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Post by orrum on May 7, 2015 9:30:26 GMT -5
Hey folks I acquired a homemade tumbler on my trip out west. It runs good, I replaced a bad shaft bearing and replaced part of the shafts cover and figured a system to stop the barrels from pushing on the end. Now I am ready to add my homemade 6 inch PVC barrels.
The question is I timed it and I am getting about 27 revolutions per minute of the barrels. Is this to slow?
I am getting some 45-70 grit for the big barrels, I guess they are equivalent to 12-15 pounders. How much grit can I use?
Next question is that I also found some steel barrels. Two are 6 sided with three cam lock fasteners on each end and a rubber 6 sided liner, 12 pounders probably. I did not get the lids with them but could use the bottom off one to make a whole barrel. Where can I get lids or liners? The lids are like a round flat rim to run on the rails.
Next I found a huge heavy metal 6 sided tumbler. Has 6 wing nuts to hold lid on with rubber lid gasket and 6 sided rubber inside. It has two metal 1/4 or thicker round rails around it to ride on the tumbler shafts This thing is way bigger than a 12 pound Lortone barrel. Wonder what kind of shafts this thing runs on. My homemade one has 1/2 inch shafts and I am afraid to put it on for fear of bending them. What did this thing run on?
I know this is a lot of questions and thanks in advance for your help. But one last question. On the two cam lock tumblers I think the liners are too worn to make a water tight seal. So could I put dry tumbles in there to knock the matrix off so to better see how to slab them? I am talking smaller rough with desert varnish, mud and matrix.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,169
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Post by jamesp on May 7, 2015 9:58:21 GMT -5
I use a cup of coarse grit in 15 pounds on 6 inch PVC barrels. 45/70 or 30/60. Ran out of 30/60, went to 80 and it is slow to grind. A waste IMO. 6 Inch PVC's are running 26 and 30 RPM. Will run them at 50 and 55 RPM if tough agate like Rio or coral. Not sure about speed on 6 siders, probably slower than round barrels. Go Bill, rollin rollin rollin
PS I got a thinner shaft tumbler and the shafts sag when biggest barrel is on it. They are self aligning bearings (pillow block type), the bearings usually align to the shaft arch. Similar to drive shaft pillow block bearing that has a shaft that changes angles when bumps in road are hit. Or severe lift kit installed.
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tkvancil
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2011
Posts: 1,546
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Post by tkvancil on May 7, 2015 16:10:50 GMT -5
Lortone QT66 and QT12 run about 28 to 30 rpm.
Their C200 runs about 55 rpm.
Both use 12 pound barrels, eight sided I believe.
I use 20 tbs. (1 & 1/4 cups) in my 12#ers and don't have grit left over after 7 days.
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