Recent content by Merle

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  1. Merle

    Tumbling Before and After photos

    I’ve been tumbling so many bottles I’ve quit taking pictures unless it’s something special. I’ve done a few really rare ones here lately and wanted to share this one
  2. Merle

    Opinions Requested

    It’s almost like having another job. I was splitting it up between days but load on Sunday’s and can unload Friday after I get off work. I’ve been doing a lot of bartering so my collection has come a long way the last year and a half that I’ve had these machines. I’m loving it
  3. Merle

    Opinions Requested

    Very cool, I have 2 homemade machines. One does 7 the other does 4 and I have a real jar doctor machine that does 6. I still have yet to clean all my personal collection. I have a couple guys that bring stuff weekly and only get to sneak in one of mine here or there.
  4. Merle

    Opinions Requested

    Roy, did you make all your own tubes and stopples for your machine you built? The first tumbler I purchase was homemade and the guy cut his own tubes and made his own stopples. They were hard to use so I bought all jar doctors material. It was like buying a whole new machine by the time I was...
  5. Merle

    Opinions Requested

    I take the stoppers out too when I tumble bottles. I’ve come up with a system where I’m usually able to save the stopper if the person wants it back or I have replacements for the ones that don’t make it. I agree a 2 day polish would shine those babies right up.
  6. Merle

    Tumbling Before and After photos

    This one turned out pretty good too
  7. Merle

    Tumbling Before and After photos

    Added a super rare St. Louis soda to the collection. MAASS & SCHISLER. Might be the rarest one I have so far
  8. Merle

    Light scratches and scuffs

    I was talking with jar doctor and he said some guys are using buffing wheels and polish compounds. It sounded very complicated and I’ve only been tumbling bottles for a little over a year so was gonna perfect it all the way before I learn something new
  9. Merle

    Tumbling Before and After photos

    That’s like night and day difference. Hope you didn’t pay to much. I bought one off a online that had been dipped and I did overpay. I didn’t notice til I tumbled and was mad as can be. Would have never known if I wouldn’t have thrown in the tumbler
  10. Merle

    Hey guys, any body ever seen this iron pontiled barrel shaped beer or brewery bottle from Belleville Illinois? Can only find reference to the brewery

    There’s one for sale on eBay right now. 4 hrs left. I spent 75.00 on mine and looks like it gonna sale for al lot less than I paid
  11. Merle

    Dr Beers

    I just cleaned another version of this bottle for a friend of mine. It just had LEK and the town name. That’s so cool
  12. Merle

    How do I clean bottle Sickness?

    Before I got my tumbler I put a little vegetable oil on my hands and rubbed it in and worked it into the bottle. It looked good but collected the dust bad. I got tired of having to wash them off and redo so I had to make the jump to start cleaning my stuff
  13. Merle

    Two new dumps

    If you go to the show in Belleville in November look me up. I’ll be advertising my bottle cleaning business and set up with my dad. I hate getting rid of anything but been coming across allot of bottles on trade for cleaning others. My wife won’t let me keep them all so I sale and have money to...
  14. Merle

    Two new dumps

    I’m on the other side of the river in Madison county. St. Louis bottles are my #1 priority in my personal collection. I still have a few dumps over here but can’t find any St. Louis blobs at any of them.
  15. Merle

    Two new dumps

    What area you digging? Looks like you live in the same area as I do
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