W-5 Vibratory Finishing Tub: 5 Cu Ft of Versatile Wet/Dry Deburring
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The General-Purpose Shop Finisher: 5 Cu Ft, Variable Speed, Wet or Dry, Ready to Roll
The W-5 is Mass Finishing’s general-purpose vibratory finishing tub—the machine shops buy when they need a reliable, versatile finisher that handles a wide range of parts without specialized setup. At 5 cubic feet of capacity, it’s large enough for production-meaningful batch sizes but compact enough (under 10 square feet of floor space) to fit into most shop layouts. Industrial caster wheels let you roll it to wherever it’s needed and lock it in place during operation.
What makes the W-5 particularly versatile is its ability to run both wet and dry media. Wet finishing (with water and compound) is the standard approach for most deburring and polishing applications—it flushes swarf away from parts and provides lubrication during the finishing process. But dry finishing (with corn cob, walnut shell, or other dry media) is essential for applications like drying parts after wet finishing, burnishing, or cleaning parts that can’t be exposed to water. The W-5 handles both without any machine modification.
The electronic variable speed drive gives operators precise control over vibration intensity. Lower speeds produce gentler tumbling action for polishing delicate parts or light edge radiusing. Higher speeds deliver more aggressive deburring for heavier parts with substantial burrs or sharp edges. Combined with the 5 cu ft capacity and 110V single-phase power (standard outlet—no electrician needed), the W-5 is designed to go from delivery to production with minimal installation overhead.
How the W-5 Works: Simple, Reliable Vibratory Finishing
Vibratory finishing is the most widely used mass finishing process in manufacturing. The W-5’s 1.5 HP motor drives an unbalanced shaft that creates a controlled vibration throughout the polyurethane-lined tub. This vibration causes parts and media to roll in a large tumbling mass—media surfaces contact every exposed part surface, gradually removing burrs, rounding sharp edges, smoothing tool marks, and improving surface finish.
The W-5’s U-shaped tub configuration (as opposed to a round vibratory bowl) is better suited for longer parts. Parts that would bridge across a bowl’s center column tumble freely in the tub’s linear channel. The 35.25″ internal length accommodates parts that are too long for most vibratory bowls of similar capacity.
Operation is straightforward: load media and parts into the tub, add water and compound (for wet processing) or dry media (for dry processing), close the hinged sound cover, set the speed, and run the cycle. The digital tachometer displays vibration frequency in real time so you can monitor and reproduce your settings. When the cycle is complete, open the media discharge door at the end of the tub to separate parts from media.
The included 10-gallon settling tank and recirculation pump handle water management during wet processing—circulating clean water through the tub and capturing metal fines and spent compound in the settling tank. This is a standard inclusion on the W-5, not an add-on.
W-5 Video Demo
W-5 Basic Operation
The MFI W-5 Tub operates using an electric motor to drive an unbalanced shaft, which creates a powerful vibratory action in the polyurethane-lined tub. Inside the tub, abrasive or non-abrasive media rolls in a large mass, providing a gentle yet thorough finish on your parts. Simply drop your unfinished parts into the mass and let the W-5 Tub do the rest. After a specified amount of time, your parts will be removed and left smoothed and free of sharp edges and burrs.
W-5 Features: What’s Included
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Electronic variable speed drive Adjust vibration intensity from gentle tumbling to aggressive deburring on the same machine. The variable speed drive gives you precise control over the finishing action—critical when switching between delicate parts and heavy-duty work on the same machine. The digital tachometer displays speed in real time. |
Wet and dry operation No machine modification needed to switch between wet and dry media. Run wet with ceramic, plastic, or synthetic media and compound for deburring and polishing. Switch to dry with corn cob, walnut shell, or dry polishing media for drying, burnishing, or cleaning. This versatility is unusual—many vibratory machines are designed for wet-only operation. |
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Hinged sound cover Vibratory machines are loud. The W-5’s hinged sound cover reduces noise levels significantly, making it practical to operate in shared shop spaces where other work is happening nearby. The hinged design flips open for quick access—no cover to remove and set aside. |
Industrial caster wheels Roll the W-5 to wherever it’s needed—beside a CNC cell, next to a grinding station, into a secondary work area. Locking casters secure the machine during operation. For shops that don’t have a dedicated finishing room, this mobility means the W-5 can serve multiple work cells without permanent installation. |
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Media discharge door A door at the end of the tub opens to discharge parts and media after the cycle is complete. No need to manually scoop or tip the machine. Position a screen or collection bin at the discharge height (22″), open the door, and media and parts flow out by gravity and vibration. |
10-gallon settling tank and recirculation pump Included standard—not an add-on. The settling tank captures metal fines and spent compound during wet processing, while the pump recirculates clean water through the tub. This keeps the finishing process clean and extends compound life. |
Additional W-5 Specs & Resources
Specifications
Main Motor HP |
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*230/460, 3 Phase, 60 cycle motor Option |
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Voltage |
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Total Capacity |
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Internal Tub Dimensions |
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Approximate Shipping Weight |
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Overall Dimensions |
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Total Footprint |
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Media Discharge Height |
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Machine Construction |
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Tub Construction |
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Vibratory Mechanism |
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Unloading System |
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Compound Pump |
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Options
Cartridge auto grease system |
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100 gallon settling tank |
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Compound Auto Flow |
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Media and Compound |
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Tub Divider |
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What the W-5 Is Built ForGeneral-Purpose Deburring and PolishingThe W-5 is a generalist—it’s not optimized for one specific finishing application, but it does a wide range of finishing tasks well. Common applications include deburring machined and stamped parts, rounding sharp edges and corners, removing tool marks and surface scratches, smoothing weld spatter areas (after grinding), preparing parts for painting or coating, and polishing to improve surface appearance. The variable speed drive makes the W-5 adaptable across these applications without changing media. Lower speeds for light finishing work; higher speeds for more aggressive material removal. Paired with different media types (ceramic for cutting, plastic for smoothing, porcelain for polishing, corn cob for drying), the W-5 covers the full spectrum from rough deburring to final finish. Longer Parts That Don’t Fit a BowlThe W-5’s U-shaped tub is 35.25″ long internally. Parts in the 12–30″ range that would bridge or jam in a round vibratory bowl tumble freely in the tub’s linear channel. This makes the W-5 a better choice than a vibratory bowl for longer stamped brackets, machined bars, extrusions, and structural components. Who Buys the W-5
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When to Choose Vibratory Finishing vs. Centrifugal Finishing
Choose the W-5 vibratory tub if you need a versatile general-purpose finisher that handles wet and dry media, your parts are longer than what centrifugal drums or barrels can fit, your budget favors the most affordable entry point, or you need a secondary finishing machine for drying and burnishing alongside your centrifugal equipment. Choose centrifugal finishing if cycle time is critical (centrifugal machines finish 10–30x faster), you need the highest finish quality (isotropic superfinishing), or your finishing operation is a bottleneck that needs the throughput speed centrifugal force provides. Many shops run both: centrifugal machines for primary high-energy finishing, and a vibratory tub like the W-5 for drying, burnishing, light edge radiusing, and handling parts that don’t need centrifugal intensity. The W-5’s mobility on casters makes it easy to add to an existing centrifugal finishing cell. |
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