jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,154
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Post by jamesp on Dec 8, 2019 14:01:50 GMT -5
Simple rugged tumbler used for coarse grinding over the years. The bearings and pulleys on this tumbler were purchased at Surplus Center - www.surpluscenter.com/Based on 1" solid cold rolled shafts. 700 rpm 1/8 hp air-over motor. Replaced 1 bearing, cleaned grease and slurry, speeding up with smaller pulley, cut base for slant tumbling, replacing end roller so more barrels fit, removed vinyl tubing. Link to WIP: www.flickr.com/photos/67205364@N06/sets/72157712119685153Before: Progress so far, waiting on replacement bearing. These are 8 inch barrels, will run 6 inch too:
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old hound
starting to shine!
Member since August 2018
Posts: 36
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Post by old hound on Dec 8, 2019 17:09:13 GMT -5
Nice work ! Yes I'm a newbie why the slant?
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Post by RocksInNJ on Dec 8, 2019 21:17:04 GMT -5
Nice work ! Yes I'm a newbie why the slant? To keep the moonshine from leaking out. Jk, I couldn’t resist.
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jamesp
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Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,154
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Post by jamesp on Dec 9, 2019 5:33:03 GMT -5
Nice work ! Yes I'm a newbie why the slant? To keep the moonshine from leaking out. Jk, I couldn’t resist. Moonshine No Way. Going for Cognac here.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,154
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Post by jamesp on Dec 9, 2019 5:35:03 GMT -5
Nice work ! Yes I'm a newbie why the slant? The initial reason was to keep the barrels against one end roller old hound. By the way welcome to the forum. Suspicion later arose that perhaps there is a better grinding action by adding some spiral movement in the tilted barrel. The slant geometry used to wear out the down hill side of the barrels quicker but this problem was solved by making better wear resistant barrels. For years there has been a lot of discussion here about the best way to shape rocks during coarse grinding. Coarse grind rates can easily be tested by running a few equal 3/4" glass marbles with rocks in different set ups and measuring weight loss but never tried this test with slant verses not slanted. The 3/4" marbles trick has worked well for testing different speeds, rock mix sizes, abrasives and slurries over the years. Tumbling/grinding inside of a barrel is complex. No need to discuss theories about the best set up, let the weight loss of the marbles do the talking. My findings have been 6 inch inside diameter barrels turning at high speed for 1 to 2 inch rocks with specific slurry consistency and coarser than normal silicon carbide is fastest/safest way. Maybe the slant had a positive effect since all my coarse grind tumblers run at about 3" in 30" slope.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,154
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Post by jamesp on Dec 9, 2019 6:56:21 GMT -5
Inexpensive heavy duty bearings for 1 inch shafts at The Surplus Center to replace these 10 year old bearings. One of which had failed. They are drilled and threaded from the bottom to accept two - 3/8" bolts. Perfect for the home built tumbler.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,154
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Post by jamesp on Dec 9, 2019 7:14:25 GMT -5
11.25" pulley for a 1 inch shaft makes 38 rpm using a 1725 rpm motor with a 2 inch pulley and an 8 inch barrel.
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jamesp
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Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,154
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Post by jamesp on Dec 9, 2019 7:20:26 GMT -5
Two needed - 1 inch shafts 36 inches long at Amazon:
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,154
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Post by jamesp on Dec 9, 2019 7:24:59 GMT -5
4 bearings, one shaft pulley, two 1 inch shafts. Not much left to build your own heavy duty tumbler - motor w/pulley and belt, end stop rollers, cross drive pulleys and connecting belt, wood frame. Should have enough space to easily spin two 12 to 15 pound barrels with most 1/12 to 1/4 hp motors.
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old hound
starting to shine!
Member since August 2018
Posts: 36
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Post by old hound on Dec 11, 2019 20:11:45 GMT -5
Thanks JamesP VERY informative. I always look for your posts always interesting.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,154
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Post by jamesp on Dec 13, 2019 14:55:17 GMT -5
Thanks JamesP VERY informative. I always look for your posts always interesting. Thanks old hound. The wood frame, grease able bearings and fractional hp motor is best way to go for a rugged home made rock tumbler IMO. This one ran near 10 years and only one bearing failure the whole time. It gets 4 brand new bearings and earns some preventative maintenance.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,154
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Post by jamesp on Dec 17, 2019 3:33:54 GMT -5
I really like these $7 narrow bearings that replaced the 10 year old pillar blocks.(10 year preventative maintenance) Unlike wider pillow blocks that take up more space between the shafts where the end rollers are often mounted these bearings are bolted on from below. Focusing on bare bones minimal design here for running 4-6-8-10 inch barrels. No guards, but the motor is only 1/8 hp and slow turning at only 700 rpm. Adjustable length belt for shaft connection pulleys in case of moving shafts closer/further. The shorter non-motor driven shaft is used for adjusting space between shafts. Anyway, this is about as simple and easy to build as a home made tumbler can get. Needs v-belt and end roller to complete. I would be glad to give dimensions to this unit since they ARE the tricky part. (No need to build on a slant, that is my personal gig.) To build this tumbler you size the wood frame to the shortest shaft (closest in photo). Note the required over hang for all 3 pulleys. Put the bearings and pulley on the shaft loose and lay it in place. Slide them around to get overhang for the shaft connection pulley. Then put the bearings and both pulleys on the driven shaft and lay it in place. Slide them around till the bearings and pulleys begin to line up. Drill wood and mount bearings. Next step is the motor. I treat mounting the motor completely separately since there is ample space to mount various motor geometries. With this design most any motor can be mounted on the side wall so that it lines up with the big drive pulley. ETA I had 1 inch shafts laying around. At this width cheaper 5/8" or 3/4" shafts/bearings would be plenty strong for up to 40 pound barrels. All shafts less than 36 inches, a common purchase size. Enough space for a giant end roller due to narrow bearings. These bearings remain the cheapest I could find at $7.
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Dec 17, 2019 8:00:36 GMT -5
Inexpensive heavy duty bearings for 1 inch shafts at The Surplus Center to replace these 10 year old bearings. One of which had failed. They are drilled and threaded from the bottom to accept two - 3/8" bolts. Perfect for the home built tumbler. This is a great bearing design for tumblers. Wish I would have known about this style before. Only draw back is that they do not have the side to side adjustment. An over sized bolt hole through the wood and a good washer would allow for some adjustment though. Chuck
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Dec 17, 2019 8:10:11 GMT -5
While looking for those narrow bearings in 3/4 diameter I also spotted this. These would also be a really easy mount method and also free up the space between the shafts. These could mount directly to the ends of a frame like yours without even needing the two top boards. Chuck
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,154
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Post by jamesp on Dec 17, 2019 8:32:45 GMT -5
Inexpensive heavy duty bearings for 1 inch shafts at The Surplus Center to replace these 10 year old bearings. One of which had failed. They are drilled and threaded from the bottom to accept two - 3/8" bolts. Perfect for the home built tumbler. This is a great bearing design for tumblers. Wish I would have known about this style before. Only draw back is that they do not have the side to side adjustment. An over sized bolt hole through the wood and a good washer would allow for some adjustment though. Chuck I figured you would see the advantage Chuck having built your tumbler. The big 1.5" pillow blocks hit each other for a 6 inch barrel spacing on the other tumbler. Sort of a good thing for aligning but troublesome for end roller. I never moved them after building so it was not much of an issue but did build these on 3/4" wood for easy slot cutting in case. Flanged bearings offer an easy build too. Especially this unusual offset design.
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Post by 1dave on Dec 17, 2019 10:14:23 GMT -5
The cheapest bushings are to just drill holes in hardwood a la Walt - manofglass.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,154
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Post by jamesp on Dec 17, 2019 12:29:57 GMT -5
The cheapest bushings are to just drill holes in hardwood a la Walt - manofglass. I thought about that Dave. Classic trick.
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Post by 1dave on Dec 17, 2019 22:38:22 GMT -5
The cheapest bushings are to just drill holes in hardwood a la Walt - manofglass. I thought about that Dave. Classic trick. Yeah, just nail the boards together so everything will line up, drill the holes, put it together. Winner winner, chicken diner.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,154
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Post by jamesp on Dec 18, 2019 4:29:40 GMT -5
I thought about that Dave. Classic trick. Yeah, just nail the boards together so everything will line up, drill the holes, put it together. Winner winner, chicken diner. Walt's tumbler has a bunch of hours on it. Why not. Could not be a cheaper and easier way. If I were to sell tumblers this one would be the size I would sell. It will hold two 12/15 pound, probably four 6 pound barrels, or a 40 pound barrel. Or it can be run with a single QT66 by itself.
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Post by 1dave on Dec 18, 2019 10:24:29 GMT -5
Yeah, just nail the boards together so everything will line up, drill the holes, put it together. Winner winner, chicken diner. Walt's tumbler has a bunch of hours on it. Why not. Could not be a cheaper and easier way. If I were to sell tumblers this one would be the size I would sell. It will hold two 12/15 pound, probably four 6 pound barrels, or a 40 pound barrel. Or it can be run with a single QT66 by itself. Tommy , take note. Simple rugged tumbler used for coarse grinding over the years. The bearings and pulleys on this tumbler were purchased at Surplus Center - www.surpluscenter.com/Based on 1" solid cold rolled shafts. 700 rpm 1/8 hp air-over motor. Replaced 1 bearing, cleaned grease and slurry, speeding up with smaller pulley, cut base for slant tumbling, replacing end roller so more barrels fit, removed vinyl tubing. Link to WIP: www.flickr.com/photos/67205364@N06/sets/72157712119685153Before: Progress so far, waiting on replacement bearing. These are 8 inch barrels, will run 6 inch too:
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