Can I reuse cleaning oxides and polish in my tumbler?

[bottlediger]

I just picked up my new tumbler yesterday from Jar doc! I am very pleased have have 3 bottles going right now. I am using the 1500 cutter that turns into polish after 24 hrs. I was wondering If I could just take the (glass beads) i am not using copper and the polish that is in the canaster and leave it in there when the first bottle is done and put in a new dirty bottle with the polish from the last bottle? Thanks

Ry

 

[Gunsmoke47]

No. Clean your glass beads or copper, or whatever you are using (and clean it very well) with water, NO Soap! then put in fresh compound. Kelley

 

[tombstone]

I have recycled in this manner and have had no problems. However, if your bottles aren't completely free of dirt you might contaminate the solution and cause micro scratches on your next bottle. The safest bet is do as gunsmoke advised and completely clean your media every time.

 

[bottlediger]

thanks guys I just thought it would save a ton of time without having to clean the canasters and beads and save money reusing the oxides. Thanks again

Ry

 

[Gunsmoke47]

It would save time Ry, and it is a pain in the butt to clean up after every tumble but it is best to do it. That's why people who tumble for others get paid $15.00-$20.00 a bottle.[] It's a pain. I have never used glass beads, put if you don't clean copper (really well), you will contaminate it and shorten it's life span considerably. Have you priced copper lately?[&o] Just my opinion, Kelley

 

[towhead]

In the agate tumbling world, it is not advisable to attempt to reuse grit, because it pretty much wears down. So what was once coarse grit would then be-maybe-fine grit....[&o]