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Tumbling Tech Tips
My lid keeps coming off
my tumbler after a few hours. What am I doing wrong?
Most likely the lid is either not
seated properly or the knurled nut is overtightened. Clean the edge of the lid
and the shoulder inside the barrel well. Make sure the lid fits down against the
shoulder. Install the outer lid evenly and firmly. Tighten the black plastic
knurled nut finger tight. The stud doesn't need to project through the nut -
leave a couple of threads showing. If the nut is overtightened it can actually
pull the lid off the shoulder and cause it to leak. NEVER use any kind of tool
to tighten the nut.
How can I get that
wet-look polish on my stones?
Keep in mind that not all stones
will polish to the same degree. Most high polishes are the result of a lot of
trial and error. You'll find that what works for someone else won't always work
for you but there are several things you can do to improve any finish. First,
always make sure you clean the stones and the barrel thoroughly between steps.
Contamination is the number 1 cause of poor results. Check your stones in the
pre-polish stage several times. Remove any that have chips as the sharp edges
can scratch other stones. Also make sure to remove any small chips floating
around. Use plastic pellets during the pre-polish and polish stages. They help
to reduce chipping and are especially valuable on softer stones. Take your time
in the pre-polish stage. This prepares the stones for the final polish and, if
rushed, will lead to a less glossy finish. Finally, don't be afraid to
experiment. Try Aluminum Oxide, Cerium Oxide, or Tin Oxide until you find one
that works best for you.
I'm using my tumbler
for burnishing Silver jewelry and find that I get a lot of black tarnish on my
work. This is worse than before ! Help !
Not all burnishing solutions are
compatible with rubber barrels. This applies to burnishing soap, Tide, Liquid
detergents and other compounds. It's made even worse by high concentrations.
Unfortunately, there are many types of burnishing compounds available and we
can't test much less keep up with them all.
We don't recommend anything greater than 1 tablespoon per gallon of water. To
prevent the black tarnish and damage to the barrel, cut back the amount of
burnishing soap you're now using. If you still get the tarnish - switch to a
different compound.
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