Metal finishing Q&As since 1989

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How to achieve a glass-like finish on flat pieces of gold or silver

2006

I recently purchased a Centrifugal Magnetic Polisher that came with tiny pins. I placed about six flat rectangular pieces of silver about 2x4 inches in dimension, and ran it in the machine with the metal pins in a mixture of water and a few drops of a solution from Stuller recommended for this type of task.
After 40 minutes, there was absolutely no visible difference in terms of brightness of finish. The silver looked the same as when I first dropped them into the machine. I've been reading about dry finishing and organic material, but I do not see how these dust-like compounds would work in my machine.
Please give a step by step method of how to achieve a bright, mirror-like finish using a Centrifugal Magnetic Polisher, and assume the end-user knows absolutely nothing about the process. One of the mistakes being made by authors on this subject is that they are assuming all the tools, equipment, media, processes, etc. are known to some degree by readers. Additionally, many articles read as if they come directly out of a user's manual, or an advertisement directed as more of a sales pitch.

Thanks,

ELENA SANKA
fine jewelry finishing - Miramar, Florida, USA

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Stuller is a good company and they should provide technical support. You really should have seen some improvement in you product in that period of time. However, if you did not see an improvement, I'd increase the amount of chemical compound and/or run the part longer. You may also not have enough pin media.

AF Kenton
retired business owner - Hatboro, Pennsylvania
2006

If you have a magnetic tumbler and are trying to get a smooth finish on flat pieces, its not possible. The tiny pins will give you a very bright but hammered or stippled look. Dry media is the way to bring a final polish close to a hand polish but you can't use a magnetic tumbler for that. Gessein and a few others sell a new magnetic unit with interchangeable bowls where one of the bowls can run dry media, but you need the compatible base unit. Then using walnut shell media [on eBay or Amazon] and polishing compound you can get a very nice finish with the right parameters of speed, time, load factor medi/compound.

Tino Volpe
- Wrentham, Massachusetts
2006