Author Topic: I need a good parts tumbler polisher  (Read 1186 times)

Offline wildwest3163

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I need a good parts tumbler polisher
« on: June 23, 2012, 04:45:16 PM »
I need a good tumbler/polisher or whatever they call them, to put my metal posts, rails, ect in to clean up. What does everyone use?
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Offline DarrenF

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Re: I need a good parts tumbler polisher
« Reply #1 on: June 23, 2012, 04:51:07 PM »
Berry Mfg, Model 400 here.
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Offline wildwest3163

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Re: I need a good parts tumbler polisher
« Reply #2 on: June 23, 2012, 05:08:58 PM »
Berry Mfg, Model 400 here.
Thats a good looking machine, it does a good job? What type of medium would be best for rusted posts or plastic posts?
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Offline Weeze

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Re: I need a good parts tumbler polisher
« Reply #3 on: June 23, 2012, 05:11:45 PM »
harbor freight has one ive used quite a bit with good results, crsuhed walnuts and maybe a little paste car wax thrown in.
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Offline EDC

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Re: I need a good parts tumbler polisher
« Reply #4 on: June 23, 2012, 06:13:31 PM »
I have the harbor freight one, and think I'll prolly just buy new Hardware next time.  Nice to have but for the the time I had to run it is probably the same cost media and electricity.  Half of what I tumbled I just threw away.
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Offline Weeze

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Re: I need a good parts tumbler polisher
« Reply #5 on: June 23, 2012, 09:16:59 PM »
really? well, i dont know what to say. its worked really well on any metal ive tumbled and shined up a set of those old gottleib wedge head nickle plated posts like new. ive had mixed results on plastic posts but i think thats becaused some of them over time are actually stained. i have no doubt there are better polishers out there on the market but i dont understand how one could be a whole lot better then another since they all work the exact same way. now i can see how what you  use for a medium would get different results but hey, either it tumbles the parts or it doesnt.  maybe im missing something here?
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Offline DarrenF

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Re: I need a good parts tumbler polisher
« Reply #6 on: June 24, 2012, 02:14:41 AM »
Thats a good looking machine, it does a good job? What type of medium would be best for rusted posts or plastic posts?

I'm happy with it.  I use walnut shell media, with some polish.

I only tumble metal parts.  Plastic parts get a toothbrush with bristles cut short then a heated ultrasonic cleaner.

And I don't really use the tumbler for anything other than very light surface rust removal.  It's for POLISHING parts that are already rust-free and clean.  To remove rust, I use EvapoRust (avail at Harbor Freight).  If it's really heavy, a wire wheel on the bench grinder.
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Offline MikeMaynard21

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Re: I need a good parts tumbler polisher
« Reply #7 on: June 24, 2012, 12:11:59 PM »
I have a Sinclair tumbler. I've never used polish with the walnut because I just thought it would gunk up the media and not work as well. I'll have to give it a try.
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Offline DarrenF

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Re: I need a good parts tumbler polisher
« Reply #8 on: June 24, 2012, 03:24:26 PM »
The walnut shell media I got came pre-treated with the polish.  I think it was marketed for polishing brass casings for people that reload ammo.
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Offline mcluvin

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Re: I need a good parts tumbler polisher
« Reply #9 on: June 24, 2012, 04:21:23 PM »
I'm not the voice of experience on tumbling media, but a tip I picked up while researching tumbling was that some reptile bedding at pet stores is actually crushed walnut shells.  I bought some a couple months ago for ~$12 which was about half the price of any walnut shell tumbling media I had seen. 

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