From Tom and Kay Benham, Contributing Editors, Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist
If you are interested in tumbling chains to polish/burnish them, but don't like the tangles, here's a simple way to tumble several chains at once without spending hours sorting out the dreaded chain ball. We thread each chain onto a small bird ladder (purchased in a pet store), closing the clasp so that the chain will stay on. We cut the ladder so that it will lie on the side of the tumbler barrel, and drill each side post at the end for a wire rung to keep the chains from coming off. A little bit of experimenting to find what works best for your tumbler and . . . look Ma, no tangles!