Who uses a vibratory tumbler

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In-Tech
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Re: Who uses a vibratory tumbler

Post by In-Tech »

Here's the vibratory tumbler in question. https://www.harborfreight.com/18-lb-vib ... 96923.html
HF_18lb_Vibratory_Tumbler.jpg
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Heat is energy, energy is horsepower...but you gotta control the heat.
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ijames
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Re: Who uses a vibratory tumbler

Post by ijames »

I know I've recommended them before but I do suggest you go to www.royson.com and at least browse their media and compound selections. Then call and ask what they recommend, they are very helpful. We tumbled aluminum, mild steel, and stainless steel small parts after machining, for cleanup and deburring, and used a couple of different ceramic media shapes and solutions that they recommended, and it all worked basically as they said it would. We weren't trying for a high polish but the appearance difference between plain water with a squirt of Dawn (our old hand-me-down recipe :-)) and their solutions was big so since you care most about appearance I wouldn't waste time trying to roll your own, at least not at first anyway.
Carl Ijames, chemist not engine builder
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In-Tech
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Re: Who uses a vibratory tumbler

Post by In-Tech »

Thanks for the tips, I am in contact with a couple of companies in this thread. I would love to buy a big industrial type tumbler, it's not cost effective for the small amount of carbs that I do. I would sure like to make an improvement of what I do now.
Heat is energy, energy is horsepower...but you gotta control the heat.
-Carl
In-Tech
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Re: Who uses a vibratory tumbler

Post by In-Tech »

I picked up the HF 18lb tumbler a couple weeks ago and have contacted a couple media people in this thread. In reality to do what I want to do, I need a better tumbler and steel media which is not compatible with the HF unit.

Soooooo, since I have the HF fumbler I am looking for advice on shelf media. https://www.harborfreight.com/540-lbs-m ... 63673.html looks like my first try.

What are your guys/gals thoughts on the liquid? Should I start with something from here? https://www.mscdirect.com/browse/tn/Abr ... d=12100021
or should I try some homebrew? Purple power mix, water marvel mix, straight wd40?

I'm sure testing is in order, I'm hoping some can advise what NOT to try, lol.

Thanks for your time.
Heat is energy, energy is horsepower...but you gotta control the heat.
-Carl
Keith Morganstein
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Re: Who uses a vibratory tumbler

Post by Keith Morganstein »

Some good tips here in this how-to video.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DGT20ghWMZA
Automotive Machining, cylinder head rebuilding, engine building. Can't seem to quit #-o
Sparksalot
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Re: Who uses a vibratory tumbler

Post by Sparksalot »

In-Tech wrote: Thu Feb 21, 2019 9:32 pm Hiya folks,
I am looking at one of those 18lb HF vibrators also. I would like to take old crusty carburetors and try to make them like the holley -s series(shiny). I would think that they are all the same pot metal, some are tumbled shiny and some are made gold dichromate? Does anyone have a suggestion on what media I should use? I like the idea of putting a pump and filter on this unit to keep it fairly clean while the media breaks down. Thanks in advance for any help/ideas.
Those shiny carbs are made of aluminum alloy, the crusty old carbs are made of zinc alloy so no, they're absolutely not all made of the same pot metal. Zinc alloys will never be shiny, aluminum can be.

Use your favorite search engine to learn about electro polishing. After reading about the process use the search option to see images to get an appreciation for what it can accomplish.
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Re: Who uses a vibratory tumbler

Post by In-Tech »

Ah, you're bumming me out. I'm not agains't doing any electroplate, I was just thinking differently.
I'll do more research. Thanks for reaching out.
Heat is energy, energy is horsepower...but you gotta control the heat.
-Carl
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