Alternative to Tumbling or Busted?

[Maine Digger]

I was visiting the home office of the company I work for and they were showing off a new piece of equipment used to clean the inner clockworks of fire alarm masterboxes. It's an immersion sytem that uses sonics and detergent; the inner workings of some of the clockworks have glass plates attached that clean up nicely without damage. Would an antique bottle fare likewise? Another device we use for small parts is filled with minced walnut shells; the unit vibrates and rotates horizontally slowly - hmmm?

 

[grdigger35]

I can just imagine the price tag!

 

[BRIAN S.]

Norm ,
I have talked to a old time collector here in Tenn. several years back that claims he had a bottle cleaner that used Black Walnut shells . And he said it worked better than the modern tumblers. I wonder if it could be like your machine or of the same type ?
I haven't seen him in a couple of years as he has Alzhiemers I heard at a Show awhile back.
If you do a little experimenting..............let us know how it turns out !
Brian

 

[Maine Digger]

The walnut shell unit is similar in appearence to a lab centrifuge, that is like a tire laying on its side. I'm thinking now that the ultrasonic unit might prove hazardous to old glass, but the walnut shells is really intriguing. I think I'll jury-rig a setup with the walnut shells; just think you can eat the walnut meat which is very healthy, and use the waste byproduct (shells) to clean your bottles giving them that nice healthy glow too...[]

 

[BRIAN S.]

Norm ,
If my memory serves me right......... I believe he said that he also used a very small handful of copper (same as used in the modern tumblers ) in with the walnut shells.
He said it was cheap to build and cheap to operate and performed well.
I wished I would have taken a trip to his house to see Mr. Hale's invention. I may try to contact his Wife and see how he is doing health wise and maybe get some info.
I would also be a little leary of the sonic machine..... Old glass can be very touchy as you know . I wouldn't put my best glass in it !!! Keep us informed Norm on any experimentation and its outcome !!!! Brian

 

[Ye Olde Prospector]

When tumbling gemstones and minerals I used to add a handfull of small broken wallnut shells in all stages from course grind to polishing. They help cushion the stones while tumbling. Also help grind and polish irregularities in the tumbled stones. In a bottle tumbler I would guess they would help cushion the copper as well as in polishing would help get embossings (Irregularities) polished sooner. I always used new shells in polishing as you wouldn't want any stray carbide grit in the polishing stage.
Cliff

 

[IRISH]

Wallnut shells on their own won't polish glass due to nothing in the shells being even near the hardness of the glass, it will clean the bottles well though. Nut shells are used by a lot of reloaders to polish brass rifle shells without taking brass off. A bit of Cerium Oxide mixed in will will probably do a great job though.