Vibrating tumbler just burned up

[toallmy]

I know this has been talked about over and over , but my Google search box is not working so please bear with me . I replaced my last vibrating tumbler with a cheap one a Niagara media falls # sr787 it looks like the Lyman and has 4 screws holding the motor in place . I have already ordered a replacement but has anyone found a replacement motor that holds up . I have been overloading this cheap tumbler for a year so I don't think it is the tumblers fought .

[Dan Cash]

Look for similar motors on the net. Grainger is one big supplier. You may have to do some adapting but is not an impossible project.

[Wayne Smith]

Something to think about - my first tumbler was the cheapest Lyman there was. It burned up in about two years of intermittant use. I bought the 1200 and it has been going for about twelve years so far! Big difference in quality between them.

[Kenstone]

Made a tumbler with a motor like this and a replacement bowl from harbor freight.
Motor (might work for you):
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vent-Fan-Motor-3-3in-Diameter-Nutone-Broan-Bathroom-Exhaust-Ventilation-Part-/222191839662?hash=item33bbaa69ae:g:foAAAOSwaB5XjjE L
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vent-Fan-Motor-3-3in-Diameter-Nutone-Broan-Ventilation-Part-Bathroom-Exhaust-New-/222255973569?hash=item33bf7d04c1:g:0A4AAOSwCGVX4R5 F
Bowl:
http://www.harborfreight.com/metal-vibratory-tumbler-replacement-bowl-69225.html
:mrgreen:

[No Blue]

OP, take apart the OEM motor and determine if it has real ball bearings, or just a brass bushing. A ball bearing motor is the one that will last.

I have a 2hp booster pump motor on my well. GE brand, went about 12 years and quit working. Took it apart and the brass bushings the armature spun on were worn enough that the armature was rubbing on the field coils and that's why it quit.

It's a $300+ motor at a regular supplier. Found one for $80 on Ebay. It's been there for 10 years, so I should pull the motor and install new bushings.

The base model Frankford Arsenal tumbler that Midway sells is pretty good for the money.

[toallmy]

I have took it apart and found the motor doesn't have closed bearings , but I didn't figure it had a high quality motor it cost around 50 bucks delivered . I left the bottom plate off so if it stops I can reach the motor and free it up . As long as I don't put much in it , it will still work but it's shot . I cruised the net for a while looking for a tougher replacement motors and I think with a little work I can rig a bracket and use a different motor . I was just hoping it would be a easy fix With a simple replacement motors .

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Ditto on the Frankford tumbler from Midway. I bought some internet brass which was a little gungy and put it in the tumbler, bowl completely full of media and brass, and forgot about it. It ran for 36 hours before I remembered that it was running over in my shop. It was still going strong. The brass is really SHINEY! For what they cost I'd never bother with rebuilding one.

[Hogdaddy]

Ditto on the Frankford tumbler from Midway. I bought some internet brass which was a little gungy and put it in the tumbler, bowl completely full of media and brass, and forgot about it. It ran for 36 hours before I remembered that it was running over in my shop. It was still going strong. The brass is really SHINEY! For what they cost I'd never bother with rebuilding one.

Can't beat em for the $$ ; )
H/D

[Soundguy]

I've been using a hf vibro tumbler for ? 7? Years.. Shows no sign of stopping.

[toallmy]

I might have found a motor I made a offer but it might take a day or two . But Natchez sold me another tumbler anyway .

[retread]

I have a Frankfort Arsenal one that has been humming along for seven years. Never a hiccup. I also have a Dillon 2000 that will probably outlast me.

[wv109323]

As said the motor has bushings instead of bearings. The motor with bushings is a misapplication because the bushings are not suppose to see any thrust. With the motor mounted vertically the weight of the armature wears out the bushings over time. In my cause the armature was allowed to hit the housing and be ruined.
A motor with bearings may be available for not much more money. Or the motor may be priority to the vendor and the exact replacement may only be available through them. This was the case with my Thumblers Tumbler Ultra-vibe 18.
A motor distributor may be able to upgrade you to a more durable motor.

[Kenstone]

I have took it apart and found the motor doesn't have closed bearings , but I didn't figure it had a high quality motor it cost around 50 bucks delivered . I left the bottom plate off so if it stops I can reach the motor and free it up . As long as I don't put much in it , it will still work but it's shot . I cruised the net for a while looking for a tougher replacement motors and I think with a little work I can rig a bracket and use a different motor . I was just hoping it would be a easy fix With a simple replacement motors .
Did you try to lube the bearings...er bushings?
:mrgreen:

[country gent]

Grainger has specialists that can help you pick out the right one. If you have it have the information from the motor tag ready to give to them. But be prepared the replace is liable to be more than the new tumbler

[Steve Steven]

Heres one from my favorite place, Surplus Center. Has bushings, not bearings but so cheap you can just buy 2.

http://www.surpluscenter.com/Electrical/AC-Motors/Fan-Air-Conditioner-Motors/1550-RPM-115-VAC-FAN-MOTOR-10-2614.axd

Steve

[toallmy]

Thanks guys, for a lot of help , I got it working and gave the guy a drop of oil on the top and bottom of wear the shaft goes through the motor , and it ran all afternoon fine although I didn't load it up full . I found a guy selling a Lyman 1200 that misplaced the bowl and made him a offer on the bottom only as I just want the motor , so I am going to try that first . If it doesn't work out I am going to go with a heavier duty motor and come up with a bracket . I usually tumble brass as I fire it in a few hundred rounds at a time . But this year I have been working on buckets full and over working the little vibrating tumbler .

[Loudy13]

I killed my midway tumbler a few weeks ago, it made it 18 years. I still have a Lyman that is about 6 months older I am pretty impressed with both of them as far as longevity. Granted I took a few years off but over the last 3-4 years I have been processing many 5 gallon buckets of indoor range brass so they have been working hard.

bought a replacement tumbler yesterday went with the Frankfort arsenal for the price there really isn't a much better deal. I had a gift card so it was only 15 bucks outta my pocket.

[ulav8r]

I left the bottom plate off so if it stops I can reach the motor and free it up.

Leave the bottom plate off permanently. The motor will run cooler, you can easily remove lint with a vacuum or air blast, and you can easily re-lube every 3-5 years. Bushing motors should last for ages. Thhe motors linked to on ebay and at Surplus Center are designed for vertical fan use. The fan may tend to reduce the thrust from gravity slightly, but the air flow keeps the motor cooler than in a tumbler.

In tumblers, an offset weight is used to cause vibration. Using a fan with 1 blade removed or one blade weighted might work as well for vibration and would keep the motor cooler.

[country gent]

A small fan below the weight works well also. Its really hard to over load the vibrators since they only turn the counter weight. It might run longer with heavier loads but that's the only extra wear unlike a true tumbler that's turning the whole weight load. The draw back to the counter weight on the motor shaft is that it transfers the vibrations to the bushings/bearings increasing wear. I have considered a solid mount and belt drive to the counter weight to try to stop this.

[bkbville]

I have a Lyman 1200

I figure if it quits, I toss it and go rotary and stainless steel pins.

I think that's the way to go these days.

[Kenstone]

Thanks guys, for a lot of help , I got it working and gave the guy a drop of oil on the top and bottom of wear the shaft goes through the motor , and it ran all afternoon fine although I didn't load it up full . I found a guy selling a Lyman 1200 that misplaced the bowl and made him a offer on the bottom only as I just want the motor , so I am going to try that first . If it doesn't work out I am going to go with a heavier duty motor and come up with a bracket . I usually tumble brass as I fire it in a few hundred rounds at a time . But this year I have been working on buckets full and over working the little vibrating tumbler .
Good to hear oiling it helped...
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?328367-Vibrating-tumbler-just-burned-up&p=3961314&viewfull=1#post3961314

Buy this bowl for that Lyman you bought and you'll have TWO tumblers
http://www.harborfreight.com/metal-vibratory-tumbler-replacement-bowl-69225.html
Like $6-$7 with a coupon:violin:
:mrgreen:

[mdi]

Anybody think about how a "vibrating" (wobbler) tumbler works? Usually a Weight is placed on the armature shaft to throw the spring mounted motor out of balance, causing a wobble. Most motors aren't designed to be run out of balance and soon fail. The design is pretty much a "designed failure". Some motors will last quite a while as noted by user's comments "My Fudrus 1300 has worked for 30 years", but it is a poor design.

If I were to design a wobbler brass cleaner I would mount the motor solidly, and run power to an out of balance shaft connected to a bowl; motor armature runs true, in balance, bowl axle out of balance, wobbles...

[toallmy]

Well the fellow excepted my offer and is sending me the bottom of a Lyman 1200 , so I am planning to put my bowl on it if it will fit , or put the motor on my frame . But I have been using it all day today and the old motor is still running with just a drop of oil . Natchez sold me a new one yesterday , but I am going to try to keep the old one going . I have been using the tumbler on brass that I washed with citrus acid to speed up the drying process but the media absorbs the moisture .

[Ickisrulz]

Anybody think about how a "vibrating" (wobbler) tumbler works? Usually a Weight is placed on the armature shaft to throw the spring mounted motor out of balance, causing a wobble. Most motors aren't designed to be run out of balance and soon fail. The design is pretty much a "designed failure". Some motors will last quite a while as noted by user's comments "My Fudrus 1300 has worked for 30 years", but it is a poor design.

If I were to design a wobbler brass cleaner I would mount the motor solidly, and run power to an out of balance shaft connected to a bowl; motor armature runs true, in balance, bowl axle out of balance, wobbles...

Like this?

http://steampunkworkshop.com/diy-vibratory-tumbler/

[W.R.Buchanan]

Or you could just buy a Thumler's Ultra Vibe 10 and not worry about it any more. By the tiem you put a motor on that one you'd have as much in the system as you would have had if you just bought the good one.

Mine is 30+ years old and still runs perfectly and it was used when I got it.

The Thumler's products are designed to run for weeks on end as they are all "Rock Tumblers."

Here ya go,,, $185 and you can probably get it cheaper if you just shop around. Buy it once and never look back.

http://www.therockshed.com/tumbler3.html

Randy

[Lloyd Smale]

I hate buying lyman stuff but do think they put out the best tumbler on the market. Ive got a lyman, a big Dillon and a Frankfort arsenal units. I like the dillion because it just holds a ton of brass. The Frankfort aresonal has been a great one. I actually bought it because my first FA quit. About a year later I was bored and took it apart and found all that was wrong with it is a connector had the wire break off where it went in. Easy fix and that one has held up to tumbling 15 lbs of bullets when I do coating. All that said the lyman is the most vigorous shaker. It cleans brass in about half the time the others do. Its been going strong for about 6 years now and the one it replaced (lost in a fire) was going strong after about 20 years of hard use.

[Moleman-]

My midway Frankfort tumbler caught fire and did it's best to burn down the garage. There was since a recall on them back in the 90s. Replaced it with a Hornady tumbler that has been going strong since then.

[Dale53]

I have a large Dillon tumbler since "forever". It wore out the threaded rod that holds the lid on a year or so ago. The original Dillon tumblers had the NO BS warranty (new units only have one year, I believe). At any rate, my tumbler is in my casting barn away from the house. To avoid "forgetting about it) I picked up a small timer at Walmart that shuts off the tumbler at a pre-set time. It was very reasonable and works perfectly. I normally tumble my brass two or three hours.

I wouldn't use a remote tumbler or any other item without the timer. Yeah, I have been known to forget something (at least once:groner:).

FWIW
Dale53

[ulav8r]

http://www.surpluscenter.com/productImages/image.axd/i.10-2614/w.350/h.345/1550+RPM+115+VAC+FAN+MOTOR_R.jpg
Zoom
(http://www.surpluscenter.com/productImages/image.axd/i.10-2614/w.1000/h.1000/1550+RPM+115+VAC+FAN+MOTOR_L.jpg) 1550 RPM 115 VAC FAN MOTORitem number: 10-2614PRICE: $6.99 620 In Stockhttp://www.surpluscenter.com/Images/surplus-item.giflimited to stock on hand. We describe our products as follows:
New - Excess inventory that is new and unused. Quantities are limited.
New Take-Offs - Items removed from unused equipment.
Unused Old Inventory - Older inventory that may have cosmetic imperfections.
Removed From Service - Used products in good working condition.
"> Qty:

This motor will cost much less then the Thumler and is probably as good as most motors that would be a slide in fit. A repaired tumbler adds very little to landfills and gives the satisfaction of continuing use of good equipment. A Thumler could be added if desired for wet tumbling or?

I use a timer for tumbling and battery charging. Bought a timed switch and mounted it in a double gang box and added a cord from a discarded iron. A push of a button gives 2, 4. or 8 hours of power.

[Norske]

I've read that Midway/Frankford tumbler had a vibratory tumbler that was recalled. I only use the one I've got with it setting on a bare concrete floor while I'm with it.

[toallmy]

Well I tried out my replacement tumbler yesterday right beside the old one that I thought was shot , but since I put a drop of oil on the little motor and push started it it has been running fine . In my search for a replacement motor I found a like new Lyman 1200 on eBay for 15. With the bowl broke off , but I just wanted the motor . Until the motor stops for good I am not going to change it . I may just fix the Lyman and put my bowl on it . Besides the price on the cheap tumbler , I like it so much because of the pull plug feature to separate the media an the brass . I have been known to make a huge mess when tumbling brass , and have dumped a tumbler on the floor instead of the bucket a couple times . So I now do all my tumbling out on the front porch , just in case .

[Hickory]

My Lyman 1200 has been doing duty since the early 80's it's old enough that it scares me every time I use it. I'd hate to be away from it and have it catch on fire.

[jaguarxk120]

You could also switch to a rotary type of tumbler with stainless steel pins and have brass that is twice as clean.

[w5pv]

If I change my mind I have a Lyman pop top that will be up for the shipping,the motor runs but the springs are shot just wore out.I really don't have the space to store it.It will be 1st come bases or if you are around the triangle area you can come by and pick it up.PM me