Jewelers Benchpin Forums

A magnetic tumbler machine is a specialized piece of equipment commonly used in jewelry-making and metalworking. It is used to polish and deburr small metal parts, such as jewelry pieces, by using magnetic fields to agitate stainless steel pins or shot media that are mixed with a cleaning solution.

The magnetic tumbler machine consists of a rotating drum or chamber that generates a magnetic field. When metal parts are placed inside the drum along with the stainless steel pins and cleaning solution, the magnetic field causes the pins to move around the parts, polishing and deburring them in the process.

This process is often used to achieve a high polish on metal parts, remove burrs or sharp edges, and improve the overall finish of the pieces. Magnetic tumblers are popular in jewelry-making workshops and small-scale metalworking operations due to their efficiency and effectiveness in providing a consistent and high-quality finish.

Pro Tip- If the shop runs out of cleaning solution , you can use diet pepsi as a solution. Make sure the magnetic table is clean and dry. Use a lesser amount than the cleaning solution. Works just as good. Thank you!

First, just know I am busting your chops on this post because I know exactly where you got your information about the diet pepsi...

RC Cola is one of the most acidic/caustic of the cola's. So, if you want to go the cola route, use RC Cola.

There are primarily three issues with using a cola. They are messy, and they cost more. If you tend to leave your solution out across several days, and if you have ants or other little critters, they may be attracted to your tumbler. When you clean the shot, which should be done every time you replace the solution, it is a tad bit more work to clean cola, especially with the insane amount of sugars in it. As mentioned earlier, there is also the consideration of cost. It is not purchased as a concentrate, because it is ready to pour and use straight from the can. If you are trying to get around this issue and buy it by the liter, then you would cut your costs considerably, but it is still not a concentrate. The ingredients to make a better tumbler solution cost less when you do the math.

That was only two issues but I said there are three issues with using a cola. The third issue with using a cola as your tumbler solution is that they simply are not as effective as other solutions. In my family, we say, "science is fun," or "science is cool." I understand that the pH is diluted when mixed with the other ingredients, however, we have a super-duper-solution to address that. Considering the other issues with using a cola, it just does not make sense to go that route.

It is better to use items with a lower pH in your solution. Doing so will help protect your steel shot and help dissolve "gunk".

Here are two solutions you could try (these measurements are rounded, and these make 1 gallon of tumbler solution):

It is highly recommended to mix these in glass containers. Do not use rubber containers.

Lemon Borax

Distilled Water	3.75	quarts	3549	ml
Lemon Juice	1	teaspoon(s)	5	ml
Borax	8	teaspoon(s)	40	ml

Lemon Soap

Distilled Water	3.75	quarts	3549	ml
Lemon Juice	1	teaspoon(s)	5	ml
Dish Soap	3	teaspoon(s)	15	ml

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Super-Duper Solution time! The idea with the super-duper solutions is to give the distilled water a pH of 2.0. The baseline pH of the water will be slightly lower than 2.0 because these formulas are based on using 15 cups of distilled water. Just as a reminder, 1 gallon of water is equal to 16 cups. The purity of the borax and/or dish soap formula will change the pH of our solutions, probably raising it a wee bit.

Super-Duper Citric Borax

Distilled Water	3.75	quarts	3549	ml
Citric Acid	1.7825	teaspoon(s)	9	ml
Borax	8	teaspoon(s)	40	ml

In some formulas for making home-made dish soap the ingredients include citric acid and borax. If you would rather just use dish soap ...

Super-Duper Citric Soap

Distilled Water	3.75	quarts	3549	ml
Citric Acid	1.25	teaspoon(s)	6	ml
Dish Soap	3	teaspoon(s)	15	ml

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If you absolutely want to use a cola, then just pour a can into the tumbler container.

RC Cola

RC Cola

12

oz

354.882

ml

Thank you for mentioning why we use magnetic tumblers. They are good for rough casts and the likes. And depending on the type of shot you are using and the design of your jewelry, they can often provide fun games like, "how the heck did this get stuck in there" which is followed by "how the heck do we get this out of there".

We should definitely test these formulas some day. I just had them written down and then I rounded the figures I had written down.

I've used normal water, lemon juice, and dish soap. It took me a while to find the right formular and I don't remember it now. Now we buy stuff from Rio or Stuller or maybe someone else.

When we purchase magnetic tumbler solution we buy from BASF.

I like your Super-Duper Citric Soap formula. Thanks!

Javier Odom wrote: ↑Sat Apr 27, 2024 1:42 pm Super-Duper Citric Soap

Distilled Water	3.75	quarts	3549	ml
Citric Acid	1.25	teaspoon(s)	6	ml
Dish Soap	3	teaspoon(s)	15	ml

Just made the Super-Duper Citric Soap formula. Had to order ingredients. Excited to see how it works!

Looking forward to reading about your results.

The superduper soap formula works great in tumbler! I bought distilled water from the grocery store. Were do you get your distilled water from?

It’s great to see so much interest in optimizing the magnetic tumbler process! I’ve been experimenting with different tumbler solutions as well, and I’ve found that while DIY formulas like the Super-Duper Citric Soap solution can work wonders, it's also important to keep an eye on the specific needs of your pieces and the type of finish you're aiming for.

In addition to your formulas, I've also come across some other tips for ensuring a smooth tumbling experience. For instance, ensuring the right balance of solution concentration is crucial. Sometimes, even a small variation in the amount of citric acid or dish soap can make a noticeable difference in the effectiveness. I found some helpful discussions on this, and it's always a good idea to test small batches before committing to large-scale tumbling