Surface Finishing of Aluminum Parts in a Vibratory Tumbler

[@4570Govt]

One thing to remember with any sort of tumbling: you need "flow". This refers to the media being transported across the part surfaces at a reasonable travel speed to actually cut, not just skip across the surface. In this case, I would have started with 1/2 the media he used, as it weighs significantly more than the parts. You need it to actually tumble, not just jiggle around. The parts must be turned over and over, end over end, allowing for media to travel in all directions due to the natural irregular flow of the media itself. With proper media circulation, your "couple of hours" can literally be 20-30mins of run time, if the media is actually moving. You need it to churn, just like with a blender, bottom up and around the sides, combing back down into the middle.

[@brunoburtoni8479]

Wondering if this will work with mazak (pot metal) parts before chrome plating . It’s a pain the ass trying to polish intricate pieces?

[@TorteTS]

Thanks for sharing, great stuff and result.

[@James-ri3fd]

Nice video! The company I work for uses ceramic to tumble parts and requires 2 treatments with 2 media sizes. Would this method be better?

[@compulsivediy8036]

I found that one needs to develop a specific method for every application. That is easier when you do the same well developed process every day at a business. I have had many bad results when trying to tumble something new with the best guess for media.

[@ExposedChannel247]

Would you say this would be the only treatment necessary to make the parts accept primer and paint with good adhesion vs untumbled aluminum?

[@compulsivediy8036]

Yes, some paints and primers require a rougher surface than this for adhesion.

[@silvabezawada]

Is this an alternative to shot blasting

[@compulsivediy8036]

Tumbling is similar in a sense that the surface is abraded. Tumbling is used for deburring because it removes more material from the corners and rounds them off. So on sharp edges it is more like filing and sanding and on flat surfaces is is like the the early coarse polishing steps. It is a better process for small pats that are labor intensive to hold and position during blasting. I found that blasting is not a good restoration process for rusted steel. It does not "get into" pitted rusty craters as well as blasting abrasive does.

[@Nordic_Goon]

What grit exactly were these pyramids? I'm seeing a wide variety of grits available and I'm fond of the results you achieved with whatever grit you used. Thanks for the video, I'm tired of my blasting cabinet for small aluminum parts, and this looks like it'd be a way more ideal method for prepping them for anodizing than using my blast cabinet (which leaks blast media everywhere, and I'm too swamped to tear it down and seal it)

[@compulsivediy8036]

The pyramids cannot be described as a grit, it is more like tumbling with stones. This is how many Al parts are prepped for anodizing in industrial settings. The green plastic media that has an imbedded fine abrasive is used to tumble aluminum parts.

[@Nordic_Goon]

@@compulsivediy8036 ah thanks for the reply, but these definitely do come in different grits. I settled on 220 and it worked out fine.

[@timothyraymondparsons5464]

Can I use them on hotwheels to remove filling Mark's and scratchs

[@compulsivediy8036]

I found you have to test the process for you application. Businesses often have consultants usually from equipment manufacturers that set them up. The abrasive action is pretty gentle so everything depends on how deep the scratches are. Tumbling, even with hard ceramic media is closer to polishing than to sanding.

[@mohdadil5354]

Is this available in india pl

[@AmpSkillz]

Why is the aluminum so dull grey and non reflective. It looks like it was gloss powder coated in light grey. I expected some kind of polished aluminum look

[@compulsivediy8036]

This is something like a mild abrasive procedure for deburring and scratch removal. Polishing would require a buffing wheel. Gun brass shell casings can be made very shiny by tumbling with mild media like walnut shell. I will try tumbling aluminum with walnut shell media and see if I get some shine.

[@AmpSkillz]

Compulsive DIY thanks I’m very curious if any media will give at least a lightly polished look to aluminum

[@tosh9521]

Wheel refinishers use various plastic pyramids and get phenomenal results, that almost look chrome.

[@airborne0x0]

@@compulsivediy8036 Did you ever try this? thanks

[@edappi8172]

Sort of nice video, but can you talk into a microphone!