Beginners Guide


Barrel Polishing: The biggest advantage of barrel polishing is that once the machine is set up, you can leave it alone to get the job done whilst you get on with something else which is always useful!


It is suitable for more detailed and textured pieces and also wire work, but not ideal for anything with large, plain areas of silver on show e.g. cuff bangle.


Barrel polishers basically consist of a sealed cylindrical container with a removable lid which is filled with steel shot, (cones, powder or chips) soap and water solution and the items to be polished. The sealed barrel is placed onto a small motorised unit which turns the container continuously, bringing the silver to a high shine in a couple of hours.


N.B. Cones, powder or chips can be used in a barrel polisher to obtain a matt finish. The coarser the media the rougher the finish will be, but chips and cones are most effective when used in conjunction with cutting powder.


Steel shot: Steel shot is available to buy as round ball bearings in mixed sizes or as mixed shapes which contain some needle shaped pieces as well as ball bearings. A mixed range of shapes and sizes will give a finer result as it will reach the finer detail of pieces as well as the broader areas.


The quantity you need depends on the capacity of the barrelling unit you have, but as a general rule, you should aim to have the container no more than ¼ full of steel shot. This can then be topped up to ½ with water and a teaspoon of a barrelling compound (for a small barrel) such as Barrelbrite.


If you are thinking that these instructions sound a bit vague, you would be correct as barrel polishing is not an exact technique. As long as you don’t overfill the barrel, you can’t go far wrong and experience will enable you to adjust the process to suit your specific requirements.


Tip: Although most shot is made of steel or stainless steel, it will rust if left damp. Either dry it out completely after each use in a plastic sieve with a hairdryer or store fully immersed in water with a spoonful of your barrelling compound which will act as a rust inhibiter.


In terms of time, it is very much trial and error, but once set up and running, allow your machine to work for a good 2 hours before checking on the progress of your pieces. If the finish isn’t to your liking, simply re-seal the barrel and leave for longer. Once you are happy with the polish achieved, tip the contents of your barrel into a plastic sieve over a sink to retrieve your pieces.


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