About to order a tumbler. So how about some tips?

adshepard · Oct 25, 2006

I'll be ordering a tumbler in the next day or two from the JARDOCTOR and I've read many of the tumbling posts here. What I'd like to hear from you long time tumblers is your best tips for the new tumbler.

Thanks in advance for all responses.

Alan

stinger haut · Oct 26, 2006

It sounds as though your not sure about what you want and need in a tumbler. If so, I would wait a bit longer to purchase your tumbler.
Wayne Lowery is the JarDoctor and if you can spend sometime talking to him about what you want and need in a tumbler, he would be happy to help you before ordering from him.
Otherwise, please give us more information on what your going to be tumbling, how much, etc.
Stinger

adshepard · Oct 26, 2006

ORIGINAL: stinger haut
Wayne Lowery is the JarDoctor and if you can spend sometime talking to him about what you want and need in a tumbler, he would be happy to help you before ordering from him.
Stinger

Wayne has already worked up what he believes I need. He's great to work with, very helpful.

Most of the bottles I'll be tumbling will be older soda-type bottles circa 1850 to 1900. I'm just looking for those little hints and ideas that the veteran tumblers have learned and picked up along the way which would help someone that is new to tumbling.

Thanks,

Alan

stinger haut · Oct 27, 2006

Well adshepard,
Good to hear you talked to Wayne, he knows his stuff when it comes to tumbling.
First of all, everyone has their own little ways of tumbling and in time you will too.
Sodas are easy to tumble in the sense they usaully tuff bottles, not easy to break. Bad thing is that they are usually dinged up from reuse.
Start out with cheap bottles, it'll give you easy way of practicing with different polishes, cutting oxides, etc.
Size up a bottle before you buy or tumble it. Watch for shallow bubbles, cracks, you tumble those and you may end up with a damaged bottle.
Watch you RPM's, the more delicate, thin walled, etc. slow down those RPM's.
Turn your canisters around daily or half way through your tumbling cycle, so that you'll have an even cleaning of the embossing and the bottle itself.
Tighten down your stopple so the bottle doesn't get loose, but then don't over tighten it either.
Those are some start up things to do, when you have more tumbling time, you'll probably be asking more questions.
Wayne will send you basic tumbling instructions, read them, they're useful.
Stinger

capsoda · Oct 27, 2006

Stinger Pretty well covered it. I always tumble slow but I know some people tumble on high all the time. I don't try to tumble crakced or damaged bottles. Find your own pace and experiment with cutting and polishing compounds until you find what you want.

adshepard · Oct 28, 2006

Woohoo! Wayne (the Jar Doctor) is shipping my tumbler on Monday! Once I get it set up I'll post some before and after shots of my "test" bottles. Should they turn out successfully I'll then tumble the good stuff.

Alan

capsoda · Oct 29, 2006

Like waitin for Santa Claus aint it......[

]

Humabdos · Nov 5, 2006

Hi Alan

I'm thinking of getting a tumbler too and was wondering what the whole set up cost you. Also are you happy with it?
Glen

adshepard · Nov 9, 2006

The entire system cost me just under $650 with shipping. It's set to arrive on 11/13 according to UPS and the USPS. Wayne (the Jardoctor) is extremely helpful and given how highly everyone recommends him I'm sure I'll be satisfied with the system.

Alan

adshepard · Nov 15, 2006

Okay bottle number one is in the hopper!

Got everything put together and have loaded the first bottle. In a few days I'll know the result.

Thanks to the Jar Doctor and all those that helped make it possible.

Alan

About to order a tumbler. So how about some tips?

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