Olney, MD
If you use walnut media in your tumbler, what grit do you use?
Thanks
Gerry
(Topic ID: 239429)
When I asked around I was told to order these from Amazon. I haven't use them yet.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001MYGLJC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004J4F09O/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07BGBMXFS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s01
Quoted from fossmin:If you use walnut media in your tumbler, what grit do you use?
Thanks
Gerry
Just don't buy fine.
Interesting - I was just going to start a thread on this..... I saw someplace that using the kind for reptiles from the pet store was good. Is that not necessarily the case? Is there a primer on tumbler use and what media and cleaner to use with different materials?
I use corncob...got a big box of it off Amazon. Throw a dryer sheet in there with your parts, and the sheet will collect all the removed garbage off the parts, and will keep your media clean.
Quoted from Winger03:Interesting - I was just going to start a thread on this..... I saw someplace that using the kind for reptiles from the pet store was good. Is that not necessarily the case? Is there a primer on tumbler use and what media and cleaner to use with different materials?
Yes, it works great. I use liquid Flitz polishing additive.
Quoted from Schabs81:Can you use this for pinballs to? I have a bunch just of used ones
You can polish pinballs, but you can’t polish dings/divots/ etc. Best to get new. If you polish old pinballs good for crafts.
I polish my balls with mine...it works well. As said above... Any balls with scratching and divots are not going to work.
Quoted from JodyG:I use corncob...got a big box of it off Amazon. Throw a dryer sheet in there with your parts, and the sheet will collect all the removed garbage off the parts, and will keep your media clean.
*briefly considers using the dryer as a huge tumbler*
Quoted from JodyG:Throw a dryer sheet in there with your parts, and the sheet will collect all the removed garbage off the parts, and will keep your media clean.
I have never heard of this before. Wow, I will have to give that a try.
-Kyros
Quoted from Kyrosfear:I have never heard of this before. Wow, I will have to give that a try.
-Kyros
I didn't either until I started tumbling ammo cases for reloading. Those guys turned me onto it, and surprisingly it works!
Quoted from jj44114:Kaytee Walnut Bird Litter from Petco
What I like about the Kaytee stuff is, it's dustless and very clean. I bought some stuff off Amazon real cheap a number of years ago and ended up throwing most of it away. It was too fine, which caused it to easily clump up with the additive and it was also very dusty. It really made a mess of the shop.
Quoted from JodyG:I didn't either until I started tumbling ammo cases for reloading. Those guys turned me onto it, and surprisingly it works!
Same for me... didn't know about the sheets until I read about it in a reloading forum..
Haven't used the tumbler for pinball parts yet, but will do in the future.D
Dave
Quoted from FatPanda:Good info in this thread. Will need to invest in a tumbler now!
Don't waste your $ on the 5lb one get the 18lb. You'll be glad you did.
Quoted from timab2000:Don't waste your $ on the 5lb one get the 18lb. You'll be glad you did.
Harbor freight???
And also, would a 4 bank drop target assembly not fit in a 5lb tumbler? I'd have to see in person if it did or not. It's not like I restore machines or anything, it'd be for the (very) occasional classic machine that needs a proper shop job.
Quoted from FatPanda:Harbor freight???
And also, would a 4 bank drop target assembly not fit in a 5lb tumbler? I'd have to see in person if it did or not. It's not like I restore machines or anything, it'd be for the (very) occasional classic machine that needs a proper shop job.
Drop target assembly definitely won't fit in a 5 lb. There is a rod going up through the middle so you can screw the lid on, so that kills your space in there.
Quoted from JodyG:Drop target assembly definitely won't fit in a 5 lb. There is a rod going up through the middle so you can screw the lid on, so that kills your space in there.
Even disassembled? I'm thinking the backing plate is probably the biggest thing (I'm referring classic Bally)
Quoted from FatPanda:Even disassembled? I'm thinking the backing plate is probably the biggest thing (I'm referring classic Bally)
It might be a tight squeeze on the backing plate. But I don't have an assembly in my stash or I'd check it out for you. Is yours rusty, or gunky? On something like that, the Evaporust bath usually takes care of any corrosion for me.
Quoted from JodyG:I use corncob...got a big box of it off Amazon. Throw a dryer sheet in there with your parts, and the sheet will collect all the removed garbage off the parts, and will keep your media clean.
what are these dryer sheets? is this a usa thing hehe?
my media gets very dirty sounds like these sheets will help solve that issue
20190327_185618 (resized).jpgQuoted from JodyG:It might be a tight squeeze on the backing plate. But I don't have an assembly in my stash or I'd check it out for you. Is yours rusty, or gunky? On something like that, the Evaporust bath usually takes care of any corrosion for me.
No rust. I'm just thinking for future games where I can use the tumbler to clean the mechs instead of the ultra-sonic. I worked on a Stars recently that had some green powder (corrosion I'm assuming) on the mechs where the US cleaner took off the flaky stuff, but I would think in that case a tumbler might have done a better job. I'm also considering price, footprint, and noise as factors.
Quoted from russdx:what are these dryer sheets? is this a usa thing hehe?
my media gets very dirty sounds like these sheets will help solve that issue[quoted image]
GUEST_e681738f-c55b-4852-9f41-c0bfe1f1d4dd (resized).jpg
Quoted from FatPanda:And also, would a 4 bank drop target assembly not fit in a 5lb tumbler?
Yes harbor freight. And no your drop targets assy even disassembled will not fit in a 5lber. I put something big in the 5lb I had and wore a hole in the side of it because it could not move around in the bin. Got stuck in one spot and burned thru.
Quoted from FatPanda:No rust. I'm just thinking for future games where I can use the tumbler to clean the mechs instead of the ultra-sonic. .
While a tumbler will clean and polish, I'd highly recommend cleaning your parts before tumbling or the media gets dirty quickly. They don't have to go in an ultrasonic. Just spray with Purple Power, brush well and rinse.
57348913834__B1176415-81DD-4DCA-B942-75B5B25F7965 (resized).JPGQuoted from timab2000:And no your drop targets assy even disassembled will not fit in a 5lber.
Agreed. They won't even be close. If you've got larger pieces you need tumbled, I'd be more than happy to do them for you. Just pay postage both ways.
Larger tumblers just don't pay for themselves if you only need them once or twice a year. I can tumble most anything.
57349788836__F3D2A417-965A-4C0F-98E3-2B9EDB946AF1 (resized).JPGSpeaking of large parts. Has anyone used or modified a Harbor Freight rock tumbler? I was thinking you could make a good sized tumbler with some PVC and a little ingenuity...
https://www.harborfreight.com/dual-drum-rotary-rock-tumbler-67632.html
I have the 5lb Harbor Freight model, and after many many hours of tumbling last year, the threaded rod that holds the lid on stripped out. I wound up tearing it completely down to get the rod out, and replaced it with a slightly thicker one made from 1/4-20 thread. Things have been great since then. The 5lb one will fit 95% of the above playfield parts, with the exception of long wire forms. Apparently the hot sausage right now for reloaders is the wet drum style tumblers with stainless steel rods for media. Their brass comes out beautiful after only 2 hours or so.
Quoted from JodyG:I have the 5lb Harbor Freight model, and after many many hours of tumbling last year, the threaded rod that holds the lid on stripped out. I wound up tearing it completely down to get the rod out, and replaced it with a slightly thicker one made from 1/4-20 thread. Things have been great since then. The 5lb one will fit 95% of the above playfield parts, with the exception of long wire forms. Apparently the hot sausage right now for reloaders is the wet drum style tumblers with stainless steel rods for media. Their brass comes out beautiful after only 2 hours or so.
I havent used stainless steel rods for media, but I have been using a Thumler tumbler for all of my tumbling for over the last 10 years. Quiet, spacious, and does a fantastic job with wet and dry media.
Quoted from JodyG:I have the 5lb Harbor Freight model, and after many many hours of tumbling last year, the threaded rod that holds the lid on stripped out. I wound up tearing it completely down to get the rod out, and replaced it with a slightly thicker one made from 1/4-20 thread. Things have been great since then. The 5lb one will fit 95% of the above playfield parts, with the exception of long wire forms. Apparently the hot sausage right now for reloaders is the wet drum style tumblers with stainless steel rods for media. Their brass comes out beautiful after only 2 hours or so.
I did the exact same thing to my 5lb FH tumbler. Now I am considering moving up to the 18lb model.
Quoted from Ballypin:I did the exact same thing to my 5lb FH tumbler. Now I am considering moving up to the 18lb model.
It's nice having both sizes. It's a lot easier picking a bunch of fasteners out of the 5lb tumbler then the 18. I only us the 18 for larger parts.
Quoted from JodyG:I use corncob...got a big box of it off Amazon. Throw a dryer sheet in there with your parts, and the sheet will collect all the removed garbage off the parts, and will keep your media clean.
After using walnut I am about to give corncob a try. I couldn't find walnut locally anymore other than a huge expensive box of it at Harbor Freight. I am interested to see how corncob does compared to walnut.
Do the dryer sheets smell real strong in a room when used in tumbler?
I want to try this too, really interesting! But, I don't use sheets (and only no scent added detergent) for allergy reasons, so if the smell comes out strong in room, I'll have to make sure to run in garage when I'm not going to be in there or something.
Just curious.
Thanks.
Quoted from pinstyle:After using walnut I am about to give corncob a try. I couldn't find walnut locally anymore other than a huge expensive box of it at Harbor Freight. I am interested to see how corncob does compared to walnut.
Corncob is a bit less abrasive...so it may take longer, but I have no complaints so far. Seems to last quite a while.
I usually tumble in walnut for three days. Do you think corncob would be longer? Just started a batch today, trying a dryer sheet to see how that goes.
I always read wallnut for cleaning and corn for polishing.
I have run some really corioded (thought i was going to have to chuck them) parts in the other day for 48 hours with some novus2
ill next put them in corn cob with some metal polish and run for 24hours see if they shine up any more 
I'm assuming the dryer sheet is only needed for the cleaning run.
Quoted from Bryan_Kelly:While a tumbler will clean and polish, I'd highly recommend cleaning your parts before tumbling or the media gets dirty quickly. They don't have to go in an ultrasonic. Just spray with Purple Power, brush well and rinse.[quoted image]
I soak all of my parts in Purple Power, Mean Green, or any other cleaning liquid. Sometimes I scrub them with soap and water. I use corn cob media. After a soak, rince and scrub I throw them in the tumbler wet.
The corn cob media lasts a long time.
Quoted from Bryan_Kelly:Agreed. They won't even be close. If you've got larger pieces you need tumbled, I'd be more than happy to do them for you. Just pay postage both ways.
Larger tumblers just don't pay for themselves if you only need them once or twice a year. I can tumble most anything.
[quoted image]
My 5 lb. tumbler works for most items. There are times I wish I had the 18 lb’er but I cannot justify the cost.
For my drop target metal plates I use the buffer and shine them up.
FYI: DO NOT put jewel posts in the tumbler. The media plugs up the holes and its nearly impossible to get out.
I think one thing I did not like about the corncob is having to weed through it to find the smaller stuff. My usual method of sifting out things did not work out with the corncob being it is so large. Another thing I noticed is every single nut had corncob stuck in it, unlike the walnut with only occasionally having some stuck in a nut. I think the corncob is probably ok for larger stuff. I will probably use what I have left and likely switch back to walnut.
Winnipeg, MB
Quoted from pinstyle:I think one thing I did not like about the corncob is having to weed through it to find the smaller stuff. My usual method of sifting out things did not work out with the corncob being it is so large. Another thing I noticed is every single nut had corncob stuck in it, unlike the walnut with only occasionally having some stuck in a nut. I think the corncob is probably ok for larger stuff. I will probably use what I have left and likely switch back to walnut.
I had a simular issue but using a magnet on a stick it picks everything up in a couple sweeps
Regards
Russell
I use a colander and a five gallon bucket. I go outside and pour the media through the colander, and the wind blows the tiny particles somewhere, helping to clean the media, while the parts stay in the colander. Of course, you need to make sure your grit is small enough to go through the colander. I use walnut medium grit.
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