Tumbling Smaller Items - Heidi uses a
plastic zip-tie or larger piece of wire to
secure her freshly cut jump rings together
when she tumbles them .”It will save you
soooo much time when you don’t have
to pick through the shot for loose jump
rings!”
found that this ‘double tumble method’
works best for me as it prepares the metal
for the patina by removing all the oils
from my hands and begins the hardening
process”.
Multiple Projects - Patti also noted that “I
have successfully tumbled – in the same
Glass Beads - Patti says that most of her
session – mixed metals and jewelry conjewelry can be tumbled as it is completed. sisting of sterling silver, copper, and brass.
“But, on occasion I will have a piece that
I have tumbled multiple pieces together,
incorporates certain beads that cannot be as well. However, I do not recommend
tumbled. If that is the case, I will patinate tumbling super fine chain, as it is prone to
my metals with liver of sulfur, buff with
massive tangling!”
steel wool (0000), wind it into a coil, and
tumble the metal for about 30 minutes.
Advanced - Ann says “if you want to
Then, I will make the jewelry.”
move on to advanced tumbling, you can
start using plastic or ceramic media plus
Timing - Ann says that if you are going
burnishing compound to get different
to shine 15 minutes to an hour should be finishes.”
fine. Patti says she usually tumbles for 30
minutes and Ann says for work hardening
Classes & Instruction
you can go overnight even.
Ann noted that “many entry level wire work
Emptying - Patti pours the entire contents into a colander (jewelry and shot)
and rinses well. “Once drained, I pour the
shot onto a kitchen towel to dry thoroughly. Once dry, I keep the shot right in
the tumbler, ready for the next use.”
Patina - Patti says “if adding a liver of
sulfur patina to the metals, I tumble the
completed piece of jewelry PRIOR to patinating. Once cleaned, I give my jewelry
its bath in liver of sulfur, buff with extra
fine steel wool (0000), a quick wash and
rinse – again, using Dawn – and repeat
the tumbling process noted above. I have
or metal work classes include tumbling.” I
know Debora Mauser and Eva Sherman often incorporates tumbling in their classes.
Some of the classes I am planning in the
next year or so also incorporate tumbling.
Others include:
Richard Sally: Patti recommen