Cutting Time

T D · Apr 3, 2013

I was reading back over all these posts and I wonder, does anyone think that the consistency of the cutter/polish/copper/water mix could be causing the frosting? Maybe how much water? How much copper? I know this subject may have been gone over in a previous post, but I'm wondering what others may say. I was fortunate to have a two guys with over 30 years experience each in tumbling guide me when I started. I have don't know if either has had a problem with frosting in the past. I'll try to remember to ask tomorrow...

andy volkerts · Apr 3, 2013

I dont feel that the consistency would matter much as I have used quite a few over the years, and have never experienced this haze or frosting effect, I have no idea of what could be causing it except maybe the softness of the glass, as different colors of glass and different glasshouse batches were of different softnesses.........also I dont overclean either, but I dont feel that is a problem, maybe not enough time running would cause the problem??

T D · Apr 4, 2013

This is a follow up of the mixture in my tumbler right now. I took the Squeeze out and put this Atlanta Koca Nola in with moderate sickness. I just took it out- so this is three days on a 20 day old 1200/polish mix with a 1/2 dose of 1200 added 5 days ago. This bottle is for my collection, so I'm completely happy with it. If I were tumbling for someone else, I probably would tumble for one day more (inside only) to get the faint sickness left in the neck. It just goes to show that there are probably a thousand different ways to tumble a bottle and mixtures to use-

chosi · Apr 5, 2013

That does look very clear for having been tumbled with 1200 Grit. So now you've got me currious. Do you mind if I ask some nosey questions to see if I can figure out what you're doing differently from me?

- Do you use tap water or bottled water?
- Is your water considered unusually "hard" or unusually "soft"
- Do you use copper?
- Do you fill the inside of the bottle half-way with copper (half-way being most easily determined by turning the bottle on it's side)?
- Do you put enough water in the bottle so that the water line is about 1/2 inch above the copper?
- Do you put about 3/4 tsp of 1200 Grit inside the bottle for an 8" tall soda bottle?
- Do you add anything else inside the bottle besides copper, water & 1200 Grit polish?
- Do you fill the outside of the bottle about half way with copper?
- Do you fill the outside of the bottle with water up to about 1/2 inch above the copper?
- Do you use about 1.5 tsp of 1200 Grit outside the bottle for an 8" tall soda bottle?
- Do you put anything else outside the bottle besides copper, water & 1200 Grit polish?
- Do you use a 4" diameter canister for an 8" tall soda bottle?
- Do you run at about 60 rotations-per-minute?

I can't think of anything else that might affect the outcome, other than the bottles themselves, but I do everything from iron-pontiled bottles to 50 year old crown-tops.

T D · Apr 6, 2013

Tap water, hard water sorta, copper, with the bottle on the side- half way or a hair more, fill the bottle slap full of water, 1/2 tsp and 1/2 tsp 1200/polish inside, same thing outside, and several variations on this theme on any size bottle, just depends on what the next bottle needs- sometimes I'll add more of either or both. Nothing else besides copper, powder, and water, the outside varies with water from almost full to a couple of inches under the top plug, 4 inch canister, yes about 60 RPM.

It sounds like the only real difference in our two methods (other than the make up of the water maybe) is the amount of water. I really don't think the amount of powder is the big variable here. Even though I start out with 1 tsp inside and 1 tsp outside, I usually add to it. I will generally change everything when it gets so gooey it will barely pour out of the bottle. Then I'll clean the copper and canister and start over.

T D · Apr 6, 2013

By the way, I left everything just like it was and put a bottle with very mild sickness in it and I am going to check it tomorrow evening (2 days).

chosi · Apr 6, 2013

I think I missunderstood this earlier -
you use 1/2 tsp of 1200 Grit, and also 1/2 tsp of Aluminum Oxide polish?

That could be the key difference - I just use the 1200 Grit when I'm trying to get sickness off a bottle.

T D · Apr 6, 2013

Generally- but like I said, I do variations off of this. Sort of like country cooking, add some of this some of that...all depends on what the bottle looks like... but I have used just 1200 and gotten the same results.

bamabottles · Apr 8, 2013

I have tumbled hundreds of embossed and a handful of acls. Many will come out looking good with only 1200 grit, and those have harder glass. The very worst case of sickness can generally be handled by 2 days in 1200 grit. Majority of cases, though, can be handled with 24 hours of 1200 plus 3 days of alum oxide OR if light sickness then 5 days with 1500 grit. BUT, and here is the difference between my methods and methods of others... I have learned the hard way that it generally takes a good deal longer to get the insides clean than the outsides. So, I tumble inside only first. Those that tumble both inside and outside together are generally overcleaning the outside if they get the inside clean. Makes sense that the inside would have more stain than outside if you think about it... 100+ years of minerlized water getting into the inside during wet times and evaporating during dry times, many times each year, leaving the residual minerals inside... anyway, if sickness is inside, I put them in a 3 inch canister with 1200 grit and cork the top and spin for 4 days. Tried different lengths of time, but after taking them out after 2 or 3 and then having to re run it again, i have settled on 4 days inside. No such thing as overtumbling the inside anyway, so those that don't need 4 days aren't hurt. Probably only about 5 out of 100 will need more than 4 days, but there are a few that will still have faint stain. After inside, then either 24 hours of 1200 for full bottle and then 3 days alum oxide or if light stain then 5 days 1500. After polish, you will still have a very few that have a hazy appearance and that requires 1 more step due to very soft glass... but that is for another discussion.

T D · Apr 8, 2013

I definitely agree with you- I just do the reverse. I clean both for a shorter period of time, then, if the inside needs more, I do just the inside. Use the same canister, put a rag in the bottom, wrap the bottle (with stopper, duct tape, and mixture) in a towel, then take a dish towel (rag) and stuff it around the neck. Put regular stopple on top. Well my regular one- that is a discussion for another night...

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