Not sure where to put this, so I am sticking this in "Other."

I am in the process of cleaning and organizing my garage and my parts stash. I have discovered that I have squirrelled away copious amounts of nuts and bolts over the years. I have also discovered that these bolts and nuts still have their original patina (read lots of grease and rust). I would like to clean them, and the easiest and most efficient method I have come up with is a vibratory polishing device such as the ones sold by Eastwood or a tumbling device such as a rock polisher.

Due to several rock collecting shops in my area, I am leaning towards getting a rock polisher and using it to clean the nuts and bolts.

Anybody have any suggestions as to what type of cleaning media I should use?

I read on post on another board where a guy warned against using any kind of vibratory or tumbling polishing technique since this would take the edge off the threads and make them unusable. This sounds like nonsense to me, but I am often wrong about such things. Any input on this issue?

Thanks!

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Casually looking for a Clifford hyperpak intake for cheap.

Reed,

I've been using an old Thumler's Tumbler to clean bolts and small parts for years. http://www.thumlerstumbler.com/rotary.html Model A-R2 No. 115

I don't use any media, I just lets the nuts and bolts tumble over each other. This does have it's limitations though as recessed bolt heads usually don't get completely clean. When I first used the tumbler I tried some steel shot, but gave up on it. If you need smaller crevices clean you can try some kind of media. If I need the bolt heads that detailed I use my blast cabinet. I always tumble the parts wet with some dishwasher detergent. After they are clean they'll rust right away so I dry them and then spray with WD-40.

If I was at home I'd send a picture or two of the results. The nuts, bolts and other little parts come out looking very nice. I've never had any threads get screwed up.

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Joshua

Thanks! Tumler's is actually just up I-5 from me in Auburn. I am thinking I will get a large capacity Thumler's Tumbler and use a bit of play sand as the media, at least for starters. I'll try a load with just the bolts rattling around and see how it works.

I searched the web and found instructions on how to build a tumbler out of a 5 gallon bucket, but I don't have the metalworking tools or skills to build or the room to store such a beast.

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Casually looking for a Clifford hyperpak intake for cheap.

Wire wheel? Tap and die set?

If I had less than 50 bolts, I might go for the wire wheel and tap and die route. However, I am getting a pretty serious pile going, and there is no way I have the time for wire wheeling all these fasteners. I probably have two gallons of nuts and bolts, so far...

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Casually looking for a Clifford hyperpak intake for cheap.

Get a tumbler and try different media. Before you buy a tumbler, shop around. Shooters use them to clean cartridge cases before handloading. HERE'S one that includes a separator, bucket, and media for $63.99.

Harbor freight has tumblers and media, as well.

Gun stores sell media with different levels of abrasive already in them, or you can mix your own. I use corncob and a little Mother's Mag and Aluminum polish for cleaning brass, but cleaning rust off steel would likely call for something more aggressive. Maybe walnut shells, and some red jeweller's rouge. Pet stores carry ground walnut shells for bird cages.

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"When you find a big kettle of crazy, it's best not to stir it." - Pointy-haired Boss

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