Ideas for home-made tumbler?

[blysmelter]

Anyone got good ideas for a homemade case-tumbler?

Yes, I can buy one, but I like tinkering with strange stuff and have some spare time:-)

[400cor-bon]

Old metal coffee can driven by a belt or rollers
I had a rock tumbler I got at a yard sale for a couple bucks a long time ago
same principle

[JSnover]

I like the coffee can idea, that's probably the simplest and cheapest way.
It shouldn't be hard to copy a vibratory tumbler. A large bowl on top of a small electric motor (maybe an old drill motor?) with an offset weight on the shaft.

[HotGuns]

Get a piece of PVC pipe...the 8 or 10" dia. stuff. Cut it about 10 inches long. Use some plywood for the ends and screw it to one end. In the other end, thread some 1/4 studs in it PVC and leave it about an 1 and a half long, and use wingnuts to secure the plywood cap to it.

Use an old motor and rig it to run it. You'll need to put a couple of wodden paddles in the PVS to agitate the brass and the tumbler meduim.

Not hard to do. I made one many years ago that worked great and had alot of capacity.

[blysmelter]

Some good and easy ideas here, just keep them coming!

I migth go for drillmotor and PVC-pipe, guess I finaly can use that old singelspeed Black&Decker for something:-)

[SWIAFB]

The first one I rigged up I started with an old elictric ice-cream maker, It took some reinforcing but I used it for about 3 years.

[longbow]

I was thinking the same thing - just how hard can it be to make a rotary tumbler like a little ball mill or rock tumbler?

I started surfing around the internet a year or so ago to get ideas or at least try to get good ideas and save some time. I found these links:

http://www.unitednuclear.com/ballmill.htm
http://tomaszewski.net/Kreigh/Minerals/Homemade.shtml
http://igor.chudov.com/projects/Homemade-Rock-Tumbler/
http://ktcatspost.blogspot.com/2007/01/diy-rock-tumbler.html

I also had several other good links but they are dead now and I was unsuccessful find the same info.

I have an idea in my head and will be building it soon. I am thinking even simpler using one roller and a slotted guide to hold a can with a shaft out each end. The can shaft is guided in vertical slots and the can rests on a driven shaft/roller with rubber (hose) covering. Turn the roller and the can turns. I would drive the can directly but the roller is used to reduce speed so small sheave on the motor, large sheave on roller, small roller drives large diameter can giving further speed reduction.

I will post pictures when I get mine done. It will be a while though. I just finished an archery spine tester and am working on shotgun slugs now. I also owe no34570 some testing on PP boolits. One thing at a time!

Good luck.

Longbow

[oksmle]

A suggestion for what not to do: For years I got away with filling a 2# coffee can about 1/2 full of corncob media & then added a double handful of cases. Taped the top shut with black electrician's tape & put it into Mrs. oksmle's clothes dryer along with a load of wet laundry. By the time the clothes were dry the cases were pretty clean. Then once I couldn't locate the electrician's tape & substituted masking tape. Bad mistake.... Masking tape melted & you can imagine the rest....

[MT Gianni]

62 chevy on blocks in low gear. Knock the rear fender off. Drive belt of the rear wheel turns a beer keg on 4 casters from a rolling chair. Use old conveyer belting for the drive belt.
Gianni

[Scrounger]

62 chevy on blocks in low gear. Knock the rear fender off. Drive belt of the rear wheel turns a beer keg on 4 casters from a rolling chair. Use old conveyer belting for the drive belt.
Gianni

Oh, you mean a HillBilly Tumbler! Also Paint Mixer, Cement Mixer, Blender, and Bread Machine...

[DLCTEX]

An old clothes dryer that has quit heating, or remove heating element and tape wires, fasten container to back of drum. The motor will run on 120 volts, as will timer, the timer can be used if wanted, but best is to use a off-on switch. Metal bars scewed to inside of container walls will insure tumbling. A plastic 5 gal. pail wwith a lid fastened with bungee cords would be a large capacity tumbler' Dale

[KCSO]

Use a cement mixinig tub from Menards, the kind you are suppose to roll on the ground. Set it on roller skate wheels and turn it with a small DC motor and a belt. The tub will hold a S#i^ load of brass and the ridges inside make it tumble real nice. Or just buy a cheap cement mixer and put a door on it.

[Reverend Recoil]

Twenty years ago I got an idea for a vibrating case cleaner from an article in the American Rifleman. I bought a small 110v vibrator motor from WW Granger for $10. I punched some holes in the bottom of a new paint can and bolted the vibrator motor. This assembly was hung by the bail with a coil spring. It would clean fifty 30-06 cases with walnut shell media in two hours. It made a lot of noise, especially when a case chattered against the side of the paint can. I now have a Lyman Turbo tumbled and am happy with it.

[Urny]

Another one to look at. www.jurai.net/~winter/tumbler/tumbler.html

[smokemjoe]

I seen one made from the unit out of a vibator chair. Made a nice tumber and any size drum you put on it works.

[Morgan Astorbilt]

This is the one I built using an 8gal. olive drum and a D.C. variable speed gear motor salvaged from a conveyor belt. The drum rotates at 45rpm, using a transformer and full wave rectifier. Has a 12hr. timer, and there are 4 wooden vanes installed like a cement mixer. It's counterbalanced, and tips for emptying. Have never been able to determine the capacity, I've tumbled over 1000 .45LC cases at a time with no trouble.
Morgan

http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa159/pgfaini/100_1774.jpg

http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa159/pgfaini/100_1773.jpg

http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa159/pgfaini/100_1771.jpg

[JohnSmiles]

:holysheep


[smilie=w:

I don't care how long ya read these posts, there is always someone out there to remind ya you are still just a novice at this . . .

:castmine:

[gon2shoot]

Built a square box from 1/8 plywood, door on side, length of all-thread through the middle. Pully from junk box, motor from an old box fan.
The square corners provide agitation.
Figgered it would last till I got somthing better, that was three years ago.:-D

[brshooter]

Haborfrieght.com has a 1.25 cubic ft. Mini Cement Mixer on sale now. 1/4 HP motor, was $139.99, now $99.99. Item # 91907-1VGA Just the ticket for 1000 45-70 cases.

[Morgan Astorbilt]

brshooter, That's probably the best way to go. Sure saves a lot of work. Should be some way to install a lid on it to kep the dust down.
Morgan

[mroliver77]

brshooter, That's probably the best way to go. Sure saves a lot of work. Should be some way to install a lid on it to kep the dust down.
Morgan

Yours is way cool though Morgan! I am cheap, poor, have a lot of "junk" in my barn and love to putz around. I have two vibrating cleaners but I want to built a rotator. Funny my pal stopped over last night and brought up that he wants to build one and we searched the internet only to be led to this post! Some good ideas!
J

[Morgan Astorbilt]

Thanks J, It's a lot more fun making, and more satisfying, using equipment you've made yourself.

Morgan

[MT Gianni]

Morgan, Way cool. Whats an Olive Drum and where did you get it? Gianni

[94Doug]

I have (somewhere) the Handloader Magazine article where they built the Coffee Can Tumbler. Could Scan and email if anyone is interested.

Doug

[Morgan Astorbilt]

Gianni,
Morgan Astorbilt is my SASS "Cowboy" name. I originally clicked on this castboolits site from a thread on the SASS site, and logged in with the same name I use for SASS. I mention this because, like you, my name ends with an "I". (Faini). I'm originally from New York, and got the olive drum from an Italian-American grocery store, where I bought my olives. These are the containers the olives are imported in. If you want one, I guess you could contact an olive importer, and ask them to sell you one. I've got two more, but they're a little smaller, and the lids are two piece, a center section held on with a ring, like a canning jar, making them less convenient to open and close.

Morgan

[alleyyooper]

I used a double barrel rock tumbler for years. Only problem I found was the amount you could tumble at a single time.
So I coppied it on a larger scale. Used a couple of rods with hose on them as a drive rod and the other wheel. Searching junk yards found a barrel about a foot in dia. welded a couple of lids up so I could run 3 threaded rods up the sides, one end welded tight shut and the rods welded too. On the other end I use wing nuts to hold the lid on. It is drove with a 1/4 horse motor with a small pully at the motor end and a huge one on the tumbler end and a V belt. I can put 10 pounds of no name rice in there and a couple thousand rounds to tumble with room to spare.
[smilie=1:Yes I use rice, cheapest stuff I found that works very well. Of course you have to clean the flash hole when you clean the primer pocket as rice will stick in the hole.

:mrgreen: Al

[blysmelter]

Lots of good ideas! I think I have a plan, involving a 1gallon bucket, an orbital sander (el cheapo china-version) and some bits and pices. Will post pictures when done.

[Morgan Astorbilt]

For a small tumbler, why not use the large plastic containers Miracle Grow and other soluable plant foods come in? (I believe it's the 5lb. size.) They hold about a gallon, and their square cross section and screw-on lids make them preferrable to buckets.

Morgan

[blysmelter]

Migth check what wifey has in the cupboard, she will not miss one of thoose Tupperware things. (Or will she?)

[alleyyooper]

:roll: thats just asking for trouble, taking wifies things.:-? May be buried so deep in a closet she hasn't seen/or used it in 25 years and you take it for some use and she starts yelling about you taking some thing with out asking.

Nope best just go buy a dish/bowl for your self.

:mrgreen: Al

[Frank46]

# gallon pvc plastic pail used for pool chemicals. Drill hole through both screw on top, run shaft through it couple el cheapo ball bearin pillow plocks and slow speed motor. Use fan belts on pulleys. Should be able to find the pillow blocks at harbor freight, home depot sells the pails or scrounge one up, belts at auto store and slow speed motor look at one of the surplus catalogs. Just a thought. Can't remember the name of the place that advertises in home shop machinist. Frank

[blysmelter]

Franks idea is propably the easiest and cheapest. If one really wants it cheap one could use an electric drill with a chucked bolt, woodbearings and a "flatbelt" made up of something (dressbelt, web, jeans).
Get some rice at your local chinese grocers and polish away. Think I will make one just to try:-)

[ANeat]

Here is one I made several years ago. Similar to Morgans, 5 gallon bucket with "vanes" added inside. Gear reduction motor off of a chip auger. (110 volt)

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h165/aneat/tumbler.jpg

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h165/aneat/tumbler2.jpg

[mroliver77]

My pal is wanting to build a tumbler and we looked through this thread and all internet hits we could find. We came up with using an electric ice cream freezer motor and tub. Will lay is horizontal with a shaft bolted to the center of the tub bottom to help carry the weight. I am thinking the body of a trashed 30-06 casing will work fine for this. Found a setup to donte parts for $5 at Goodwill. Will post pics when done with it.
J

[jdhenry]

I seen one made from the unit out of a vibator chair. Made a nice tumber and any size drum you put on it works.



Thats how my uncle did it. Worked just as my store bought one:)

[uncle joe]

All you guys have inspired me!! I have been trying to boost up my reloading equipment and supplies after not reloading or casting for over 22 years. I have just bought dies and a mould for reloading 45acp for a H&K usp that I haven't shot a box through yet. After reading all the posts and looking at the linked sites, I have Frankensteined a truly bad a** vibratory tumbler. I did most of it while the wife toasted a iced pizza. here are the pics. I had an old orbital sander that I didn't use so it's all free.

[Morgan Astorbilt]

Nice job Joe, You gonna clamp it in a vise? Be easier than rigging a stand. I do that with my old orbital sander when I have small parts to sand.
Morgan

[RP]

Just mount a coffee can to your lawnmower mine shakes like hell find a good shake spot mount can and mow the grass wife is happy and your brass is clean. Note make sure lid is on good mower will shot a casing better then you think

[jackley]

Used a 2 gal bucket on some old casters for the drum. Fitted that, to the motor from the 10 foot satellite dish that was in the yard when I moved here. Use it to graphite shot in. Its a 12 volt motor so have to use a battery charger to run it.

Jerry

[rmb721]

I made one out of a large waterless hand soap can. I screwed four pieces of wood, 3/4 x 3/4 to the inside.

[charger 1]

Tire shop trips need not be dreary. Ya you gotta spend coin, but as I say turn a frown upside down. Ask him fer his wheel weights. Then bring yer brass in distinctive batches. Each bunch to go into a tire upon installation with a handful of whatever. Next trip back sure you still gotta pay the tire disposal fee when he takes em off, but if yer always leavin with weights and sparkly brass you's a happy camper

[pietro]

FWIW - I clean my brass, 50 to 100 at a time, in the K.I.S.S. tumbler/cleaner - I toss them in an old pillowcase, tie the neck in a knot & throw it in the clothes washing machine, to clean/cycle with a towel load and regular detergent.

[uncle joe]

Nice job Joe, You gonna clamp it in a vise? Be easier than rigging a stand. I do that with my old orbital sander when I have small parts to sand.
Morgan

my bench is just over waist high,(do my work standing up) just screwed a wal-mart hook under the bench and let it hang from the bucket bail. I later had to put something in the bucket attached to the sides to help agitate the brew. It worked great until the sander bit the dust. It was only about 40 years old. I think I put to much media and brass in it at one time.:twisted:

[HTRN]

I don't care how long ya read these posts, there is always someone out there to remind ya you are still just a novice at this . . .

Uhm... There is always room for improvement!:mrgreen:

This (http://www.vandykestaxidermy.com/product/01001823/) should be fairly easy to duplicate using 55 gallon plastic drums. Or for those wanting a vibratory tumbler (http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14464)..


HTRN

[melw]

Uhm... There is always room for improvement!:mrgreen:

(="http://www.vandykestaxidermy.com/product/01001823/)This should be fairly easy to duplicate using 55 gallon plastic drums. Or for those wanting a vibratory tumbler (http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14464)..


HTRN

The first link you have looks like some one made it in their garage. I like the design but over $600.00
to buy!:-?
I am working on a larger tumbler, my problem has been finding a good container to use. The 5 gl bucket I bought from the hardware store is some what tapered and wants to walk off the casters it is rolling on. The sides are also slick and the motor drive just slides.:|
I will have to look for those blue barrels. That is great.
Mel W.

[ttman4]

Migth check what wifey has in the cupboard, she will not miss one of thoose Tupperware things. (Or will she?)
:)There's only 3 things in this world I'm scared of......
1. Tornadoes
2. Rattlesnakes
3. MAD WOMEN!!!
....& I would suggest caution! seriously!!!!:)

[ronbo]

This post is older than the hills but I made a tumbler from a plan in the American Rifleman magazine in the mid 70's. Was made with plywood drum and two old style clothes dryer pulleys of the day, junked furnace blower motor. The only thing I bought was one belt for $5. Has been polishing brass in a hurry with corncob media for over 30 years. It leaks a little bit of media out of the door but I put it back in once in awhile. It is quiet and polishes to a high shine in an hour.

http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/tumbler_001.JPG

[RP]

oh just mount a can or two one your lawnmower wheels fill with brass and media and mow the yard or better yet get your wife to mow the lawn you get clean brass and your wife off your back.

[madcaster]

Now Scrounger,that is a redneck tumbler,us HILLBILLIES just put the brass and media in a 5 gallon bucket and throw it on the tradmill with anyone who just happens to be drivin' it at the moment-but we WON'T be mentioning any names....[smilie=1:

[colt 357]

Migth check what wifey has in the cupboard, she will not miss one of thoose Tupperware things. (Or will she?)

If you take her tupperware you may want to hide the knives as well:popcorn:

[sparky45]

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=130815
This guy makes a tumbler that works extremely well.

[kywoodwrkr]

Use a cement mixinig tub from Menards, the kind you are suppose to roll on the ground. Set it on roller skate wheels and turn it with a small DC motor and a belt. The tub will hold a S#i^ load of brass and the ridges inside make it tumble real nice. Or just buy a cheap cement mixer and put a door on it.
Local gun shop owner had a couple mixers set up during Vietnam war to 'clean' brass off the ranges at Ft. Knox. He said he used sand and, well, time. I got my 'surplus' brass from some fellow employees in armored units who would just burn up their allotment on a range and bring brass home in garbage cans.

[plmitch]

I need a tumbler and theres lots of good ideas here for making my own( got plenty of junk in the shop to work with).I learn something new everytime I log on.

[NavyVet1959]

Tire shop trips need not be dreary. Ya you gotta spend coin, but as I say turn a frown upside down. Ask him fer his wheel weights. Then bring yer brass in distinctive batches. Each bunch to go into a tire upon installation with a handful of whatever. Next trip back sure you still gotta pay the tire disposal fee when he takes em off, but if yer always leavin with weights and sparkly brass you's a happy camper

I have to wonder how much of that brass would be left after 40K+ miles in a tire... :)

I have seen tumbers made where they used a tire as the container. In one case, the tire was sitting on rollers that were powered and it had some round plywood sides on it that could be bolted together to enclose the "tumbling drum". In another case, the person just put the same type of setup on a treadmill and had welded up a framework along the sides to keep the tire pointed straight ahead. And in yet another case, the person had a shaft which went through the tire and the tire hung from it. The shaft was hooked up to an electric motor via a fan belt and some pulleys. The inner edge of the sidewall rested on the shaft and when the shaft rotated, the tire would also rotate. It looked like an older 15" tire, maybe a 31x10.50x15, so it had pretty deep sidewalls and could probably hold quite a bit of brass even without having any lids on the sides. Assuming a 1" diameter shaft going through the tire, that would mean that the shaft would rotate 15 times for every 1 time the tire rotated. If you figure a 1725 RPM motor from a clothes dryer and no reduction, that would mean that the tire was rotating at 115 RPMs (or about 10.6 mph). That might be a bit too fast, so a larger pulley on the shaft that goes through the tire would probably be best to gear it down at least half of that.

[jmorris]

I was wondering what you were doing up at 2 in the morning, trying to find that 10 year old thread on building a tumbler, I see.

[NavyVet1959]

I was wondering what you were doing up at 2 in the morning, trying to find that 10 year old thread on building a tumbler, I see.

Oh, I'm often up pretty late... We had a saying, if an engineer is at work at 8am, it's probably because he's been there the entire night.

[upnorthwis]

Here's my homemade version. 5 gal. bucket is driven by 5/8" steel rod with two wood rollers with friction tape on them for traction. Turned the wood rollers to size on lathe to get bucket to 62 rpm. That's down from the 2 pole motor speed of 3600. Pulley system was already in place and used for an earlier wood lathe that has been replaced. Cleanest brass I've ever seen.
209855 The red pulley is part of a boat winch that was laying around and is only used for the pulley and bearings.

[Bama]

Some good and easy ideas here, just keep them coming!

I migth go for drillmotor and PVC-pipe, guess I finaly can use that old singelspeed Black&Decker for something:-)

I built one about 10 years ago and have used it since then. The 8-10 inch PVC pipe with 3/8" to 1/2" wall is the best I have found. Ideal rotational speed is 28 to 32 RPM for this size range. PVC is mold-able. I take scrap and cut in half length wise and put on a foil covered tray in oven and bring up to about 350'F for 10 to 15 minutes. When remove from oven I clamp between two pieces of 3/4" plywood. When cool I have flat sheets of PVC. I drill a center hole and cut out a slightly larger circle than diameter of pipe. One end is rabbited to glue in to one end. Three or four trapezoidal strips are cut from a piece of pipe to glue inside for lifters to keep the media and brass from just sliding in pipe. When running at correct speed the media will release from the drum when it is at the 11:00 o'clock position if looking from end and cascade back onto itself to give maximum polishing. O yes a threaded rod hold the non glued end cap on.