Rock tumbler - need some feedback

Hi there,

I started detecting back in 2008, in January of this year I borrowed a friends Lortone one canister (3lb) rock tumbler. That along with some stones and cleaning power, and about 3-4 weeks on and off again tumbling had all my nickles, dimes, and quarters as clean as can be. I had a small back left over that no matter the tumbling the coinstar wouldn't take.

I decided I was going to wait for the end of year sales and pick up a tumbler myself. Doing some research I decided I wanted to try a Thumbler over a Lortone. From what I read, the tops pop on and off a bit easier. Also, seems like the friction that spins the cylinder will last longer/work better with the Thumbler design.

Initially, I was leaning towards getting a two 3-lb cylinder model to save some time. Generally speaking I would tumble about 1 hour at a time, check results, pull out cleaned ones, and tumble some more. It was a pretty lengthy process so I figured two is better than one.

However, one thing I feel is a flaw for lack of a better word, in both the Lortone and Thumbler 3lb cylinders is that they are smooth/round in side. What I found to happen many times is that coins would stick together and not get cleaned at all. My opinion is that the tumbling action was too smooth and didn't turn the coins around.

So, it's a little bit more money, but Thumbler has the A-R12 model, which has a hexagon style cylinder. This seems like it would agitate the coins more and get them to separate better while tumbling.

Has anyone tried this? Is my opinion/theory valid? Or could the hexagon style actually end up tumbling the coins in a bad way?

Any thoughts, opinions, experiences would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

I've never tryed either one of those types :thinkingabout:
This is the little tumbler I've been using for the last 2 years :yes: lol
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My buddy uses one like this....
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....and is done in a fraction of the time it takes me. lol :yes: thumbsup01

I'll be picking up one like his when this little one I got burns up lol

Thoughts: Thumbler is a good brand. I've had the same one for several years, albeit I don't tumble clad anymore.

Experiences: (Embarrassing) I got frustrated trying to clean/tumble clad and decided to add the chemical CLR (Calcium, Lime, Rust) along with some warm water to the drum of my old, belt-driven tumbler.

Leaving it on my workshop bench to tumble over-night was not the wisest of ideas. The chemical and agitation action caused the drum to explode covering several tools with the messy, caustic solution. A piece of debris got stuck in the motor as it kept on running...ruining everything that survived.

(I can't believe I did this, so don't tell anyone. )

I have an older model Thumlers tumbler that runs two of the small barrels at the same time. I use one for pennies and the other for nickels,dimes,quarters. I put aquarium stones and dawn dish soap in to clean them over night. I have never had a hexagon shaped barrel. Mine cleans up the clad quite well.

Lojiber, i had a similar experience when i tried to put baking soda in with the soap and water. It gained pressure and leaked goop all over the work bench and down to the shelf underneath and onto the floor. :embarrassed:

i use lortones, pennies in one, nickels, quarters, dimes in the other. both with gravel only for a day, rinse off, dry, and take to the bank. some tellers will give back the crusty zincolns, some will trade for better ones.

Well, I have not gone so far as to use CLR, but I have thought about it. Thanks for the head up. :shocked04:

I use a Latrone tumbler. I do cents separately. I only use water and a few drops of dish soap. I also only tumble for about an hour, just enough to get the dirt off. This is for clad only. I then take out the crusty zinclons and cash them in at the bank. I tell the teller that they are all stained but cleaned and that I found them with a metal detector. I've never had trouble with any coins jamming there counter. I was also told that the bags of coins go to the mint and the damaged coins get sorted out and destroyed.

I use the single drum Chicago tumbler from Harbor Freight. It was cheap, and I thought it would only last a couple of years, but it is going on four years now. I tumble cents together and then nickels, dimes, quarters in a separate batch. I find that using just water, a little laundry detergent, and most importantly a little bit of vinegar gets the coins very nice after about 1-2 hours of tumbling. Never had any problems cashing anything in.

I use a loratone single drum and I have found that if I use just water and stainless steelshot I can clean all clad together including the new pennys with no problems and the banks take them,it takes about 3 hours.