# alternative tumbler possibility?



## pluffmud (May 9, 2008)

Not wanting to offend any purists, but I'm wondering if anyone has any experience using a rock tumbler for bottles... I found one advertised that mentioned "This tumbler works very well and is the prefered tumbler for polishing dug antique bottles! 3 different size barrels are available for your needs."  It's a 35lb. capacity rock tumbler, with a 3.4 amp, 120 volt motor, and ball bearing, rubber coated rollers.
What would be the major drawbacks;  too big? too fast? (or too slow, I'm clueless), etc... Assuming I could make the stopples which someone here generously provided info on how to make, and then ordered the cleaning compounds from Lowery, is this a viable alternative?

Thanks for any help.


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## GuntherHess (May 9, 2008)

I think the key to tumbling bottles is more the canisters than the mechanism for turning them. That's really what sepparates tumbling rocks from tumbling bottles. A rock tumbler would probably work fine.


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## pluffmud (May 14, 2008)

Thanks for the reply..Kinda what I was thinking/hoping...

 But before I take the plunge, does anyone disagree?  Agree?  Have any experience with using a rock tumbler for bottles? etc.  

 Although I couldn't find it, I seem to recall a similair thread somewhere in which the idea was bashed soundly as a surefire way to achieve failure, which is why I posted this question in the first place... If it's a dumb idea, please enlighten me.

 Thanks


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## capsoda (May 14, 2008)

Rock tumblers are great for cleaning car parts but I wouldn't put a bottle in one that was worth more than a buck or two. Besides, the tubes probably won't hold anything bigger than a piso's cure.


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## GuntherHess (May 14, 2008)

If you could fit an actual bottle canister on the tumbler it would probably work fine but as Warren said they normally hold very short canisters.
 The canisters I use are at least 15" long.


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## bombboy (May 14, 2008)

I would have to agree that a rock tumbler would not work out as well as planned. I work rock and have used a tumbler for years, the barrel or tub is too short, unless you're tumbling smalls. And let us not forget the open space inside the tub that allows for the rocks to work againist each other to speed up Mother Natures process. Your bottles would be banging againist one another and increase the chances of breakage. Stick with a tumbler made for bottles.

 Bombboy


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## GuntherHess (May 14, 2008)

I dont think he intended to have the bottles float around in the canister. He said he was going to make proper bottle holding stopples in the initial post. If he has a good canister (one that fits in the tumbler of course) I see no reason why it wouldnt work. The turning mechanism is essentially the same. 
 Even assuming it works for small bottles,if you are going to go out and buy something to do bottles I'm not sure why you would buy a rock tumbler vs a bottle tumbler. Get the right tool for the job.


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## appliedlips (May 15, 2008)

Wow,how I miss the good ole days. If Spencer hadn't run off to get all sophisticated he would surely have posted a picture of a combination  vacuum cleaner, toaster oven and a skateboard held together with rubber bands, while explaining the proper way to tumble a bottle to you rookies.[] 

 Spence if your out there,come on back ya hear.We miss you!


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## GuntherHess (May 15, 2008)

ya, my tumbler is definately not COTS (commercial off the shelf). The only part I bought was the stopples, they are a pain to make as good as Wayne does.


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## bombboy (May 15, 2008)

Yep, missed the stopples part, speed readin" ain't all it's cracked up to be. Thanks for the catch. Basic principles are the same and should work just fine.


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## Wilkie (May 16, 2008)

Believe it or not, I once saw pictures of a bottle tumbler made from an old dryer.  The frame, motor, belt, drum were all used, the body was discarded and there were some modifications made to it.  I wish I remember where I saw that, it may have been in an old bottle magazine.


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