Media and additives for Al and where to get the "deal"?

[bob1112]

We will be finishing milled Al parts to as much of a full polish as we can get within a reasonable amount of time. Per my last post below, it sound like the green triangles or pyramids in a plastic with carbide grit are what I need. I guess someone will have to tell me which shape to buy or I will just have to guess. I would like to know if I should use some type of additive with the plastic media or best by it self with water??

Also, I already have untreated walnut as I have heard it works better than corn cob or faster anyway. I would like to treat the walnut to make it work faster. I hear turbo brite is the hot setup but where do I get it and is there something else out there that is cheaper or better?

Would I still need to follow up the treated walnut with untreated walnut to further the finish?

Where do we go to get the best deal on the plastic media? We had some spotted a while back but cannot find the source now.

[destroyer125]

What size tumbler do you have? You can go about it several ways.

Plastic media for removal of machine lines- 12-24 hours

Treated Corncob with additive- 2-7 days

Stainless burnishing media with the correct soap (If your tumbler will handle it)

[bob1112]

Well, we kinda pulled the trigger on some media and hope it works for us. We bought 3/4" pyramid synthetic media for deburring, and we have untreated walnut shell that I will treat with a liquid Al polish, water, and flour. I only have my Al polishing roots to go on here. Hoping this will work. I have heard walnut shell is better than cob and last longer but we will find out.

My tumbler is 3.0 ft3 but I think bought around 2.5 ft to get started. I am also trying to figure out a soap that will work well with the deburr media. I know they sell it but I am sure it is 100% hype. I was considering laudary soap if the PH will work. I have found that stuff to be pretty handy for all sorts of stuff.

Am I off base with this stuff?

[destroyer125]

I deburr aluminum parts in small green plastic triangles usually, or ceramic brown when something really needs burr removal. Corn cob treated with chromium oxide green and a paste additive has worked the best so far, however, some bigger places have suggested to me about trying steel burnishing shot with the correct burnishing soap for the same results. I am personally skeptical about it because everything I do is anodized afterwards, and steel media has the possibility of contaminating the surface.