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tumbler/vibrator

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billd View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote billd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: tumbler/vibrator
    Posted: Mar/15/2011 at 11:35am
I may have to bite the bullet and buy something.........

Some of the customer units have fasteners/bolts that are really bad rusty - really nasty, salt-eaten, etc.  When I do refinish them, I have to blast them by hand - wow, hold a 10-32 screw in one hand and sandblast in the cabinet with the other - and don't drop it into the media below.

Alternator cores are getting REALLY mangy - they are even worse. They are rusted, rotted, fasteners are really nasty and almost unusable in most cases. I't getting near impossible to find decent through-bolts to use.  So I'm left with media blasting what through-bolts and other fasteners I can salvage, but that's a pain in the @#$%

I thought about "tumbling". I've got a home-built setup that uses sand/media in a plastic paint can that turns on a couple of shaft run by an old washing machine motor. Slow, sort of works, sort of. But that takes a lot of time, too.
So - any hints or tips?
A. What media to use even in my home-built tumbler?
B. what are the recommendations for an economical method to clean up bolts, screws, rotor nuts and washers, etc?

The "sand" and even black-blast just isn't doing much in my home-made tumbler.

Looking for ideas - I need to clean to totally spotless:
alternator through-bolts - the 4 long bolts that hold the frame halves together
rotor nuts and washers - the large nut and lock washer that hold the pulley and fan on
spacer that goes behind the pulley and fan



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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote pacerman Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Mar/15/2011 at 12:33pm

I've had an Eastwood tumbler for several years.  It comes with little green pyramids of ceramic media.   If you leave it running a long time (sometimes overnight) it will remove most if not all of the corrosion on "moderately" corroded parts.   I think Eastwood sells a tumbler now with a larger bowl.  I have the generation 1 tumbler with a bowl about 12 inches in diameter or a little less.   I also have a wire basket which I use in my bead blast cabinet.  Sometimes I have to bead blast parts after a reasonable time in the tumbler.  For small screws and bolts I have to lower the air pressure going to the bead blast cabinet.   I don't do any plating at home so I'm just refinishing parts with paint.  Therefore I don't have to be an absolute perfectionist.  But I'm able to get the parts clean enough to paint.  Joe

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tyrodtom Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Mar/15/2011 at 12:58pm
  I have a cheap stone polisher,  from Harbor Freight.  One of the few electrical tools i've ever got from them.    Around $30.00  It's a about 6 jn diameter rubber jar than sits on some rollers that constantly turn.  I put sand,  crushed walnut shells, baking soda, depending on how tough a cleaning job i've got.  Put the nuts, bolts, etc in together with my abrasive of choice, for hours, or overnight.  Works good, you have to experiment around a little, for how long to tumble, and which abrasive works best for each situation.   I would have thought the constant tumbling would cause the nuts and bolts to hit each other and cause damage, but I can see no signs of it.
  I've seen a shaker made from a old jitterbug sander.  But my rock tumbler works fine for now.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Wrambler Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Mar/16/2011 at 7:52am
Another source for tumblers is reloading supply places.
My brother does a lot of reloading and uses one to polish the casings.
I think he started with a Harbor Fright one then moved up to a more expensive unit with quality material in it.
   What about a citric acid or molasses bath? or, a can of coke...


Edited by Wrambler - Mar/16/2011 at 7:52am
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote bulletpruf Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Dec/27/2011 at 8:53am

Bill -

What did you end up doing here?  I've got a Harbor Freight vibrating deal but haven't had much luck with it.  It's loud and will vibrate itself off of the shelf.  Think my media is too coarse.
 
You can also soak in vinegar/salt/lemon juice solution.  I've used that on small parts before; it does take the rust off.
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote sluggony Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jan/21/2012 at 5:23pm
a kids rock cleaning tumbler works great for nuts and bolts.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote xtm10 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Feb/11/2012 at 7:52am
I have 2 RCBS tumblers, with the green tub. I found them to work very well. I picked one up from ebay and the other one on a clearence rack at cabela's.I had to replace the  motor in one of mine, and RCBS sent it to me for free !the set up is a small motor in a shock mount with a weight fastend to the shaft which throws it out of balance and makes it shake. You might have to experiment with media and how long you leave stuff in it to get the results you are looking for.
Good Luck
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Re-Javelin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Feb/18/2012 at 12:23am
BillD. I have an 8 lb. harbor freight deal. & bought their small green pyramid media. Beware of these. Cut pretty fast. Put a bunch of small and large front suspension bolts in and it did a good job but was a little harsh. It tore the threads off of some of the larger bolts that I didn't think were in that bad of shape when i put them in. I suppose it saved me from using them. It was the large bolts from some of the front suspension items. I think I will try walnut shells next time.


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote bbgjc Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Feb/18/2012 at 6:14am
I'm a mutli-stage guy. 6 inch wire wheel on a bench grinder that's got a speed control. Then for little parts I soak them in Evapo-Rust(Love this stuff). Then  into a reloader' tumbler.  They come out nice.

I also use a sonic cleaner for various bits, mainly carbs, fuel components.

The tumbler works great for brass parts, brakes junctions and such, just give them a good cleaning afterwards and light coat of hi-temp clear.

 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote billd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Feb/18/2012 at 8:32am
For heavy rust or large parts I still use electrolysis.
I ended up with the "middle" Eastwood kit. Two bowls, and media for polishing, and media for rust removal of small parts.
I need to clean small parts such as the bolts that hold alternator frames together. Small for a wire wheel - the wheel, even a tiny one like on a Dremel, can't get into the threads and inside the slotted heads very well. The vibrating tumbler from Eastwood does very well... I still have to hand clean some of the thread in order for replating to work, but it's taken a LOT of work out of it. I even ran parts of a customer's wiper motor through the polishing bit after using the rougher media to remove crud.
Remember, the idea is to reduce the amount of time I have the part in my hands or have to hold it. with a tumbler/vibrator, I put the parts in and walk away and do something else, or start on another alternator or whatever. They clean as I do something else. The wire wheel and other methods means I have to dedicate that time to each part. This way I can mass-clean parts while working on other things.
The Eastwood setup is a good middle of the road setup for what I need. Someday, I may be getting a much larger one, but for now with my volume, this will work.......
btw - the wiper motor parts came our with such a polish they almost looked chromed. I had to glass bead them to take some of the mirror off of them so a finish would stick!
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