Tumbling with Ceramic Pellets

[chosi]

Using a coarse polish will cause what I refer to as "frostiness", because on a clear bottle it resembles a "frosty mug" taken out of a freezer. I think the frostiness can make a shade of green either look darker or lighter, depending on what shade of green you started with. If that's what's going on here, then indeed a follow-up tumble with a finer polish should restore the color. Another possibility is that the black foamy substance that often appears during tumbling may have stuck to the glass. That happens to me sometimes, and it definitely makes the bottle look darker. If that is the cause, what I find works best is to soak it breifly in a product called "Lime-a-way" to remove the stains from the foam.

 

[lblackvelvet]

Thanks Chosi, I feel that there was still some compound inside the bottle causing the bottle to look a shade darker as you stated. I didn't spend a lot of time cleaning the bottle as I was changing the compound to 3-micron aluminum oxide for 2 days to finish tumble. All the bottles I have tumbled to date with the ceramic pellets were so ugly scratched, nicked. and small chips everywhere. With the exception of the two bottles I used walnut shells on, They were just light wear, More of a polish than a tumble. I will post a picture of the King-Cola bottle tomorrow evening after I remove it. Hopefully I will achieve the same results as I did with the Lemon- Kola bottle. Thanks for all your help. Kevin...

 

[lblackvelvet]

Hi all, Here is a couple pictures of my King-Cola bottle after 24 hours tumbling with ceramic pellets and 1000 grit silicone carbide. Next step was 72 hours with 1500 grit silicone carbide and # 12 copper. The last tumble was with 3-micron and copper for 48 hrs. This bottle had quite a bit of case wear and several small flea bites that were removed with the 1000 grit and ceramic pellets prior to using copper and two different compounds to obtain these results that I am pleased with. Thanks, Kevin....

 

[hemihampton]

Looks good. LEON.

 

[lblackvelvet]

Thanks Leon, You and several others have been a great help to me!!! Kevin....

 

[lblackvelvet]

Hello, I have a King Cola slug plate bottle with a lot of damage that I want to tumble but the letters in the slug plate were weak and I knew if I tried to remove the defects from this bottle it would remove more of the letters in the slug plate. So I experimented with a product called Eterna Bond which is a 60 mil peel and stick tape for roof repairs that I cut out a circle just larger than the slug plate and applied it over it and tumbled it with ceramic pellets and 1000 grit silicone carbide for 24 hrs. with no sign of wear or removal of the tape. It protected the slug plate well. I am going to tumble for another 24 hrs. with the ceramic and 1000 grit to remove more defects since the slug plate is not being compromised. I will keep you posted on further results. Thanks, Kevin....