Another lesson learned

[sounder]

I saw where a few people were using rock tumblers to clean their coins. I got one, and proceeded to load it up with coins, and put in the coarse abrasive. This is where the lesson was learned!! It ran for about 16 hours, and just about ate up the high spots on the coins. S0----Two lessons learned. Don't use the coarse abrasive, and check the coins often. I took everything out, and washed it off, and added the polishing compound. Hopefully this will give the coins back some of their shine. I will see in a couple of hours. sounder

 

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[Moonshadow]

Sorry you didn't have a good result Sounder! I'm one of the users of a rock tumbler for clad cleaning purposes. You have to be real careful using it. According to one of the responses I had to my post, You are supposed to check your coins after about an hour. Then, you just kinda play it ear. My first batch had some wear also, but nothing that will not be acceptable to recycle.

Hope you have better luck with the polishing

Moon

 

[lab rat]

Sounds like you have a really efficient tumbler! What kind of grit are you using? Emery? Try something softer like steel wool. You might find it helpful to run smaller batches-- don't overfill your tumbler! If something goes wrong you mess up fewer coins. You just need to remove the corrosion and brighten up the metal. They don't have to be shiny! How long it takes depends on the tumbler. Sometimes I let my tumbler go for 12 hours at a time, but mine has a really weak motor and will have to be replaced soon...

 

[Lowbatts]

I use a thumblers tumbler and put some soft dish soap and a tablespoon or so of playground sand in it. Run it for about 45 minutes and that's usually good enough for the dirtiest clad. Anything that comes out it that can't at least work in the toll basket goes in my trash pile and that's usually just the real rotten mem cents and chipped coins.