docharber
has rocks in the head
Member since October 2008
Posts: 693
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Post by docharber on Oct 9, 2008 14:05:31 GMT -5
I wanted to share an idea I saw on eBay. A listing I saw a few months back for a homemade tumbler pictured a unit that held 4 stacked sections of PVC pipe with end caps in a diamond configuration. The drive roller engaged only the bottom barrel, which in turn, acted as drive roller for the others above it. I bought some PVC pipe and tried to create one of the barrels to fit my Lortone but even with a tapered end cap, couldn't seal the barrel satisfactorily. I think that could be worked out, though. It seems like an interesting idea for a high capacity, low cost, multibarrel tumbler. I have to say these barrels would be a lot cheaper than the smallest rubber barrels out there and would should last as long or longer. The lister was selling only his frame , but gave instructions for making the barrels without specifying how to seal them (I tried teflon tape on the cap threads but it still leaked). The tapered end caps allow gluing at the pipe/cap junction but the capacity would be limited by the diameter of the pipe in relation to the available size cap openings, hich accept screw fittings. Has anyone made PVC pipe barrels, and if so, how did you seal them? Mark H.
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Post by Hard Rock Cafe on Oct 9, 2008 15:32:10 GMT -5
I've made my own barrels from PVC, but was unhappy with the 4" max diameter of pipe and caps available to me. You can find larger diameter pipe, but the fittings are expensive.
Anyway, I cemented a cap on one end, cut a male-male coupler in half to give me the same diameter as the end cap, cemented the coupler on the opposite end from the cap, and used test plugs to seal. You can crank down the wingnut on the test cap to expand the rubber doughnut inside to get a good seal. Any little leaks I had were cured by tightening the nut.
Others have used threaded caps, but have had problems getting the caps off after the threads fill up with muck.
Let me know if you want a photo, but it will be a couple of weeks before I can post one.
Hope that helps, Chuck
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drjo
fully equipped rock polisher
Honduran Opal & DIY Nut
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,581
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Post by drjo on Oct 9, 2008 20:09:16 GMT -5
I for one would like to see how others have sealed theirs.
Dr Joe
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payton
starting to shine!
Member since July 2006
Posts: 26
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Post by payton on Oct 11, 2008 0:20:02 GMT -5
i used 4" pipe for my barrel. i glued a cap on one end and a 4-3" reducer on the other then used item # 4511K43 from mcmaster to make a nice seal on the 3" fitting.
works great but i have only had it running for a week or so.
Payton
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