Stainless steel shot issue

Chipk

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Mar 18, 2013
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Jacksonville / Yulee Florida
I do a lot of tumbling and have always used aquarium gravel. When I do a load of clad I take the tumbler outside and drop everything into a colander and run the hose over it to remove the dirt and trash. Then I pick out the coins and drop the gravel into a container for reuse.

Well I’ve seen posts about using stainless steel shot so I bought some and used it yesterday. First I wasn’t particularly impressed by the results as it didn’t seem to be as good as the gravel. But before I dumped it into the colander I realized it would all fall through the holes and I would have lost a $20 investment. I got a magnet and collected as much as possible but realized it was labor intensive compared to gravel. It was a challenge scraping it off of a strong magnet.

So how do you salvage the SS shot?is there a larger grade? Any suggestions will be helpful
 
Get a classifier of the right size holes and shake it out over a towel or similar...

<°)))>{
 
You could drape an old towel inside the colander. The water would still run through but not the shot.
 
I made a basket out of 1/2" hardware cloth, it's about 7" x 7" x 7". When done tumbling, just put the basket in a plastic tub and dump the coins and media into the basket. A little shaking and everything falls through except the coins. Rinse well.
 

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I made a basket out of 1/2" hardware cloth, it's about 7" x 7" x 7". When done tumbling, just put the basket in a plastic tub and dump the coins and media into the basket. A little shaking and everything falls through except the coins. Rinse well.

That works just like....... A beach scoop...

If you don't hunt beaches, Mick's idea is perfect...

<°)))>{
 
I do something similar to Mick but didn't have any wire mesh on hand so just drilled a bunch of 3/8" holes in a 2 liter pop bottle and cut the top off. Works fine for me.
 
nylon window screen or heavy gage cheese cloth over your collinder
 
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I use a wire basket myself and hopefully you filled your tumbler with Water and a little liquid dish soap. (required) After pouring into the basket you them wash with a water hose and pur your steel media back into the tumbler.
 
I do a lot of tumbling and have always used aquarium gravel. When I do a load of clad I take the tumbler outside and drop everything into a colander and run the hose over it to remove the dirt and trash. Then I pick out the coins and drop the gravel into a container for reuse.

Well I’ve seen posts about using stainless steel shot so I bought some and used it yesterday. First I wasn’t particularly impressed by the results as it didn’t seem to be as good as the gravel. But before I dumped it into the colander I realized it would all fall through the holes and I would have lost a $20 investment. I got a magnet and collected as much as possible but realized it was labor intensive compared to gravel. It was a challenge scraping it off of a strong magnet.

So how do you salvage the SS shot?is there a larger grade? Any suggestions will be helpful

Never used the stuff, but I think you would have to be finding trunkloads of clad (and thus need a bigger tumbler anyway) to justify the expense. Most things I tumble get a first round with dish soap and water (no abrasives) and then a round with the appropriate media. I don't often tumble clad because I find so little, and my bank is very tolerant (they will open the bulk bag in the machine, throw my junky coins in, take out the appropriate number of 'clean' coins, and throw them through the machine again so my count is right.
 
I finally gave up on tumbling clad ...worked the ROI numbers...no advantage gained...I have a twin barrel Thumblers Tumbler my girls got me a few years back for Fathers day...I tried everything to max my clad find values, various secret soap recipes and grit amalgamations... finally gave up and settled on a modified version of a simple MudPuppy 'DumpNGobble'...

I put all my clad coins in a 16oz styrofoam coffee cup, when its about 3/4 full, I know I got @25 bucks at least..then I fill it with water from the window washing dispenser at the gas station while I'm gassing up...I shake it back and forth briskly like a James Bond martini making bartender...pour off the mud and grass, spill the the coins out on the hood of my car for the water to run off and to dry somewhat, do a count, take a picture for a post, and go inside to pay for my gas...

When I come out, all the coins are somewhat dry from the engine heat, and ready to dump...I then drive down the street to the Piggly Wiggly Coinstar, do a fast DumpNGobble, get my script, and buy myself some beer...!

See? Forget tumbling and straining! Multitasking with an immediate reward!:laughing:
 
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