tumbling question

[AntiqueMeds]

I havent fooled around with it much yet but it should be something you can do.
THe tricky part is you have to illuminate the glass with polarized light.
In a lab this would be done with a laser. If you have a laser point great. If not you can use an LCD computer monitor set to just show a blank white screen. LCDs are polarized so the light will be polarized.
Put the bottle in front of the screen and look at it with a polarizing filter. Polarized glasses might work but a peice of polarizing filter would be better.

Here is an example ...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/alfredolouro/3776194149/

 

[druggistnut]

Hey Dan,
Try this. Instead of pouring half a bottles worth of copper in, just put a "string" of copper in. It should be no wider than your index finger. Use the normal amount of polisher. If it is bad enough to cut, do that first. Rotate the bottle after 2 days, run it the other way.
Let me know if you still get the cloudiness. Try it on a bottle that shows the cloudiness, already.
I think some glass is way too soft and the weight of all the copper causes miniscule chips, which is your cloudiness. The ribbon of copper makes contact and polishes, without the weight.
Bill

 

[druggistnut]

Followup-
The reason this was tried is because I can use the exact same copper on glass like a milk bottle (manufactured in machines and also much harder) and it does not leave the cloudiness. That leads one to believe dirty copper isn't always the answer.
Bill

 

[judu]

hey bill, do you mean that i just need to use a little bit of copper , dont fill the bottle up?...i should still fill the bottle up to the shoulder with water, right?...

 

[druggistnut]

Yes Dan,
Use the same amount of water but cut back dramatically on the copper.
Bill

 

[andy volkerts]

ORIGINAL: chosi

Probably yes.



When I use 1500 Grit (a less coarse cutter), I find that if I just let it go for 3 or 4 days, I don't need a 2nd tumble.  The Jar Doctor claims that 1500 Grit will start out as a cutter for the first 24 hours and then end up as a polisher.  That doesn't seem to work for everybody, but it almost always works out for me.

The 1500 works well for me also I feel that it is the best all around, safest grit to use, as bottles are not all the same hardness, the 1500 is the best, the other major variable is time in the tumbler, speed and direction all helpful, you have to take notes and start on worthless examples till you get acceptable results before cleaning-polishing a $300.oo dollar or more bottle........

 

[JarDoctor]

Bill is correct that if it is soft glass sometimes copper will cause pitting - only on soft glass and the ribbon trick will solve that. The way to tell the difference is - is the cloudiness only on the sides and not on the base. If that is the case, the ribbon trick will work. If not, you do need to run with the aluminum or 1500 to polish the frosting left by the 1200.

 

[RICKJJ59W]

I should have used the "jar Doctor" then I still would have my AWESOME bottle that Rick Lease broke. broke broke busted