Question about finds after cleaning and any tips for using a tumbler.

[Lt.Dan]

Quick question for you experienced tumblers.... I reload ammo for competitive shooting matches and we clean the brass cases that are collected from the ground after a match is over. We use a vibratory "tumbler" but it just vibrates ground corn cob with. few drops of nu finish car polish. Brass comes out clean and shiny after a few hours. Would this work well for non crusty, just stained clad I dig out of the mulch ground cover at tot lots? I could always give it a try but replacing the corn cobe media costs money and I dont want to ruin a batch just giving it whirl.

I didn't get very good results with corn cob. Of course you have lead concerns using the tumbler if you have used it a lot for brass cleaning. My stuff was all almost new, used it once for a little brass just to see how it worked. So I didn't have much concern. I'm thinking something a little more abrasive or a better cleaning solution. I just used the cob dry. Keep us posted if you find something that works well. TIA

 

[Clad grabber]

Just curious, but why so much effort cleaning clad? Are you looking for key date coins or are you trying to tidy them up to spend?

I dont get a huge amount of clad, but those coins I do get, I give a basic clean and then use them in vending machines ect...if I needed to, I could bag them up and exchange them for clean coins at the bank...

The reason is that they are really dirty and/or rust covered. They would not make it through a bank change machine uncleaned and yeah I could probably spend them in a vending machine but I don't really use any vending machines at this point in my life.

 

[diggin4clad]

First, tumble the clad in water and gravel with a small amount of dish soap for about 30 minutes. Then soak and shake them in gravel with salt and vinegar. After rinsing them, tumble them again in plain water for an hour. You can put the pennies in with the other coins in the first and third step but don't soak them in the salt and vinegar.

 

[~Alan~]

As has been said on here many times before. If you have a find with any potential value, and you intend to try to sell it,
don't clean it.