Pdwight
has rocks in the head
Member since June 2003
Posts: 619
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Post by Pdwight on Jan 11, 2004 1:25:49 GMT -5
I have a question that I would like some input on. I keep breaking belts...and amazing number of belts. I have a local rubber and hose (no jokes) supply house that sells "O" rings from this size 0 to units that would go around your car. They are just black "O" rings. But I think I have gone through about 40 in the past 5 months using three differnt tumblers...this has to be too much. My original Model B Thumlers came with a "O" ring drive belt that was transparent..it died in a freak accident where the tumbler vibrated off the table and the motor pulley ran against the belt untill it burned into with friction...the black belts do not last as long.......as a matter of fact with a new belt on one of my 1.5 lb lortone I can barley get a load of rocks through the 4 steps before the belt will fracture and go bad......HELP folks.
Dwight P
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James
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since October 2003
Posts: 876
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Post by James on Jan 11, 2004 2:25:34 GMT -5
Kingsley North to the rescue! www.kingsleynorth.com/tumblersr.html I need to get a new belt for my model B too. Oil radiated out from the bearings and up onto the belt. I came home to find my motor overheating. Well, at least all I had to do was clean up the excess oil. I'm going to get a spare belt just in case.
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donwrob
has rocks in the head
Member since June 2003
Posts: 509
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Post by donwrob on Jan 11, 2004 9:12:12 GMT -5
dwight, I tryed the o-ring route also. They didn't last at all for me either. Some of them wore out in days. The material used just isn't designed to be a drive belt I guess. I finally picked up a couple from the rockshed for about the same price james listed above at KN for my Thumblers Model B. They are the clear ones and the new one I put on has been running steady for several months so far with no sign of wear. Here is the rockshed link, good luck, Don www.therockshed.com/tumbler2.html
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Post by sandsman1 on Jan 11, 2004 11:32:33 GMT -5
has anyone ever tried the belts that turn the beater on a vacume cleaner if you can find the right size it seems that they would hold up alot better since they spin at high r-s for along time they should last forever on a tumbler and maybe check the pully wheel for burrs they will eat through the rubber fast if you find one sand it down should be ok ---- john
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James
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since October 2003
Posts: 876
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Post by James on Jan 11, 2004 14:25:33 GMT -5
If you buy a belt from The Rock Shed, make sure you specify that it's for the model B. I ordered a belt and it's too small for the model B and only fits the model A or T.
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WarrenA
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since November 2003
Posts: 1,530
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Post by WarrenA on Jan 11, 2004 14:36:39 GMT -5
Make sure that the pulleys are lined up properly and not cocked to one side and that both pulleys are parallel with each other. I bought a couple belts from Thumblers the clear ones and it has been running for a couple of months. I tried to use regular black O rings but they all have a weak spot where they are joined together. I couldn't find a seamless O ring big enough to run the tumbler.
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Post by docone31 on Jan 11, 2004 22:28:17 GMT -5
Pulley condition, and alignment is critical. Before I would replace the belt, I would be sure there is no burr. Using O rings would not seem to me to work. The O ring is designed to compress, not withstand pulling. I have made my own drive O ring loops from a siliconized rubber. The ends were connected with two screw eyes. This worked great on my 1hp 2 cycle model airplane engine and electric starter. The starter was basically a GM starter motor with the bendix gear removed and a pulley the belt would slip on used instead. If the tumbler vibrated to the floor, I would look for a sharp edge or misalignment in a pulley, either slave or drive as well as replacing the belt. I have also found out, tension is critical for motor longevity.
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