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Thread: Smithsonian Rock Tumbler?

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    Blind Shooter sethbramwell's Avatar
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    Default Smithsonian Rock Tumbler?

    Hi everyone, been a while since I've posted, but I'm in need of some advice...

    I notice a few people on here have mentioned using a rock tumbler to polish old pachi balls. With this in mind, I found a used Smithsonian Rock Tumbler at Goodwill tonite for under 4 bucks and couldn't pass it by. (Here's a pic of the model: Y120321 - Educational Toys, Specialty Toys and Games - Creative, Award Winning for Science, Math and More | Young Explorers
    )

    Of course, I know this is just a kid's model and I don't expect it to polish a ton of balls at once, but I wonder if it would be suitable to polish a small amount of old balls, and what anyone might recommend to be in the tumbler with them.

    Thanks, everyone!
    Last edited by sethbramwell; 01-05-2013 at 04:40 AM.

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    Pachi Puro Moparformances's Avatar
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    Default Re: Smithsonian Rock Tumbler?

    i used walnut shells.. I bought my shells at the local pet store.. huge bag was cheap..

    i see shells for sale at the gun store.. small bag for 10 or 15 dollers...

    find yourself a pet store
    Never Doubt that a small group of thoughtful, .......... /........ If your not going to stand behind our troops
    ...committed people can change the world. ............. /.................Please, Please stand in front of them
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    Pachi Puro mxfaiman's Avatar
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    Default Re: Smithsonian Rock Tumbler?

    Quote Originally Posted by Moparformances View Post
    i used walnut shells.. I bought my shells at the local pet store.. huge bag was cheap..

    i see shells for sale at the gun store.. small bag for 10 or 15 dollers...

    find yourself a pet store


    I use shells went to my local petco and picked them up. I also throw in some turtle wax chrome polish for doing brass stuff (like pins) sometimes I thrown it in with the chrome, but I found it works best with brass. (usually if you use it you need to do 2 runs one with the polish and the next with clean shell without the polish.)

    100 machines and counting...

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    Blind Shooter TheRockinator's Avatar
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    Default Re: Smithsonian Rock Tumbler?

    Quick question about Rock Tumblers in general. About how long will it take to clean up a batch of Pachinko Balls? Are we talking Minutes, Hours, or days?

    Later The looking to save a few hundred non rusted but dirty, black and icky Pachinko Balls Rockinator

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    Pachi Puro emmadog's Avatar
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    Default

    Could be many hours. I typically tumble parts for at least a day. Just turn it on and forget about it.
    EM Pinballs & Arrangeballs

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    MacGruber JACKSJE4's Avatar
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    Default Re: Smithsonian Rock Tumbler?

    When I use walnut shells and a few shots of a liquid metal polish in my tumbler, it only takes a few hours to shine up my spheres. For really tarnished machine parts, it has taken overnight to get them clean.

    ~Jeff
    Jeff Jackson, Denver CO

    There is a fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."

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    Pachi Puro mxfaiman's Avatar
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    Default Re: Smithsonian Rock Tumbler?

    Quote Originally Posted by emmadog View Post
    Could be many hours. I typically tumble parts for at least a day. Just turn it on and forget about it.


    I just let it run over night and come back the next morning.

    100 machines and counting...

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    Blind Shooter TheRockinator's Avatar
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    Default Re: Smithsonian Rock Tumbler?

    OK, So I too am the proud owner of a Smithsonian Rock Tumbler. I didn't get quite as good a deal as none of my local thrift stores had any. So I had to buy mine new. (Not too bad, my wife had a coupon) (Michaels) It comes with lots of extras like Rocks and hardware to make jewelry out of the Rocks ( I may make a Pachinko Ball Pendant) and 3 different grades of grit. The instructions say add water but it seems to me that since, 1) The crushed walnut shells are sold as pet litter and will absorb water and 2) Water is a sworn enemy of Pachinko Balls, That I would leave that element out, at least on this first try. I put it all together at exactly 3pm local time and I will check it in 24 hours.

    Later The some of the Balls I put in there were really nasty with rust while others were not too bad Rockinator

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    Pachi Puro Moparformances's Avatar
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    Default Re: Smithsonian Rock Tumbler?

    i have never had to run 24 hours... i usualy run them for 7 to 8 hrs or so
    Never Doubt that a small group of thoughtful, .......... /........ If your not going to stand behind our troops
    ...committed people can change the world. ............. /.................Please, Please stand in front of them
    .....Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has............./
    .........................................Margaret Mead

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    Pachi Puro mxfaiman's Avatar
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    Default Re: Smithsonian Rock Tumbler?

    Quote Originally Posted by TheRockinator View Post
    OK, So I too am the proud owner of a Smithsonian Rock Tumbler. I didn't get quite as good a deal as none of my local thrift stores had any. So I had to buy mine new. (Not too bad, my wife had a coupon) (Michaels) It comes with lots of extras like Rocks and hardware to make jewelry out of the Rocks ( I may make a Pachinko Ball Pendant) and 3 different grades of grit. The instructions say add water but it seems to me that since, 1) The crushed walnut shells are sold as pet litter and will absorb water and 2) Water is a sworn enemy of Pachinko Balls, That I would leave that element out, at least on this first try. I put it all together at exactly 3pm local time and I will check it in 24 hours.

    Later The some of the Balls I put in there were really nasty with rust while others were not too bad Rockinator

    Yeah don't use water. It is a bad idea. Only use it if you want to polish rocks.

    100 machines and counting...

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    Fever Hunter doa12's Avatar
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    Default Re: Smithsonian Rock Tumbler?

    So would that cure rust with the right additives, or are rusty balls considered slingshot ammo?

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    Pachi Puro Moparformances's Avatar
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    Default Re: Smithsonian Rock Tumbler?

    Quote Originally Posted by doa12 View Post
    So would that cure rust with the right additives, or are rusty balls considered slingshot ammo?
    most spheres would be cleaned with a good tumbling.. heavy rust can be a problem.. but unless the ball is rough and will damage the cell i use them.. true vintage pachinko balls are not supper shinny

    other members use CLR on them and then dry them..
    Never Doubt that a small group of thoughtful, .......... /........ If your not going to stand behind our troops
    ...committed people can change the world. ............. /.................Please, Please stand in front of them
    .....Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has............./
    .........................................Margaret Mead

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    Default Re: Smithsonian Rock Tumbler?

    Pachinko ball production is actually highly regulated and has been since the 1950's. The balls are chrome-plated steel, 11mm, and MUST be engraved with the insignia of the parlor for which they are used. If the balls can be removed from the machines, they must remain in service for no more than 6 months. This is where all of the balls for sale in the USA come from, parlors removing balls and replacing them with new ones. New balls are brilliant screaming bright high-polish chrome. Balls are cleaned in larger parlors by machines using compressed air and brushes only.

    Ball displaying rust will indicate wear through the chrome which exposes the steel to humidity in the air. Usually these are almost invisible pin-pricks or scratches. Polishing a balls in a tumbler (or vibrating polisher) with walnut shells will often clean the surface corrosion which accumulates around these scratches or pin-pricks. The corrosion process however will begin again immediately.

    Adding chrome polish can delay this process, but it can also leave deposits on ball tracks and cause dirt / contaminant buildup in the machine.

    Discoloration of the balls often occurs when they have been chemically cleared of rust (CLR, et al) and can lead to a complete loss of protective chrome coating. These balls will continue to oxidize rapidly no matter what you do, and will gradually leave deposits all over your playfield and in the ball tracks, making even your clean balls dirty.

    Personally, I don't use old balls, cleaned or otherwise. For me if they do not display a high-chrome shine they are just ammo for my wrist-rocket.

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    Fever Hunter doa12's Avatar
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    Default Re: Smithsonian Rock Tumbler?

    So can you somehow electroplate them to fill in the exposed rust spots? I'd think the engraving would likely be the first spots they'd start to rust as it would be thinner.

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    Pachi Puro emmadog's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by doa12 View Post
    So can you somehow electroplate them to fill in the exposed rust spots? I'd think the engraving would likely be the first spots they'd start to rust as it would be thinner.
    Even if you could somehow have that done it seems it would be much more trouble and with iffy results than just buying new balls.
    EM Pinballs & Arrangeballs

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    Pachi Puro Moparformances's Avatar
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    Default Re: Smithsonian Rock Tumbler?

    Quote Originally Posted by doa12 View Post
    So can you somehow electroplate them to fill in the exposed rust spots? I'd think the engraving would likely be the first spots they'd start to rust as it would be thinner.
    rechroming something is allot harder then chrome plating something new.. also chrome plating can be rather expensive... your best bet is to just buy new ones.. there plentifull on da-bay..
    Never Doubt that a small group of thoughtful, .......... /........ If your not going to stand behind our troops
    ...committed people can change the world. ............. /.................Please, Please stand in front of them
    .....Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has............./
    .........................................Margaret Mead

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    Goodwill Ambassador luckydog's Avatar
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    Default Re: Smithsonian Rock Tumbler?

    i had a couple of rock tumblers i picked up at goodwill cheap,

    they were loud when running and the rubber bushing on the motor to turn the drum didin't last

    clr and really hot water worked better for me
    幸運わんわん Luckydog or Yukiwanwan in Japanese

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    Default Re: Smithsonian Rock Tumbler?

    Found this at goodwill - now just have to wait for it to get here. Looks like a nice one. New ones are around $100.

    sa538951913-42.jpg
    Pachinko -Nishijin "C" Fishing Game & Hockey, Red Lions, CR Red Lions, Heiwa Double Wing, Takao Bruce Lee, SanseiR&D 777 Sevens Rock, Sankyo Wanted!, lots of other vintages!; Pachislo -SPIN LUCK, Kung Fu Lady, Gamera High Grade, Gundam

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    Pachi Puro mxfaiman's Avatar
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    Default Re: Smithsonian Rock Tumbler?

    Quote Originally Posted by naha13 View Post
    Found this at goodwill - now just have to wait for it to get here. Looks like a nice one. New ones are around $100.
    Sorry I can't send you the pins back. They are already half done.

    But you can try it when you yank out your next set of pins.

    100 machines and counting...

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    Default Re: Smithsonian Rock Tumbler?

    I actually found this by chance - I really wasn't looking for anything in particular, but it found me like all the pachi's I have.
    Pachinko -Nishijin "C" Fishing Game & Hockey, Red Lions, CR Red Lions, Heiwa Double Wing, Takao Bruce Lee, SanseiR&D 777 Sevens Rock, Sankyo Wanted!, lots of other vintages!; Pachislo -SPIN LUCK, Kung Fu Lady, Gamera High Grade, Gundam

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