Tumbler motor???

[abunaitoo]

I want to make a tumbler, but I'm having a hard time finding a motor.
Got two free dryers, but they both had the open wire motors.
Kind of spookey to me.
I don't really think I need a motor that big anyway.
For those who made a tumbler, where did you get the motor from??????

Want to keep it cheap as possible, so I don't want to buy a motor.
Yes, I'm cheap.

[Echo]

Try an electric ice cream freezer drive. Operates at about the right rpm. Find one at a swap meet, or yard sale, or wherever...

[Edubya]

I want to make a tumbler, but I'm having a hard time finding a motor.
Got two free dryers, but they both had the open wire motors.
Kind of spookey to me.
I don't really think I need a motor that big anyway.
For those who made a tumbler, where did you get the motor from??????

Want to keep it cheap as possible, so I don't want to buy a motor.
Yes, I'm cheap.

I dunno what kind of tumbler you want or need but you're gonna spend $50.00 building something that might work and you can purchase a new, proven, working model from Harbor Freight http://www.harborfreight.com/ for about that amount.
EW

[dragonrider]

https://www.surpluscenter.com/home.asp

they will have something you could use,

[docone31]

Washing machine motors. You will need 1750rpm to make it work.
Watch out for the Harbor Freight tumblers. They go through belts like no tomorrow.
You can make drums from PVC pipeing. Get the screw thread ends.
They are really simple, just make it for the long haul.

[Le Loup Solitaire]

Washing machine and dryer motors are usually/almost always 1/3 horsepower and that is enough to run a tumbler of a drum type-with a goodly number/lot of cases. Speed is also 1750 RPM. I've used ordinary car engine belts as they are not expensive and run dependably for a long time with minimum wear. Pulleys of various size diameters are also reasonably priced; they are die cast and can be found in Sears, Depot or Lowes. The shaft sizes are all standard. I agree...open wire motors look spooky but they are made that way to provide better ventilation and get rid of heat(buildup). A simple shield is easily made out of sheetmetal or lite wood to cover at least two sides ( a birdhouse type of little roof shape) over the motor leaving room for air to circulate while keeping the exposed windings safe from having anything being dropped in/on them, including visitors' fingers, etc. Not wanting to buy a motor is not being cheap as motors are expensive. Metal recycling places have them as they are pulled out of used appliances that are going to be recycled. They are then sold by the pound; the last time, and it was recently that I asked, I was told fifty cents a pound so a twenty pound motor (which is a pretty good sized one) would come out around ten dollars....and that is a bargain. I would bring along a power cord with plug and a couple of alligator clips at the other end and test it to see if it runs, before paying as there is no sense in buying a dead motor. Also make sure it is a 110/120 volt and not a higher voltage; the plate on the motor will state the voltage. LLS

[shotman]

A grill rotisery works good Its slow and dont make noise to wake the Bit---- worked for me

[abunaitoo]

I normally vibrate to clean brass.
Works good, but can't really do lots of shell at once.
Seen all kind of tumblers that people have made.
Figured why not make one.
I'm going to use a 5gal plastic bucket.
They sell a screw on lid for them.
I was thinking of having two rollers powered by a motor.
The bucket would lay side ways on the rollers and just roll along.
It would be tilted back a little so it would be more stable.
Simple set-up.

[abunaitoo]

I get the Surplus Center catalog.
Never ordered from them.
How are they????

[abunaitoo]

I got a free washer off of craig's list. Drum leaked and it would cost more to fix than buy a new one.
Took it apart and got the motor out.
It was a Bosch washer. I thinka very high end model.
Motor is not like any washer motor I've seen.
There are 6 wires. All wires are blue. All plug into the side of the motor.
It looks like a brushless motor. Couldn't find a start capacitor anywhere.
Any ideas on how to make this motor work????

[mike in co]

look inside the metal on the washer...sometimes wiring diagrams are stuck inside..up top behind the back...

mike in co

[abunaitoo]

I have the diagram.
All wires go into a control box.
No diagram of wiring inside control box.
These are small wires. 18ga or smaller.
I can't believe 120v is going through wires this small.
Motor has no markings on it.

[AZ-Stew]

I have the diagram.
All wires go into a control box.
No diagram of wiring inside control box.
These are small wires. 18ga or smaller.
I can't believe 120v is going through wires this small.
Motor has no markings on it.

You can run 120V through any size wire, as long as you don't exceed the current carrying capacity (ampacity) of the wire. Must be a low current motor, meaning it doesn't have much power (rated in Watts). Volts times Amps equals Watts. Watts divided by Volts equals Amps. That should help you figure out what you're dealing with, but remember that there are other electronics on the washer that will use some of the power, so if you take the rated Wattage of the washer and divide it by the Voltage, you will have the total Amps drawn by the washer. Only part of that current goes through the motor.

Regards,

Stew

[ulav8r]

That Bosch motor is likely three phase. The controller converts 110/120 single phase to three phase and allows for speed control. If you can get it to work, it should be great for a tumbler.

[Tom-ADC]

O/T thanks for the subject I had clean forgot mine was running out in my loading room. Its on a timer 8 hours but its been 3 days.
I do have some really shinie 45-70 brass looks new even the BP crud is gone:bigsmyl2:

[casterofboolits]

The Harbor frieght tumbler I had gave up the ghost after tumbling about 5,000 pcs of brass. Bought one from Midway and it has done bout 50,000 to date with no problem.

[OldBob]

Most Harbor Freight stuff is junk, made by slave labor in Red China or the like..... I try to avoid buying their stuff. RCBS vibrators work well and with their superb warranty and service you will never have to buy another ! If you want, I think I have a washing machine motor you can have for the cost of shipping, but you can probably find one free if you try.

[1hole]

Seems most small electric motors used by everyone these days come from Red China, you can't avoid them. Government regulations, taxes and labor unions have effectively killed large scale manufactoring in this country.

RCBS' "lifetime" warranty doesn't apply to electric stuff, that's usually one year. And, unless they're changed recently, their presses are being made in China now.

[nicholst55]

And, unless they're changed recently, their presses are being made in China now.

FWIW, RCBS swears that their presses are both cast and machined in the USA.

[OldBob]

I am not so sure about their warranty not applying either, my vibrator tumbler broke last year and I called them, real nice gal, she said send it in and we will replace it with the standard size. I have a large size which RCBS no longer makes and it is what I wanted, told her I thought I would try to repair it instead, she said "fine, and if it doesn't work out send it and we'll send you a new one"................... how can you beat that ?????? Oh, and the repair worked, its still churning out brass.

[BillP]

The Harbor frieght tumbler I had gave up the ghost after tumbling about 5,000 pcs of brass. Bought one from Midway and it has done bout 50,000 to date with no problem.

Was it a drum or vibrator tumbler?

[frankenfab]

I got a free washer off of craig's list. Drum leaked and it would cost more to fix than buy a new one.
Took it apart and got the motor out.
It was a Bosch washer. I thinka very high end model.
Motor is not like any washer motor I've seen.
There are 6 wires. All wires are blue. All plug into the side of the motor.
It looks like a brushless motor. Couldn't find a start capacitor anywhere.
Any ideas on how to make this motor work????

I will try to help, but I am a bit rusty on the subject.....With a 6 wire motor there are two common connection types, WYE and Delta. In one configuration, wires 1, 2, and 3 will go to the transformer, and 4,5, and 6 will be tied together. In the other, the wires will be connected in pairs of 2 to the transformer. One connection makes more torque at lower RPM's, and the other gives more torque at high RPM's. Modern machines use WYE/Delta contactors (relay system) to switch between connections at a specified RPM. This is all done utilizing a variable frequency drive. I don't reckon a washer has that?[smilie=l:Start capacitors not required!

But there are also dual voltage motors which use different wiring configurations for input voltage selection. Hopefully the wiring diagram will shed some light on this.

[thebigmac]

Purchase a small plastic cement mixer-- Ace Hardware--- Works GREAT...
Motor included... Cheers..[smilie=s:.Bigmac

[abunaitoo]

Has anyone tried a fan motor for a tumbler??????
Something like a ceiling or indistrial fan motor.
Just tring to find the cheapest way to do it.

[realfisher]

i am currantly looking for a tumbeler motor for my midway tumbeler. i have yet to find a 3.3 motor with an internal fan.
you will need a motor with an internal fan for a non barrell tumbeler. you might beable to buy one from thumbers tumbeler or rcbs.
fortunatly i live an hour away from thumbelers tumbler and it looks like that is where i will have to drive to, to get a replacement motor. i have used dog pile alot in looking for a motor and have come up with alot of fan motors for bathroom ceiling fans that dont have an internal fan and are desighned to be hard wired in