Question about a tumbler

[Roscue2]

The tumbler in the photo below is a Vibratory Tumbler that is sold at Harbor Freight. We've had it for about a year, but it has never really cleaned the coins we put into it. All its ever done is bang the dirt off of the coins and then deposit it onto the tumblers walls. What I want to know is whether or not we can get the tumbler to actually make the coins somewhat "shiny" again. Does anyone own one of these?? If so, is there anything we can do to get it to clean the coins?????

Here's some info. on the tumbler and what we use in it:
1. The second photo shows the metal triangles and red, white, and blue aquarium gravel that we use to try and clean the coins. There is also some very small metal dust in the tumbler. Should we be using some other combination of materials???
2. I know there are other tumblers on the market that can use liquids to help clean the coins, but this one cannot use any liquids whatsoever.
3. One of the things I have realized that my dad is doing is mixing the pennies with all the rest of the clad. Does this matter since there are no liquids involved?????

Any advice would be much appreciated.

 

[teleman2525]

my tumbler cost 60bucks from local hardware store i use fish bowl rocks and dab of dish liquid and dont mix pennys and clad tumble over nite some times change water after1-2hrs just cover rocks and coins dont over fill for best results this works well for me

 

[stonecracker59]

Harbor Frieght sell a double tumbler for around $50 work great. Howard

 

[JB(MS)]

The local Harbor Freight stores around here don't stock any of the tumblers. I called the number on Harbor Freight's website and ordered one of the double tumblers back in mid April but haven't got it yet. Have gotten two cards from them saying it's on back order and will be shipped as soon as they get some in, the last card said the would refund the money if I wanted but if I still want the tumbler it would be shipped after June 29th. Not here yet.......

[attachment 133861 tumbler.jpg]

 

[Roscue2]

If I can't get it to work better then I might end up buying the one in your pic. JB. Amazingly, they're actually on sale at or local store this week.

 

[BarberBill]

I've got one of those and it works well EXCEPT the drive belts don't hold up so well. Found some heaver ones that are heavy O rings on ebay that are supposed (and look as if they should) hold up much better and am trying them now. Definitely keep the clad/silver and the copper coins separate. Use aquarium rock, water and a few drops of liquid dish soap for 24 to 48 hours and the coins come out in nice condition. Don't tumble older, silver collectible coins.
HH
BB

 

[Rick(ND)]

I have both the vibrating and the reg tumbler and find the vibrating one I have i can use water in it with my aquarium gravel with water and a good shot of real lemon juice, but it dont clean like the rotating one does. I find for the wheat pennies the vibrating one does OK for me as I dont want them real shinny and will use it with just a little water and a all purpose cleaner i get at the dollar store called Awsome. I run it for a good 6-8 hours and drain and dry the wheaties and the tumbler and thenrun then in crushed wallnuts shells dor a good 6 hours and clean out the tumbler and put the wheaties back in with just water to take off any dust on them and dry them off.
Now on the rotating tumbler I run it with aquarium gravel,water and some real lemon juce I get at Sam's Club. You have to seperate the clad from the copper and the pennies I do for a hour to 2 hours and they come out great. The clad if using lemon juice I run for a good 5 hours or more and may drain and rinse and tumble again for about 30 minnutes then let sit over night and tumble again for a hour or so and most will come out real nice. If I am in a hurry I will use Muratic acid with the water and gravel and in about a hour or 2 they will look great, ut then I have to rinse and run in lemon juice and water again for 15 minnutes to get the resedue off them or some will turn a bit blue looking.

Here is some pictures of the new coins JamesND had me do for him. The first is the bucket of them I got from him to clean




[attachment 133872 c1.jpg]


The next picture is the coins ready do be seperated after I put them in my large 25 pound tumbler to clean them a bit

[attachment 133873 c2.jpg]

Picture of the cleaned pennies

[attachment 133874 c3.jpg]


Here is all the clad cleaned up

[attachment 133875 c4.jpg]


Closeup of some of the pennies.

[attachment 133871 cleaned2.jpg]

 

[Roscue2]

Yeah, I've decided to go with the dual rotary tumbler. Wanted the single rotary tumbler, but they said they don't stock them anymore at their store. They said they might get somemore on Monday, but by then they might not be on sale anymore. Dual Rotary Tumbler cost me $43.79 with taxes. I can live with that. Regular price is $49.99 without taxes.