Neat little machine, and it seems to do quite a decent job. I also have a 15L ultra sonic, it's great for getting crap out of little nooks and crannies that you otherwise can't reach with a brush. It can sometimes be harsh to things with an applied surface, like paint, bluing, or (as I found out the hard way) the anti-glare coating on eye glasses, it mainly will find any chip in the surface and bubble up under it. Just a heads up if you didn't already know.
They make polishing compounds for use with tumbling media like the Lyman you’re using. Looks similar to Brasso (and Brasso may work) that will bring a mirror polish. I reload and the Lyman media with a squirt of polish compound makes a beautiful finish to cartridge brass.
hello keith. if you want to use steel media or ceramics for polishing, let it run slow and use water with a good amount of dishsoap. clean the steel media (empty run) with water and non bleaching laundry detergent (tablespoon) for half an hour directly after each run and give it a good rinse afterwards. !!! never mix different alloys on one run !!! the more copper in the alloy, the more residues you'll get on the materials ( that's one big problem with surface compacting polishing ). the same problem occurs with aluminum... (try to avoid pure copper or aluminium in the steel compound, it's always a bloody mess to get the compond clean) the minimum volumetric ratio is 5-1 for soft alloys or 8-1 for harder alloys (5 compound - 1 workpiece ) but the drum should be minimum 1/3 filled with compound and the waterlevel should be 1cm or 0,4 inch above the compound. clean all workpieces from abrasives, dirt, oxydation or oil before polishing, residues get compacted into the surface of the workpiece and mess up your compound! pro tip - you can mix the compound (balls,pins and lenses) to get better results (the steel balls won't get in sharp angles). have patience on the runtime, some hard materials can take up to 8 hours for a fine polish. if you use dry compounds like walnut, make sure it doesn't impact on the material (choose the level of compound high enough that it flows over the surface). it's not rocket science, the rest is learning by doing...😁 i hope this will help you to get perfect results...
add barrel brite to your tumbler, great video thanks... Did you make the nextpart in this series about the melting belt? Mymachine gets very hot too,I installed a blow through fan to cool the electrics in the box,it needs it... take the bottom cover off and youll see what I mean !! thanks
I used to use car paint cut and polish liquid on my rifle brass , just squirt some in , run for 20 min to distribute it and let it dry . I would like to try some glass bead or Garnett sandblasting media - might be better on really tarnished stuff.
If you do a little research on the reloading bullets uses and materials it should be great for your uses as well. There is a lemon based cleaner that is quite popular. You can use that in your ultrasonic as well. Place your parts in a glass jar with the lemon cleaner at whatever concentration then place that sealed in the ultrasonic.
Try pinesol (or other similar cleaner) in your ultrasonic cleaner. Cleans off grease like a beast and isn't as dangerous/corrosive/expensive as the "correct" stuff
Have used a very similar unit for polishing gem stones where it had to run for 5 to 7 days at a time. I think you may be worried to much about the motor. Mine did have a rubber coated steel drum.
If you want a mirror shine for bearing surfaces or whatnot, squirt a little Brasso into the walnut media before running. It's what I do for my reloaded shells and makes them look brand new.
Neat little machine, and it seems to do quite a decent job. I also have a 15L ultra sonic, it's great for getting crap out of little nooks and crannies that you otherwise can't reach with a brush.
It can sometimes be harsh to things with an applied surface, like paint, bluing, or (as I found out the hard way) the anti-glare coating on eye glasses, it mainly will find any chip in the surface and bubble up under it. Just a heads up if you didn't already know.
How is there a two month old comment on a 6 hour old video?
@@watchtherocks12 probably because the video was on Keith's Patreon for some time before it has been made public on UA-cam - only a guess.
You achieved your goal...Getting the belt to fail. A tumbler and ultrasonic cleaner are great things to have in the shop.
They make polishing compounds for use with tumbling media like the Lyman you’re using. Looks similar to Brasso (and Brasso may work) that will bring a mirror polish. I reload and the Lyman media with a squirt of polish compound makes a beautiful finish to cartridge brass.
Works a lot better than my vibro polisher. Ultrasonic baths will work a treat for you.
Thanks for sharing! I am interested in those tumbkers, thank you for featuring them.
nice little machine, I use a old JOBO paper drum and Durst motor roller from my darkroom for polishing.
hello keith. if you want to use steel media or ceramics for polishing, let it run slow and use water with a good amount of dishsoap. clean the steel media (empty run) with water and non bleaching laundry detergent (tablespoon) for half an hour directly after each run and give it a good rinse afterwards. !!! never mix different alloys on one run !!! the more copper in the alloy, the more residues you'll get on the materials ( that's one big problem with surface compacting polishing ). the same problem occurs with aluminum... (try to avoid pure copper or aluminium in the steel compound, it's always a bloody mess to get the compond clean) the minimum volumetric ratio is 5-1 for soft alloys or 8-1 for harder alloys (5 compound - 1 workpiece ) but the drum should be minimum 1/3 filled with compound and the waterlevel should be 1cm or 0,4 inch above the compound. clean all workpieces from abrasives, dirt, oxydation or oil before polishing, residues get compacted into the surface of the workpiece and mess up your compound! pro tip - you can mix the compound (balls,pins and lenses) to get better results (the steel balls won't get in sharp angles). have patience on the runtime, some hard materials can take up to 8 hours for a fine polish. if you use dry compounds like walnut, make sure it doesn't impact on the material (choose the level of compound high enough that it flows over the surface). it's not rocket science, the rest is learning by doing...😁 i hope this will help you to get perfect results...
add barrel brite to your tumbler, great video thanks... Did you make the nextpart in this series about the melting belt?
Mymachine gets very hot too,I installed a blow through fan to cool the electrics in the box,it needs it... take the bottom cover off and youll see what I mean !! thanks
Yes, I made a video with an O ring belt fitted. It's been fine ever since.
I used to use car paint cut and polish liquid on my rifle brass , just squirt some in , run for 20 min to distribute it and let it dry .
I would like to try some glass bead or Garnett sandblasting media - might be better on really tarnished stuff.
If you do a little research on the reloading bullets uses and materials it should be great for your uses as well. There is a lemon based cleaner that is quite popular. You can use that in your ultrasonic as well. Place your parts in a glass jar with the lemon cleaner at whatever concentration then place that sealed in the ultrasonic.
Try pinesol (or other similar cleaner) in your ultrasonic cleaner. Cleans off grease like a beast and isn't as dangerous/corrosive/expensive as the "correct" stuff
Have used a very similar unit for polishing gem stones where it had to run for 5 to 7 days at a time. I think you may be worried to much about the motor. Mine did have a rubber coated steel drum.
Have you tried stainless pins, water and citric acid crystals? I use it on my brass ammo and it works wonders.
If you want a mirror shine for bearing surfaces or whatnot, squirt a little Brasso into the walnut media before running. It's what I do for my reloaded shells and makes them look brand new.
You need to connect the tumbler to a stuart 5a...
Walnut shell is glass safe I remember seeing on some Discovery program that airports use it for cleaning the Runway lights.
Check your parts to see if they lost any weight, by weighing them Before & After the Polishing Process!
youd need an incredibly expensive set of scales to do that !
Well it does seem to do a good job, and the time you save can be used else where in the shop! Or in the music room!
My point exactly }:-)))
Not wanting to ask a stupid question, but shouldn't the barrel turn a lot slower?
It seems to be best on speed number #2 as the media hits the parts at a higher speed and more frequently.
@@keithappleton ok, thanks
Sorry Keith but the Syphon looks like one of ours(mamod)
Looks like the same belt that is used on sewing machines
No, it is a Silicone 'Steam Grade" piston ring.