Tumbler Media Vs Coin Ratio?

[Martin_V3i]

What is the ideal ration of media(rocks-gravel) to coins? Would it be half and half? I've seen a Utube video where there was seemingly very little gravel added. That didn't seem quite right so I thought I would ask the question. I am running a short batch of quarters and dimes right now and chose to do a 50-50 load, but let's say it was a third full of coins to start before adding media. Is one mix ideal? martin

[skeeterbait]

i have no idea either im just using a couple dozen small pebbles from my driveway to a handful of clad drop of dish soap and covered with water aint trying to get my clad spotless just grimless seems to be working let em roll for bout a hr at a time i really cant see why some guys let em sit in there 6 or so hours just to spend em not me sorry

[firewxman]

Martin, I have found that a "handful" of gravel works just fine! The best way to clean your coins is to try to replicate the "tumbling" of a wave, so don't overfill!
I usually place ~20 coins in the drum and the "handful" of gravel and water. All combined, the drum is less than 40% full.

Hope this helps!

[scout23]

You want 57 grains of gravel for each coin, I know it stinks having to count them but it's worth it. Seriously though I use about a cup of water, tablespoon dawn, about 50/50 on coins to gravel.

[Joe Z]

I've only had my tumbler for a short while and i never fill it more than 1/2 way with the following... 1/4 coins and 1/4 aquarium gravel one tablespoon detergent and a dash of white vinegar and fill with water to just below the rock/mix (sounds like a salad LOL) and it weighs about three pounds and they say to never go over five pounds...... the coins come out really nice after about six hours of tumbling.
Joe

[Bonesquat]

Why use media? I just throw my clad in and let the coins hit eachother. Works extremely well. Makes them a nice dull grey color and completely dirt free and spendable. I hate separating coins from gravel. Try it out sometime. Add a touch of soup with water and you're good to go.

[scout23]

Easy way to separate is use your beach scoop under a water hose, very fast and rinses coins too

[Bonesquat]

Originally Posted by scout23

Easy way to separate is use your beach scoop under a water hose, very fast and rinses coins too

What if there are no beaches within 200 miles and you don't have a beach scoop or want to go outside and get wet every time you tumble because it might be super hot - or cold or raining or might have killer wasps trying to attack you?

[Jressman]

I use aquarium gravel, but it's a pain to separate coin from gravel. I use my ProPointer to see if I left any coins behind.

[Jason in Enid]

You don't need a lot of gravel, maybe 1/4 gravel compared to the coins. What makes the most difference is NOT overloading the barrel. There has to be plenty of room for the coins and gravel to actually tumble. Filling more than 1/2 the barrel will really start to slow down the cleaning.

[skeeterbait]

yup a dozen or so of these done the trick for what i needed to get done no problems and it was free to bad the soap wasnt LOL but ya im happy with it and im up to $63 in clad in 7 weeks aint bad plus my $80 gold braclet im liking this hobby !

[sllingshot47]

John-Edmonton showed pics of coins tumbled without anything but the coins and they turned out great. I actually take a plastic bottle (gatorade) and shake them with some kind of cleaner if they aren't too bad with good results. Good enough for the retailers to accept. And just like the tumblers, the key is leaving enough "sloshing" room inside for the wave action to work.

[dogpound]

i use a garrett gold pan classifier and pan to seperate the coins from the gravel, works great

[Martin_V3i]

I have learned so very interesting things here. Thanks. Martin

[skeeterbait]

i just tried a batch w/o my media and theres no difference so now i took it out i can add more clad cause i have alot to go before my coinstar run!

[fishnnut]

I put in about a handfull of non colored aquarium gravel (wallmart or petstore)
about 1.5 lbs. of clad,a few drops Dawn dishsoap,enough warm water to cover up the mixture... maybe total about 1/2 of barrel or a little more and let tumble a few hours and they should be good. Don't want to overload the barrel.... Good luck

[Joe Z]

Originally Posted by dogpound

i use a garrett gold pan classifier and pan to seperate the coins from the gravel, works great

That's a great idea ..... I have one of those garrett classifiers and never thought of it.
Joe

[Martin_V3i]

Originally Posted by skeeterbait

i just tried a batch w/o my media and theres no difference so now i took it out i can add more clad cause i have alot to go before my coinstar run!

It sure would be easier to just have the coins and not the rocks. Maybe we make life harder than it needs to be sometimes. martin

[Jason in Enid]

Originally Posted by skeeterbait

i just tried a batch w/o my media and theres no difference so now i took it out i can add more clad cause i have alot to go before my coinstar run!

Then you were using WAY too much media. If you are using the right type of media, it makes the cleaning much faster than nothing at all. The hardness of the quartz is a lot higher the the hardness of the metal.