Tumble Aids
Tumble finishing jewelry can be an effective, efficient solution for studio artists looking to streamline their process and/or increase their productivity. What's not efficient is untangling chains, sorting through mismatched pairs, finding your own work if in a workshop scenario, and searching for small pieces in a strainer basket or sink basin. These tumbling aids are an effort to help address some of the limits and problems that come along with finishing jewelry in this way.
Please read over the following information thoroughly.
ABOUT THE DESIGN:
Made of Delrin, these tough, slightly flexible tools are incredibly strong and resistant to abrasion, water, and chemicals. They will not harm or scratch your work, and require no special care other than rinsing after use. Safe for use in ceramic, porcelain, stainless steel, silicon carbide, aluminum oxide and plastic medias.
Each silhouette has been designed with numerous cutouts. These serve two purposes:
- provide ample anchor points for connecting work in a way that best suits the maker's design
- allow for water to pass freely through and around the tumble aid, which helps to limit the drag and resistance that would otherwise hinder tumbling efficiency
Frames: larger in circumference and with open centers, intended for connecting chain wither by threading it through the inner cutouts or pinning it to the smaller, outer eyelets (as determined by the size and design of the piece.)
Wheels: smaller in diameter and with openwork centers, intended for small components to be loosely fastened or otherwise connected as suits their design in order to prevent loss and separation while maintaining organization by pair, size, maker, etc.
All tumble aids are flexible in use and should be used according to maker's requirements; for example, frames are capable of holding up to six pairs of earrings as opposed to a single chain.
MAKING CONNECTIONS:
- DIRECT: Connect work to tumble aids by fastening (posts, brooches, etc) or threading and clasping (chains.) Shepherd hook earrings may be threaded through cutouts and compressed gently to close and secure.
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PINS: Included in each set is approximately 20 coil-less, reusable safety pins. (We weigh the pins to parcel them out, so please allow for some humanness should you be a pin short.) Pins work for connecting designs to tumble aids when the work itself does not offer such an option. The pins you receive may be french style (long and uniform) or bulb style (rounded base that resembles a pear) depending on our stock. These are made of solid brass, making them impervious to rust and corrosion and are safe to use both in tumble barrels as well as pickle pots. Please note that nearly all pins made today are gilt or plated in some fashion. Your pins will arrive shiny and golden, but the plating will wear away quickly with tumbling. You can expect the brass to patina and dull with use, but the function will remain unaffected. Should you purchase your own pins elsewhere, please be sure they do not contain iron or other ferrous metals.
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TIES: There are times when neither direct attachment nor pins will work well for securing work to tumble aids. For thicker pieces, groups of stacking rings, and larger items, approximately 20 micro ties are included in your package. These are single use ties and will need to be cut away after use. Please note that they do not fit through the smallest cutouts of the frames and wheels and should be reserved for designs that cannot be affixed using the alternatives covered above.
CONNECTION TIPS:
- all work should be affixed as loosely as possible on the tumble aids. Leaving slack, space, and the ability to move freely will allow for maximum contact between the tumbling media and the metal.
- Tight connections risk damage or breakage to chain and more delicate pieces and also are likely to cause shadows/dark spots where media could not adequately access the metal. Please make sure chains have some drape and slack between connection points and that all post backs are as loosely connected as possible.
Please note that, after tumbling, you may need to do a small amount of hand finishing in areas where earrings backs cover the posts or where other connection points between the work and tumble aids prohibit maximum contact between the tumbling media and work.
RING WHEELS:
As part of the Tumble Wheel set, the ring wheel stands apart as the only tumble aid with engraved markings. These numbers are intended to signify ring sizes with the dashes between them denoting half sizes; however, numbers can also be used to organize and identify any other manner of specifications such as order/customer, maker, metal, etc. The engravings have been back filled with ink and buffed so that the markings are clear. Should this ink fade over time, simply use an oil-based paint pen, enamel, or sharpie to refill the recesses and sand lightly to remove extra pigment.
USE IN PICKLE:
Please understand that these aids were designed for use in tumblers as opposed to pickle.
While Delrin is largely chemical resistant and will not harm or affect work when used in pickle, it is not immune to chemical reactions, especially when combined with heat. If using in pickle, the pickling solution should be made of citric acid as opposed to sodium bisulfate as the latter releases sulfuric acid that severely affects Delrin. Using stainless steel small parts baskets or silicone tea strainers is a preferred method of managing work in the pickle pot.
If you opt to use your tumble aids in pickle, they should be submerged for no more than a few minutes at a time and should be throughly rinsed in a baking soda bath after each use. Delrin left in pickle for extended periods will begin to undergo material breakdown including dissolving, discoloration, and potentially toxic fumes.
If you're unsure about how your tumble aids will react to your pickle, this is a great resource for checking the compatibility of Delrin with other chemicals and substances.
Questions, concerns, problems? Use the contact page and let us know how we can help.
