Mold in magnetic tumbler

I use Coke in my magnetic tumbler but I have a reoccurring battle
with mold growing in it. is there something I can put into the
solution that will eliminate the possibility of getting mold?

If you are using tap water with your solution to tumble the metals,
mold will grow because of the minerals in the tap water. Use
distilled water with the tumbling solution and you won’t have mold.

Use an ultrasonic solution instead. Mix your coke with rum or brandy
and call me in the morning. You wouldn’t put chicken in there would
you? Why put coke?

I’d say drink the coke and use either the powdered or liquid soap
that is sold for magnetic tumblers. I’ve never had mold in mine, I’m
guessing it’s the sugars. I do love a cold Coke on a hot day! Mark

I wouldn’t use coke on a regular basis for just that reason (among
others) There are proper solutions for various tumbling operations
(see Judy Hoch’s great little book) which utilise a chemical reaction
to help with polishing etc. At the very least I’d use a drop of
dishwashing liquid. Coke’s great for a one-off clean of your shot,
but you should thoroughly rinse the shot and the tumbler afterwards.

Janet

Use diet Coke?

Carol - Coke is for drinking. Use the soap specified for your
machine. the only time that you would use Coke is to clean a dirty
mess of shot.

You should use clean water with soap, changing daily, or with each
use if infrequent. When not in use, rinse well, store dry pins
separate from the magnets.

Judy Hoch

Hello Carol,

Is the use of Coke to control rust?? If that is the case, switch to
diet Coke. Still contains phosphoric acid, but no sugar to support
mold.

Judy in Kansas, where the welcome rains look dreary, but make the
mums even more gorgeous! Still harvesting beans.

I use Coke in my magnetic tumbler but I have a reoccurring battle
with mold growing in it. is there something I can put into the
solution that will eliminate the possibility of getting mold? 

I’m wondering why you use Coke in the first place. Using it has a
certain history when using standard steel shot (carbon steel, in
rotary tumblers), since the shot can become discolored and needs to
be cleaned. There are commercial steel shot cleaning solutions, based
generally on some very mild acid that cleans up the discolored
surface, but Coke gets some popularity in this as it too is a mild
acid (the carbonization does that), and it’s cheap. But that’s
cleaning carbon steel shot, not generally the best for actual
tumbling (though there may be exceptions, I don’t recall…) The pins
in your magnetic tumbler are stainless, so they should never need
that type of cleaning. While there may be some metals that
tumble/burnish best with a mildly acidic burnishing liquid, most of
the time, what’s needed is more along the lines of a lubricant and
detergent wetting agent to keep pieces and pins moving freely. The
commercial solutions sold for magnetic tumbling generally are more
related to a soap (one that doesn’t generate foam or bubbles), than
to an acid. If I were not wishing to use the commercial mag tumbler
liquids (they’re generally cheap. You need only very small amounts
added to the water, so a gallon of the stuff might cost you a bit,
but it lasts a long long time if used at the correct dilutions.)

But back to your problem. You’re getting mold in your Coke. Answer.
so stop putting sugar solution in your tumbler. The sugar isn’t
what’s keeping the shot clean in any case, and isn’t a great
lubricant unless it’s so concentrated as to be forming a syrup. Try
switching to diet Coke, without the sugar to feed the mold…

But seriouusly. Try switching to a solution that’s actually been
developed for magnetic finishing. You may find your finishes
improving, or work times shortening, and you’ll certainly stop
feeding molds…

Peter Rowe

I am suggesting that you use Distilled Water rather than TAPWater.
The minerals in the tap water can cause mold.

And what Judy Hoch suggested. but don’t use Tap Water!

Rose Marie Christison

Because I’m using 29 to 40 year old carbon steel shot, I always use
the commercial steel shot cleaner and 920 compound tumbling soap.
I’ve had good luck in using both to keep my shot clean and rust
free. Joy

If you are using tap water with your solution to tumble the
metals, mold will grow because of the minerals in the tap water.
Use distilled water with the tumbling solution and you won't have
mold. 

It’s not the water, it’s the Coke.

Al Balmer

I am suggesting that you use Distilled Water rather than TAPWater. 
The minerals in the tap water can cause mold. 

While using distilled or deionized water can solve a number of
problems with a number of processes, I’d seriously question whether
mold is in any way caused by minerals in tap water. As a general
rule, molds and bacteria need food to grow.

Algae might be different, as they’re plants, and make their own
food, and for them, minerals and micronutrients (fertilizers,
essentially) are important. But mold needs something it can eat.
Minerals aren’t that. In this case, it would be the organic compounds
in the Coke, specifically the sugars.

If you doubt this, put out a couple glasses of water. One just tap
water, another with a bunch of sugar in it. Or heck. Just an
unfinished cup of coffee. See which one has mold growing in it after
a week or so. That plain tap water won’t unless your tap water is
really badly contaminated with something that shouldn’t be there (are
they fracking for oil in your back yard or something?)

Peter Rowe

As a general rule, molds and bacteria need food to grow. 

Keep it clean and you won’t need coke, as has been said. If it’s
necessary in all sorts of situations there is liquid chlorine
bleach, which is a form of old school swimming pool chlorination. It
will kill mold, algae, mosquito larvae and just about anything else
if you use enough of it, in your tumbler, in your fountain, in a
puddle by the sidewalk, it’s handy stuff. It doesn’t take a lot, if
you can smell it strongly you’ve used too much, probably. Just like
a swimming pool.

Keep it clean and you won't need coke, as has been said. If it's
necessary in all sorts of situations there is liquid chlorine
bleach, which is a form of old school swimming pool chlorination. 

Chlorine will etch/corrode the stainless steel pins. It is one of
the few things tat does attack stainless.

James Binnion