Cement Mixer as rock tumbler

[NovySan]

OK, so I just got back from my first visit to Glass Beach in Ft.
Bragg. It was utterly amazing and wonderful. I have an idea that will
require quite a bit of tumbled sea glass. Luckily I drink a lot of
things that come in beautifully colored bottles (love that
Sapphire...). My question is, has anyone ever done large batches of
sea glass with a cement mixer? I can get one off of ebay cheaper than
the $200 Home Despot wants for a new one. It's capacity is quite a bit
larger than the brass tumblers I've seen in gun shops. It looks like I
could get about 5 - 10 gallons of stuff in there. Before I run down
this road, if anyone's tried this and it worked out well or completely
failed miserably, let me know.

For those of you who don't know, as I didn't, here's a URL

http://www.fortbragg.com/glass_beach/

[Michele Blank]

unfortunately, Sapphire Bombay Gin is a painted bottle. Tumbling it's
fragments will yield clear fragments. (found this out whilst melting
bottles)
As far as the mixer goes, i believe that the grit/ abrasive compound you use
may influence your final result more than the method??? m

Post by NovySan
OK, so I just got back from my first visit to Glass Beach in Ft.
Bragg. It was utterly amazing and wonderful. I have an idea that will
require quite a bit of tumbled sea glass. Luckily I drink a lot of
things that come in beautifully colored bottles (love that
Sapphire...). My question is, has anyone ever done large batches of
sea glass with a cement mixer? I can get one off of ebay cheaper than
the $200 Home Despot wants for a new one. It's capacity is quite a bit
larger than the brass tumblers I've seen in gun shops. It looks like I
could get about 5 - 10 gallons of stuff in there. Before I run down
this road, if anyone's tried this and it worked out well or completely
failed miserably, let me know.
For those of you who don't know, as I didn't, here's a URL
http://www.fortbragg.com/glass_beach/

[C Ryman]

Is this an electric cement mixer?
--
Connie Ryman
Cryman Studio

Post by NovySan
OK, so I just got back from my first visit to Glass Beach in Ft.
Bragg. It was utterly amazing and wonderful. I have an idea that will
require quite a bit of tumbled sea glass. Luckily I drink a lot of
things that come in beautifully colored bottles (love that
Sapphire...). My question is, has anyone ever done large batches of
sea glass with a cement mixer? I can get one off of ebay cheaper than
the $200 Home Despot wants for a new one. It's capacity is quite a bit
larger than the brass tumblers I've seen in gun shops. It looks like I
could get about 5 - 10 gallons of stuff in there. Before I run down
this road, if anyone's tried this and it worked out well or completely
failed miserably, let me know.
For those of you who don't know, as I didn't, here's a URL
http://www.fortbragg.com/glass_beach/

[Rusty Mase]

Post by NovySan
could get about 5 - 10 gallons of stuff in there. Before I run down
this road, if anyone's tried this and it worked out well or completely
failed miserably, let me know.

You would be better off building one yourself as a cement mixer is
designed just for that - not rock tumbling. A simple search for "rock
tumbler plans" on any search engine will provide numerous approaches.

The problems include, assuming the cement mixer uses a steel
container, the cullet and media will erode the walls of the container
fairly rapidly and the cylinder will require replacement. Then
assuming you are using water, the particulate steel resulting from
this erosion will oxidize and "stain" the product. So clear glass
will come out light brown.

Rusty Mase