Anyone use a tumbler to clean bolts?

SPYGUY
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SPYGUY
Edited Date/Time 11/17/2014 5:05am
Thinking about trying it but am not sure what the best media to use would be.

Anything to worry about as far as damage to the bolts themselves?
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deltamotocross 11/12/2014 3:00pm
11/12/2014 3:00pm
Unless your trying to clean several hundred at a time, what's the point..
I enjoy cleaning the nuts and bolts on my bike, I'm kinda weird that way though..
slipdog
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slipdog 11/12/2014 4:41pm
11/12/2014 4:41pm
I don't think you have anything to worry about as long as you don't over load the tumbler. I've used walnut media and red rouge power and everything comes out clean and polished. There may be better "cleaning" media, but walnuts seem to work well.
reded
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reded 11/12/2014 4:51pm
11/12/2014 4:51pm
It's quicker to chuck them up in a drill and spin them in a rag slathered with Aluminim polish.
mxtech1
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mxtech1 11/13/2014 7:15am
11/13/2014 7:15am
I do not recommend polishing/tumbling hardware.

You need to understand that most hardware pieces have protective coatings. If you polish the coating off, the bolts will corrode more easily.

You can keep the threads clean with a wire brush (hand) and contact cleaner. You can lightly clean the non-threaded portion and the head with a light polishing compound, but don't overdue it!

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dogger315
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dogger315 11/13/2014 10:20am
11/13/2014 10:20am
I'm all for labor saving devices - something that allows you to work on something else while it does it's thing, is the best.

I need some more information before i recommend a media. All you have said is want to try tumbling, not what you're trying
to accomplish.

I use a tumbler primarily on rusty OE bolts that are NLA to prep them for replating. That is one of many uses. There are a bunch
of different medias, all specific to a particular task.

dogger
RyanLester761
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RyanLester761 11/13/2014 11:57am
11/13/2014 11:57am
I've had better luck with a soft polishing wheel (on a bench grinder) and green rouge- just hand polish each bolt. The finish will be consistant and shiny. I'm not sure if it puts on a protective coating, but it seems to keep them from rusting unlike ones I have tumbles in the past. It's actually less time consuming too.

I would recommend the tumbler for aluminum parts (i.e. linkage parts) with round porcelain media.

Tracktor
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Tracktor 11/13/2014 12:18pm
11/13/2014 12:18pm
Soda blast= Cheap, easy, fast and won't hurt coatings.............
O___o
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O___o 11/14/2014 7:43am
11/14/2014 7:43am
If you don't mind waiting a week or so, and don't mind paying a little money, you can have them stripped and re-zinc'd in clear, yellow, or black.

I did every but/bolt/axle/pivot/washer on my bike in black, plus about 7 lbs of extra hardware. I'd like to think my stuff is approaching dogger315 quality. hahaha







Tracktor
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Tracktor 11/14/2014 10:47am
11/14/2014 10:47am
O___o wrote:
If you don't mind waiting a week or so, and don't mind paying a little money, you can have them stripped and re-zinc'd in clear, yellow...
If you don't mind waiting a week or so, and don't mind paying a little money, you can have them stripped and re-zinc'd in clear, yellow, or black.

I did every but/bolt/axle/pivot/washer on my bike in black, plus about 7 lbs of extra hardware. I'd like to think my stuff is approaching dogger315 quality. hahaha







I looked on the Portland Oregon area for months for a company to do this on my '97 Cr125 project and couldn't find one company that would do it. One rathole company in the back of a weeded out commercial building was willing to chrome them though...............
BAMX
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BAMX 11/14/2014 1:49pm
11/14/2014 1:49pm
I have found that a heated ultrasonic cleaner works well. I just drop the stuff in a basket and let it sit for a few hours.
notme
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notme 11/14/2014 5:46pm
11/14/2014 5:46pm
O__o where did you get your plating done? Also what is that factory looking coating on the side covers? Id like to find a paint that matches that coating.
Tuck812
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Tuck812 11/15/2014 9:24pm
11/15/2014 9:24pm
notme wrote:
O__o where did you get your plating done? Also what is that factory looking coating on the side covers? Id like to find a paint that...
O__o where did you get your plating done? Also what is that factory looking coating on the side covers? Id like to find a paint that matches that coating.
O__o looks awesome I'm getting ready to do my 2005 cr 125 where did you get the bolts done and what did you do to your covers to get them to look like that?
O___o
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O___o 11/17/2014 5:05am
11/17/2014 5:05am
the hardware was sent to D&B plating. Google them. 82.50 includes stripping and replating in clear, yellow, or black zinc. I sent enough hardware for three RM250s, entire bike, to include axles and swingarm pivot. The covers are powdercoated "C.L. Bronze" which is a 25% on the gloss scale, with a 10% gloss reduces clear over the top of that.

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