# How much tumbling media do I use?



## daeldred (Jul 9, 2009)

I have searched the forum and found sparatic information about how much tumbling media to use. I am specifically interested in knowing how much cutter or polish to use per canister. Assume a 4"x12" canister (for a cone ink), how much do I put in? I have read some people's comments about tablespoon and teaspoon amounts, but that always seemed too little. Then again I am the one asking the questions.  I built a cool tumbler and I just need to know how to set up my canisters  so I can start polishing me some bottles.


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## bottlediger (Jul 9, 2009)

fill the inside of the bottle with enough copper that when the bottle is sideways the copper goes all the way up to the neck but not to much where the neck gets clogged. On the outside fill the canaster with about 2/3's full of copper if you think of the top of the bottle as one end and the other end is the base stopple. For the cutters / polishes, I dont know off the top of my head I just know how much to use when I see the bottle but its not very much for a tiny cone ink at all, just use about double on the outside of the bottle. But Im pretty sure dont quote me though, I use its either a 1/8th of a tea or table spoon for 2 oz bottles on the inside 1/4  for 4 oz and so on. If you tumble the bottle for to short of a time it will come out hazy , Ive seen a lot of new tumblers on here with hazy looking bottles and its either for that reason or they used to much polish. It takes a while to get it down but keep at it and your results will show on how much work you put into it.

 digger Ry


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## daeldred (Jul 9, 2009)

I was hoping you would comment Ry. So even if I use a polishing compound like Cerium Oxide it will come out hazy if I do it for too short a time? Also, Ry, is there any preferred cutter/polishers you prefer? Thanks a bunch.


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## daeldred (Jul 9, 2009)

P.S.  Do you have to put water or some other liquid in the canister with the other media?


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## bottlediger (Jul 9, 2009)

to answer your question on cerium - not usally. I ment to say it comes out hazy if you cut the bottle at all and polish for to short of a time, some people get to excited and want to see there bottle clean and take it out after a day or 2.

 What do I prefer? thats a little tricky to answer because I dont prefer any over the other. Each bottle is differnt and takes diffent polishes / cutters to make perfect. It takes one a very long time to learn how to master using all the differnt oxides. But to start out I would use Alum oxide before even trying to cut. See exactly what Alum oxide takes off a bottle and what it doesnt. Then you will start to see differnt levels of etching and sickness that need to be cut with more course gritt cutters. 

 Water - yes you need to add water, best rule of thumb is to add 1/2 - 1 inch of water above the copper level on the outside of the bottle and the same on the inside if your dealing with very small bottles you need to adjust a little. 

 If you have to little water, your bottles will again come out cloudy no matter what oxides you use

 Digger Ry


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## daeldred (Jul 9, 2009)

Awesome! Just the info I was looking for. Thanks a lot Ry.


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## bottlediger (Jul 9, 2009)

No problem at all. 

 Digger Ry


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