# Copper BB's



## Jstorm (Dec 15, 2021)

Crazy question but I have to ask. For basic cleaning the inside of bottles by hand will copper or Stainless steel BB's do any good? Be gentle! I don't have a 700 dollar tumbler! Thanks


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## embe (Dec 15, 2021)

I tried it once...probably wouldn't attempt it again.  I believe the copper is just a plating so they can still rust.  I'll have to look into SS.  Either way, a mechanical contraption of some sort will save you some aches and pains.


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## Old man digger (Dec 15, 2021)

Jstorm said:


> Crazy question but I have to ask. For basic cleaning the inside of bottles by hand will copper or Stainless steel BB's do any good? Be gentle! I don't have a 700 dollar tumbler! Thanks


I don't think you want to go that route. I tried that method, and the bottom of the bottle just blew completely off.
RobbyBobby had posted a way to do that using copper wires and a bottle with soapy water that seemed for him to do the trick. I just can't remember what he posted it under. I sure if you P.M. him he can send you in the right direction. OMD


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## Jstorm (Dec 15, 2021)

Old man digger said:


> I don't think you want to go that route. I tried that method, and the bottom of the bottle just blew completely off.
> RobbyBobby had posted a way to do that using copper wires and a bottle with soapy water that seemed for him to do the trick. I just can't remember what he posted it under. I sure if you P.M. him he can send you in the right direction. OMD


Yes I saw on line a guy cut up some small pieces of solid wire. I tried it the generic way buy shaking. Here's my test bottle with using Dirtex some liquid polish. It was really bad but not cloudy.


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## Jstorm (Dec 15, 2021)

Used some ss BBs mixed in.


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## Jstorm (Dec 15, 2021)

Stainless


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## Jstorm (Dec 15, 2021)

Old man digger said:


> I don't think you want to go that route. I tried that method, and the bottom of the bottle just blew completely off.
> RobbyBobby had posted a way to do that using copper wires and a bottle with soapy water that seemed for him to do the trick. I just can't remember what he posted it under. I sure if you P.M. him he can send you in the right direction. OMD


Thanks


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## Newtothiss (Dec 22, 2021)

I've had luck with 3 ft of solid 12 Guage copper wire cut into small pieces (1/4" or less) with soapy water.


FYI- A makeshift tumbler can be easily made from an old printer..


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## Wildcat wrangler (Dec 22, 2021)

Jstorm said:


> Crazy question but I have to ask. For basic cleaning the inside of bottles by hand will copper or Stainless steel BB's do any good? Be gentle! I don't have a 700 dollar tumbler! Thanks



I hear all the comments about why not to use bbs- but- they have worked for me for like 35 years, to get the big chunks out, pretty easily, especially when using soap and water, on a narrow necked old bottle? But then I’ve been known to do this! (In the past- well right now it’s spinning but I have a big tumbler from the jar dr in boxes out there - waiting for Christmas!)
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



And if you rinse and dry the bbs with rubbing alcohol and a squirt of WD40, they can be reused, unrusted, U can swirl them around inside the bottle and that doesn’t bang them around inside your bottle. I keep hearing they scratch? That never happened to my bottles.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Jstorm (Dec 22, 2021)

Wildcat wrangler said:


> I hear all the comments about why not to use bbs- but- they have worked for me for like 35 years, to get the big chunks out, pretty easily, especially when using soap and water, on a narrow necked old bottle? But then I’ve been known to do this! (In the past- well right now it’s spinning but I have a big tumbler from the jar dr in boxes out there - waiting for Christmas!)
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Excellent wildcat. Appreciate the info. It sure helps.


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## Jstorm (Dec 22, 2021)

Newtothiss said:


> I've had luck with 3 ft of solid 12 Guage copper wire cut into small pieces (1/4" or less) with soapy water.
> 
> 
> FYI- A makeshift tumbler can be easily made from an old printer..


Thank you Sir!


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## Dogo (Dec 22, 2021)

When I started tumbling I used lead shot with poor results. Chopped copper seemed to work a lot better.  My theory is that the round shot or BBs are not as abrasive as the sharp edges of the copper.  The copper does lose effectiveness over time.


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## Jstorm (Dec 22, 2021)

Dogo said:


> When I started tumbling I used lead shot with poor results. Chopped copper seemed to work a lot better.  My theory is that the round shot or BBs are not as abrasive as the sharp edges of the copper.  The copper does lose effectiveness over time.


Yes I thought of that when RobbyBobby made his comment. I have been working with BBs and copper pieces. A lot of cutting! Lol


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## ROBBYBOBBY64 (Dec 22, 2021)

Here is the copper I use. It is free and I am cheap. I get all different thicknesses of copper. Cut it up and your good to go. Very hard to cut the 1/4" copper rod.
ROBBYBOBBY64.


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## Newtothiss (Dec 22, 2021)

ROBBYBOBBY64 said:


> Here is the copper I use. It is free and I am cheap. I get all different thicknesses of copper. Cut it up and your good to go. Very hard to cut the 1/4" copper rod.
> ROBBYBOBBY64.


Romex and linemans


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## Jstorm (Dec 22, 2021)

Newtothiss said:


> Romex and linemans


Thanks I think you sent that me a while back. Thanks for the pics RobbyBobby


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## willong (Dec 22, 2021)

Jstorm said:


> Yes I thought of that when RobbyBobby made his comment. I have been working with BBs and copper pieces. A lot of cutting! Lol


I'm an old fart; so, might not be remembering correctly. I seem to recall that a member here once posted pictures and description of DIY tooling he developed to cut copper wire to short, uniform bits for tumbling use. It used a die that he would feed the wire through, that a powered cutter (operated by a power drill, I think) would then stop at the desired protrusion before shearing it away.

I don't have the time to search for the thread right now, or to describe how I would build a similar device. However, I suggest it might be worth your time to search for that thread, and perhaps refresh it with a comment so that it comes up as more recent for others who, like you, weary of snipping wire by hand with dikes (diagonal pliers for the politically sensitive these days).


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## Jstorm (Dec 22, 2021)

willong said:


> I'm an old fart; so, might not be remembering correctly. I seem to recall that a member here once posted pictures and description of DIY tooling he developed to cut copper wire to short, uniform bits for tumbling use. It used a die that he would feed the wire through, that a powered cutter (operated by a power drill, I think) would then stop at the desired protrusion before shearing it away.
> 
> I don't have the time to search for the thread right now, or to describe how I would build a similar device. However, I suggest it might be worth your time to search for that thread, and perhaps refresh it with a comment so that it comes up as more recent for others who, like you, weary of snipping wire by hand with dikes (diagonal pliers for the politically sensitive these days).





willong said:


> I'm an old fart; so, might not be remembering correctly. I seem to recall that a member here once posted pictures and description of DIY tooling he developed to cut copper wire to short, uniform bits for tumbling use. It used a die that he would feed the wire through, that a powered cutter (operated by a power drill, I think) would then stop at the desired protrusion before shearing it away.
> 
> I don't have the time to search for the thread right now, or to describe how I would build a similar device. However, I suggest it might be worth your time to search for that thread, and perhaps refresh it with a comment so that it comes up as more recent for others who, like you, weary of snipping wire by hand with dikes (diagonal pliers for the politically sensitive these days).


Yeah I'm an old fart to. Not lazy. Just old. If I can make it easier, I'm in! Thanks


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## embe (Dec 23, 2021)

willong said:


> I'm an old fart; so, might not be remembering correctly. I seem to recall that a member here once posted pictures and description of DIY tooling he developed to cut copper wire to short, uniform bits for tumbling use. It used a die that he would feed the wire through, that a powered cutter (operated by a power drill, I think) would then stop at the desired protrusion before shearing it away.
> 
> I don't have the time to search for the thread right now, or to describe how I would build a similar device. However, I suggest it might be worth your time to search for that thread, and perhaps refresh it with a comment so that it comes up as more recent for others who, like you, weary of snipping wire by hand with dikes (diagonal pliers for the politically sensitive these days).


Try this





						Is there a better way to cut copper wire?
					

So I managed to score a bunch of copper wire while dumpster diving. It's definately not as much as I need but it will get me started. Does anyone know of an efficient, quick way of cutting it up into little bits? I've been doing it with wire cutters (good ones) and it seems like it is going to...



					www.antique-bottles.net


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## willong (Dec 25, 2021)

Dogo said:


> When I started tumbling I used lead shot with poor results. Chopped copper seemed to work a lot better.  My theory is that the round shot or BBs are not as abrasive as the sharp edges of the copper.  The copper does lose effectiveness over time.


Your theory is correct.

Even people who do a lot of sand blasting see the same effect if they reuse their blasting media multiple times.


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## willong (Dec 25, 2021)

Jstorm said:


> Yes I thought of that when RobbyBobby made his comment. I have been working with BBs and copper pieces. A lot of cutting! Lol


Here you go *Jstorm*: https://www.antique-bottles.net/threads/is-there-a-better-way-to-cut-copper-wire.695109/#post-750508

Forum member *embe* did the search and found the copper wire cutting discussion that I vaguely remembered. It is actually a quite simple setup if you have a power drill or, better yet, a drill press. I did not remember that the cutter was simply a drill bit. Since that is the case, the lengths of the cut pieces of copper wire are determined by the flute depth of the drill bit used. Flute depth is primarily a function of a bit's diameter, but does vary somewhat among types of bits and manufacturers. Consequently, you have a lot of control over the size of the finished pieces simply by selecting a bit that will produce the desired length.

It is still "a lot of cutting" but will speed up the process considerably and likely prevent you developing a case of carpal tunnel syndrome.


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## ROBBYBOBBY64 (Dec 26, 2021)

Newtothiss said:


> Romex and linemans


I think the thick copper was part of a lightning rod ground. Where ever I find Insulators I find copper wire.
ROBBYBOBBY64.


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## ROBBYBOBBY64 (Dec 26, 2021)

willong said:


> Here you go *Jstorm*: https://www.antique-bottles.net/threads/is-there-a-better-way-to-cut-copper-wire.695109/#post-750508
> 
> Forum member *embe* did the search and found the copper wire cutting discussion that I vaguely remembered. It is actually a quite simple setup if you have a power drill or, better yet, a drill press. I did not remember that the cutter was simply a drill bit. Since that is the case, the lengths of the cut pieces of copper wire are determined by the flute depth of the drill bit used. Flute depth is primarily a function of a bit's diameter, but does vary somewhat among types of bits and manufacturers. Consequently, you have a lot of control over the size of the finished pieces simply by selecting a bit that will produce the desired length.
> 
> It is still "a lot of cutting" but will speed up the process considerably and likely prevent you developing a case of carpal tunnel syndrome.


I tried to use large bolt cutters. They are meant for hardened steel so they crushed into the copper but molded to the cutters blades. The harder I squeezed the harder it got to squeeze. Hard to explain but the only thing I found that cut the 1/4" thick copper was a pair of channel lock flush cut pliers. It cut easily half way, I then pull down snapping the rest making a rough edge. I do wish the handles were longer thought the tool might break if they were. I checked out the drill trick. It looks good for thin wire like 16 ga.  but not the 4 ga. I have or the 8 ga.
ROBBYBOBBY64.


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## Jstorm (Dec 26, 2021)

ROBBYBOBBY64 said:


> I tried to use large bolt cutters. They are meant for hardened steel so they crushed into the copper but molded to the cutters blades. The harder I squeezed the harder it got to squeeze. Hard to explain but the only thing I found that cut the 1/4" thick copper was a pair of channel lock flush cut pliers. It cut easily half way, I then pull down snapping the rest making a rough edge. I do wish the handles were longer thought the tool might break if they were. I have to check out the drill trick.
> ROBBYBOBBY64.


Thanks for the info RobbyBobby. Going to try both.


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## Jstorm (Dec 26, 2021)

willong said:


> Here you go *Jstorm*: https://www.antique-bottles.net/threads/is-there-a-better-way-to-cut-copper-wire.695109/#post-750508
> 
> Forum member *embe* did the search and found the copper wire cutting discussion that I vaguely remembered. It is actually a quite simple setup if you have a power drill or, better yet, a drill press. I did not remember that the cutter was simply a drill bit. Since that is the case, the lengths of the cut pieces of copper wire are determined by the flute depth of the drill bit used. Flute depth is primarily a function of a bit's diameter, but does vary somewhat among types of bits and manufacturers. Consequently, you have a lot of control over the size of the finished pieces simply by selecting a bit that will produce the desired length.
> 
> It is still "a lot of cutting" but will speed up the process considerably and likely prevent you developing a case of carpal tunnel syndrome.


Thanks for helping me out. I am going to try that out!


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## ROBBYBOBBY64 (Dec 26, 2021)

Jstorm said:


> Thanks for the info RobbyBobby. Going to try both.


I want to mount the pliers on a wooden board with metal straps holding down one of the handles and put a pipe to extend the other handle so I can get more leverage. Like this. Careful if you copy, this could break the pliers exerting this much force.
ROBBYBOBBY64.


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## willong (Jan 9, 2022)

Hey all, 

*I'm soliciting input on tumbling media preferences.* This thread got me thinking and I'd like some opinions to help me refine the design of a tool; or, even decide if it is worth prototyping.

Please check out the fresh thread I initiated to further the cause:  https://www.antique-bottles.net/thr...mbling-media-and-copper-wire-shearing.696914/


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