My first attempt at tumbling.....Edit....Pics Added

Ohiodigger

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So here is the before pics....will post the after when they are done....just nickles and the Kennedy half i dug this year...also a V and a toasty Shield nickle....
 

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Here is after about 8 hours.....i think im gonna go another 8.....looking better
 

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8 hours?
That's an extremely long time, what media and cleaning chemical recipe are you using?

Are you trying to get them to perfect like new condition, just spendable or what?
Cleaning up wrecked coins like old nickels is one thing, took me awhile to get some rusted steel cents and really crusty tokens back to decent shape but normal clad not near that long.

Just a short time will knock off enough dirt to get past the dirt sensors in Coinstar machines, but you could even use a handheld shaker bottle with a little aquarium gravel and dish soap to accomplish that.
To get them good enough to look decent and not be embarrassed when cashing them in at most banks I rarely have to tumble more than a couple of hours.
 
8 hours?
That's an extremely long time, what media and cleaning chemical recipe are you using?

Are you trying to get them to perfect like new condition, just spendable or what?
Cleaning up wrecked coins like old nickels is one thing, took me awhile to get some rusted steel cents and really crusty tokens back to decent shape but normal clad not near that long.

Just a short time will knock off enough dirt to get past the dirt sensors in Coinstar machines, but you could even use a handheld shaker bottle with a little aquarium gravel and dish soap to accomplish that.
To get them good enough to look decent and not be embarrassed when cashing them in at most banks I rarely have to tumble more than a couple of hours.

Just natural aquarium gravel, water and a drop of Dawn dishsoap.....i actually decided not to run them again, and yea, just want them to be spendable.....the V and Shield I just threw them in because it couldnt make them any worse, but also didnt really help much either...the V has no date and the Shield I can only read 18.....thanks for the advise Digger, I havnt tumbled before so I didnt know how long to run them for lol
 
Just natural aquarium gravel, water and a drop of Dawn dishsoap.....i actually decided not to run them again, and yea, just want them to be spendable.....the V and Shield I just threw them in because it couldnt make them any worse, but also didnt really help much either...the V has no date and the Shield I can only read 18.....thanks for the advise Digger, I havnt tumbled before so I didnt know how long to run them for lol

That second pic showed some coins that looked pretty good to me, probably got to that point way before 8 hours.

Another recipe that works.
Coins, about half a drum filled with gravel, water just barely to cover the load, don't go over 3lbs if you are using the HF tumbler and your belt will last a long time.

A drop or two of dishwashing liquid and a little bit of low sudsing ammonia.
Maybe change the water once during the process but this should get most loads of coins pretty darn clean in a couple of hours.

Some substitute a little vinegar for ammonia but watch out for a pressure build up.
 
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I use white vinegar , just enough to cover the coins,white aquarium gravel,drop or two of Dawn in a Lortone Three-pounder and let 'em spin overnight. Remember to tumble clad and pennies separate.
 
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