Cleaning Up Your Clad Finds

[buck8point]

Now I realize that cleaning your valuable coins will lower the numismatic value, and generally should never be done, but as an experiment I intend to use a particular method of cleaning really dirty clad coins of little to no numismatic value, so as to evaluate how well it may or may not work.

The method I’m using will be a vibrating tumbler that I use for cleaning brass cartridges for reloading.

I will put the five clad Quarters from today’s hunt into the tumbler using crushed walnut shell media.

I am posting 4 before pics of both front and back of the five quarters with both flash and in natural lighting, to show the condition they are currently in as they came out of the ground today, and after a period of vibrating I will check them every day until I’m satisfied on how they clean up, and post after pics to show the final results.

Stay Tuned and see the Before pics below.

 

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[Minelab Matt]

For normal spendable clad i soak them in bicarb, salt, lemon juice and vinegar for an hour....noce and clean.

Or..i get out tge dremel with a soft rubber wheel and it takes about 20 seconds per coin to make them look like new.

Matt

 

[Ogre1190]

Here's clad quarters before and after...in a rotary tumbler with lemon juice and salt for 35 minutes.

 

[buck8point]

Ive tried a few different ways of cleaning them up as well.
just thought id give this a try, as it works so well on brass casings.

 

[Minelab Matt]

View attachment 1624237 Here's clad quarters before and after...in a rotary tumbler with lemon juice and salt for 35 minutes. View attachment 1624239

Im impressed! Fair play!!

What make and model is your tumbler?

Coz im getting one!

Matt.

 

[redcobra8u]

Im impressed! Fair play!!

What make and model is your tumbler?

Coz im getting one!

Matt.

Yeah, me too.

 

[Ogre1190]

Got the dual drum model from Harbor Freight, Matt. Well worth the investment. I can do pennies in one and the rest in the other at the same time. I just give the pennies about ten extra minutes.

 

[Ogre1190]

I wanna see how the dry media works for you, Buck. 😁 Is there somewhere I can buy that?

 

[uglymailman]

I like Ogre's work, those came out really well. I never get enough at one time to do that. I can pass em off gettin a cup of coffee at the C store. Good luck.

 

[Minelab Matt]

Bet they are super expensive.

Cheapest i can find is £59.00!

 

[buck8point]

I wanna see how the dry media works for you, Buck. �� Is there somewhere I can buy that?

sure is. I'll post a pic tomorrow, of the vibrating tumbler, and media so stay tuned.
I got both at cabelas, and like i said, i use them for cleaning cartridges, so this is an experiment.

Vibrating Tumbler
Lyman 1200 PRO Turbo Tumbler (54.99)

Media
Lyman Turbo® Tufnut™ Plus Case Cleaning Media - 5.5 lb. Easy Pour Container (16.99)

Again, I already had these items, so I didnt go out and buy them just for this experiment.


Cases come out better than new, high polish, and smooth as silk.

 

[Bengsxr]

I have a Lyman 2200 vibratory tumbler because I also reload on my Dilon, but sadly this does not get your clad clean and looking good. A rotary rock polish type is the only way I have found as of yet. I use a little vinegar, dawn soap and hot water. Run for about an hour or 2.

 

[buck8point]

I have a Lyman 2200 vibratory tumbler because I also reload on my Dilon, but sadly this does not get your clad clean and looking good. A rotary rock polish type is the only way I have found as of yet. I use a little vinegar, dawn soap and hot water. Run for about an hour or 2.

I have a much Bigger Lyman Turbo also they both work amazingly well on filthy range brass, so im thinking this will work well on clad too. i have no timeframe on this so if it takes a few days to get them like new, no skin off my back. just lettin em buzzzzz...

 

[Bengsxr]

I have a much Bigger Lyman Turbo also they both work amazingly well on filthy range brass, so im thinking this will work well on clad too. i have no timeframe on this so if it takes a few days to get them like new, no skin off my back. just lettin em buzzzzz...

Which one do you have because the 2200 takes 5 lbs of media to charge it and has 1.75 gallon capacity. Holds 750 rounds of 38 cal. So I thought that was pretty large.

 

[buck8point]

Which one do you have because the 2200 takes 5 lbs of media to charge it and has 1.75 gallon capacity. Holds 750 rounds of 38 cal. So I thought that was pretty large.

yea, its the 2200 with the auto flow... thats my primary one. its a beast..
i picked up the smaller 1200 pro for smaller batches..

 

[TrashFinder]

Have you considered trying a dental water pick? You'll get some reflection on the water, so a deep sink is in order. Just warm water works. I use that for older coins I find. Otherwise, I use a heavily modified Harbor Freight single rotary rock tumbler. I replaced the barrel with a chunk of ABS 4-inch pipe with a expanding plug at each end. On the inside I put a strip of plastic down lengthwise (allowing for the plug to be put in tight) with some Shoe Goo (still stuck). The clanking for a couple days takes all the grime off nicely. Use a strainer basket (kitchen type) to pour the sludge and coins into, and rinse. Amazing how much dirt is on coins. I dry them by air on a rough scrap of towel for a few hours, and push them into a coin wrapper. The next time I am at the store, I sell them the wrapped clean coins (I call them laundered coins), which they do like for change. The motor is a WWII surplus little motor with a smal pulley. I scavanged a very large pulley from something that fit the shaft of the frame from the Harbor Freight machine, and a sewing machine belt has lasted forever. A spring keeps tension on the motor. A small muffin fan blows air over the motor so it remains cool. The setup will never win a beauty contest but - it runs 24/7. Every now and then (about six months) I replace the drum because the coins tend to chew at the ABS material from the inside and eventually make it dangerously pliable. Oh yes, I found a small innertube that I cut across into some somewhat narrow bands, and stretch a band over each end of the drum so that the roller gets a better grip on the drum. Some day I will be forded to get new bearings for the ends of the two shafts. I have to remember to keep them oiled about once a month. so much for my handyman project. Sometimes I win - I usually though, scrap an idea.

 

[buck8point]

Have you considered trying a dental water pick? You'll get some reflection on the water, so a deep sink is in order. Just warm water works. I use that for older coins I find. Otherwise, I use a heavily modified Harbor Freight single rotary rock tumbler. I replaced the barrel with a chunk of ABS 4-inch pipe with a expanding plug at each end. On the inside I put a strip of plastic down lengthwise (allowing for the plug to be put in tight) with some Shoe Goo (still stuck). The clanking for a couple days takes all the grime off nicely. Use a strainer basket (kitchen type) to pour the sludge and coins into, and rinse. Amazing how much dirt is on coins. I dry them by air on a rough scrap of towel for a few hours, and push them into a coin wrapper. The next time I am at the store, I sell them the wrapped clean coins (I call them laundered coins), which they do like for change. The motor is a WWII surplus little motor with a smal pulley. I scavanged a very large pulley from something that fit the shaft of the frame from the Harbor Freight machine, and a sewing machine belt has lasted forever. A spring keeps tension on the motor. A small muffin fan blows air over the motor so it remains cool. The setup will never win a beauty contest but - it runs 24/7. Every now and then (about six months) I replace the drum because the coins tend to chew at the ABS material from the inside and eventually make it dangerously pliable. Oh yes, I found a small innertube that I cut across into some somewhat narrow bands, and stretch a band over each end of the drum so that the roller gets a better grip on the drum. Some day I will be forded to get new bearings for the ends of the two shafts. I have to remember to keep them oiled about once a month. so much for my handyman project. Sometimes I win - I usually though, scrap an idea.

This sounds just like a rock tumbler setup i had way back when. Try making a liner for the inside your ABS barrel with some inner tube material, and it will make your barrels last a lot longer..

The nice thing about the dry media vibrator is you can reach in and check the progress without all the mess, and its infinitely more quieter than the straight tumbler setup.

 

[Bengsxr]

yea, its the 2200 with the auto flow... thats my primary one. its a beast..
i picked up the smaller 1200 pro for smaller batches..

Ok so we have the same exact one. I tried doing my pennies in it ran it for like 24 hours and it did polish them a little but any of the hard caked on material it wouldn't touch it. Also I think the coins hung around more in the bottom due to weight and shape. Then I remembered I had a cheap rock polisher from playing with the kids. It worked in an hour in the tiny rock polisher I have.

 

[Loco-Digger]

I use a single drum tumbler with the same recipe as Ogre. I tumble the clad 1st and reuse the same solution for the pennies. I bought mine on sale at Harbor Freight for $39 back in 2014.

I maintain a hobby account in a different bank from our family account. I have PayPal attached to it. I tumble all my clad and roll it up and deposit it into the hobby account at the end of the season. It's used for upgrades and other hobby related expenses. I only put my pennies through the coin star machine.

 

[Minelab Matt]

Do you reckon this one will be ok to start?

National Geographic Rock Tumbler Starter Kit https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01I56RV0C/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_kQwFBbZ8R1S3C

Matt