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[darkzero]

Why add the water? What does that do?

It helps keep the parts & media clean for continual cutting action. I always use a bit of water & detergent with ceramic or plastic media. Of course you don't want to use water with organic media like walnut shells or corn cob. I don't use a lot of water as it will reduce the vibratory action (added weight). I've never used a roller type tumbler so more water might not be an issue with those.

It also reduces noise a bit but that's not why I use liquid. On my large vibratory tumbler (HF) it has inlets & outlets for water so you can use a recirculating pump. I don't use one though.

I always wash my media after each use or a number of continual cycles.

 

[middle.road]

It helps keep the parts & media clean for continual cutting action. I always use a bit of water & detergent with ceramic or plastic media. Of course you don't want to use water with organic media like walnut shells or corn cob. I don't use a lot of water as it will reduce the vibratory action (added weight). I've never used a roller type tumbler so more water might not be an issue with those.

It also reduces noise a bit but that's not why I use liquid. On my large vibratory tumbler (HF) it has inlets & outlets for water so you can use a recirculating pump. I don't use one though.

I always wash my media after each use or a number of continual cycles.

Need some details, what's the media you're using? The black bits look like the green bits I've been buying at HF.
The shapes of the beige bits look interesting.
Have you find a good decent priced source for media?

 

[darkzero]

Need some details, what's the media you're using? The black bits look like the green bits I've been buying at HF.
The shapes of the beige bits look interesting.
Have you find a good decent priced source for media?

On the left are green plastic pyramids (well they were green, haha). I purchased a bucket from Eastwood, was the cheapest I could find at the time. Last I checked they didn't sell it anymore, well they do, just not by the buckets.

On the right is coarse ceramic. I use a mixture of shapes (sold seperately). I got it from Mcmaster but they don't sell the exact ones I'm using anymore. They have different shapes. Because of the weight the ceramic doesn't work well in my smaller tumblers even though I added weight to the motors. The plastic pyramids work ok in the small ones though.

I have 2 small ones, one is filled with corn cobb which I rarely use (bought that tumbler used at a gun show & it came filled with the corn cobb). My other one (small HF) I use rouge impregnated walnut. I have a spare bowl for it that has I think clean walnut (not rouge impregnated) in it. I forget, it's been a while since I used the small ones.

 

[middle.road]

So, received the 25% off 'Friends & Family' in an email.
Thought I might pull the trigger on the 18lb large tumbler.
Well, read the fine print for the exclusions now. I think it's be mentioned elsewhere, but it's pretty much everything 'big ticket'.
Central Machinery for one.
I grabbed a bottle of the green media and the 25% coupon didn't work.
Luckily the cashier had a 20% one that he could scan that didn't exclude CM.
So I guess I'll start chewing a way to add a large 'tub' to the little 5 pounder. Seems that I'm exceeded the physical size limits of it.
Input of thoughts and suggestions are always welcomed.

 

[middle.road]

Note to self & others when using water:
Plug internal threaded holes prior to tumbling. Clean out is a PITA.
I forgot about that little detail. Been tumbling all sorts of stuff lately, cleaning them off and then stashing them in a tray.
Yesterday I started detailing them and putting them back together. Think I'm going to need to go get some .22cal brushes.
And I've got a few items that came apart during the process and I didn't photo them before tumbling.
Trying to figure out what goes where now.

 

[ELHEAD]

After 2 fails I asked for my money back on the 10/2/50 battery charger. First one put out low voltage, second produced no current. Charge light would not come on.
Dave

 

[Choiliefan]

My brother bought one of these battery chargers to replace a misplaced 25+ year-old Schumacher.
The HF job was awful and conked out within a few months.

 

[darkzero]

So, received the 25% off 'Friends & Family' in an email.
Thought I might pull the trigger on the 18lb large tumbler.
Well, read the fine print for the exclusions now. I think it's be mentioned elsewhere, but it's pretty much everything 'big ticket'.
Central Machinery for one.
I grabbed a bottle of the green media and the 25% coupon didn't work.
Luckily the cashier had a 20% one that he could scan that didn't exclude CM.
So I guess I'll start chewing a way to add a large 'tub' to the little 5 pounder. Seems that I'm exceeded the physical size limits of it.
Input of thoughts and suggestions are always welcomed.

I was planning to use the recent 25% coupin too. Need one more mobile base that is the Central Machinery brand. Last 25% I was able to use it even though Central Machinery was listed as one of the exclusions. I always check online to see if the coupons work before driving down h this time it didn't work. I'll try again on New Years 25%.

I'm not sure I'm following, so you did pick up the 18lb tumbler for 20%? I love mine & I'm sure you will too.

As for the smaller ones. Not sure if adding a larger bowl to it will work. Problem is the motor is not powerful enough. I have two 5lb tumblers, one is HF & the other is another brand. I added weights to the existing weight on the motor & while it did improve the tumbling action it still wasn't good enough to run ceramic media wet. One of the reasons why I upgraded to the 18lb one. I still have both of my 5lb'rs though. They're still useful for me for other things.

 

[middle.road]

I was planning to use the recent 25% coupin too. Need one more mobile base that is the Central Machinery brand. Last 25% I was able to use it even though Central Machinery was listed as one of the exclusions. I always check online to see if the coupons work before driving down h this time it didn't work. I'll try again on New Years 25%.

I'm not sure I'm following, so you did pick up the 18lb tumbler for 20%? I love mine & I'm sure you will too.

As for the smaller ones. Not sure if adding a larger bowl to it will work. Problem is the motor is not powerful enough. I have two 5lb tumblers, one is HF & the other is another brand. I added weights to the existing weight on the motor & while it did improve the tumbling action it still wasn't good enough to run ceramic media wet. One of the reasons why I upgraded to the 18lb one. I still have both of my 5lb'rs though. They're still useful for me for other things.

Nah, I chickened out. Didn't want to drop $200 on the 18lb version.
Larger bowl, yeah I believe you're correct. I've got an idea brewing for a cut down 5gal bucket but it will probably be too much for the motor like you mention.

 

[darkzero]

Nah, I chickened out. Didn't want to drop $200 on the 18lb version.
Larger bowl, yeah I believe you're correct. I've got an idea brewing for a cut down 5gal bucket but it will probably be too much for the motor like you mention.

Ah I see. Sucks that they cost so much now but hey what can we do.

Maybe another option is to build your own vibratory tumbler & leave your 5lb as is for other uses? One video that comes to mind is Randy Richard but I'm sure there are others. Shouldn't be hard or cost much to build if you have stuff on hand. There's also rotary tumblers that work well but gives different results. I've seen people make them too. Some knife makers even make rotary tumblers using cement mixers.