colored rocks in tumbler question.....

[lionhrt9]

Hello all,

I have gotten excellent information from these pages and have decided to get a tumbler myself to clean a few jars of clad. I want to introduce these puppies back into the public.

My question is... does it matter if I use a colored aquarium gravel or does it have to be white?? I have some extra (blue i think) gravel from a old fish tank and didn't want to color the clad and have to do everything twice.

Thanks.

PS I assume that the tumbler will come with some type of media to use, probably white color. All I have to do is get some sand to add to the gravel.

 

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[Ant]

I've never used colored aquarium gravels, only the white. Because other said that when they did the coins turned the same color as the gravel used.

When it comes to cleaning coins I try to spend as less money as possible, or what's the point. I found that its a good idea to recycle my gravel. Why, because it cost alot considering we are cleaning money. A bag of swimming pool filter sand is cheep and the bag is huge.

The Harbor Freight tumbler doesn't come with media, you'll need to purchase that separately. I use swimming pool filter sand and aquarium gravel for media. Also, I recycle my aquarium gravel.


You can see pictures of how I recycle my AG in my Clad Recipe topic on this page.

HH

 

[Blind.In.Texas]

All tumbling has ever done for me was remove crust and solid particulates from the clad. The staining is still there. I used beach sand and some quarter inch white fill rock and tap water. I did not use any caustics in my process.

I only remove the build up and not the stain, because, I carry them to coinstar. This cuts out a step in the cleaning process, since, they don't have to be pretty for the bank and the machine doesn't care what the money looks like on the outside. I have never tried, but, I'll bet the banks don't want dirty money. Let coinstar deal with it.

Coinstar is closer than my bank anyway GL

 

[finderzzs]

I used to use aquarium gravel all the time and as long as it's clad it does no harm. It's actually got rounded corners on all those little rocks. Throw some toilet bowl cleaner in there and let it tumble for a couple of hours. They'll come out nice and shiny. Actually I usually change the water every hour til done.
P.S. DO NOT, mix the copper with the clad, or they will all come out shiny brown!!!

 

[piggman1]

I use pea gravel from the tot lots and a little Comet cleanser. I don't seperate the clad from the copper, and I don't seem to have any problems with the coins turning colors. I let them tumble overnight.

 

[wildrider]

I used some limestone pea gravel and something else and it bubbled and blew the lid off after about 30 revolutions. It made a big bubbly mess. Not fun at the time, but funny now LOL.

Burt