Rock Tumbler For Clad Cleanup

[bigcreekdad]

Any recommendations? Also, besides the tumbler, what are you using re: grit, gravels etc.?

Thanks in advance

 

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[Coin Digger]

I use a Lortone model 3A, I've had it for years and it works great.
Don't mix your silver and copper coins when you tumble them, it will ruin your silver coins.
For the longest time I used rocks to keep the coins from clumping and just sliding inside. Next time I'm going to try plastic beads on the advice of a White dealer.
A 15-30 min tumble gets them clean enough for the bank.

 

[Woodland Detectors]

I use a Lortone model 3A, I've had it for years and it works great.
Don't mix your silver and copper coins when you tumble them, it will ruin your silver coins.
For the longest time I used rocks to keep the coins from clumping and just sliding inside. Next time I'm going to try plastic beads on the advice of a White dealer.
A 15-30 min tumble gets them clean enough for the bank.

Yes, the Lortone is a professional grade tumbler. It doesn't pay to buy Wal-mart brand. You can buy ceramic pellets (innexpensive) to fill the volume of the Barrels. If cleaning clad is your main focus, then I suggest getting one with a large barrel to clean a bunch at a time.
You will find what you need here
http://rocktumbler.com/rotary.shtml

Mind you, they are not cheap, but a quality tumbler will last.

If you need my help, call me
I'll teach you how to tumble rocks too!

 

[Woodland Detectors]

Here's a photo for Ian on my first "golf ball" Garnet polishing experiment years ago. The Garnets, mixed with other stones now in the photo, were "Golf ball" sized when I started

 

[Ray S ECenFL]

Lortone is a good tumbler. Shop around for a good price.

http://www.hobbywarehouse.com/lortone-tumblers

 

[Tank69]

tumbler .......fish tank gravel or outside gravel of same size ........ water...................dish soap.


seperate the pennies from the silver , run pennies with pennies only or they make the silver look funky colors ........fill tumbler 1/4 full of gravel 1/4 with clad fill with water till it just starts to come over the coins an rocks , give it 2 or 3 squirts of dish soap .....close everything up turn it on , check in 2-3 hours ..empty into a strainer check coins ....repeat as needed

Hope that helps ya Tank

 

[mlayers]

I got my tumbler from Harbor Freight. It was under $30 and I have had it for nearly 2 years. Use fish gravel a small drop of dawn soap tumble for about a hour. Make sure you separate the pennies for the clad coins....Matt

 

[gambler13]

To really clean your clad, vinegar, dish soap, gravel and a small piece of steel wool.

 

[Roland58]

I went the cheap route and got the dual drum 6# tumbler from Harbor Freight, IIRC, it was about $38 and came with 5 spare belts (I haven't had to use one yet). Not sure which model Lortone it was, but, one of them looks to be the same machine that HF sells, except about 4 times as much. I would have to see the two together to determine if the price difference is justified. After looking at what is available for the bucks, I think I could make one with better features and materials.

Bottom line, the HF tumbler works just fine.

 

[Mi$$ouri Jim]

I bought the base model Lortone kind years ago (single barrel). Think I paid about $50 for it. Its held up its end over the years despite how much I neglected/abused it.

But had I known about the cheaper Harbor freight tumbler at the time... I would have bought it.

 

[suprdave]

had variable speed drill hooked it to the lid of a square sided jar (about i half gallon size clamped it to the work bench added a little sand and dawn detergent a a little water plug in in about half hour and it does a good job for all my md finds and some of my coins need washing but it sure does a good job without spending any of my finds suprdave

 

[Roland58]

had variable speed drill hooked it to the lid of a square sided jar (about i half gallon size clamped it to the work bench added a little sand and dawn detergent a a little water plug in in about half hour and it does a good job for all my md finds and some of my coins need washing but it sure does a good job without spending any of my finds suprdave

What a novel idea.....very creative.......any chance of getting a pic of this setup? Better yet, a video??

 

[mick56]

Heres's the one I made, variable speed drill, coffee can with a bolt through it for the chuck, a rectangular cranberry juice plastic jug fits nice and snug in the can, but easily pulls out. Two casters screwed to the board for the can to rotate on.

 

[Roland58]

Heres's the one I made, variable speed drill, coffee can with a bolt through it for the chuck, a rectangular cranberry juice plastic jug fits nice and snug in the can, but easily pulls out. Two casters screwed to the board for the can to rotate on.

Nobody can say you are not creative!! I like the idea of the see-through tumbler. I bet that baby would do some tumbling on the higher drill speeds!

 

[RON (PA)]

I have a single drum from Harbor Frieght. Had it for about a year and a half. No problems yet. My recipe is simple. Water, sand gravel, splash of CLR, & 3 drops of dish soap. The coins shine
Ike they came from the mint.

 

[Ray S ECenFL]

If you decide to go with the Harbor Frieght tumbler, be sure you get extra belts. They have been known to go through belts.

Ray S ECenFL

 

[Woodland Detectors]

Heres's the one I made, variable speed drill, coffee can with a bolt through it for the chuck, a rectangular cranberry juice plastic jug fits nice and snug in the can, but easily pulls out. Two casters screwed to the board for the can to rotate on.

Now I have seen everything. lol

That's definitely interesting.
Looks like something me and my friends would concoct

 

[N.J.THer]

I got my tumbler from Harbor Freight. It was under $30 and I have had it for nearly 2 years. Use fish gravel a small drop of dawn soap tumble for about a hour. Make sure you separate the pennies for the clad coins....Matt

I have a double barrel tumbler from Harbor Freight for a few years. Never had a problem with it. Throw the Nickels, Dimes and Quarters in one drum and pennies in the other. Add sand (free from beach) and some dish detergent then let her run. Works like a charm.

NJ

 

[N.J.THer]

Heres's the one I made, variable speed drill, coffee can with a bolt through it for the chuck, a rectangular cranberry juice plastic jug fits nice and snug in the can, but easily pulls out. Two casters screwed to the board for the can to rotate on.

This looks like something from the SAW movie series.