[Jewelry making - Article 00655] - Re: [Orchid] Tumbling media questions

[Judy Hoch]

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>         I need to replace the ancient plastic tumbling media that came
>     with my pre-owned vibrating tumbler. ... What's in there now is no
>     longer shown in the Rio Grande catalog..... I'm not sure what to
>     replace it with. 

    The newer media is heavier and far more effective than the old
    plastic stuff.  The clean cut media is very effective. 

>         Rio has rounded cone shapes and triangle shapes available now
>     in their plastic tumbling media. Which shape is better for use when
>     tumbling sterling silver pendants/charms with an average amount of
>     detail? (little to no filigree or fine surface etching, etc.) 

    Your website shows cast pieces, most of which would finish well with
    the cones.  Since you are casting, You should probably use the pink
    cones first to do initial cut down, then follow with the aqua cones.
     However, your celtic crosses would finish far better with the
    pyramids since they have a fair amount of detail. 

>         And I'm also thinking of adding some stainless steel pins to
>     my stainless shot mix. Which size pins are more effective: 9/32" or
>     1/2"? 

    If you add pins at all, use the 1/2" ones and then only for the
    detailed pieces, such as the crosses.  Do not use pins for the
    pieces that have much plain surface, the pieces will orange peel
    from the pins hitting the plain surfaces.  You can readily remove
    the pins from your stainless shot  with a decent magnet, like the
    sewing stores sell to pick up pins from the floor.  The pins
    magnetize just enough when you run them to separate from the rest of
    the shot.  Use a plastic bag on the magnet for ease in separating
    the pins from the magnet. 

Judy Hoch
judy AT marstal.com


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