Tumbler sander

[david minnery]

I'd be curious if anyone has hand first hand experience with this process.
I have thousands of small blocks to sand, mostly to ease the corners.
They are 1.5" cubes in hard maple.
this is what I'm looking at
http://www.kramerindustriesonline.com/barrel-finishing-systems.htm

sales rep recommended the MT 2 bar with MT 6 8 gal. barrel, thinking I could do about 300 in 2-3 hours.
100 grit abrasive.

That time frame works for me but I have no experience with this process or machine.
here is what I'd like as end result.
Any thoughts, advice is appreciated.

388591

[Lee Schierer]

Having dealt with purchasing vibratory and rum type finishing equipment for a place where I worked, I would suggest you make up a box of samples and send them to your sales rep. Have the rep run them through the machine he is proposing and send them back to you. I suspect the results will be somewhat less than what you show in your photo.

[Wayne Lomman]

100% agree with Lee. Tumblers are fairly severe. The rep should be able to prove his machine will do what you want. Cheers

[Greg R Bradley]

I'm fairly familiar with tumbling and vibratory deburring machines with experience only in metal parts. I would be surprised if this will do what you want in wood. Any of the suppliers will do a run of your samples before the sale. I would start there.

[Bradley Gray]

You might want to look at Klingspor mac mop flap wheels-10 x 4" that mount on a 1" horizontal shaft. I use grits from 100 to 240 but you would only need a fine one.

Put on leather gloves and do them by hand. Once you get used to it 200-300 per hour is do-able.