Tumblers
There are two types of tumblers: rotary tumblers and vibratory tumblers.
Both types of tumblers use abrasive media to
mix with unfinished metal parts, plastic parts, jewelry, rough stones or dirty
metal parts. Rotary tumblers are devices which spin a hexagonal or cylindrical
tub horizontally, causing the abrasive media inside the tub to clean, polish,
deburr or mix unfinished parts or objects. Vibratory tumblers use
abrasive media placed
with dirty or unfinished parts inside a polyurethane drum which vibrates,
causing a cyclonic downward motion of all the contents. Common tumbling media types
are steel shot, plastic pellets and shapes, walnut shells and corn cob meal;
when placed inside the tumbler together, the friction of the media purifies
the surface of the objects, burnishing, polishing and cleaning every surface.
Although small rotary and vibratory tumblers are largely becoming the tools
of hobbyists, industrial parts manufacturers and machinists still use tumblers
for mass finishing and cleaning. Hobbyists use rotary tumblers for jewelry
burnishing and rock polishing, and vibratory tumblers are often used with walnut
or corn cob meal by gunsmiths for brass shell cleaning and polishing or small
parts burnishing. Industrial manufacturers use rotary tumblers with wet media
for mass parts cleaning, polishing and cement mixing, while vibratory tumblers
are used with more abrasive media for mass finishing and deburring.
Tumblers are available in many sizes and added features; vibratory tumblers
designed for parts cleaning sometimes come with removable plugs for easy media
removal. Rotary tumblers may come with liquid drains and noise dampening covers,
and industrial vibratory
finishing tumblers can contain multiple media compartments with automated conveyor
systems. Although similar, rotary and vibratory tumblers do have different
applications; rotary tumblers polish parts and stones faster than vibratory
tumblers and are much better equipped for wet media washing, yet vibratory
tumblers tend to provide the best deburring and polish capabilities.