White bronze differences

We’d very much appreciate some advice on the mass finishing of white
bronze. Are there any special considerations when tumble finishing
at the burnishing stage? We’ve had mixed results compared to brass,
silicon bronze, and sterling which are pretty consistant We get a
dull appearance - smooth but cloudy. Does white bronze require a
dedicated batch of ss shot? We do try to keep the ss shot as clean as
possible, but don’t keep dedicated batches. Is liquid detergent alone
with the shot enough to get a good polished appearance or are there
any other additives that would help? Does the shot need any special
attention between tumbling batches?

We’re hoping that the proprietary differences in WB smelting won’t
affect, too much, how it’s finished. Seems like the nickle content
is one variable in the different smelter offerings.

Any pointers would help immensely.

Frank F.

Frank - probably the simplest solution is to use burnishing solution
specifically formulated for your material. Hammond Roto-finish
(hammondmach.com) lists more than twenty varieties of solution for
burnishing. It totally depends on your media - steel or ceramic -
and the specific composition of the metal you are finishing.

The short answer is that dishwashing soap is alkaline and you need
an acidic solution to finish your material. You will save a lot of
time and agony by just using the very specific solution that some
really smart person has figured out.

Judy Hoch