tumbler

The-Bone

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Nov 13, 2007
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North East,Pa
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I believe that powder is some sort of grit which will prove to be too abrasive for coins...most guys use aquarium rocks...try ebay for a used one..kellyco was way overpriced when i was looking to buy one of these
 

garbageman

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Mar 20, 2009
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Joliet, Illinois
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Check out Harbor Freight's tumblers. I have one and it works great. I just use some aquarium gravel and a little dish soap and in a couple hours my found coins look great. Just don't tumble cents (pennies) with nickels, dimes and quarters, they will get discolored. -Garbageman
 

TrashFinder

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Mar 11, 2013
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51st state - Jefferson
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I have a Harbor Freight $40 tumbler. I played around with different things and here is the formula I came up with: Use almost any bath tub scum spray bottle type cleaner - 50 pennies at a time. Just enough cleaner to cover the coins. Then - use parakeet type gravel (small sandy stuff that is sharp edged). It only takes a table spoon or so of it with the cleaner. Seal it up as directed and let it run a few hours. Then, pour off the sludge into a cup (save it for the next run), take the tumbler canister outside to a hose or outside faucet and run a good stream into the can, and the sand will wash up and out. (DO NOT USE A SINK WITH A SEWER DRAIN AS THE GRAVEL WILL SETTLE IN A TRAP, OR MAY SETTLE IN THE SEWER LINES!) Be sure to mix it up while doing that. Dump the coins out on a towel and lay out to dry. They will mostly be shining. Sharp edges will still be on the cons! The thing that is oppressive are the clad pennies look dark but, if you look closely, it is the Zinc holes that make them look dark, but they are clean holes!
 

lost items recovery

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Nov 29, 2012
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I have a Harbor Freight $40 tumbler. I played around with different things and here is the formula I came up with: Use almost any bath tub scum spray bottle type cleaner - 50 pennies at a time. Just enough cleaner to cover the coins. Then - use parakeet type gravel (small sandy stuff that is sharp edged). It only takes a table spoon or so of it with the cleaner. Seal it up as directed and let it run a few hours. Then, pour off the sludge into a cup (save it for the next run), take the tumbler canister outside to a hose or outside faucet and run a good stream into the can, and the sand will wash up and out. (DO NOT USE A SINK WITH A SEWER DRAIN AS THE GRAVEL WILL SETTLE IN A TRAP, OR MAY SETTLE IN THE SEWER LINES!) Be sure to mix it up while doing that. Dump the coins out on a towel and lay out to dry. They will mostly be shining. Sharp edges will still be on the cons! The thing that is oppressive are the clad pennies look dark but, if you look closely, it is the Zinc holes that make them look dark, but they are clean holes!
Sno Bol toilet cleaner works great but don't mix pennies and silvers or you'll have red coins. Pennies give off a rotten egg smell so clean them outside if you try it! Cleans on direct contact in about 5 seconds. HAZARDESS material be careful!!!
No need for tumbler!
 

sponge

Bronze Member
Nov 15, 2012
1,691
685
Florida
Sno Bol toilet cleaner works great but don't mix pennies and silvers or you'll have red coins. Pennies give off a rotten egg smell so clean them outside if you try it! Cleans on direct contact in about 5 seconds. HAZARDESS material be careful!!!
No need for tumbler!

I want to get tumbler just to see how it cleans stuff. Ok ill be honest I just want to own a tumbler.
 

lost items recovery

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Nov 29, 2012
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They have there place on some items.
I may use one on a heavily encrusted item just to see what it is.
Built my own and it works very well but a lot of complaints on noise.
Cleans super fast as opposed to the cheap craft store rock polishing type it owned originally.
Harbor freight tumblers I hear are really good also
 

sponge

Bronze Member
Nov 15, 2012
1,691
685
Florida
ForumRunner_20140114_214758.png

Heres a tumbler
 

lost items recovery

Bronze Member
Nov 29, 2012
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Home made tumbler

image-3373619187.jpg

Fins covered by clumps of sand. sorry!
 

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Sir Gala Clad

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Jul 9, 2012
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I removed all pennies and let clad coins US (dimes, and quarters) sit overnight covered by apple vinegar as I do not have a tumbler.
Did a good job cleaning the crud off, some coins had to be lightly rubbed with a cloth before neutralizing coins in water.

Unfortunately, the inner copper layer bled through and I ended up with red coins anyway (sigh). I don't use anything stronger because I have grandchildren love who love to explore and are fascinated by my hobby area taking it for a pirates den (Arg)!

When you use anything as strong as Sno Bol toilet cleaner, you not only have a HAZARDESS material to work with, you are further Toxing the area where you live. Anyone caught putting something this caustic in my toilets (I owned rentals in a former life) which are connected to septic/cesspool "Walk the Plank" (are immediately asked/forced to leave); Pirates have rules which must be followed.


Sno Bol toilet cleaner works great but don't mix pennies and silvers or you'll have red coins. Pennies give off a rotten egg smell so clean them outside if you try it! Cleans on direct contact in about 5 seconds. HAZARDESS material be careful!!!
No need for tumbler!
 

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