Tumbling machine

[Dodger]

Just bought a tumbling machine to clean finds (low grade stuff only!). Has anyone used one? Any tips or comments gratefully received thanks.  

[Tafflaff (Rob)]

Yeah I've used one with varied results. Little bit at a time is my advice. try with a buckle to start not a good one! Once you get used to the timings it can be effective for larger artifacts.

What are you putting in with the metal bits and water ?

[Dodger]

Came with some powdered soap, used that so far. Can you use soap powder etc??

[dances with badgers]

let us know how u get on mate,i got loads of modern coins like quids need cleaning

[Dodger]

Had my first go with a tumbling/barrelling machine tonight. For those who don't know them, its a rotating drum into which you put your items along with lukewarm water, burnishing soap, and small metals pieces. You leave it to slowly turn away for a few hours and it polishes things up. They are usually used for polishing semi precious stones.

Heres a pic of my assortment of buckles etc. Interesting that some of which I thought were brass turn out to be a silver coloured metal (zinc or something similar). Had I left them longer, they would have been much more bright but I didn't want to ruin anything on a first attempt.

I would never use it on anything of value or interest, mainly the sorts of finds that end up in a grot box. You can clean modern coins this way I believe. Only coin I put in was a cartwheel penny which was pretty cruddy going in and came out clean and polished. It can't make a poor find good of course but you could make out Brittania and George III which you coudn't beforehand.

[romano-brit]

jebus is that a blank 303 round in that pic 

bit brave if it is

[Dodger]

jebus is that a blank 303 round in that pic 

bit brave if it is

No its not (I'm not that daft!). Its a 303 case but I've never seen one that long before, don't know if its a special type?

[rhyso]

good idea, ive got loads of cruddy finds in a box that cud do with a clean! how much dose this cleaning machine cost??

[barny]

had tumbling machine for about 5 years now i think thy are great i leve my finds over night  3/4 full of water and 1 spoon full of powder thy all come out great.

[barny]

ps dont forget ti tern it on

[Dodger]

Price like everything else varies. Regton was where I got mine. Should be some on ebay though 

[Pegasus]

Re the round of ammunition in the photo - I cannot see the head clearly - but it doesn't look like a .303, as it's "rimless" (i.e. incised groove at base) it may be a modern 7.62mm, or an older .300 US round. Look at the base - there should be markings. UK ammunition produced in British "Royal Ordnance Factories" will bear date of manufacture, calibre and ROF Initials. e.g RG would be Radway Green, (Birmingham way) but there were lots of ROF's.

[Napoleon]

  may try a washing machine with all rubbish I have to clean may work . Will invest in one of them this week  to have a go . Thanks for the thread.nap

[Dodger]

Re the round of ammunition in the photo - I cannot see the head clearly - but it doesn't look like a .303, as it's "rimless" (i.e. incised groove at base) it may be a modern 7.62mm, or an older .300 US round. Look at the base - there should be markings. UK ammunition produced in British "Royal Ordnance Factories" will bear date of manufacture, calibre and ROF Initials. e.g RG would be Radway Green, (Birmingham way) but there were lots of ROF's.

Spot on Pegasus. It has RG 89 L13A1 on the base.