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Post by Hard Rock Cafe on Apr 29, 2008 8:44:11 GMT -5
Does anybody have suggestions for DIY 1 gal. and 2 gal. barrels?
I've already got 3 lb. barrels that I made out of PVC; they work great. But, larger rocks require larger barrels.
Here is what I've tried: 1. 1 gal. paint can. Worked for less than a week before the lid separated from the can along the seam. I may try using Liquid Nails to reattach.
2. 2 gal. paint buckets with tight lids. Home Depot used to sell Argee brand and these would last quite a while before developing stress fractures. Now they sell Leaktite brand, which are awful. They don't last a week. Leaktite seems to have dominated the Minneapolis/St. Paul market because I can't find any other brands and Argee was unable to help with another distributor.
3. Wide mouth plastic jars. Some plastics break in under a day (translucent), others last through several loads (white). But, they're generally too small for the big rocks.
Most 5 gal. buckets appear to be stronger, but that's a lot of rock and I'm trying not to mix rock from different sources.
I really don't want to pay $100 and up for barrels...
Thanks for your help! Chuck
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dshalldms
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since January 2008
Posts: 113
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Post by dshalldms on Apr 29, 2008 11:06:41 GMT -5
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L.L.
starting to spend too much on rocks
Great Pyrenee?s Lover Extraordinaire
Member since January 2008
Posts: 135
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Post by L.L. on Apr 29, 2008 19:11:27 GMT -5
All of the barrels on my large homemade tumbler are made from 4" and 6" PVC. I use a cap on one end and a clean out fitting on the other, with different lengths of pipe in between for different capacity barrels. Right now the largest is made from 6". but I have a piece of 8" to make even bigger barrels from. The problem is that 8" fittings are very expensive. Some of my barrels have finished several batches of stone and still show no noticable wear. You do have to make sure you keep grit out of the threaded fitting or it's a bear to get off.
Lee
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Post by Jack ( Yorkshire) on Apr 30, 2008 1:54:19 GMT -5
Hi Chuck I used plastic but they open and leak and the tops never seal proper and the open up as well I used to run gallon paint tins and it goes like this---- ;D You start of and run for a few days then holes apear so you line with rubber Your run a bit longer --- then holes apear in the ends :(so you put a plastic end piece in befor therubber You run for a while --then the rim gets pin holes in and leaks :(so you add a 1/2" thick round wood top to fit inside the barrel to keep the stones off the rim, Then some fine stones Still wear a hole in the rim THEN you sling it in the bin and buy a Lortone and smile for a year ;D For It is quick to open and check Is hexagonal inside and the rocks tumble well They dont leak And they last ages I have run 4" plastics for a few years they are great but dont grind as fast as the larger Lortone (Hight and weight helps a LOT)also a bit noisey Jack Yorkshire
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Post by Hard Rock Cafe on Apr 30, 2008 8:29:20 GMT -5
Lee: My barrels are also made from 4" PVC, but instead of threaded caps I use test plugs (there's a rubber donut inside that you compress with a bolt and wing nut). They work great (fast and easy), but you do have to make sure you've got a good seal and they're more expensive then the threaded caps.
And yes, the fittings on 8" are much more expensive, which is one reason I haven't gone that route. 8" is also much harder to find around here.
Jack: That sounds exactly like what I would do! I did find some online pail distributors, but I'm not sure how long I want to keep throwing money away when the pails wear out. Then there's the time and hassle factor...
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L.L.
starting to spend too much on rocks
Great Pyrenee?s Lover Extraordinaire
Member since January 2008
Posts: 135
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Post by L.L. on Apr 30, 2008 12:34:42 GMT -5
I'll have to try the test plugs. I usually put teflon tape on my threaded caps, but still I've had some that took my wife and me both to get open. I've been trying to think of a way to use the 8" pipe I have (a buddy gave me 4' he had left from putting a drain from his pond) without having to buy 8" fittings. They are not only expensive, but like you said they're harder to find. The 8" would make some nice higher volume barrels though. My tumbler will handle 24" on each shaft so that would come out to a pretty good capacity with 8".
Lee H.
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