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View Full Version : Tumbling questions, can someone help?



twinkle123
19-11-2010, 09:09 PM
Hi there,

Firstly I want to say how delighted I am to find this forum! its brilliant what a knowledge bank!:~:

Now I have some tumbling questions, I've just got one and love the idea of it. My questions are.

1) If I am using liver of sulpher, do I tumble first? if so after I use the liver of sulpher whats the best way to get the excess off and bring the shine back, I have been using the polishing papers is there a quicker way?

2) does tumbling make your pieces brittle?, I tumbled two pieces today that I added bails to and both bails broke off when I was giving them a final polish :(, I possibly made the bails to thin on this occasion................. any opinions?

Many thanks in advance, can't wait to see your replies.

mizgeorge
19-11-2010, 09:55 PM
Hello :)

1. I do both. A lot of people don't recommend tumbling pieces after they've been treated with liver of sulphur, but I have no qualms about doing it at all, as long as the shot is thoroughly rinsed afterwards. I use a variety of media for polishing back to highlight, but my most used are 0000 grade wire wool and micromesh cloths, or for complex areas radial discs on a flexshaft.

2. Quite the opposite. Tumbling will harden at least the surface of the work. I don't know if you're working with sterling silver or metal clay, or how you attached your bails, so it's hard to offer any advice on that particular problem. Do you have a picture?

Joe
19-11-2010, 10:58 PM
If the bails were going to come off sooner or later - you can't keep silver soft forever - then it's as well that was in your workshop.

The tumbling gets the piece to the sort of state it will be in for most of it's life; if that's not good enough then the piece needed work.

I suspect though (and I guess that George has a similar suspicion) that the breaking-off is about other things, perhaps soldering issues.

This is an excellent forum for solving stuff like that - if we intermediates can't spot it, there are really experienced old-hands in the background to correct our juvenile foolishness! Grab a close-up photo and lets um and ah over it!

MzGeorge - what radial wheels do you use? I'm a big fan of the impregnated silicon rubber ones now, but the hard 3M wheels were brilliant, until one flew to pieces! (UV I suspect). I'm a careful follower of your posts and have made many purchases from your recommendations without previously thanking you - so thank you now!

twinkle123
20-11-2010, 12:36 PM
Thanks for your responses, they really help!

I am using PMC3, and attaching the bail to the piece with paste in the dry clay stage. The bail didnt come off the piece but actually the upper piece (not attached) snapped off, I'll try to photograph later and show you. I am having problems with my blow torch so I am thinking now maybe it wasnt fired properly. Anyway I am grateful they broke off with me and not when they were passed on, I would have been mortified!

On another note, I am based in Ireland, PMC is only just becoming available here and its really expensive as is everything that goes with it. Example a set of 3m polishing papers costs €20, rip off!!!! so I am purchasing alot from Cooksons, great service, can you recommend any other suppliers for items they dont stock like the micromesh cloths or wire wool, all tips appreciated!

Joe
20-11-2010, 01:20 PM
I used to buy micromesh from a seller called Sliderman on Ebay, but he doesn't seem to list any more.

There is a similarly priced set MICRO MESH / MICROMESH POLISHING KIT 9 SHEETS 6" X 4" on eBay (end time 13-Dec-10 16:57:41 GMT) (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MICRO-MESH-MICROMESH-POLISHING-KIT-9-SHEETS-6-X-4-/220696342416?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item336286ef90)

I bet they'd post to you in Ireland if you asked.

mizgeorge
20-11-2010, 01:49 PM
Sliderman2004 is listing regularly, but I think I've send so many people his way he's probably struggling to keep up! Here's a link to a completed listing so you've got reference: MICRO MESH / MICROMESH POLISHING KIT 9 SHEETS 6" X 4" on eBay (end time 19-Nov-10 18:20:58 GMT) (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MICRO-MESH-MICROMESH-POLISHING-KIT-9-SHEETS-6-X-4-/170566871379?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item27b693e953#ht_629wt_1139) (he's cheaper than the 'cheapest in the world; too ;))

twinkle123
20-11-2010, 08:57 PM
Ah you're so good! thanks a million.:Y: Have a lovely weekend!