How to build brass Rotary tumbler on the cheap side.

[orisolo]

Hi Guys,
I'm getting questions here and there and decided to write what I know and researched in the past to help anyone who consider a small project of making a Rotary tumbler for Wet Stainless Steel Media tumbling of brass (and other parts).
The basics of a tumbler:
A drum holding the parts, Stainless Steel media and water spinning to polish and shine brass and parts.
The drum spins on a motorized shaft, that is driven by an electric motor.
You can buy one of many tumblers offered in a variety of sizes from many companies.
While buying a small 3-6lb tumbler is ~ $100 if you need to tumble larger quantities it gets expensive.
Prices are ranging between hundreds to thousands of $$$ if you need a 20-80lb tumbler.
If you are a little resourceful and have few hours to spare and basic "putting together" skills you can build a large tumbler for less than $100
You will need the following parts in order to assemble your own tumbler.
1. Electric Motor
2. a drum
3. pulley and a belt
4. 2 x shafts and 4 ball bearings
5. a flat surface to mount all of the above.
6. few screws nuts and bolts.
The key is getting all the parts for cheap.
Here are few suggestions.

1. Electric motor can be found in many stores but are normally over $100, You can get cheap electric motor if you don't buy a motor, for example a 3/4HP electric bench grinder at Harbor freight only cost $50-$60 if we ignore its "grinding" abilities, HB bench grinder is a double shaft 3/4 HP motor that cost about half of just a motor. The upside is you have 2 shaft and can build dual drum tumbler from one grinder.

http://www.harborfreight.com/garage-...der-39797.html

Scrap yards will sell you motors for $10-$20 I would dare to guess that about 50% of the scrap yard motors are good and working just fine. GO to the nearest scrap yard and find a working one.
White appliances have motors in them like a washing machine, get your old one or buy one from craigslist for $30-$50 and you got a motor and few more parts. (don't forget to sell the scrap yard the body and left over's).
Think creative and you'll find many motors around you for cheap or even free.

2. the drum can be made from 10"-12" PVC pipe you can get them at your hardware store or in the scrap yard. If you know a plumber or have a plumbing business nearby go and ask, they throw away the pipe that you need.
If you wish to spend a few bucks and get something that was designed for this use don't go and buy a tumbler drum as they are expensive instead order online a Manual mortar mixer for $25-$30, it will have all the capacity you need plus have a sealed cup and inner mixing fins.

http://www.rona.ca/en/ciment---concrete-mixer
You can take a 5 gallon bucket and use it as a drum just use good straps to hold the lead.
There are many things that will do the jobs just look around.
3. Pulley and belt can be found in many places starting from the garage nearby through the auto store and scrap yards.
4. Shafts can be found in any scrap yard, metal shop and most likely hardware store.
Thats it.
all you have to do now is get them assembled.
Pay attention to the pulley size that you need! the pulley is reducing your motor speed.
Don't forget that you have another speed conversion when the drum i=s rolling on the shaft!
If you need help in calculating RPM here is a nice calculator to help.
http://www.blocklayer.com/pulley-belteng.aspx
Watch few movies on you tube to get the idea of what you need to build
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5u4mSA6BbRc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2tPp6kRsa8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDWB2N5hEEo

If you need SS Media you can find it at the post below:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...e-better-ones)

[JASON4X4]

Cool write up i made one of these about a year ago and love it. I have about 125 into it with new parts.

[44Vaquero]

Discarded clothes dryers are a good source for motors and control timers. The motor is mounted to a removable mount and the unit has an output shaft on each end! They are also clutched/soft start usually.

[mdi]

Grinder motors are rated at 3200+ RPM. What pulley sizes do you use to slow drum rotation to mebbe 60 RPM?

[Sweetpea]

Grinder motors are rated at 3200+ RPM. What pulley sizes do you use to slow drum rotation to mebbe 60 RPM?

I'm thinking a dimmer switch would be handy here...

[Zyvek]

I'm thinking a dimmer switch would be handy here...

Good idea, just make sure it's rated to handle the max amperage of the motor.

[6bg6ga]

I'm thinking a dimmer switch would be handy here...

Some motors will take it and some won't. Typically you can't use a dimmer switch. Obviously some folks have found their motors will work with one. Usually they make noise, overheat and die. If its an AC/DC universal motor, ok for sure, but...

Your mileage may vary.

[orisolo]

Harbor freight sell for about $15 a "dimmer" for wood routers.
I would imagine it is rated for more then Lights.

I think the best is to get a bigger pulley and let the motor run "naturally"
If you get a bigger pulley and a wider drum it will change the RPM.
Don't forget that your drum is another "conversion pulley" in the drive system

[biggc1]

The cheap harbor freight cement mixer would probably also work well for large quantities. .

[orisolo]

The cheap harbor freight cement mixer would probably also work well for large quantities. .

That's what I'm using (I have 2) but it is noisy and not many around here need the capacity to run 50-70LB of brass in one cycle.

They need something smaller with a smaller foot print.

[jmorris]

Harbor freight sell for about $15 a "dimmer" for wood routers.
I would imagine it is rated for more then Lights.

Wood routers and other brushed motors like hand grinders, drills and other AC/DC motors can be speed controled pretty easy. A good rule of thumb is that if the motor has a capacitor, you can't use a dimmer or router speed control. Most bench grinders have one in the base, by the switch.

Get on eBay and you will find a suitable gear motor for cheap. The one I used for my wet tumbler cost $30.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...ht=Wet+tumbler

[DRNurse1]

Great plan. The quiet tumbler is a good idea but I added a timer. Having a touch of"Sometimer's Disease" (according to my kids, sometimes I remember, sometimes I don't) the timer keeps the tumbler from running...for a week (my personal record)...and reducing my walnut shells to powder.

[LynC2]

If one can find an old threadmill in working order cheap, the variable speed DC motor would be perfect.

[joelitespeed]

If one can find an old threadmill in working order cheap, the variable speed DC motor would be perfect.

I actually have one in my basement...I know what I am doing tonight!

[orisolo]

Great plan. The quiet tumbler is a good idea but I added a timer. Having a touch of"Sometimer's Disease" (according to my kids, sometimes I remember, sometimes I don't) the timer keeps the tumbler from running...for a week (my personal record)...and reducing my walnut shells to powder.

LOL

[Dale in Louisiana]

I'm thinking a dimmer switch would be handy here...

A simple dimmer switch won't work for that grinder motor or any other straight AC motor. It will work for AC/DC universal motors such as those found on hand tools like routers and saws.

Simply speaking, to vary the speed on an AC induction motor you need to vary the frequency of the AC going into it. Lowering voltage will not do it. The speed of an induction motor is tied to the line frequency. It will try to maintain that speed regardless of voltage. The dimmer switch essentially lowers voltage and the motor starts pulling more and more current as it tries to keep its speed up. After a bit, the smoke comes out.

dale in Louisiana

[orisolo]

I'm happy I posted this, I'm learning new (and important) things.
So no "dimmer" for AC motors only for DC motors. If a motor have a large capacitor then its an AC motor where the capacitor probably imitating 2nd phase (I don't remember much from school Its been 30 years ago ah..).

I still think it is easier to just get a pulley and a belt or a gear motor and not go into all this electric/electronic problem for something so simple. The lowest an AC motor will spin is 1725 RPM, if you don't see a gear that's the speed of the motor you are running. Most of the times there will be some mechanical solution (and not electrical) to reduce the speed.

[Springfield]

I bought a chicken rotisserie at a garage sale for 10 bucks. Then I bought a large plastic jar of pickles and ate them. I still need to attach the jar to the rotisserie but it is already geared down and it seems to have quite a bit of torque. I ain't spendin' no 125 bucks for a steel pin wet tumbler.

[jmorris]

I'm happy I posted this, I'm learning new (and important) things.
So no "dimmer" for AC motors only for DC motors. If a motor have a large capacitor then its an AC motor where the capacitor probably imitating 2nd phase (I don't remember much from school Its been 30 years ago ah..).

I still think it is easier to just get a pulley and a belt or a gear motor and not go into all this electric/electronic problem for something so simple. The lowest an AC motor will spin is 1725 RPM, if you don't see a gear that's the speed of the motor you are running. Most of the times there will be some mechanical solution (and not electrical) to reduce the speed.

Just because it doesn't have a capacitor does not mean you can use a dimmer switch, it is just a quick way to tell that you can't. Shaded pole motors are a type of AC motor that don't use capacitors and also cannot be speed controled with dimmers.

These days if I need a powerfull variable speed motor I get a 3ph motor and a VFD. For $100 the VFD gives you a voltage/phase converter that will let you power, speed control and reverse a 240v 3ph motor from a normal 110v house hold outlet.

[petroid]

If you really want do do this on the cheap you can build a tumbler out of an old printer. Just strip it down to the frame with the paper rollers and motor. Use the supplied power supply with a rheostat or add your own power supply. Get a gallon mayo jar or a plastic wide mouth canister from the dollar store. Wrap the jar with big rubber bands for grip and tumble away! I've been using mine for about a year. Dies a couple hundred pieces of pistol brass at a time and can be used wet or dry.