Cleaning small bicycle parts - spoke nipples, etc

[Midget87]

Hi - Sharing a little information here on cleaning parts. Below are two photos of spoke nipples from the early 60s that have had their share of use and abuse by the elements. The shiny ones are from a 62 bicycle and they looked just like the ones from the 1960 machine in the photos. For quite a while now I have been using a tumbler with ceramic media to clean small parts. While it will not grow back the nickel plating that may be missing it does treat them well and they come out looking very nice. I picked this tumbler up for cleaning and shining up slot car chassis that I build years ago. I have used if for many things through the years and am on my 2nd drum. If any of you are interested I can pass along info on what I use. The shiny nipples came out this morning and the dirty ones are in rotating now along with a Bendix red band hub that was pitted and rusty. I will shoot some photos of these parts tomorrow and share the before and after condition.

 

[juvela]

-----

thanks very much for sharing this

one of my other interests is old espresso machines

there is a fellow who does beautiful restorations of these and uses a tumbler for small parts in his work as well

this forum thread on one of his projects has before & after images for parts cleaned by this technique

1958 La Cimbali Gran Luce Automatica (Hydraulic)

I was pretty curious about hydraulic machines for a while now, and decided my first project would be my 2 group Gran Luce Automatica purchased as part of the group of machines from New York state. It is in good original condition, but I saw that someone has worked on the machine at least after...

www.home-barista.com

-----

 

[49autocycledeluxe]

I use the one that vibrates. has little pointy pyramids inside.

 

[Drosentreter]

Hi - Sharing a little information here on cleaning parts. Below are two photos of spoke nipples from the early 60s that have had their share of use and abuse by the elements. The shiny ones are from a 62 bicycle and they looked just like the ones from the 1960 machine in the photos. For quite a while now I have been using a tumbler with ceramic media to clean small parts. While it will not grow back the nickel plating that may be missing it does treat them well and they come out looking very nice. I picked this tumbler up for cleaning and shining up slot car chassis that I build years ago. I have used if for many things through the years and am on my 2nd drum. If any of you are interested I can pass along info on what I use. The shiny nipples came out this morning and the dirty ones are in rotating now along with a Bendix red band hub that was pitted and rusty. I will shoot some photos of these parts tomorrow and share the before and after condition.

View attachment 1931156

View attachment 1931157

Beats the hell out of polishing by hand! Can you share the info on what tumbler setup you use?

 

[Wolfmac]

Fantastic ideathanks for the tip

 

[Midget87]

Here is what I use. If you have any questions let me know.

Tumbler
https://rocktumbler.com/thumlers/model-ar-12.shtml

Ceramic Media
https://www.buffaloarms.com/1-60-pounds-of-ceramic-media-lym7631381.html

Tumbling Soap
https://www.buffaloarms.com/1-quart-of-tumbling-compound-cmcomp.html

 

[49autocycledeluxe]

if you are poor like me they sell them at Harbor Freight.

I had a bucket full of bottom brackets, seat post clamps, head sets, brakes and levers...

even did a ND coaster brake. this thing was rusted stuck

 

[Midget87]

if you are poor like me they sell them at Harbor Freight.

I had a bucket full of bottom brackets, seat post clamps, head sets, brakes and levers...

even did a ND coaster brake. this thing was rusted stuck

What kind of tumbler is it? Vibrating or rotary?

 

[49autocycledeluxe]

mine is vibrating. they sell both at H.F. I bought it to do all the hardware for my front sheet metal on my 1949 Chevrolet

this is the medium they sell.

 

[Midget87]

The AR-12 I have has a rubber drum. The media is cylindrical cermic beads that have the ends cut on an angle so they look like a parallelogram from the side. They work well and they dont abuse the surface. I tumble alot of brass slot car chassis that have moving hinged pans. They always come out looking like jewelry.

A person could fab one of these up out of an industrial parts bin if they wanted to. Mine has been running all day today. I will check it later when I get home and if it needs to go longer I will let it run overnight. I rinse the parts in water and then rinse them in alcohal as it will remove any moisture.

Its really magic.