Glass beads for tumbling

[appliedtop]

Regardless of what others have said about using glass beads for tumbling I have had very good luck and good results from using them. I have tumbled all different types of bottles, different colors and the results have been great. I will take some before and after shots. Here is a picture of a Smiths Green Mountain Renovator that I just removed. It had a medium to light haze with some scratching on it. Looks like new now although the pics might not show it as the lighting wasn't too good here in rainy Washington State. I bought a 10# bag of glass beads for $20 which is enough for two 4-inch canisters. It is much lighter than copper so it may take a bit longer but with cut copper now at $7 per pound it was a huge savings. It takes about 45# of copper for the same 2 canisters. That is over $300 compared to $20.

 

[appliedtop]

Another shot.

 

[Bottleman]

I don’t know if I would trust using glass on glass but it seemed to work out aright for you. I am just curious how big the beads are too. Can you take a picture of a coin with the beads sprinkled around it so I can get an idea of what size they are?

Thanks, Tom

 

[zanes_antiques]

I myself would like to see more of what's in the display cabinet! Sweet! I'm going to have to mention those beads to my brother. He's got a tumbler. I wonder if crushing your own glass would work also maybe you can save even more money by using scrap?

 

[capsoda]

Hey Scott, you using blasting glass or something else? Where do you get them?

 

[appliedtop]

I attached a picture of the beads next to a penny. I get them from CR's Crafts (item #98013) and they are listed as 1.5 to 2mm which is approx. 1/16th inch I would guess. They are used for stuffing. $15 for 10 pounds which is about enough for 2 four inch canisters. I get my grit from a rock tumbling supply company called therockshed.com. They have all the grit you would need, other types of pellets or tumbling medium also. I was hesitant at first to try this but copper has went through the roof. I used scrap bottles and it worked so I have been getting more courageous and doing nicer bottles with good results. It does take a bit longer than copper. But I also think it isn't as abrasive because it's lighter.

 

[bottlediger]

thats awesome man, have ya had any problems with the glass at all?

 

[probe zilla]

have you tried using them with 1200 grit cutter, or just polish

 

[appliedtop]

So far no problems. I haven't used 1200 but I have used 1000 grit and then an aluminum oxide polish. So far great results. To tell you the truth I am much more comfortable using glass beads on more delicate thinner glass bottles mainly because the weight of the medium is so much less than copper. As a kid growing up I always had a rock tumbler. Of course in them you have rock on rock with the various grit so I always wondered why one couldn't tumble bottles with glass on glass. After all it's the grit and polish that does the work and the medium is just the carrier of the grit and polish. So far OK. I'll do a before and after shot when I get my latest bottles out of the tumbler.

 

[Bottleman]

Thanks for the excellent close-up picture of the beads!! They are much smaller than I imagined and if you are having good luck with them keep doing what you are doing.

~~Tom