Got my Rock Tumbler - now what?

[Milomade]

Cathy - thanks for the top tips - I'm about to order some shot so won't be able to try out my tumbler until that arrives. Will post back when I've given it a go.

[Loopy]

Fab thread, I got the last one in argos a few weeks back but still haven't even started playing yet!

[Milomade]

Okay my shot has arrived but I've had no luck getting pure soap flakes - been to Asda and Sainsbury's and the local shop - where can I get it from???

[Cathy at the Beach]

I wonder if it really matters if its pure soap. What you really need is lubricant. Why not try a bit of dish soap? I really doubt it will hurt the rubber and you can't do much to the stainless steel shot.
The worst that can happen is that the dish soap will leave a film on the silver. You can always re tumble with pure soap when you find it. (or coco cola which in my opinion will remove film and crap from anything- even the inside of your stomach)
Just a thought (if you are half as impatient as I am- you are probably wetting your pants wanting to try it out!!

[vsilvered]

I wonder if it really matters if its pure soap. What you really need is lubricant. Why not try a bit of dish soap? I really doubt it will hurt the rubber and you can't do much to the stainless steel shot.
The worst that can happen is that the dish soap will leave a film on the silver. You can always re tumble with pure soap when you find it. (or coco cola which in my opinion will remove film and crap from anything- even the inside of your stomach)
Just a thought (if you are half as impatient as I am- you are probably wetting your pants wanting to try it out!!

I recently read an interesting article about this. Apparently, some tumblers are more susceptible to break down when exposed to mild chemicals in washing soap due to the type of rubber used in their production. I use Barrelite, which is great for the jewellery and my tumbler

[mizgeorge]

I think you probably mean barrelbrite Vi, I believe Milomade is concerned about the ingredients in this.

I have to confess that I hate Barrelbrite and use type b burnishing compound instead (which smells nicer too!).

Look for 'Granny's Soap Flakes' in the supermarket. They're pure soap.

[emroyjewels]

Milo - I just use a little bit of washing up liquid in mine. I've got the same NG tumbler as you, and I put in 500g worth of shot (less a few bits that fell in the drain first time I rinsed it!), my bits to be tumbled, and cover it all with water. Then add a little squirt of washing up liquid.

After everything has tumbled, I rinse the goods, then rinse and dry the shot. I store mine dry - have been doing it this way for a few months now and never had any problems. I assume you bought the NG tumbler to keep the whole process cost- effective, so washing up liquid is the cheapest way to go, since I assume you already have some to hand!

The only problem I have with the NG tumbler is that I realised today I can't get the bangle I just made in through the hole at the top as the mouth's not wide enough. But for everything else it's great!!!

Em.

[vsilvered]

Sorry George, I did mean BarrelBrite

Em/Milo: I understand about wanting to keeping costs down. When I first started cutting my own rings, I got a nasty case of tumbler contamination and was recommended BarrelBrite.

Apologies for talking nonsense...my brain is still cooling down after a day attempting to master Elfweave sheet... and I've done it!

Ta da..

[palace]

I hope this isn't a hijack, but.. I got an NG tumbler recently, & got my shot and BarrelBrite from UKGE. I tumbled a small piece as a test, and it came out covered in what I can only describe as crud! The water looked like manky dishwater, too. Any ideas what I'm doing wrong?

I tried it out with no BarrelBrite and the water remained unmuddied and the piece came out uncrudded.

I found soap flakes in the supermarket (Waitrose - with the delicate washing liquids and stain removers and such), but I didn't buy 'em cos I wanted to ask here if I'm doing something else wrong first. Surely Barrelbrite isn't supposed to do this?!

[Milomade]

I use ecover washing up liquid, so maybe I should give that a go. I've searched all over for soap flakes and can't find them anywhere, so going to try online.