Harbor Frieght - Chicago Electric - Rubber Seal

[DoctorBill]

Harbor Freight sells a "Chicago Electric" made in China vibratory
polisher for under $50.

Works great. Item No. 67617

Anyone else have one ? I have a question.

http://www.mynetimages.com/d8162ac596.jpg

There is a thin rubber gasket the goes on top of the bowl
to seal the bowl and lid together.

Mine is becoming old and flaccid (no jokes please !).

I E-Mailed Harbor Freight and got this reply:

Part# Description Price
09 SEAL RING $1.00 plus tax & shipping

Please note that this part must be special ordered from the manufacturer and can take
6-8 weeks for delivery. If you have any questions or would like to place a parts order,
you can call us toll free at 1-888-866-5797 or on our non toll free number at 805-388-2000.

Thank You
Ernesto Valenzuela
Harbor Freight Technical Support
1-888-866-5797

Well...I really don't care to go thru all that stuff to wait almost two months for the $1 part...!

Has anyone ever cleaned everything off, greased the lower bowl edge,
applied a bead of Silicone Caulking to the lid slot and molded their
own gasket ?

I'm tempted to try it....

An experiment I can relate to -
http://www.mynetimages.com/8c44f74000.jpg

DoctorBill

[docone31]

I use them in my silver shop. They run day in, and day out.
The only issue I have had, and it has been with everyone, the white wire vibrates off the motor. So far, everyone.
That is the only issue I have had with them.

[DoctorBill]

I had not heard of that problem.

I had a BAD problem wherein the Bowl cut loose from the rubber base
and would rapidly rotate as the Vibrator did its thing.

Read up on this via Google and found a guy who drilled thru the bottom
of the bowl and rubber plate and plastic base and put a screw and nut
in it.

I did three evenly spaced screws and nuts and now it goes on like a champ !

Was a bit difficult as there is little room for my fingers.

Just put rubber glue on the nut threads that protrude past the nut
or they'll vibrate loose in an instant !

I guess I'll try the caulking thing with Silicone Bathroom Caulk and
some light grease on the top of the bowl as a "Release Agent".

Should take only a very light amount of caulking, too....

That way the rubber seal will be an integral part of the lid and I won't
have it come off constantly.

I'll just have to scrupulously clean the lid or the Silcone Caulking won't adhere well.

BTW - I cannot get the main bolt to come out of the center - seems the whole
thing turns way down in there !
Maybe stripped threads ?
Will be absolute Hell when/if I have to replace the bowl - which the H.F. store sells !

DoctorBill

[handyman25]

I have one and so far I like it. go to you hardware store and they should have rubber washers used to rebuild plumbing that will work.:idea:

[c3d4b2]

Could you split a length of surgical tubing to go around the top of the bowl?

Did you check for seals on other vibratory cleaners that might work?

Would some of the self adhesive weather stripping work?

You Might check this out....

http://www.mcmaster.com/#catalog/116/3439/=af3xl3

http://www.mcmaster.com/#o-rings/=af3x89

http://www.mcmaster.com/#catalog/116/3440/=af3zbk

http://www.mcmaster.com/#catalog/116/3444/=af400k

A little more obscure thought..... The lumber yards sell some thin poly foam (~1/4") that may work in the short run.

[wills]

Run it with the lid off, works better that way.

[DoctorBill]

wills - You know, I'd bet this darn thing would run just fine with a
cloth thrown over the top !

anyway - I made a decision.

I washed the rubber seal in running water - takes quite a while.
Apparently it had been rubber glued to the bowl with contact cement -
perhaps by the manufacturer.

Washed the bowl edges off with 409 several times to get any oil off
and let it dry thoroughly. Silicone won't adhere well on oily surfaces.
Surface prep is extremely important - clean, dry - no oil.

Anyway, the inside of the rubber seal had walnut shell residue and rubber cement
mixed up inside the seal and took some time to work out with warm water.

I let it dry thoroughly and applied a small amount of GE Silicone Sealer
(the transparent kind) to the inner part of the seal and put it on the
bowl.

Held it there with the lid tightened down until the Silicone had set up.

DoctorBill

[FLDad]

I've got the same one and I have had the bowl loosen up. Tightened it up and it runs fine, but I will try that rubber glue trick to keep it from happening again. Thanks!

[Shooter6br]

Got a nice infra red thermometer I use it to read off my molds that i pre heat, and it is fun to play with!!

[beanflip]

get u a five gallon bucket lid and take the seal ring out cut to lenght super glue the ends.

its cheap and easy

[timkelley]

Am I the only guy who never puts the lid on my polisher?:o

[DoctorBill]

FLDad - NO !

I did not rubber glue the bowl to the base - that will not work !
The vibration, heat and torque breaks down the Rubber Glue quickly.

I drilled FOUR holes THRU the bowl, rubber plate and Plastic bowl base.

Be careful WHERE you drill the holes so they come out between the flanges
in the plastic base else you can't put on the nuts.

I then put four flat round headed machine screw bolts down thru the holes and tightened
nuts onto the bolts.
Then I put rubber glue on the threads protruding thru the nuts to keep the nuts from
vibrating loose.

I Silicone Glued the rubber seal to the bowl after cleaning the Hell out
of both the seal and bowl edge. Held in place 24 hours by the lid tightened on.

http://www.mynetimages.com/b0ba3e58b7.jpg

So far - so good....

You had better believe that those screw heads are getting well polished !

DoctorBill

[HeavyMetal]

Typical HB you can't get the seal in less than 2 months but most stores stock the replacement "bowl" go figure.

I got one of these in trade a few months back and, with the small problem of the bowl coming loose it has performed well.

Figured out the threaded bolt is double nuted into the base with no "fixed" threaded section. Once you've loosened the nut on top you must figure out how to get a wrench onto the nut underneath the bowl platform.

Once I got that tight I added a nut with a rubber boot to keep the bowl tightened down to the platform. I check it every time I load it and tighten as needed.

Cool part about the replacement bowl from HB is I was able to save an old Lyman tumbler I had, a 600 bought in the early 80's, and the bowl had cracked.

The HB bowl was about half of what Lyman wanted and was in stock with walnut shell media in it so I saved shipping as well.

[DoctorBill]

Do these Harbor Freight polishers ever wear out ?

Mine gets fairly hot in the motor compartment !

I now set it up on two boards such that air can better circulate underneath
the machine.

Should I consider lubricating any of the bearings ?

I bought a bag of "Zilla" Walnut Shell Reptile Bedding at PETCO for my polishing media - Cheap !

From other people's experience, what is the best ratio of Brass to Walnut shells ?
I go for about one to one by volume.
My Brass gets cleaned in about 2-3 hours that way.

BTW - I have been adding Polish to my Walnut Shells.

About a teaspoon of Brasso mixed well into the Walnut Shells and allowed to dry overnight before using works well.

From an OLD, OLD bottle of Brasso left over from my ROTC days at the
University of Illinois at Champaigne-Urbana in 1968 !

Had to shake the bottle with a few metal nuts in it to break up the settled abrasive...

It still works like a charm ! Good stuff, Brasso.

I just bought a 7.6 oz bottle of FLITZ "Tumbler/Media Additive" for next time my Walnut Shell
mix wears out (gets quite dusty).

http://www.mynetimages.com/fdf421cae8.jpg

I didn't even know Flitz sold this stuff until I saw it at Cabella's.

I ASSuME that Flitz wouldn't use ammonia in the product... (?)

DoctorBill

[1hole]

'There is a thin rubber gasket the goes on top of the bowl to seal the bowl and lid together."

The HF tumblers are the only ones I've ever seen with a gasket at all. Hope your cure works but if it doesn't, fergit it!

Ref, oiling the two bronze motor shaft bearings; do it maybe once a year. If you don't, the oil will eventually dry, seize the shaft and stop the motor so it will soon burn out.

Use a good grade of gun/reel oil that won't dry or leave a thick gummy residue (NOT WD-40!) I use inexpensive Automatic Transmission Fluid from Walmart auto lubes dept., cheap, excellant lube, great wicking ability, very slow drying. It makes a really great gun oil too, better than most, and is a LOT less costly!

[FLDad]

No, I'm not going to glue the bowl! I'm going to put a little glue on the threads above the nut just like you mentioned earlier. If it manages to come loose again I will drill for machine screws. If it ain't broke, don't fix it, right?

[FLDad]

I've been using walnut shells with Lyman TurboBrite, but I saw a YouTube video recently with a guy using "Wizard" metal polish from a truckstop. Looked like it worked, but I don't know if it is safe for brass. Has anyone here tried it?

[Dan Cash]

Do these Harbor Freight polishers ever wear out ?

Mine gets fairly hot in the motor compartment !

I now set it up on two boards such that air can better circulate underneath
the machine.

Should I consider lubricating any of the bearings ?

I bought a bag of "Zilla" Walnut Shell Reptile Bedding at PETCO for my polishing media - Cheap !

From other people's experience, what is the best ratio of Brass to Walnut shells ?
I go for about one to one by volume.
My Brass gets cleaned in about 2-3 hours that way.

BTW - I have been adding Polish to my Walnut Shells.

About a teaspoon of Brasso mixed well into the Walnut Shells and allowed to dry overnight before using works well.

From an OLD, OLD bottle of Brasso left over from my ROTC days at the
University of Illinois at Champaigne-Urbana in 1968 !

Had to shake the bottle with a few metal nuts in it to break up the settled abrasive...

It still works like a charm ! Good stuff, Brasso.

I just bought a 7.6 oz bottle of FLITZ "Tumbler/Media Additive" for next time my Walnut Shell
mix wears out (gets quite dusty).

http://www.mynetimages.com/fdf421cae8.jpg

I didn't even know Flitz sold this stuff until I saw it at Cabella's.

I ASSuME that Flitz wouldn't use ammonia in the product... (?)

DoctorBill

Brasso is destructive of brass. The amonia in it makes it brittle and causes it to crack.

[DoctorBill]

"Brasso is destructive of brass. The amonia in it makes it brittle and causes it to crack."

That is why I let it "dry" in the walnut shells before I use it.

Besides - if any is left, it is in a very miniscule amount.

Brasso works quite well as does "Mother's Mag & Aluminum Polish"
(a paste) and of course Flitz.

It does not take much to do the polishing job.

...a mole hill.

DoctorBill

An experiment I can relate to -
http://www.mynetimages.com/8c44f74000.jpg

[arjacobson]

Am I the only guy who never puts the lid on my polisher?:o

No-you can drink a beer and watch the brass roll for quite a while(gets boring here in Iowa sometimes....)

[patsher]

I have two tumbers -- Cabela's and Midway's house brand -- Frankford something. Neither use a gasket between bowl and lid.

FWIT, I much prefer the Cabelas tumbler as it rolls much faster, and the top nut is a washer/nut combo, fast to replace. But both get the job done.

The Cabela's unit is often on sale for something like $53 or $54, which is how I got mine. The Midway unit I paid something like $39 for, on sale.

[mold maker]

I bought 4 of the HF tumblers at a salvage sale ($7. ea) . One had the loose wire. One had a stuck motor, and ATF fixed it. The other 2 had loose (PIA) screws all the way through. All 4 are running now.
I run tumblers continuously for months at a time and none of them last over 4-5 years. The motor bearings wear out because of the off balance condition they work under.
All tumblers that I have seen lately use a cheap china made motor. and it will be the weak point in use.
I use a very long hypo needle (vet supply) with a bend about half way, to oil with ATF about once every 6 months during heavy use. Only a verrrrry small amount does the job. Excess can kill the motor.
Forget the lid seal. It's for wet grinding and polishing so the splattering compounds don't oze out and drip dry making a real mess.

[DoctorBill]

Why ATF and not motor oil ?

Just a personal preference ?

Where at did you lubricate it ?

Mine has an eccentric weight on the motor shaft and that's it !

I put one drop of 10W - 30 motor oil where the arrow points.

http://www.mynetimages.com/4d564269e6.jpg

Is there any place else where one would oil this thing ?

DoctorBill

[Cherokee]

I just throw an old rag over the polisher and let it go. Never use the lid.

[hiram]

You could try going to a tire store and getting an inner tube from the trash. Split it, trim the square corners, hole in the middle, 1 rubber waher.

[cajun shooter]

Most all good auto parts stores or trucking supplies carry gasket material and I have seen it in rubber. Back when I was coming up in the 50's and 60's we never bought any pre- made gaskets as we would cutout our own. I remember the master mechanic showing me how to use a small ball peen hammer to tap around the outer transmission case with the material to make the gasket.

[DoctorBill]

I appears that if one uses dry Walnut Shells or Corn Cobs, that a lid is
not actually required.

A rag or towel - or nothing at all works !

I will have to try that next time.

I wonder if tightening the lid provided helps "couple" the bowl bottom
to the top ?

Neat. Working out of the box, as it were. Coloring outside the lines...

How dare you not follow the directions on the box !

"Now little Johnny, you follow the directions, or teacher will make you sit in the
corner with the Dunce Hat on !"

DoctorBill

[waksupi]

I sit mine inside one of the big blue storage containers available cheap at Walmart. Leave the vibrator lid off, put the container lid on, and run it. The container catches media and brass that vibrates out. It is also good to be able to dump the cleaned brass into a colander, shake it out over the container, and dump it back in the vibrator for the next batch.

[Airborne Falcon]

I usually run such high capacity loads that mine are too full to run with the top off.

BTW, the best polishing agent to add is simply the Flitz car polish. Much less expensive as well and a cap full does the job nicely.

[jcwit]

I'd suggest the use a lid if one is provided as the dust in a tumbler is full of lead compounds from the priming compound. Dryer sheets do help immensely tho.

Again mot any liquid auto polish ie; Nu-Finish, MeGuires, Turtle wax, ect wax will work just fine and the put a light coating of finish to protect against tarnish.

[DoctorBill]

I didn't know Flitz made car polish. Oh well...

The bottle of Flitz "Tumbler/Media Additive" that I bought (7.6 oz) will last me
for another 67 years.

I use the same walnut shells (WS) over and over.
Been wondering if I sieved the used WS thru a small piece of window screen
to remove the dust, if it would go on working until reduced to dust ?

Tried pouring the used WS onto a newspaper outside in a light breeze
to allow the dust to blow away and the heavier WS particles to fall on the
newspaper.

That works - the way third world peoples winnow chaff from wheat.

I'll use the polisher with the lid and if the seal poops out, I'll throw a towel
over the bowl.

Nice to know, however, that one doesn't really need the lid on for dry work.

Is LEAD still used in primers - with all the Environmentalist stuff going on ?

We have to stop that so they can't squeal about Primers as a way to prohibit shooting.

Those freaks in the Washington State Legislature have outlawed lead wheel weights
here in this State.

I've been stumbling over them when I walk the dog.

Like wheel weights are going to wind up in your peas and carrots !

DoctorBill

[jcwit]

Yes lead is still used in primers, however you can buy "green" primers at a higher cost.

Actually I believe the lead issue is blown way out of proportion but I don't go out and roll around in poison ivy either.

Use a little safety amd a whole lot of common sense, can't go wrong then.

[DoctorBill]

"...issue is blown way out of proportion."

Yes - that seems to be the case with everything now.

In toxicology, there are levels of toxicity - but everything is SUPER now.

If something is even slightly Toxic, it is treated as if it will kill you just looking at it.

Read the labels on OTC aspirin or 409 cleaner.
The Destructions that came with the tumbler/polisher we are discussing
here are asinine. You'd think this thing were able to tear you apart.
Page 1 thru 5 of the manual are cautions about using this tumbler !
http://manuals.harborfreight.com/manuals/67000-67999/67617.pdf

You would think you were working with an Atomic Bomb.
We need to Lawyer Up some more, even !

When I was a kid (I'm 67), I played with a Lead Soldier molding toy where
it had a plug in melting pot (Oh God - Electrical Wires!) and Lead Ingots and
5 or 6 molds to make Soldiers out of Lead. I played with that a lot.

Now look at me - I like to cast bullets - and I am much better now....
The Doctors tell me I can leave this facility if I behave myself.

DoctorBill

[3006guns]

One of the posters asked "why transmission oil and not motor oil"? I used to think the same way until I learned a little about oils in general........

Motor oils contain various additives that work just dandy in the hot confines of an auto engine. In a simple lubricating situation however, those same additives can gum up and cause problems.......plus you're paying for the additives that aren't needed.

ATF is basically a pure hydraulic oil. It's clean, clear, it lubricates and lasts a long time. I was running motor oil in the headstock bearings of my antique lathe until I learned that it really didn't lubricate all that well. I switched to 30wt. tractor hydraulic oil (Walmart, 5 gal. buckets) on the advice of machinists and use it for all machine and general oiling in my shop. Much cleaner stuff with better lubrication properties.

[DCM]

jcwit I would stay away from the "green" primers I have seen thus far as they preform poorly. I'm sure in due time they will get better.

I use the lid on mine to keep the dust/noise down. Don't think a gasket is needed unless you are doing some kind of wet tumbling.

I also use a countdown timer on mine and try to set it so it runs when I sleep. That way I don't have to be anywhere near the noise.

[1hole]

3006 is correct about not using auto engine motor oils for small electric motors or guns, fishing reels, etc.

Automatic Transmission Fluid is an excellant but inexpensive light synthetic oil that lubes light loads very well, penetrates excellant, evaporates slowly, has high film strength and leaves no gummy "varnish" behind when it does dry. I've used ATF for most gun and fishing needs with total satisfaction for decades .

[Dannix]

I played with a Lead Soldier molding toy where
it had a plug in melting pot (Oh God - Electrical Wires!) and Lead Ingots and
5 or 6 molds to make Soldiers out of Lead. I played with that a lot.
Whenever I'm lugging WWs or around lead and someone near by, I remind them of this. The light bulb usually comes on when I mention the movie The Patriot.

There's some real issues with non-lead (and non-mercury) primers. I didn't look into it too closely, but apparently even in the better formulations, there's an erosion issue.


The Doctors tell me I can leave this facility if I behave myself.
Don't believe them. They been promising me that for years!
:bigsmyl2:

[DoctorBill]

DCM - "I also use a countdown timer on mine"

WHERE do you get such a 'count down' timer with an electrical switch on it ? !!!!!!

I NEED several such things for my coffee maker and for what you are using it for !

Been looking for them for years (ever since the Jurassic period when I was a mere boy).

The only timers I have seen have an on and off time setting - like for house lights.

Edited in later in the day - Oh Hell, I just went off and made one...parts from LOWE'S (~ $20)
"Utilitech" #01 40599 60 Minute Countdown Timer - $12 They have a 12 hr one for the same price.
Cut the extension cord in half. Soldered end of each piece - poke into timer hole like light switches -
connected other side. Screwed on cover plate. No worries.

http://www.mynetimages.com/a946488986.jpg

http://www.mynetimages.com/93cb662f8b.jpg

WORKS so nice that I made another one next day !

DoctorBill

PS - ATF instead of motor oil...I will ask an acquaintance who I consider to be a 'God' of Machinists.
He can make anything with machine tools and makes it look like it was done by God himself !
The man amazes me every time I see him work - and he is a reloader who will mill down my
incoming LEE Cruise Missile mold to 140 grain sized bullet !

According to the MSDS for Dexron, this stuff will poison you just by looking at it !
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CBcQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.royalmfg.com%2FMSDS%2Fautomot ive%2Fmulti-transplusATF_synthetic_msds.pdf&ei=YRM1Taz9M5H4sAPRrfSTBg&usg=AFQjCNG9uj9RyozvHij3RP5SX7bHqU7w2Q

But then again, Dihydrogen Oxide (DHMO) is very toxic if ingested in excessive quantities....
http://www.dhmo.org/truth/Dihydrogen-Monoxide.html