Tumbling media

[mark v]

What do any of you use for media in your tumbler when tumbling coins?
I have a tumbler that I use for cleaning rifle and pistol brass before I reload them. I've tried the media that I have for cleaning the brass, walnut shells, I think, and I've tried aquarium gravel. Neither media seemed to work well at all.

I use aquarium gravel but before I put coins in my vibrating tumbler, I just put the gravel in by itself and let the machine run until the water was coming out clean.
I had to wash the gravel 4 times before it was completely washed.
The first 3 times the water was pretty dirty.
I don't know if this will help you or not.

Picked up a pop can full of pea gravel from over at a city park, they spread it all around the toys. I have been using this over and over for a long time.

[Dick from IA]

Originally Posted by boobieinPa

I use aquarium gravel but before I put coins in my vibrating tumbler, I just put the gravel in by itself and let the machine run until the water was coming out clean.

I had to wash the gravel 4 times before it was completely washed.
The first 3 times the water was pretty dirty.

I don't know if this will help you or not.

I'll try that, Boobie, Thanks!!

Received my new tumbler yesterday and wasn't too impressed by the two batches I did. And the water was filthy. Going now to tumble the aquarium gravel till it comes out clean, then try again

[tucker1931]

I use medium size aquarium gravel. I have the 3 pound tumbler. I add 1 handfull of coins, 2 handfulls of gravel, couple tablespoons of amonia and about a spoonfull of laundry soap. WORKS LIKE A CHARM Beware, don't do pennies and silver together

[I_Luv_Silver]

I used play sand on a load of copper pennies and ol' Abe just about disappeared!
I tried the coarse pool filter sand on quarters and dimes (clad) and let it go a couple hours and it worked pretty well.

I have used WASHING SODA the last couple of times instead of soap and it worked better in my opinion.

[TonyinCT]

Try magic tumble clean . I sell it on my site. Works great !!!
Coin & Cleaning Supplies
Look at the bottom. it is a Finch product.