Making your own flow thru system for tumbler

Jewelry Discussion
#1

Hi all, I am researching tumblers and looking at some less expensive
vibratory tumblers online. They do not have flow thru systems.
Looking through the archives, I saw some crafty folks have drilled
drain holes and attached tubing to the bottom of their tumbler bowls
to create their own flow thru or at least a drain of sorts. The
is not very detailed though. Can anyone tell me more
about this and if it is working for them? Going with a less expensive
vibe tumbler, usually used for gun casings, will be affordable enough
so that I can also get a rotary tumbler. I figure I can experiment
and learn with these less expensive tumblers and upgrade later if
needed. But a flow thru system of some sort would really help to
keep my solutions clean. Any thoughts? Thanks for your help-Carrie
Nunes

#2 
But a flow thru system of some sort would really help to keep my
solutions clean. Any thoughts?

Hi Carrie,

Depends on your intent for the tumbler. If you only plan to use it
for steel shot and burnishing/finishing work, a flow-thru is not
necessary. On the other hand, if you plan to use it with abrasive
media for the full finishing system, flow-thru would be warranted.
The fluid in my non flow-thru vibratory tumbler (with stainless steel
shot) has been downright filthy without having a detrimental impact
on it’s effectiveness. I use it primarily to polish/finish handmade
rope chains, and it rocks in that capacity!

All the best,

Dave

Dave Sebaste
Sebaste Studio and
Carolina Artisans’ Gallery
Charlotte, NC (USA)
dave@sebaste.com

#3

Hi Nunes, I have a Gy-Roc tumbler system. I saw it when I went to
school at William Holland and had to have one. The main reason I
got it was because it was easily adapted to a flo thru system to
keep everything clean, and it has a top to contain the bubbles if
you use a soapy solution.

If you need a picture , hollar and I will gladly send you one, but
here is what I did good (and not so good).

  1. I ordered the small Gy-Roc system, it will hold about 5 lbs of
    shot and it tumbles jewelry great.

  2. It also can be stacked, putting 2 more tumblers on top for a
    total of about 9 lbs or more of shot, rocks , whatever.

  3. I went to HomeDepot and bought a small, 2 gallon per minute,
    water pump. These can be adjusted to pump less, or you can use a
    valve in-line.

  4. I also bought about 10 feet of quarter inch (BC) clear plastic
    tubing.

  5. The final purchase was 4 quarter inch (BC) hose fittings with
    barbs for the hoses. The hoses slide on these barbs and pretty much
    stay there without any kind of clamps. The hose fittings have a
    collar on them , which keeps it from falling out of the tumbler if
    inserted from the inside.

  6. I drilled 4 holes in the top of the tumbler barrell about an inch
    from the top. One is for input from the pump, and the other three
    are for draining. Be very careful where you drill the holes, so as
    to be out of the way of the frame of the tumbler…( I learned this
    the hard way. I drilled mine at 0, 90, 180, and 270 degrees and
    one of the barbs hits the frame of the tummbler.) You need all the
    drain hoses to keep it from overflowing.

  7. I put the fittings through the holes from the inside, used 5
    minute epoxy to seal them, put on the hoses, and put them all in the
    bucket.

  8. I got a 5 gallon bucket, and put the pump on a brick about 4
    inches from the bottom, filled it with burnishing solution, and let
    it rip. It works great.

  9. The only other thing I did wrong was to mix my stainless shot
    with my polished steel shot. It rusts. I’m going to buy all
    stainless shot so I dont have to do clean up after I tumble.

  10. Last thing, is it helps to keep the drain hoses above the level
    of the water in the bucket, as sometime it creates a bubble lock if
    its below the water surface, and it wont drain/ overflows. I guess
    you could put three hose connections on the bucket at the top to do
    this. Think I’ll do this when I get home tonight, and will let you
    know how it works.

Love and God Bless
-randy
Home 214-321-6253
Cell 214-280-7775
Work 469-775-6650
http://www.rocksmyth.com

#4 
9) The only other thing I did wrong was to mix my stainless shot
with my polished steel shot.  It rusts.  I'm going to buy all
stainless shot so I dont have to do clean up after I tumble.

Randy, I keep a jug of burnishing soap solution that I store my
tumbling shot in. It has been almost three years since I used it
last, and it is still bright. I never had luck in drying the shot
and keeping it from rusting, even the stainless steel shot, and even
while the store was going and I would use every week or so. Storing
it in the burnishing soap seems to solve the problem.

Don