Hello, my first post here, anyways here we go:

A friend and I are looking to make a smaller vibratory finisher to polish aluminum
-in order to acheive a gloss finish for annodizing.

Either way, we're thinking of making a solenoid, or using a small motor to make a vibrator, like 'unabiker' did (just, a smaller stand, and smaller bowl, which i can fabricate)

-Any hints, suggestions or ideas would be GREATLY appreciated.

Thanks
-Josh

If you are thinking of cleaning up parts around finger size or smaller, I like using a brass case cleaner, it uses an offset weight on a motor underneath, and the assmembly is spring supported, very little noise, and works well..
For aluminum or brass I usually use a corn cob type of media for a mirror finish.. for a satin finish walnut shell works well..
this is the one I use, about 22" high..

If you are thinking of cleaning up parts around finger size or smaller, I like using a brass case cleaner, it uses an offset weight on a motor underneath, and the assmembly is spring supported, very little noise, and works well..
For aluminum or brass I usually use a corn cob type of media for a mirror finish.. for a satin finish walnut shell works well..
this is the one I use, about 22" high..

Well, if anyone knows anything about paintball, we're going to be annodizing paintball marker parts.

- So, bigger than bullet casings (maybe we could do SMALL parts in there)


But thanks for telling us that we'd do good with corncob for mirror finish :)

-Josh

If you are looking at cleaning up parts, say, 1x4x12" or that size range, a rotary tumbler will 'probably' work better for you, just remember to fill 2/3 full or better with media so that the parts don't bounce off each other too much..

enjoy..

'probably'?

lol, now you've got me wondering :)

Well, to me a large scale vibratory polisher would be more expensive [although faster] than a tumbler style, especially if you are looking at building one..In the photo I had enclosed, I can polish about 4 auto frames, or maybe six revolver frames [S&W medium], however I seldom do that except with ones that will get a satin finish, basically the less expensive ones.. the better stuff I hand power polish to prevent damage to corner / edge 'crispness'..
the real rough ones get glass beaded before blueing..
If you are anodizing aluminum, a mirror finish isn't really necessary as the prep or acid bath before the dye tank will negate most of the effort you may put into getting a mirror finish, most of the shine in anodized parts is in the final sealant coating anyways...
I used to do some pin guns and stuff like that, now mostly medium / long range target rifles..handguns haven't been touched in a few years now..

enjoy..

The only regret I have about my shaker is not building one sooner!
I've been giving thought to building a second unit to run a more aggressive media.
Since I commissioned it, I've ran it between 4-10 hours every day with a 100% duty cycle.
Depending on the sized and shape of my parts, it takes between 15 to 45 minutes to get an acceptable finish.
The correct soap and media makes a big diff, as does the correct amount of media. A squirt of Jet-Dri in the water/soap solution reduces post-shaker cleanup, and gives a delightful lemony fresh scent to the shop.
1/4" ID tubing is too small for the tub drains, as the sludge clogs the small line too easily. 1/2" ID tube seems to be doing the trick.
Evaporation is proving to be an acceptable way of dealing with the waste water from the shaker. An 18"x 24" tub with a fan blowing over it evaporates just under a gallon of water a day in my dry shop. I'm going to wait until that tub fills up with sediment, then toss the whole mess and start fresh with a new tub.
A noise reducing enclosure should be considered mandatory.