Question about tumble etching

[yeepers]

Hey all,

So I'd like to get away from chemical etching and finally got all the stuff together to try tumble etching. My question for you is how long do you have to tumble before you get a decent etch?

Cheers,

-Yee

[glassymom]

Hi yee, I find it depends on the glass and bead shape. I have beads that go for the day and are good. Transparents take longer.

[yeepers]

OK...So it's definitely a LONG process. I wasn't sure how long I was supposed to leave the tumbler going. Chemical etch is minutes but I don't like the fact that the chemicals are so hazardous and sometimes they leave that white residue that messes things up. I guess I just need to factor in a day for etching if I plan to use the tumbler

Thanks!

[glassymom]

Yes, atleast a day!

[Wowglass]

I have a question too. I recently aquired a vibratory 'tumbler' from my dad's workbench. Can I use it for etching beads? Its the one that green and looks kind of like an alien spacecraft on the top.

Sheralyn

[hyperT]

Originally Posted by Wowglass

I have a question too. I recently aquired a vibratory 'tumbler' from my dad's workbench. Can I use it for etching beads? Its the one that green and looks kind of like an alien spacecraft on the top.

Sheralyn

That kind of tumbler is more used for cleaning metals like silver, but since you already have it, I'm sure it will work for etching beads as well. There are several barrel tumblers on the net that cost about 30 bucks and give good results in a few hours. For the barrel type I fill the tumbler up to over half way with beads then add two tablespoons of 500/600 silicon carbide grinding compound to the mix and then fill it with ordinary water, till it just covers the top of the beads. Then tumble them for about 3 hrs. while you are making more beads.

Your Dad, who you stole the device from, should probably be your best bet on how to use it LOL.

Have fun!

P.S. Make sure you clean it well before he uses any metals in it.

[Eileen]

The more beads I have in it, the faster it seems to go. I just open it up & check every so often. Putting some of my small test beads, etc. in there seems to help.

[hyperT]

Different grinding compounds used for tumbling rocks are in the tumbler for about 7 days round the clock. They break down to a finer grade as they are used.
However since we are etching glass and not rocks and only use the compounds for a few hours at a time they can be reclaimed and used again.
I just put them through a 6 inch kitchen strainer into a 5 pound plastic coffee can to be used again later, protecting it from any foreign matter.
I just let the water evaporate out.

Eileen is correct when she said use different size pieces along with the ones you want to etch. The smaller particles will reach places that other things can't.
So various sizes of scrap glass or stainless shot will help a lot.

Not all beads can be etched this way, especially some that have deep creases in them. Tumbling likes an available surface to work on.

Another use for a tumbler is cleaning the inside of beads. You can put the beads on small pieces of twisted wire and then bend the ends of the wire up
so the beads can slide back and forth on the wire in the tumbler. This will clean the inside of a bead pretty well from the brushing motion.
Certainly good enough for government work anyway.
Try it. Like I said before you can get a small tumbler on the web
or local hobby shop for around 30 bucks.

Beads on a "twisted wire", that's at least two strands twisted together.
You can put a few on one wire. Bend the end of the twisted wire up.
Put them in the tumbler with some warm water and a pinch of liquid soap and let them tumble for about an hour and wah la.
I use picture hanger wire. and separate the strands then tie two of them back together with a drill and 2 cotter keys.
One goes in the drill the other cotter key in a vise and the wire strung between the two cotter keys securely.
Pull the wires tight and do this slowly or the wires may heat and break and come back to bite you. Then cut them into smaller pieces to use in the tumbler.

If you use the same barrel for etching and cleaning, you must make sure the barrel is super clean or some of your beads may get etched or scratched when you just wanted them cleaned.

Needless to say I have two barrels.

A weaker solution of hydrofluoric acid will etch glass. A very strong solution will actually polish the glass if mixed with sulfuric acid. Go figure?
Some of the "cut crystal factories" use this method instead of the long
process of polishing the piece by hand. It is just dipped to remove the etch
I have seen this process first hand at it is amazing that only the etched
parts just flake off leaving a beautiful polished surface.

About the only things that HF will attack is glass and YOU, well the only things
we care about anyway.
It will destroy your lungs and mucus membranes if inhaled.
If dripped on your skin it will penetrate the skin then spread out under your skin so that the whole area must be removed to dilute and flush it out.

Ammonia Bi Fluoride found in most etching creams and liquids is actually just
another form of HF. Care must be taken when using it too.

NOTE: ALWAYS add acid to water. NEVER add water to acid.
Adding water to acid can cause a violent reaction.

Be safe not sorry.

[Alaska]

For boro beads use a Ultra Vibe 10 Vibratory Rock Tumbler. Takes about 2 hours for a nice faux sea glass look.

The bowls come in two types. One for liquids and one for dry.

[losthelm]

you can add airsoft pellets or bb pellets to a tumbler for better action.
some tumblers work better when they are around 2/3-3/4 full.
they will work with less but just a little slower.

[Trish915]

i tumble etch for just a couple of hours and they come out great. I wouldn't imagine it taking a full day.

[SerendipityArtGlass]

I have a barrel with orphans of all shapes and sizes using a tablespoon of 600 silicon carbide grit and a couple of hours.

[Wowglass]

Originally Posted by hyperT

That kind of tumbler is more used for cleaning metals like silver, but since you already have it, I'm sure it will work for etching beads as well. There are several barrel tumblers on the net that cost about 30 bucks and give good results in a few hours. For the barrel type I fill the tumbler up to over half way with beads then add two tablespoons of 500/600 silicon carbide grinding compound to the mix and then fill it with ordinary water, till it just covers the top of the beads. Then tumble them for about 3 hrs. while you are making more beads.

Your Dad, who you stole the device from, should probably be your best bet on how to use it LOL.

Have fun!

P.S. Make sure you clean it well before he uses any metals in it.

Thanks for the info. Maybe I'll just use it for silver and get a cheap harbor freight tumbler for etching. My dad used to use it on his handloading bench for polishing brass shell casings so I'll be sure to clean it first.

[Elizabeth Beads]

I use 1,000 grit silicon carbide, junk beads of vary sizes down to glass ponies, no shot, no soap. I tumble overnight.

[hyperT]

Different Grits Result In Different Effects

500/600 Is the most like beach sand.
800 is more of a satin etch.
1000 is even more of a satin etch.

Substituting sand for silicon carbide grit will not save money. Instead it will cost more time and electricity than the savings of grit that you achieve. It most likely will produce lower quality results.

After about an hour you should check the barrel to make sure no gases are building up. Doesn't happen often but could. Just loosen the cap slightly to release any gas. Especially if you have a rubber barrel.

Here is the address where you can buy different grades by the pound. As far as Black Silicon and Green Silicon, Green is the preferred one. I don't really see that it matters for tumbling a few beads.

http://panadyneabrasives.com/main.sc

They will be listed under "Lapidary".

[MrsD]

Originally Posted by Elizabeth Beads

I use 1,000 grit silicon carbide, junk beads of vary sizes down to glass ponies, no shot, no soap. I tumble overnight.

I do this, but also add burnishing compound.

Stainless steel shot & soap is what I use for polishing silver, not etching beads.

[28676bhe]

Silicone Carbide eventually breaks down from the tumbling action. So if you start with 200 sc, it won't take quite as long, then after using for a month or two, you'll have to tumble longer.