# Need tumbling tips



## Wilkie (May 12, 2009)

I know there are some veteran tumblers here so hopefully I can get a few tips.  Currently I am filling bottles between 1/2 and 2/3 with copper, adding water to 1" above that and then adding 1 tsp of tin oxide.  I do the exact same thing for the outside of the bottles.  I tumble them for 2 to 3 days depending on staining and so far things have been coming out "pretty" good, they could be better.  The tin oxide polishes them real good.  I recently did a blue blob top that has a few "light" scratches.  The glass was real sick.  After 3 full days, "most" of the staining is gone, probably 95%, but the light scratches are still there.  It doesn't look bad but I would like to make it look better.  

 Any suggestions on mixture and technique, etc.?  Also, is there a place to buy supplies reasonably?  Jar Doctor seems a little high.  (if he is on here, no offense[]).


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## GuntherHess (May 12, 2009)

See if Ry is taking pre-orders for his tumbling how-to CD[]


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## justanolddigger (May 13, 2009)

Tin Oxide is going to clean & polish, but will not remove scratches. You will need to start sanding & then polishing, or use a cutting oxide. I think if you are just starting, you might want to stay away from cutters for a while though and stick to polishing. I am an avid fan of the Jar Doctor, I buy most of my supplies from him. If you start figuring the price per bottle for oxides, it is literally pennies, and as a customer, he will answer any of your questions and he is extremely smart when it comes to cleaning glass. I have been tumbling for ten years now, and every once in a while I will run into a problem I haven't seen before, and Wayne is right there to help out any way he can. I used to buy my oxides from a rock shop, but one time all my bottles started fogging up. I found out is was the oxide I had just purchased, the grit must have been a little wrong. I found that the consistency is not there in rock shops, you never really know what exactly you are getting, so I stay with the Jar Doctor so I get the same product all the time.
 good luck!
 Bill


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## div2roty (May 13, 2009)

I've found copper already cut into 3/32 at a junkyard for under $2 a pound.  The price varies depending on the scrap value, but still a lot cheaper.  I went to the junkyard looking to buy stuff to cut and there they had it already cut.


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