Myers Depot Metal Detectors

Tumbling Coins.

Coindigger1960

Coindigger1960

Full Member
Joined
Jan 21, 2017
Messages
110
Location
Logansport Indiana
I know that this subject has been beat to death, but I was wondering what those of you who tumble coin what recipe you use. Today I tumble 2 separate batches, one with just pennies and the other just clad. I used ceramic medium with 3 or 4 drops of Dawn dishwashing liquid. I tumbleed each batch for at least 2 hours. I'm just not happy with the results. Not sure if I tumbled to much at one time or what. Was thinking of maybe using baking soda and water. Any suggestions?
 

Try this I always added it to gun brass I cleaned for reloading, pick it up at grocery store.
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot_20181109-221029.jpg
    Screenshot_20181109-221029.jpg
    16.1 KB · Views: 410
Try using clr it works magic


Bounty hunter - treasure hunter - cabelas
Best find to date - 15g platinum ring and 1876 love token
 
I use only water, a bit of detergent (but not really necessary IMO), clean sand and concrete aggregate (blue metal). The blue metal is quite large (1in) so they clean they coins quite quickly. Takes anywhere from 30 mins to 2 hours for most coins.
 
For pennies, a single drop of Dawn is all that's needed, try to use the smallest drop you can squeeze out. An hour in the tumbler is long enough to get them plenty clean enough for the banks coin machine.

I found this recipe for clad a while back and really like it. The recipe calls for two tablespoons of salt. I don't measure it and probably only put in one tablespoon, then fill about 3/4 full of plain white vinegar. Shake well, tumble for 20 minutes then shake again and finish with another 20 minutes. That's really all the time they need.

Forgot to mention that I will put a small layer of aquarium gravel then a layer of coins then repeat, layer after layer. Don't know if that's necessary but works well for me.
 
Pick up a quart

of lemon juice at the grocer. Run the pennies with enough juice to create a slurry add a couple pebbles and tumble for 15 minutes. If they are not shiny give them another 10. Rinse and cash in.

FWIW some coins will not give it up no matter what you try.

Same with the clad......not too long, check after 10 minutes. Too much of the acid treatment will scour off the silver.
 
You need to nickels separately or they will turn the other clad a dull gray. Dishwashing soap and water with some kind of aggregate. Fish gravel will work. I usually change the solution out and do them a second time
 
I have a dual tumbler and use white aquarium stones for media filling the canister about half full. For Penny's I use a few drops dawn soap, a cap full of lemon juice and just enough water to cover half the media. Use a tablespoon of baking soda instead of lemon juice for clad put in about a hundred and twenty coins and tumble for a couple of hours. Rinse, dry and run them to my bank. Not looking for shine just clean enough to not screw up the coin counter at the bank. Trapper
 
Last edited:
I have used a few recipes.
One that works pretty good is aquarium gravel, changed from time to time because tumbling knocks the sharper edges off, a drop of two of dishwashing soap and some low sudsing ammonia to keep the suds and pressure down.
Lemon juice can help, CLR I haven't tried but sounds logical.
I load it all in and cover it with that ammonia or a couple tablespoons of ammonia and the rest water.
I weigh my drums making sure not to exceed the weight limit.
Doing this I used my HF double drum tumbler for 5 years and ran way over $1000 worth of clad through it before I broke a belt.
 
I use aquarium gravel, dawn dish soap, and about 4-5 ounces of ammonia,
tumble anywhere from 4-8 hours depending on how dirty they are
If I have any I'm not happy with I just add those few to the next batch.
works great!
 
KiowaRd said:
For pennies, a single drop of Dawn is all that's needed, try to use the smallest drop you can squeeze out. An hour in the tumbler is long enough to get them plenty clean enough for the banks coin machine.

I found this recipe for clad a while back and really like it. The recipe calls for two tablespoons of salt. I don't measure it and probably only put in one tablespoon, then fill about 3/4 full of plain white vinegar. Shake well, tumble for 20 minutes then shake again and finish with another 20 minutes. That's really all the time they need.

Forgot to mention that I will put a small layer of aquarium gravel then a layer of coins then repeat, layer after layer. Don't know if that's necessary but works well for me.
Click to expand...
yes this works great . I used to do this and my coins came out almost new but it will eat up your metal tumbler making it not cost effective for me.
 
garviso8 said:
yes this works great . I used to do this and my coins came out almost new but it will eat up your metal tumbler making it not cost effective for me.
Click to expand...

Not a problem with the HF tumbler, no metal touches the solution, just some stiff rubber.
 
KiowaRd said:
I found this recipe for clad a while back and really like it. The recipe calls for two tablespoons of salt. I don't measure it and probably only put in one tablespoon, then fill about 3/4 full of plain white vinegar. Shake well, tumble for 20 minutes then shake again and finish with another 20 minutes. That's really all the time they need.

Forgot to mention that I will put a small layer of aquarium gravel then a layer of coins then repeat, layer after layer. Don't know if that's necessary but works well for me.
Click to expand...

This is EXACTLY what I do too.. sometimes I will add just a tab bit of CLR as well.

this recipe is very quick
 
I use aquarium gravel, water and a couple of caps of clr on clad and aquarium gravel, water and a couple of caps of kaboom on pennies. Tumble of 10 or 15 minutes. Too much clr or kaboom will cause the tumbler to pop open.
 
I posted in the CLEANING section before. There is NO need to tumble for hours on end and use all kinds of media. Its not a beauty contest. I simply put coins in, fill with water, 2 tablespoons regular salt and a few splashes of CLR. Tumble 20-30 mins and your done. They come out just fine to return to bank or coin machines.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

TundraPlugger
Jesus, what a hunt! 3 old silvers and my first old gold ring!
2
Replies
20
Views
275
DIG5050
D
metaladdict
Been a while..
Replies
1
Views
71
Leave-No-Coins-Behind
Leave-No-Coins-Behind
60streeter
BUCKET LISTER BUCKLE
Replies
6
Views
160
BuckHill
B
WyoTom
“Excelsior” In Wyoming?
Replies
5
Views
143
bottlecap4u
bottlecap4u
TundraPlugger
FEATURED 3 Indians and a Merc
Replies
12
Views
202
TundraPlugger
TundraPlugger
Back
Top Bottom