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Thread: Best tumbling machine for hobby jeweller

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
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    Default Best tumbling machine for hobby jeweller

    for a home hobby jeweller, which would be the best (reasonably priced) tumbling machine and what consumables would I need to go with it..?
    Initially I want to achieve a nice polished finish to silver, but may also later want to get the matt / satin effect, which I guess needs different powders / metal bits in the drum..? I assume if I buy 2 different drums for the same machine, I wouldn't have to faff about with emptying one lot out to do the other..?
    Thanks! Cath

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
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    Central London
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    Hi CathW,

    Would you like to say a few words about yourself by way of introduction? The members had quite a discussion about this subject earlier in the month, here:

    http://www.cooksongold.com/forum/nee...have-fins.html and here
    http://www.cooksongold.com/forum/nee...r-barrels.html.

    Also if you put the word barrel and other related words into the advanced search box, top right, you will be able to discover other threads.
    Regards, Dennis

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
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    2

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    I'm really fed up now... I replied to this yesterday with an intro - it's not showing up though... All I wanted to know was some simple advice on a suitable machine for a hobby jeweller! Cooksons say we can post questions on their FB page,when we do, they point us here, then instead of the answer I want, I get a request for an intro... OK, fair enough, and a pointer to some earlier discussions... but the point is: I'm a beginner hobby jeweller and I don't have a clue what a fin is or whether I need a barrel with a fin or not, so the searches dont help...
    I do the intro, it vanishes into the ether and I still don't get the answer I need about what tumbling machine to use...
    I'm sorry, I'm generally fairly good at working my way around forums, but this one is just not easy or user friendly... so I think I'll give up and try somewhere else to get the info I need - I *just* want to buy a tumbling machine suitable for my needs!
    fed up and logging off!
    Cath

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    Romsey
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    Cath - Dennis has provided you with a lot of information there. As for your introduction, it isn't in the moderation queue so I don't know quite what you've done.

    It would be a good idea to remember that this forum is a collection of like-minded individuals; we're here because we want to be, we answer questions because we want to, not because we're obliged to - and a perceived lack of civility isn't going to encourage people to assist.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Posts
    183

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    Hi Cath,

    You are more than welcome to post questions on Facebook and we will endeavour to answer them but due to the nature of your question, the forum was suggested as a great start for you as, like Peter said, it is a community of like- minded individuals... but also the members are non-representative of Cooksons in particular and thus impartial.

    Jess

  6. #6
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    Dec 2009
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    Central London
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    Cath, the truth is that there is no short answer to your question and as a fair amount of money could be squandered, I would urge you to bury the hatchet and research all the threads on the forum. That said, the links I gave you should answer many of your questions. In reply to your present query, barrels for tumbling stones are smooth inside, and barrels for metal have ridges or fins inside to accentuate the tumbling. Dennis.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
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    1,086

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    Whatever machine you end up with, pat it gently every time you pass it, and love it. I started silversmithing many years ago, before tumblers for polishing came in. We had to spend hours and hours with grades of abrasive then lustre (? grey brown block stuff) then rouge. the faff of polishing put me off picking up the smithing after many years away, then I saw a tumbler.
    Talk about love at first sight! Now, sling it is a tumbler for half an hour. Job done.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Central London
    Posts
    8,845

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    How do you deal with the minute pin pricks, due to the needles in the shot though? Mine hates being patted, it says it's a big boy now.

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