tumbled bottles have a frosty look

digger mcdirt · Nov 27, 2005

lately i have noticed that some of my tumbled bottles have got a frosty look. i notice it mainly on sodas or aqua bottles. i tumble them with 1200 grit then use aluminum polish for a couple of days. after i take them out and wash them they look good then over the next day or so they have a frosty or smoke look to the glass. i have not noticed this on amber bottles but the thicker blob aqua sodas and aqua foods. any idea? would tin oxide or something else do better than aluminum on the aqua bottles? thanks dmd

tazmainiendigger · Nov 27, 2005

DMD, welcome to the forum! I have been tumbling for sometime now and also have run into that problem, try cerium oxide, it is a "soft" glass polish. When my copper was new I also experienced a similar situation, time seemed to solve that one! Tin Oxide as you had mentioned is a "hard glass" polish the recommended use being post 1900 clear glass, some cobalts and occasionally ambers.Try a little less polish and some extra water and a little less copper. I use straight ammonia after I take the bottle out of the tumbler and have rinsed it in cool water, then pour in 2-4 oz. give it a shake and gentle swab with a soft brush, after swishing I pour it into the next bottle to be rinsed or on a sponge and give the outside a good washing. Oher folks who tumble on the forum use muriatic acid or toliet bowl cleaner. I have not tried them yet but they swear by it... Nothing like seeing a sickly bottle clean up like new again! Happy tumbling! Taz

Bottle tumbler · Nov 29, 2005

I use muratic acid mixed with water and dawn soap to wash my bottles after they are tumbled, And i have ran into the frosting to. I am working on an amber hutch and the inside is just a pain in the neck. I have it in for the 3rd time. i wshed my copper real good to remove any 1200 that may be stuck to the copper in the same wash for the bottles. it eats the oxide right off. wash it real good to remove any trace of soap.
all i can say is make sure your copper is not dirty with cutter, leave it in longer to polish filpping it every 24 hours. I am leaving this amber one in for4 maybe 5 days.

rick

tumbled bottles have a frosty look

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