I’ve been toying with the idea of using a rock tumbler to clean small parts like bolts and valvetrain components. A vibratory cleaner is probably a better option, but they cost a lot more and are quite poorly reviewed on Amazon and other websites. It seems they tend to shake themselves to pieces. In comparison, a rock tumbler just rolls along quietly at low RPM, so the likelihood of one self-destructing is much lower.
Over the weekend, I finally got around to purchasing one of these things from my local China-Mart. This Harbor Freight special is the fancier of the two rock tumblers they sell and cost about $58, though I did take advantage of a 20-percent-off coupon. I used the money saved to purchase the two-year protection plan because I know how Harbor Freight stuff lasts…
Once I got home, I loaded the two drums with some small fasteners, horseshoe clips, valvetrain components and head bolts. I then added some coarse sandblasting aggregate that I’ve had sitting under the workbench for ages and sealed the drums. I did not add any water, though I may try this in the future.
After about 24 hours of tumblin’ I was quite impressed by the results. Nearly all the parts were free of paint, rust and crud, polished to a dull, dark-gray finish. A quick trip to the laundry tub for a hot, sudsy bath removed all the fine dust from these components. Naturally, before reuse, you’ll want to go over all the threads and make sure they’re free of any sand or grit that may not have been washed away in the sink.
Overall, the wire wheel still does a better job cleaning things than a rock tumbler, but you know what I like about this method? I don’t have to stand at the wire wheel for hours!
If you’ve got a pile of parts to clean and some patience, give this method a try.