Rusticating

[buster]

Has anyone ever tried a rock tumbler to rusticate?

[ToddJohnson]

Many factory "sandblasted" pipes are actually put in a tumbler.

TJ

[buster]

I didn't know that. I though I had an original idea. Damn.

[Sasquatch]

So depending on the rocks or sand or whatever a guy picks, you get a different finish? I will have to try this on some scraps. I assume a guy protects the stummel end with electrical tape or something?

[T3pipes]

Doubtful that tape would survive.

[Sasquatch]

All right, wise guy,

2 layers of electrical tape!


Mwuhahahahaha!

[buster]

You could leave a little extra material on the rim of the bowl and the face of the shank, then just plug up the holes. I was thinking of making a larger tumbler maybe like a five gallon bucket so the medium that you use in the tumbler kind of falls on top of the stummel and beats it up good.

[prosmoking]

I tried using a rock tumbler but did not get the results desired. (Hoping for a sandblast effect)
First round was with Lava Rock and it did not do much to the briar, only a very slight matte finish. The lava rock ground itself to powder very quickly. The powder stuck to the briar and formed a protective coating.
Second attempt was with quarts/marble stones. In short, same result as the lava rock.

I used duct tape to protect areas. It did fine for the lava rock. It got a bit chewed up with the marble but the glue layer stayed and still provided crisp lines.

If someone knows how to make this work (remove softer material as in sandblasting) I'd sure like to know also.

[pennsyscot]

Does anyone have any pictures of tumbled pipes? Can you use a tumbler of the type designed for cartridge casings?

[ToddJohnson]

Does anyone have any pictures of tumbled pipes? Can you use a tumbler of the type designed for cartridge casings?

They look just like factory sandblasts, though I wouldn't want to post pictures since I don't know if this is guarded information or not. I'm not trying to be coy, but the fact that I have no real secrets doesn't mean no one else does.

TJ

[Tyler]

Does anyone have any pictures of tumbled pipes? Can you use a tumbler of the type designed for cartridge casings?

They look just like factory sandblasts, though I wouldn't want to post pictures since I don't know if this is guarded information or not. I'm not trying to be coy, but the fact that I have no real secrets doesn't mean no one else does.

TJ

I thought those tumblers WERE sandblasters. That they were spraying blasting media into the wire-mesh tubs, and blasting by happenstance as the bowls tumbled like they were in a clothes dryer. I take it that's wrong?

[RadDavis]

I thought those tumblers WERE sandblasters. That they were spraying blasting media into the wire-mesh tubs, and blasting by happenstance as the bowls tumbled like they were in a clothes dryer. I take it that's wrong?

That's what I thought, Tyler. I thought they tumbled the pipes and blasters were blasting into the tumbled pipes, so everything eventually got blasted.

Rad

[KurtHuhn]

I had always considered that tumble blasters were the economical way to do it if you needed to blast a bunch of stuff and didn't want to pay a person doing it.

Pennyscot: here's some pics of tumble blasters. I don't know if these are the type that's used for pipes - I have no knowledge of that. However, I do know that these are the kind that are used for shot-piening knife parts in some factories.
http://www.trinco.com/page_8.htm
http://www.kramerindustriesonline.com/b ... series.htm

[Nick]

I'd always thought a paint can shaker might make for an interesting/cheap blaster kinda thing. fill the can with blasting media, toss in stummel, and let her rip for a few hours. Of course, i don't know if those things can run continuously for a few hours, but hey, I'm just an ideas kinda guy.

[prosmoking]

Does anyone have any pictures of tumbled pipes? Can you use a tumbler of the type designed for cartridge casings?

I'm wondering about the vibrating (casings) type myself. Wonder if this would resolve the powder issue with a tumbler.
The pipe that I tumbled was just very lightly effected. More of a matte finish as opposed to a true blast. I let it run for a week with the lava rock and another week with the marble. Sorry, no pictures, it was not what I wanted so tried rustication with the nail tool.

The theory is, throw it in, take it out when it is done. Small investment, little work involved. It can tumble or vibrate while I do other things.

Harbor Freight has a small (casings) vibrator on sale this week. I may give it a try.

I like the paint shaker idea. Now that would make it sound like you were working.

[T3pipes]

Make a mount inside a paint can to hold a pipe in place, load medium into can, attach can to shaker. Sounds good in theory.

[RadDavis]

Make a mount inside a paint can to hold a pipe in place, load medium into can, attach can to shaker. Sounds good in theory.

Nah. Media hitting the pipe at about zero psi won't do much of anything.

Rad

[Kettletrigger]

Make a mount inside a paint can to hold a pipe in place, load medium into can, attach can to shaker. Sounds good in theory.

Nah. Media hitting the pipe at about zero psi won't do much of anything.

Rad

A pound or so of big, sharp-tipped wood screws might nicely beat the hell out of it though...

[Nick]

I like that idea!

[Kettletrigger]

It's similar in theory to a method some have used to restore motorcycle gas tanks...

I've never done this myself of course, , but supposedly one could take an internally rusted old motorcycle gas tank, fill it with a couple of handfuls of wood screws, wrap it in a pillow and some old blankets, tie it with rope to hold it into a bundle, sneak down to the local laundrymat in the dead of night, and pop it in the dryer for a cycle or two. Granted, it might sound like a herd of robots raping a Studebaker, but it can sure clean the inside of a gas tank.

So I'm told.

An empty paint can containing a pipe-in-progress and some appropriately-sized pointy bits wrapped in Grandma's afghan might give some interesting rustication. Or it might reduce the pipe to dust. Probably a job for someone else's pipe in someone else's dryer.