Simple tumbling media?

[Kncaffrey]

Hi guys,

Does anyone have a recommendation on a very simple, low or no cost tumbling media? After searching, I have found that the most often used kinds are alum oxide (or something like that) and a ceramic material. I am doing this thing completely DIY (this board has been fantastic!) and was wondering what kind of very readily available substance might work, and what size chunks should it be? Thanks.

Kevin

 

[roakey]

I just used Aquarium rock -- "Super Naturals" Zebra rock (Available at Petsmart) for cleaning out a couple PST 104s, worked great though it took a little teasing to get it out, but not bad. Be sure you don't get epoxy coated aquarium rock, which makes up the vast majority of aquarium rock out there... To wash, I used clear glass marbles from Hobby Lobby.

I wll not use the marbles again, took 1/2 an hour of teasing them out of the 104s to get the 30-35 pounds of marbles out. But they did do an excellent job.

Roak

 

[PRL]

for steel go to your neighboors driveway with a shovel and get some gravel. I wouldnt use that on aluminum.

 

[Bob3]

Plain old crushed gravel, make sure it has the sharp edges (from crushing) & not the round stuff (aka pea gravel), which will take 5x longer.

 

[Snowbear]

I had some sandblasting sand left over from a big project last summer. It took a while (~ 3 hours per tank), but got the job done.

 

[Ontario Diver]

Proper media isn't really that expensive.

I use "White Lighting" Sandblasting sand if I just want a light job done. Only takes about 10 min. For more aggresive tumbling the Aluminum Oxide is the best. Granted it seems expensive (A 50lb box is over $100 cdn. ) It does the job like nobodies business.... well I guess it is my business.

If you use Aluminum Oxide, the experimentation is around getting a size big enough to do the job and small enough to get out. Having used marbles, gravel, nuts and bolts etc, the aluminum oxide did a better job in 15 min that the other materials did in 90-120 min. Oh and stay away from the aluminum oxide in the ceramic media.... the ceramic doesn't help at all and in fact slows down the process....and don't forget to use the stuff dry but rinse it out and dry it later.

good luck

 

[roakey]

Anyone have a line on glass beads (2-3mm)?

Roak

 

[SamDiver14]

What about Stainless ball bearings? Not that I am tumbling tanks, it is just an academic question.

 

[Zacrifice]

Why do you tumble a tank?
Remove paint?
Clean the inside of the tank of rust?

 

[Mako Mark]

DO NOT USE BEACH SAND!!!!!!!

The salt causes a weird reaction where a form of jelly like stuff forms.