Rock Tumbler cleaning coins

I've got the little ceramic pieces.. diamonds, pyramids, squares, half circles. Does a good job and gentle too. I do separate pennies . Find it at Rio Grande. Only reason I say that is I haven't looked anywhere else.
 
I have always used play sand with good results. Tried gravel and it didnt work well. Steve in so az
 
I have always used aquarium gravel with good results. Make sure that whatever you use you have two batches, one for clad, one for copper. It will prevent the clad from turning pink, just like tumbling them together.

Be prepared to change the water several times during each batch. Don't leave air in the tumbler or you will wind up with a tumbler of foam that doesn't help clean the coins.
 
I got the 3lb HF tumbler today. whats your gravel/coin ratio?

Just put in coins and whatever until 2/3 full. Add water until almost covering the stuff and add a few drops of dish detergent. No real ratio needed. The coins are grinders too. Don't pour the slurry down the drain.
 
How come you don't pout the water down the drain?

I have to separate the copper pennies from the zinc?

nickels, dimes, quarters separate from pennies?

thanks
 
1/3 fill of small aquarium gravel
Coins...all pennies in one, clad in the other...or separate batches with 1 drum
A few drops of dish washing detergent
Just cover with water

I weigh the whole thing on a kitchen scale and don't go over 3 lbs or belts will probably start breaking early.

I pour the muddy mix down the kitchen drain with no problems.
If some of those gravel pieces get out, your disposal will not like them at all.
 
don't have it yet dig, maybe next week.

hey dig, with the tumbler can i put my wheat pennies in it?

Man, WHY DON"T YOU HAVE IT YET?
I think I am more excited about this than you!

Yea, all pennies should work fine, but tumbling is an abrasive procedure so keep watch and check on it so you don't go too far.
You might start wrecking the nice patina on these if you do.
 
Unless those wheaties are really cruddy, I would never tumble them! All the modern mems and zincolns can be mixed. I actually use a sand/gravel mix...I got a 1 pound tumbler and do not fill it more than 2/3rds full about 1/3 coins. and 1/3rd sand & aquarium gravel. Just top with water and 2 drops liquid soap. Usually run for 24 to 48 hours. I rinse in the sink in a large bowl and dump it all into a collander sitting in the bowl. That way the sand is captured by the bowl and the gravel and coins are left in the collander. Easy to pick out the coins for the final rinse that way.

The Queen does not like the sand & gravel to go down the sink. If you do not give this mixture a really good water flush, you eventually will be calling the Royal RotoRooter Man!

When tumbling gemstones, NEVER pour the carbide grit mixture down the sink! It will set up like concrete and you will have to have the pipes dug up! NO JOKE!
 
I've been preaching CLR cleaner recently. Amazing results with reduced tumbler time and electricity used. I'd rather pay a little more for cleaner than another tumbler.
 
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