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Thread: Homemade Tumbler Question

  1. #1
    Boolit Mold
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    Question Homemade Tumbler Question

    Hello All,
    Greetings from the communist state of California.

    I have searched the forums already for an answer to this question but cant seem to find a solid answer. hopefully you all can help me out.

    I am in the process of building a homemade tumbler and just ordered a washing machine motor off of ebay to power the thing. Ill post a link to it:http://www.ebay.com/itm/262857670646

    This motor is rated around 17000 RPMs so I know I have to use some sort of pulley system in order to slow it down to a reasonable speed.

    My question is... How do I go about doing this? I know virtually nothing about motors or electricity, but do have a decent amount of common sense haha. Any help of pointers would be greatly appreciated. If it helps, the diameter of the actual tumbler tube is 6 inches.

    Thank you all in advance.

    Regards,
    Thomas

  2. #2
    Boolit Master
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    You don't mention whether it's a rotary/wet or vibratory/dry, but the motor is way too big for the usual size of either.
    Here's vids of a few DIY brass tumblers:
    http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=...=3-17&sp=-1&sk=

  3. #3
    Boolit Master


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    I don't think that is a motor you want, First it is three phase motor which is not what is in residential homes. Next most 120V motors are 1750 or 3400 RPMs. That one says 17500 RPMs which is really cranking.
    But to answer your question, If you are using v-belts, it is a ratio of pulley diameters. So a 2" pulley driving a 4" pulley would divide the RPM by 1/2 or 8750. If a 2" pulley is driving a 6" pulley them RPM is 1/3 or 5833 RPM. If you are going to put the drum directly on a roller it is still a ratio of diameters. A 1" shaft driving a 8" drum the rpm would be 1/8 of the shaft RPM.

  4. #4
    Boolit Mold
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kenstone View Post
    You don't mention whether it's a rotary/wet or vibratory/dry, but the motor is way too big for the usual size of either.
    Here's vids of a few DIY brass tumblers:
    http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=...=3-17&sp=-1&sk=
    Its going to be a rotary / wet tumbler. Also, I already ordered it. So looks like I'm going to have to rig something to work it out.

  5. #5
    Boolit Mold
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    already ordered it.... any suggestions on actually making it work out or am I better off just paying the return shipping and getting a different one?

  6. #6
    Boolit Grand Master

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    You can use multiple pulleys to slow it down pulley on motor to a set of step pulleys in a bracket on bearings then to the shaft. Another trick is find the gear box from a hose hold appliance and use it for reduction. I would make the multiple pulley set up if more reduction is needed. A couple pieces of flat stock with spacers and bolted together with a step pulley on each end. Youll have reduction from motor to first pulley reduction from pulley to pulley in the block and reduction from block to shaft and finally reduction from shaft to drum

  7. #7
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    Its not a three phase motor. Its 120 volt single phase common washer motor meant for the common home.

    I sincerely doubt its 17000 RPM despite the tag . I have the same motor in a box in the garage that I have in the past checked with a tachometer.

    I would not however use it simply because of its mount. Just go to the nearest washing machine dealer and purchase one for $5.00 It will have a usable motor mount.
    Last edited by 6bg6ga; 02-25-2017 at 11:57 PM.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by TWC941 View Post
    already ordered it.... any suggestions on actually making it work out or am I better off just paying the return shipping and getting a different one?
    You could rig up a bunch of jack shafts to get the rpm down, but open belts running that fast would be an accident waiting to happen.
    I'd take the hit and return that motor.

    Did you learn anything about building a tumbler from the vids I linked to ??

    Here's a link to the castboolits DIY tumbler thread:
    http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...Drum-explained
    Last edited by Kenstone; 02-26-2017 at 04:30 PM.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by TWC941 View Post
    Hello All,
    Greetings from the communist state of California.

    I have searched the forums already for an answer to this question but cant seem to find a solid answer. hopefully you all can help me out.

    My question is... How do I go about doing this? I know virtually nothing about motors or electricity, but do have a decent amount of common sense haha. Any help of pointers would be greatly appreciated. If it helps, the diameter of the actual tumbler tube is 6 inches.

    Thank you all in advance.

    Regards,
    Thomas
    Thomas: the best advice I can give you is send the motor back and get your money back, and just buy a Thumler's Rotary Tumbler.

    http://www.therockshed.com/tumbler3.html You can probably find one cheaper if you shop around but this is a good source.

    Randy
    "It's not how well you do what you know how to do,,,It's how well you do what you DON'T know how to do!"
    www.buchananprecisionmachine.com

  10. #10
    Boolit Bub
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    home made tumblers

    Quote Originally Posted by TWC941 View Post
    Hello All,
    Greetings from the communist state of California.

    I have searched the forums already for an answer to this question but cant seem to find a solid answer. hopefully you all can help me out.

    I am in the process of building a homemade tumbler and just ordered a washing machine motor off of ebay to power the thing. Ill post a link to it:http://www.ebay.com/itm/262857670646

    This motor is rated around 17000 RPMs so I know I have to use some sort of pulley system in order to slow it down to a reasonable speed.

    My question is... How do I go about doing this? I know virtually nothing about motors or electricity, but do have a decent amount of common sense haha. Any help of pointers would be greatly appreciated. If it helps, the diameter of the actual tumbler tube is 6 inches.

    Thank you all in advance.

    Regards,
    Thomas
    Look in this portion of this forum for home made tumblers and you will find the answer to your question. It is at the top of the page about 3 or 4 down.
    Last edited by rogerreloader; 02-26-2017 at 04:06 PM.

  11. #11
    Boolit Grand Master jmorris's Avatar
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    I bid on gear motors on ebay for awhile before I "won" one for cheap that was the correct RPM to use without any extra reduction, need for pullys, belts, gears, sprockets or chain. Direct drive, super simple and cheap.

  12. #12
    Boolit Master
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    I built mine using a Sears/Craftsman water well jet pump that a friend was going to trash and it was like new condition. Turns out you can hack all the old pump juck off it leaving a nice 1/2HP fan cooled, 3/4" D-shafted motor with a handy flange'd case end (where the pump body mounted) that works fine for tumbler use. The motor is way overkill for the job but it was $free.99 and about right RPM. It spins a little fast, I think its like a 3400rpm motor but I'm running the smallest pulley I had on the motor which is a 2" and the drum driving jackshaft is I think an 8" pulley which is just about perfect speed now. I had a 6" and it was a little fast. The drum shaft is just a piece of 3/4" steel tubing mounted is some cheap greaseable fleet/farm pillow ball bearing blocks and the pulley on the one end. It has some rubber heater hose slid over it that grips/spins the drum. There is no other shaft, the drum is supported on the other side by fixed caster wheels, two to roll against and two to limit lateral movement. My drum is made of 8" PVC pipe and can do a batch of 3000pcs of 9mm brass plus 5lbs or more of SS pins and it does effortlessly and efficiently. The motor is very underworked and runs cool, it really quiet (the motor anyway) and powerful enough to run a bigger setup.
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  13. #13
    Boolit Master Norbrat's Avatar
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    I would suggest that the speed listed on eBay is a typo. Not a hope in hades that motor would run at 17,000 rpm! It is a simple squirrel cage motor and would nominally run at 1700 rpm.

  14. #14
    Boolit Grand Master jmorris's Avatar
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    If nothing else it would give the OP a reason to return and get a more suitable motor, the advertised speed being off by a factor of ten.

  15. #15
    Boolit Mold
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    Quote Originally Posted by 6bg6ga View Post
    Its not a three phase motor. Its 120 volt single phase common washer motor meant for the common home.

    I sincerely doubt its 17000 RPM despite the tag . I have the same motor in a box in the garage that I have in the past checked with a tachometer.

    I would not however use it simply because of its mount. Just go to the nearest washing machine dealer and purchase one for $5.00 It will have a usable motor mount.
    So any washing machine dealer would have a usable motor mount? Never even thought of that. I was going to end up jerry-rigging something to try and mount it. Ill look into it. Thanks!

  16. #16
    Boolit Mold
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    Quote Originally Posted by Norbrat View Post
    I would suggest that the speed listed on eBay is a typo. Not a hope in hades that motor would run at 17,000 rpm! It is a simple squirrel cage motor and would nominally run at 1700 rpm.
    I am hoping so! any easy way that I could easily check that? I don't have a spare tachometer laying around, only the one in my car. I may be able to take it out of my wifes car though... hmmmmm.....

  17. #17
    Boolit Master Norbrat's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by TWC941 View Post
    I am hoping so! any easy way that I could easily check that? I don't have a spare tachometer laying around, only the one in my car. I may be able to take it out of my wifes car though... hmmmmm.....
    I do apologise!

    Google show a number of these motors and they all seems to have a label which says 17,500 rpm!

    It seems washing machine motors have changed a bit since I was making them back in the 80's. Then the motors were indeed quite simple and ran at one speed, usually around 1750 rpm; this is related to the frequency of the AC power supply.

    This particular motor seems like a multi-speed unit and according to the label, is 3 phase. That would be controlled by a Variable Speed Drive, which would be part of the electronic controller of the washing machine.

    So I reckon it may be difficult to get it to work easily for your application.

    Maybe see if you can find an older washing machine motor from a wrecker/breaker as many machines are scrapped when the spin bowl bearings fail as it is often as expensive to replace those as to buy a new machine.

    Again, apologies if I sent you up the wrong path.

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by Norbrat View Post
    I do apologise!

    Google show a number of these motors and they all seems to have a label which says 17,500 rpm!

    It seems washing machine motors have changed a bit since I was making them back in the 80's. Then the motors were indeed quite simple and ran at one speed, usually around 1750 rpm; this is related to the frequency of the AC power supply.

    This particular motor seems like a multi-speed unit and according to the label, is 3 phase. That would be controlled by a Variable Speed Drive, which would be part of the electronic controller of the washing machine.

    So I reckon it may be difficult to get it to work easily for your application.

    Maybe see if you can find an older washing machine motor from a wrecker/breaker as many machines are scrapped when the spin bowl bearings fail as it is often as expensive to replace those as to buy a new machine.

    Again, apologies if I sent you up the wrong path.
    I realize the label says 17,000- 17500 RPM on the motor label. My electric motor tachometer says 1700 RPM. Maybe some are 17,000 RPM. Who cares? At any rate its the wrong damn motor for what you wish to do. So, lets all get over it ok? What you want it a motor with a standard mount which is available from older washers and driers. I've brought a dozen or more over the years for $5-10.00 Once you talk to your friendly washer/dryer repairman and tell hin its NOT for a washer or dryer but a project your working on the price goes down to almost nothing. Another source of motors would be your friendly heating /air conditioning repair center. AKA furnace blower motors are up to the task.

  19. #19
    Boolit Master Sasquatch-1's Avatar
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    I thought about this at one time. I watched all the youtube videos. The one that intrigued me the most was the guy who used the windshield wiper motor. It was also one of the easiest to build. I did not build it because I was to cheap to buy a wiper motor from the junkyard. Go to youtube and run wiper motor tumbler, there are several vids.
    A vote for anyone other then the conservative candidates is a vote for the liberal candidates.

  20. #20
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    Windshield wiper motor would require a hefty 12VDC power supply or a battery. Consider the cost of the battery or the power supply or battery and battery charger and its no real cost savings.

    One needs to consider this direct drive option, yes. I believe one needs to find a frequency drive motor that one can adjust the rpm to suit the need and the tumbler load.

    Yes, this type of motor is more costly. This type of design however will eliminate some of the more costly assemblies needed with other designs.

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