# Copper BBs?



## diggermeister

Hey All, I keep seeing, "copper bb's" lately in this forum. The only 'copper' bb's I can find are Zinc coated. Is this what we are to use or are there actually copper bb's (not Zinc coated)?
 What about using lead buck shot in (say) #5? Also, I was thinking of adding some Barkeepers Friend to the shot with a little water...
 How many BBs (shot) should be put into the bottles; 1/4, 1/2 (full) etc? And what size BBs? [8|] Thanks for any ideas you may have...


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## Bottle tumbler

if you cant find all copper use 10 or 12 gauge solid wire and cut it to 1/8" or a little longer, fill your bottle about 1/4 of the way. then add what ever you like and hold the top and shake till the dirt and stain is gone. if that wont take it out, you'll need a tumbler to do it for you.
 there is a reason they dont use lead or steel
 rick


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## diggermeister

Thanks Rick, Just so happens that I have ALOT of 10 & 12 ga. copper wire []. Should I cut the wire at an angle or straight? 
 Just curious; What is the reason not to use lead or steel? I suppose it will scratch the glass? Do you know where to get 'copper' BBs?
 BTW; I went to the bottler-tumbler page you listed in another thread and signed up. I'm still waiting for approval [8|]. I hope it comes soon...[sm=lol.gif]


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## GuntherHess

Dont use lead unless you want a grey film on your bottles.

 Steel would leave rust, unless it is stainless steel, and thats hard to cut up.
 I think the hardness of stainless is lower than that of glass so it couldnt scratch it.
 Someone correct me if I am wrong about the hardness of stainless.

 Most of the BBs I have seen for sale are steel with some plating, brass or copper.
 The plating wears off fast and you are left with rusting steel.


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## Bottle tumbler

cut it straight on, it will have the angle, but in time that will ware off, but what your after is the weight, copper will also leave a copper film on thebottles , but only in a tumbler, I use water 1 gallon,muratic acid 1/3rd cup and dawn, and wash all my bottle in it, it takes all the crap of them, I also us the same mixture for soaking my bottles from the digs I do. first outside in a bucket with just plain water, then over in the bucket with the mixture and there for 2 days, then if needed to the tumbler


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## bne74honda

Hi..just a quick note...I too looked for copper BBs here in Canada and couldn't find them. I cut up copper wire as suggested and shake it by hand after all other soaking and brushing. It takes some time to swirl the crap out, and a few blisters to cut up enough wire, but it works 90% of the time.

 Brian


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## sikakila

Hiya from New Zealand,i have built a tumbler from a clothes dryerwith an 8 inch pipe in the centre,it turns slowly, about 60 rpm,i want to tumble my old bottles dry,will this work with copper wire/bb's? Anything else i could put in with it? Would really appreciate some thoughts here, 
 cheers!


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## GuntherHess

tumble it dry? You mean tumbling it clean without water?  Not sure how you could do that.


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## Flaschenjager

Hello *sikakila* and *Welcome to Antique-Bottles.Net* ---

 First of all, I'd love it if you could post a picture of your 'machine'. I've seen one in a bottle magazine made from a dryer and would love to see your set up. 

 I would not use BBs. The standard is 10 & 12 guage wire cut to 1/8" to 3/16" lengths. If you were to use a 8" diameter tube, the weight of the copper on a small or thin glass bottle, would surely break it. Most of the tumbling with 6" tubes and larger is done with plastic pellets (less wt.). 

 Combined with your copper or pellets, you'll need to add an oxide. First with a cutter, followed by a polish. All of this, a two part process, must be combined with the correct amout of water. 

 Also, 60 RPM sounds very fast for square and odd shaped bottles (anything other than round). They will break for sure at that speed. 

 When you do get this up and running be sure to use junk bottles for the first runs until you perfect it.

 For more info. and supplies visit: www.JarDoctor.com


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## sikakila

Hiya and thanks for the info,here in NZ we dont have a lot of info on this subject so its much appreciated ! I will post a pic  of the machine over the next couple of days..(when i figure out how) ...and bugger~ i thought it might work dry...like a tumbler for cleaning brass bullet shells...so i thought i'd throw in an old torpedo bottle with a handfull of empty brass bullet shells~well shes been tumblin round for about 8 hours and guess what???...I now own the dirtiest lookin torpedo bottle ya ever seen[8|]
 Think i'll write down the right way to do it this time..cheers !


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## GuntherHess

When you pull a bottle out of a bottle tumbler with copper pieces and polishing compound it is the dirtiest, grimiest, pile of yuck you ever want to handle...until you hose it off. 
 Dont do your bottle tumbling in a room with white carpeting...

 I havent tried the plastic pellets. They may be good for the small rectangular pontil medicines I'm afraid to tumble. The glass corners are paper thin on those things and I've had a couple come out of the tumbler with holes.


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## Flaschenjager

*sikakila* - Go to this link for many who tumble to help you. I still would like to see a photo of your set-up.[]

 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bottletumbling/

*GuntherHess* - I know what you mean about the thin corners. Most of what I've heard about the corner blowouts was due to higher speeds or RPMs. When I tumble sodas or round bottles on the higher RPMs, it seems soooooo fast. It's quite scary compared to the lower speed. [:-] I haven't tried any OP stuff, yet. Wayne (Jar Dr.) could help you better than I, about the safest way to clean those treasures.[] I think he has stopples to cover or protect the scar too.


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## sikakila

Hiyas and thanks yall for the info, the links are great...seems i will need to 'fine tune my tumbler[8|] i will post a pic as soon as i get my camera back...and i figure out how !
 cheers !


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