips, not against. Tumble 2-3 hours per grit, then work your way up. This will make the beads smooth, NOT shiny. BUFFING will make them shiny.
I have an identical one since the year 2005 they are very good
very nice trick of Finishing
Great video. I metal detect and old coins a jewelry. I got a rock tumbler and stainless steel pins for cleaning brass shells. It works great. But what small strainer can I use to clean out the SS pins without them falling through?
@sonicfreak04 Metal clay is tiny particles of metal held together in a moldable organic binder. When you heat the dry, shaped clay hot enough, the binder burns away and the metal particles sinter together. So it's actual pure metal once it's been fired.
I think we bought ours at either Contenti, Otto Frei, or Rio Grande. (It's been a while, so I'm not sure which one.) Those companies also sell the steel shot needed to polish metal. You can search for rotary tumbler on the internet to find a store near you.
Good luck!
CanaRochbell - We listened to the video here in the offices, and couldn't hear the sound that you're referring to. Are you hearing it on our other videos as well, or just this one?
Hi Jill. Thanks for your video. I am trying to tumble copper jump rings to remove sharp edges. I am using little ceramic "pyramids" , and a drop of dish soap. No matter what, the copper always turns out dull.. even brown. Do you think the stainless steel would work? ... or do you have any other suggestions?
I would love to know what brand and size tumbler you use and where you get your shot and burnishing compound.. thank you for the tutorial
So does tumbling remove fine scratches from metals such as steel or brass? I am having trouble sanding away scratches from metal electrodes (essentially ball bearings) that I am viewing underneath a microscope at 20x magnification. Just wondering if this would be a route worth exploring to remove the scratches...
@artjewelrymag I recently bought one of these used without the directions, so I really appreciate this video! I just need to buy a new belt and I can get started tumbling :-)
Great video... can gold jewelry or silver coins be don't with this same tumbling media?
Glad you were able to figure out I meant to say "can gold jewelry or silver coins be *done with this same tumbling media" ... :(
I enjoy metal detecting and often find 10 or 14k gold jewelry that's been in the ground for some time. So now I know that I can tumble the gold jewelry with this media. I also find old silver coins... some look pretty good, but sometimes they need cleaning. I'll be ordering some of this jewelry shot next week. So 2 lbs per each 3 lb barrel should be good? Thanks!
Could you use this method to clean raw brass stampings or raw brass charms for earrings for before adding a patina?
The amazing tumbler magic trick. It makes metal clay frogs disappear.
What is the burnishing compound you used in this video?
thanks
To further explain my issue is that even using a higher grit emery paper (1200) the higher grit is actually creating fine scratches. It is as if the metal is ultra soft. Could this be from annealing the copper? It is a 24ga plate that I was unable to get a clean punch out of and after annealing it punched nicely.I tried work hardening w/ no help re: scratches
will tumbling take out fine scratches in copper?...small coper disc that i need to plate w/silver but if there are fine scratches they get more apparent after plating....tried buffing wheels but the parts are small and difficult tyo hold, and wind up with more scratches even using super fine compounds.
Great video Dave. Can you over tumble a piece of silver?
I recently made a very long (48") necklace using solely dead soft 22 gauge GF wire & labradorite. Half hard wire won't work for this project. After wearing the necklace just a few times, the wire began to stretch and eventually broke (extremely frustrating after spending eight hours making it)!
What I'm getting at is, can I put a long necklace like that one in a tumbler to harden the wire without it scratching the stone or getting extremely tangled? And what kind of 'shot' would I use for this?
do you need to use separate shot for silver, brass, gold, bronze, etc? Or is it okay to use the same shot for different types of metal?
Thanks. I think I may try this on some pieces of silver i find metal detecting that come out of the ground or off the beach black.
Amazing
Dudes, no worries about the "frog" (which is actually the front half of a horned lizard that I made out of copper metal clay using a circa 1960s Creepy Crawler mold). Since I only had one of these critters, and we were shooting in real time, I had to use a different, pre-tumbled sample to show what the metal looks like after it's been tumbled for a couple of hours. Hope that clears up the confusion! Cheers, Jill
What the name of this tumbler? Any idea where I can purchase it?
I wonder if you could tell me what different types of media to use to clean and polish small decorative parts like nickel plated steel and nickel plated brass? For nickel plated steel parts, would I use one kind of media for cleaning and polishing those that are just tarnished and dirty and another for parts with light surface rust? The nickel plated steel and nickel plated brass parts are hardware (like nuts, bolts and small fittings) from antiques! I don't know what to use! Thank you!
do I have to have shot? its too expensive for me right now. and ca I substitute dawn soap?
very nice trick of Finishin
If I wanted to polish a necklace or pair of earrings I've made could I use this process,and how long would I tumble
Could you recommend a tumbler? I am a beginner and I like to have the best products so I don't sabotage myself. Thank you
What is shot and how do I order some please? Also how would I tumble polish copper flexible tubing or pipe for making garden decorative stakes with marbles. Would I do it in a semi loose coil ?
What you recommend for aluminium and brass polishing
I just have a kids rock tumbler would that work with the shot, water and burnishing compound ?
How do you tumble aluminum pieces (i.e., cuff bracelets) and keep the shine. Mine become very dull looking -- I've ruined too much aluminum. Tried changing the water 1/2 hr into the tumbling, that doesn't work either. I'm ready to give up on tumbling aluminum pieces.
No worries, I'm good at deciphering comments. :) Yes, for a 3 lb. barrel, 2 pounds of shot is perfect. The 3 lb. means that it can handle three pounds total, including the stainless steel shot and the metal you want to tumble. As long as you don't overload the tumbler, you'll be good to go! Good luck!
In a class at
Campbell Folk School, I could put copper and UK pennies in the tumbler in a
short time they would come out very shiny. On eBay I purchased some UK
pennies. Using the same Harbor Freight
tumbler, steel shot, water and Dawn the most I can get is a less than dull
finish. In the class we used vinegar and
hydrogen peroxide as a cleaner. I tried
adding this mixture with the shot. I
even purchased a six sided tumbler for more agitation. In the past I have tried Basso. Any reconditions
What brand of tumbler is that and where can I get one please? I'd like to polish rocks, gems and glass. :-) thanks!
Where can you purchase that ? Are you calling them shots?
MsSallydoo1- The tumblers for polishing metal and stone are the same, but they require different tumbling media. Steel shot won't work for rocks and stone (and can damage softer stones). Think of it this way - when you tumble metal, you are trying to debur, burnish, clean, and polish the metal; with stones you tumble them over a period of time, moving through a variety of abrasive grits to essentially "sand" the rocks/stones. (Annie P.)
aislinncbyrne - Tumbling a piece with a stone already set is usually discouraged, and there's a question regarding the durability of filled wire when it's tumbled. We'd recommend hammering lightly on the wire to harden it instead of using a tumbler.
For a more thorough answer to your question, we recommend you post in our forums on the Art Jewelry website. Hopefully this helps!
It's not likely caused by annealing. Copper is soft, annealed or not, but 1200 grit is definitely fine enough to have a sufficiently smooth surface before polishing (I usually only go up to 600-grit). It is, of course, still abrasive and will scratch the surface. Make sure you remove ALL of the marks from the previous grit of emery paper before moving on to the next, as any marks from the previous grit will be enhanced when the piece is polished.
Specifically how long do you run the tumbler for?
@GYMAW That could be due to the shape of your steel shot pieces. If they have sharp edges or ends, they can create small indents. They are like tiny hammers after all. You can buy different shapes of steel tumbling shot from jewelry supply companies. A more rounded shape of shot may help. Good luck!
can you use it for settings with prongs?
@doteyjohn aluminum will oxidize. the dull oxidized aluminum is called alumina. I believe they are coated with something to keep it from oxidizing.
fine !
Ya pretty much took the mystery out of using a tumbler. Thanks.
@macika99 Worry not, the half-a-horned-toad didn't go anywhere. It was just a quick-change for video, kind of like when a tv chef places unbaked muffins in the oven and pulls out a freshly baked tray 5 seconds later. Scroll down through the comments for Jill's explanation.
But thanks to all you guys and your eagle eyes about the little "frog" we've added an annotation to the video. Hopefully no one else will need to worry about him in the future. :)
Can you use it with prong settings?
It sure can! I wouldn't tumble them together, though. I also don't recommend tumbling gold-plated jewelry, but karat gold should be fine. Do be aware that the tumbler can cause chains to knot into a big mess, and make sure you clean your tumbler thoroughly before and after tumbling gold. The silver coins will burnish in the same manner as in the video, but if they're collectible or coins worth more than face value, I wouldn't tumble them as it may reduce the numismatic value.
Tumbling with stainless steel shot won't remove fine scratches. Depending on how fine the scratches are, start by sanding the disk in one direction with a 400-grit abrasive paper. After you've removed the fine scratches, sand the disk with 600-grit paper perpendicular to the previous marks. This lets you see when you've removed the scratches from the previous pass. Next, proceed to the next-highest grit to refine the surface even more, or tumble to burnish the copper.
Those metal things ate the frog!!! what do you do if you want to keep the copper intact?
Is there any chance at all of burnishing steel to something approximating a mirror finish using this technique?
Super fine ceramic powder with 2 tablespoons of metal polishing paste.
Can i use it to polish a gold diamond ring ?
what kind of tumbler is this? may you share a link?
Anywhere from about an hour to overnight, depending on what you'd like done.
Most metal shot in tumblers is stainless steel, so I'm guessing that it would polish itself very well. Experiment with some scraps to find out!
In theory, yes, it shouldn't be a problem. But it would depend on how sturdy your prong setting is, and what type of stone you have set in it. Then again, tumbling can be used as a sort of test for jewelry before its worn - if your prongs are sturdy enough to last through a lengthy tumbling, then they should be a-okay for the daily wear and tear of jewelry.
Does anyone happen to know if a wire wrapped ring with glass beads could be thrown in here for a polish/hardening, or would the shot damage the glass? I use 3-8 mm glass beads interwoven in the wire. I love the effect that the tumbler gives, but I'm afraid I'd ruin the beads.
Tumblers are also great for restoring old brass shells for reloading!
Old nickel plating is usually very thin, so you need to be careful not to remove the plated surface when polishing. It's best to polish nickle-plate by hand. On the pieces with light surface rust, lightly scrub the surface with WD-40 and #0000 steel wool. Surface rust tends to come off fairly easily, so don’t scrub too hard. After you remove the rust (and for the nickel-plated brass pieces), buff them with a soft cloth and a non-abrasive metal polishing compound, such as Simichrome Polish.
Kindly post a picture of the frog with today's newspaper so we know he is still alive. Otherwise, we won't fork over the ransom money.
Hahaha! Lmao!
TechSupport100 🙀he’s gone!
hello, where can i buy a cheap ball mill that is gonna shipped to Europe ??
hola soy camilo de colombia ¿quisiera saber donde puedo conseguir esa maquina en colombia. gracias.
When I have soldered jump rings onto chain, can I put the chain in the tumbler
I think you can but it would be probably a good idea to not put too many thing together into the tumbler (to avoid tangling) and also put the chain on a wire
I am just now discovering this video, can you please tell me what the name of the tumbler you are using?
+C. C. C Thanks for watching, and for your question! We bought our tumbler from Otto Frei (www.ottofrei.com) - they have it listed under "Small Rotary Tumbler." Most of the major jewelry supply houses will also have something similar. The important thing is to make sure you get the voltage that's compatible with your wiring (Otto Frei offers both 110V and 220V models), and that the barrel is large enough. Ours has a 3 lb. capacity, which is large enough for jewelry applications. Hope this helps!
I would like to know where the polishing material is named and came from? If would recommend a polishing machine, you can fully order it here: www.3dhubs.com/berlin/hubs/viselabs look under the pics. Thank you for your reply!
I demand a proof of life for the Frog
my thoughts exactly lol
Stuart Campbell rofkgihit
Ive done copper with this process. But it always comes out kinda dark
How long does it have to tumble to get shiny? "A while". Ok thank you! 😎
I know it isnt as good, but can you use rice as "shot" as well? If so, how much should I add? Water or no?
Sorry Mike, Rice wouldnt work at all.. unless what you are polishing is softer than the rice
Where can i get one of these tumblers?
Thanks! 5*
ebay
is metal clay ceramic or actual metal?
If you don't want it to rust, wouldn't it be better to use pure aluminum shots..? granted you'd have to use a different type of shot for copper, since copper is a 3 on the mohs scale of hardness while aluminum is only 2.75. But you could also use copper BBs instead of the shot. Im not sure how much that shot stuff costs but it seems somewhat expensive judging by the amount most people use.
Aluminum is just a bit harder than gold and silver (2.75 opposed to 2.5) so it would polish it slowly. And also gold fill and sterling silver would be polished, but the other metals in the alloy wouldn't be taken away, and my thought on that would that it'd be stronger. Correct me if I'm wrong though as I'm not 100% sure what gold fill and sterling silver is.
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Great video but you mentioned using the sink. Compound can build up in the pipes and turn into cement. Just rinse on the lawn instead.
I have been using a Thumblers Tumbler for 15 years. I have never once washed and dried my shot. I use a few drops of Dawn Dish wash and tumble for about two hours. I also use about 2/3 of the tumbler full of water. When I am finished tumbling, I just dump the water out and run fresh water in a few times and then close it up and it still has some water in it. I can' t for the life of me see why you need to wash and dry your shot because every time you use it you are washing it. My shot has never rusted in all this time. Also, I have never noticed that the wire is getting Work Hardened even after tumbling overnight.
Wow... The wire doesn't work harden in the tumbler? I'm just starting to learn this phase of jewelry making so forgive me if this a stupid question but I thought work-hardening was supposed to be one of the main reasons to tumble other than to polish and smooth any rough edges? How do you work harden your silver or copper? Thanks!
Stainless does not rust but the minerals in the water may affect the next batch.
me dio sueño este video.
how many prise
What is the model of this tumbler?
I've found it on Amazon, I believe it's this one www.amazon.com/Tru-square-Metal-Products-102-Thumlers/dp/B000066CMM
I do want
@junejay51 you use 1lb of shot for a 3lb tumbler.
What kind of tumbler do you have?
found it on Amazon, I think it's thos one www.amazon.com/Tru-square-Metal-Products-102-Thumlers/dp/B000066CMM
Missing frog. Show the frog before and after please. I am worried about the frog. Why he disappeared?!
Great video. I didnt hear any whistle.
So the frog melted into a blob, you killed him!! 😭
the sound comes immediately as soon as you start talking, which leads me to believe its either the camera or maybe a TV or a security camera making the sound
How are you going to polish stainless steel?
Its this sound /watch?v=_fB8DzjBtz8
most people cant hear it but to those who can it really sucks haha its torture.
I havent come across the sound in your other videos, but i do notice its on some videos with certain tools, Not sure which though but its always in the backround.
It could be a camera or a TV making the sound aswell.
Sorry to make a big deal of it though i find your videos very helpful :)
Why did my jewelry get black after tumbling
@GYMAW don't use still but experiment with softer material, people even use crushed nut shells and whatever they have but ideally always softer material than the one you are polishing
amatörce benimde yaptığım hobilerim arasında çok güzel uğraşlar.
Wow, it completely dissolved that copper toad!
hola que tal yo tengo un pequeño tambor como ese nadamas para preguntarte que es el polvo blanco que le pones para que se pulan las piezas
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What happened to the frog?