Shiny new Father's Day gift makes my dirty clad shiny again

[dirtdigginfool]

Hey T-netters, I hope all Dads had a GREAT Father's Day and got out to swing the coil around a bit. The wife surprised with a new rock (coin) tumbler for Father's Day. I was super excited, as I have a huge pile of dirty clad and grows every trip out. I did have a cheap, small tumbler...well- you've heard the saying..."you get what you pay for". It applies to coin tumblers, just saying. I could only get half a roll of quarters in it, or it would slip..it leaked like a sieve...etc...But wifey came through, this unit is awesome! I ran the first batch with water, half cup of pool sand, a drop of dish soap and half ounce of acidic toilet bowl cleaner. Ran for 6 hours, thoroughly rinsed and re-ran the quarters overnite with water, dish soap and about 6 oz. of bb's. I'm very impressed how they came out this morning. The pic of the bowl is how they came out after the first run, before polishing. Another batch of quarters then on to the dimes! Hope everyone had a great Father's Day...Ddf

 

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[Stretch Da Truth]

Congrats! That's a nice Fathers Day present!
Looks like it will get lots of use. Quarters came out looking good. Might have to get me one of those.

 

[dirtdigginfool]

I apologize for the blurry pics, I'm trying to learn how to re-size them so they come out clearer. Thx..Ddf

 

[T.C.]

Kewl!! I have a single and a double barrel. Try lemon juice to the top of the coins and a little salt....tumble for 30 to 45 minutes....clean as a baby's butt!! Someone here can give you the exact amount of salt. Easy clean up also.....

 

[dirtdigginfool]

Thx T.C.! I'm having decent results but I am always open to suggestions! I know the acidic toilet bowl cleaner is harsh but does work...nickels are next, I will most certainly try the salt and lemon juice trick...thx again..Ddf

 

[T.C.]

This is copy and pasted from loco digger "I use lemon juice, just enough to barely cover the coins and about 2 tablespoons of salt. Some use white vinegar in lieu of the lemon juice. Seperate your pennies from the other clad, use this mix on the dimes, nickels, and quarters etc. first, and then reuse the same concoction on your pennies. If by chance a penny is in with the clad they will not come out silver, but more of a pinkish color."

What I like about it is, it's fast (30-45 minutes) and the clean up (rinse out & wipe) is easy!!

 

[dirtdigginfool]

This is copy and pasted from loco digger "I use lemon juice, just enough to barely cover the coins and about 2 tablespoons of salt. Some use white vinegar in lieu of the lemon juice. Seperate your pennies from the other clad, use this mix on the dimes, nickels, and quarters etc. first, and then reuse the same concoction on your pennies. If by chance a penny is in with the clad they will not come out silver, but more of a pinkish color."

What I like about it is, it's fast (30-45 minutes) and the clean up (rinse out & wipe) is easy!!

Thx again TC...I got home from work today and dug out my dimes, rinsed them off and dried them off. I toss a couple lbs of nickels in the tumbler and go in the house in search of lemon juice. DRAT..no lemon juice...but then I spied a bowl of fresh lemons, and I hear behind me..."DON'T. YOU. DARE"....Double drat. So I'll let'em tumble overnight with the usual ingredients for now. Thx again for the positive input, very much appreciated...Ddf

 

[dirtdigginfool]

Just a note...I've started a post in the "General Discussion" forum...a contest to guess how many dimes are in a bowl...winner gets silver! Thx, Ddf

 

[beerguy]

Cool.

Just a note...I've started a post in the "General Discussion" forum...a contest to guess how many dimes are in a bowl...winner gets silver! Thx, Ddf

 

[No gold in NY]

You tumbler looks almost identical to my Chicago tumbler. Be sure to put a drop of oil on the roller bearings occasionally

 

[eyemustdigtreasure]

dirtdigginfool

Good job!
I too, "invested" in a cheap (Harbor Freight) rock tumbler, and never abused it, but it lasted a year and motor died

What Is The Make Of Your Tumbler ?? (please?) thanks!

 

[T.C.]

dirtdigginfool

Good job!
I too, "invested" in a cheap (Harbor Freight) rock tumbler, and never abused it, but it lasted a year and motor died

What Is The Make Of Your Tumbler ?? (please?) thanks!

I think Harbor Freight sells Lortone's. I've replaced a few parts through Shawn @ The Rock Shed. Great people to work with!! Stuff wears out....especially if you run them for 5 weeks with just a short stop to reload your barrels....

 

[dirtdigginfool]

Cool.

Oopsie...brain fart...pffft...

 

[dirtdigginfool]

dirtdigginfool

Good job!
I too, "invested" in a cheap (Harbor Freight) rock tumbler, and never abused it, but it lasted a year and motor died

What Is The Make Of Your Tumbler ?? (please?) thanks!

Lortone, model 45C...

 

[eyemustdigtreasure]

I think Harbor Freight sells Lortone's. I've replaced a few parts through Shawn @ The Rock Shed. Great people to work with!! Stuff wears out....especially if you run them for 5 weeks with just a short stop to reload your barrels....

psyche! Wow, how did you know, 5 weeks?! Yeah, did over $300 worth of coins, then some, that year...!
I even bothered to level the machine, on my garage floor!

 

[eyemustdigtreasure]

I think Harbor Freight sells Lortone's. I've replaced a few parts through Shawn @ The Rock Shed. Great people to work with!! Stuff wears out....especially if you run them for 5 weeks with just a short stop to reload your barrels....

Thanks!
I figure buying a lil ol' rock tumbler with TWO drums makes 'em last TWICE as long...?? =D lol
Well, I doubt I'll be going through as much coinage this time - I've promised to never let the hoard
accumulate seven years again, before cleaning...!

 

[PullTabPete]

Nice I have the same machine, I think I bought it for the family as a Christmas gift 4 or 5 years ago, although I use it to tumble clad more than we ever tumbled rocks.
As far as a nice formula for tumbling I don't really care since it is clad. I usual just squirt a little dishsoap and add water and pea gravel let it tumble, I don't separate the copper out and it turns all the dimes/quarters kind of brownish color but don't care since I just cashing the clad.

For common wheats and other dug coins with no real value I'll tumble them with some sand and pea gravel just to make them look nice.