timid zealot
I'm looking for a recommendation for a somewhat-large capacity rotary tumbler for my maille rings. Vibratory is out of the question; it's too gentle to deburr the ends of the rings.
Am also taking recommendations on tumbling media specifically designed for deburring.
The specific issue is that my links are saw-cut, which typically means leaving a "burr" around the ends of the ring where the saw has cut them. The accepted solution here is to tumble them in some kind of shot to remove the burr. I've been using steel shot, but it doesn't seem "aggressive" enough to knock off the burrs, and I'm worried it'll start abrading or degrading the ring itself. I tumbled my last batch for around a full day, off and on, since getting my cutter back online and nothing seems to work.
"Pin" style shot is recommended by some, which I think I'll try next. Unfortunately, without income to support the purchase, I'm having to look for something "inventive" to try instead. I'm thinking about buying some relatively thin stainless steel nails and using my 8in bolt cutters to chop those up. The advantage there would not only be a lower price, but also leaving pointed ends which would almost certainly be able to get into every nook and cranny.
As to the tumbler itself, vibratory tumblers are out because the action is far too gentle. They're typically used more for burnishing and polishing than deburring. I actually have one, and despite its larger capacity than my rotary, it just doesn't do the job at all. I'm looking for something in the 10lb range, but budget is a concern.
timid zealot
UPDATE: Tried some cut-up nails in the 5lb rotary tumbler I already have, and the difference is astounding. It's not perfect, but it seems to work well. I'll have to continue tumbling for a few more hours to finish the job though.
Now the problem becomes methods for separating the pins from the rings. Magnets will work on the pins, but the pins carry rings with them on the way up sometimes. -_-