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Post by Brad on Nov 24, 2003 12:59:51 GMT -5
Hi, I'd like you expertise on something a different... I have a bunch of new chrome or nickel plated guitar parts and I want to make them look old and used. I'm wondering if I buy a tumbler and put some sharp old rusted objects in the barrel with them and run it for a shortened period of time if I wouldn't end up with nicely used parts. Not being familiar with the hobby, I've read about how tumbling is used to polish things... I'm wondering can it also be used to distress things? I'd appreciate your thoughts. Thanks!
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hurk
starting to shine!
Member since March 2003
Posts: 37
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Post by hurk on Nov 24, 2003 13:59:44 GMT -5
Hey there brad I would think that would work fine after all with a tumbler the object is to start with a rough piece of stone and wear off the rough edges the same would be true for your parts Just assuming here but if you were to take the parts with a 400 grit and some smooth stones and tumble for awhile the edges of the parts with the plating would wear off I think the trick would be to get the rest of the part back to a polish some people in this forum use the tumbler to polish metals so i think it is possible...a kids tumbler is all you would need.... hurk
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Post by docone31 on Nov 24, 2003 19:43:08 GMT -5
I do not know what parts you are tumbling, however I think you will regret it, and it will compromise sound integrity. Back in my old time, big name rock and roll days, I had a custom D14-28 double neck Martin made for me. It was acoustic, and temperature changes, humidity, would make it almost impossible to play. If you tumble the nuts, they will lose their tune. I would reccomend, the parts you want to age, to dip them in muriatic acid. Only the parts that would show natural wear. It is a precision instrument, think changes through.
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Post by Original Admin on Nov 24, 2003 21:28:09 GMT -5
Brad,
I'd go for it - but small time to start with, you say you have a "bunch" of parts.
So you could...
Take one part only, one with a bolt thread on it, and one which you don't mind losing if it all goes wrong.
Put it in a barrel with a load of junk stones, this will help create more wear on the corners of the part - as opposed to putting it in with just grit - which will probably wear it *more* evenly all round.
Examine it after 3 hours - and at 3 hour intervals if you can. DONT LEAVE IT 3 DAYS.
Watch out for the threads on any part you put in - if they blunt off then they wont screw back into place.
Nothing to lose if you try small time first.
Andy
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Post by Brad on Nov 25, 2003 12:07:40 GMT -5
Thanks for all your comments... I am going to try it. I have all kinds of similar, unneeded "test" parts to experiment with. I'm going to do metal tuners and bridge parts - nothing with threads. I'll report back in a few weeks with the results...
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