Tumbling rather than etching - need help please with grit!

[Diane]

I too really don't like etching fluid and love the look of Steph's tumbled barrel beads.  I have a very old tumbler with a spare barrel (much like the barrel Lotti has with a very difficult to remove lid) but I did have some 600 grit silicon carbide from a set I got from BeadySam ages ago (never throw anything out!) So tried it this afternoon and left it tumbling while I was out shopping. Tumbled  for about 2 hours and looking good.  I should think another two hours should do it.   I'm really glad Kaz raised the topic as I have been thinking about trying this for a while and it's motivated me to do something about it .

[Pauline]

I have recently got a 2nd hand tumbler off ebay and have been reading past threads, 2 things I am not sure about;
1, how much grit? teaspoon, tablespoon, cupful etc
2, does it wear out?? do you leave it in the barrel with the tumbling medium (pony beads / beach gravel / fugly beads) or do you throw it away and start again each time.

[Dee Dee]

Thanks Diane!

Pauline, I use a heaped teaspoon, approximately 1/4 filled my barrel with pony beads, add my beads and just cover with water.  It doesn't appear to wear out, I leave it in the barrel, and occasionally add a little more water and grit, if necessary!  A bag of grit will probably last you forever!

[Margram]

I'm getting a tumbler for my Christmas present (late as usual because I couldn't be bothered to do the research  ). Anyway, could someone please advise if a 1.5 lb barrel is adequate to the task or will I be kicking myself if I don't order a 3 lb one? In fact I have my eye on a double barrel machine (possibly this one  http://www.ukge.com/en-gb/Lapidary/Stone-Tumblers/3lb-Double-Plastic-Barrel-Stone-Tumbler__p-14-252-1189.aspx so that I can tumble, say, a wire work bracelet or two at the same time as etching some beads...each barrel is 1.5 lb

[JanieD]

I have a 1.5 lb barrel for glass, and can get quite a lot in there (for me that's about 20 to 30 beads) and can fit two 1.5's on my tumbler machine, so I can do glass in one and silver in another. I found I haven't needed anything bigger. I have rubber barrels as the machine is in my utility, as you can hear the plastic ones all over the house.
They were driving my nuts cats even nuttier!



Jane

[Essex Girl]

This is very timely .  I mentioned to my mother that I was thinking of getting a tumbler with a rubber barrel and she promptly bought me a second hand one on ebay.  It has a small barrel (I am assuming 1.5lb) and came with a bag of shot (including some that look like spaceships and some tiny rods).  I was going to ask a question on FH about how to tumble beads but this answers most of my questions.  Would someone please confirm that you just put in your beads, some grit and some water and leave for a couple of hours. There is some talk of pony beads but I don't know what they are!

I was also hoping to use the tumbler to clean silver (got lots of silversmithing tools for Xmas ) but that is a whole new set of questions!!

[JanieD]

I use a bag of plain glass beads that I got from ebay, as they were cheap. I couldn't find pony beads in the quantity I wanted so these are fine. I can't find the link at the moment, but they were plain glass 8mm beads.


Jane

[Pat from Canvey]

Hobbycraft do packs of pony beads.

[JanieD]

Are they the plastic ones? I'm sure I looked at these last time I was in and they were in the kids section.



Jane

[Pauline]

now I am up and running with mine I 3/4 fill my barrel with beads, fuglys and some small beach pebbles, a teaspoon of grit and water to cover.  put it on and check a bead after about 3 hours, I find 3-5 hours about right.
keep your stainless steel shot for tumbling your silver and jewellery, do not mix it with grit, if possible keep a separate barrel for tumbling silver with shot.

[Essex Girl]

Thanks for all the helpful info.  I had already planned a visit to Hobbycraft today so will look for pony beads. I think a separate barrel for silver is a good idea as it will save having to clean out the barrel after each use