Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,466
|
Post by Sabre52 on Jul 18, 2011 13:06:16 GMT -5
Howdy folks, Tumblers have been down for a couple of days so yesterday I had some time and I worked on a couple of them. The MJR Ball Mill Tumbler ( the yellow one) needed cleaning and belt replacement. They turn 20-35 pounds so wear out belts fairly fast. Changed it out, cleaned and and lubed it up and that baby is rolling like a champ again except I lost one of the foot pads so had to balanceit with some cardboard. The Lortone QT-66 was another story. These suckers are much touchier. I cleaned and lubed it and then checked the almost new belt to find it way stretched out and useless. The new Lortone belts are out of some softer light orange colored rubber and aren't worth a dang. If yours isn't turning strong, check to see if you have one of these belts as they don't last worth crap. No matter how much you tighten them they won't turn a decent load without getting stretched and floppy. I changed it out with an old style harder rubber black belt I had in storage and now the machine turns like a champ but will still only handle a eight pound load due to the weakness of the dang Lortone motor. Anyway, I was having a bear of a time keeping my UV-10 fed with rotary tumbled coarse ground stones and now I should be able to feed it much faster. Just have three Lortone 33bs and one Qt-12 still to fix *L*. The new Lortones kind of suck in my book......Mel
|
|
|
Post by johnjsgems on Jul 18, 2011 13:23:42 GMT -5
Thumlers 401 belts fit just fine and I'm guessing they won't stretch as they are the clear type. And no, I don't sell them but they were in %5 range when I did. I put them on all the "broken" Lortones I picked up after finding pretty much only thing wrong was either stretched or broken belt.
|
|
|
Post by tntmom on Jul 18, 2011 14:04:51 GMT -5
Hmmmm, this thread kind of bums me out. Over the weekend I was planning on buying a QT 12 and didn't yet because I got busy with Patrick's last minute trip. I need another tumbler and a 12 lb'er would suit my needs. My Lortone 33a's have been running non-stop for almost 2 years and I have done nothing to them except lubricate between batches. Are the belts different on the bigger machines? I like the Lortone barrels and wanted to stay in my comfort zone.
Also concerned with your statement that they have weak motors?
|
|
|
Post by stonesthatrock on Jul 18, 2011 14:43:01 GMT -5
rolling, rolling, rolling keep them doggies rolling.......... Rawhide........... hehehe mary ann
|
|
Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,466
|
Post by Sabre52 on Jul 18, 2011 15:07:40 GMT -5
Tntmon: My tumblers run 365, 24/7. I generally get a couple of years out of Lortones and keep buying them because they have very nice very durable barrels. The QT-12 and 66 do use a different belt from the 33b's. 33a's last longer than 33b's simply because they have the same tiny motor and the a's are therefore carrying half the weight of the b's. The belts have to be changed pretty often in all Lortones as there is not a lot of adjustment in the motor mount with which to tighten a stretched belt. The main problem I see with both the big Lortones is the motors are really not strong enough for long term use with loads that have the barrel 2/3 to 3/4 full. If you weigh a big barrel or the two six pound barrels with rock, grit and water, you'll see the total weight can easily run 16-18#. The motors are simply not strong enough for this kind of load so you have to weigh your barrels to make sure you stay in that 12# range and still, I find after a couple of years the motors are weaker and weaker over time. My two year old QT66 is now only capable of turning a single 6# barrel which 2/3 full with grit etc runs about 8# and it turns more slowly than when new. I've heard very good things about thumblers rotaries except for the lousy barrels. Lortone does make a different base unit that is heavy duty and can run 12 or multiple 6# barrels but it's way more expensive. Next unit I get will be another MJR. Again more expensive but they have a big motor and seem to work well. Mine came with a bad set of bearings but the manufacturer took care off me and it runs great now with one six pound and one twelve pound Lortone barrel 3/4 full. The action though is rough and fast as it turns more rpms. Great for rough grinding agate though....Mel
|
|
Minnesota Daniel
freely admits to licking rocks
A COUPLE LAKERS
Member since August 2011
Posts: 891
|
Post by Minnesota Daniel on Jul 18, 2011 15:28:58 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by johnjsgems on Jul 18, 2011 15:42:47 GMT -5
Mel, forget what I said about the Thumler's belt. I was thinking 33B not QT 66. Different size. I'm guessing you could measure a Lortone belt and buy a clear replacement from McMaster Carr. Thumler's Model B (15 lb. per Thumler's, same drum used on HP/DP as 12 lb.) is a very nice drum. Only problem is lid gaskets wear out too quickly. Drum and liner are 5 year warranty items.
|
|
snuffy
Cave Dweller
Member since May 2009
Posts: 4,319
|
Post by snuffy on Jul 18, 2011 16:02:57 GMT -5
I keep 3 Lortone 12lber's rolling 24/7 and have never had a problem with them,I've only replaced one belt in a couple of years.My favorite rotary tumbler.I load em down,too,Lucky I guess.
snuffy
|
|
Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,466
|
Post by Sabre52 on Jul 18, 2011 18:10:51 GMT -5
Snuffy: Either you're real lucky or I'm doing something real wrong. I've got a whole corner full of dead Lortones in my shop *L*.
Daniel: Nope, I'm talking about the Lortone C-100, 200, 300 series which uses the same barrels as the QT 12 but has a nice base unit and larger motor. Base unit runs $340-$380 W/O barrels. MJR unit is about $250 or so w/O barrels....Mel
|
|
snuffy
Cave Dweller
Member since May 2009
Posts: 4,319
|
Post by snuffy on Jul 18, 2011 18:20:02 GMT -5
Mel, I run mine in a utility room in my house,air conditioned and have a small fan circulating air over them.Not sure that helps them,cant hurt. Also 2 Lortone 45c's running 24/7,I have replaced the motors on them in the past.One I bought about 27 years ago.But,I'm getting close to the 2 year mark on the majority of them so I'll keep my rocks crossed.
snuffy
|
|
|
Post by tntmom on Jul 18, 2011 18:24:33 GMT -5
Mel, $250 is not bad especially if the Lortone barrels fit on it. The other one I was interested in was one that John recommended awhile back, the Baranca Incline. I would need to go back through my messages... ok, just did... he said "It runs directly through a reduction gear motor and everything is really heavy duty". I don't know equipment talk but guessing, no belts? Have you ever tried one of those? They are just under $400 with the barrel and the tilt is supposed to tumble much faster. Maybe I need to do some more thinking...
|
|
|
Post by johnjsgems on Jul 18, 2011 18:35:52 GMT -5
Krystee, the Barranca inclined unit has no belt to break but is only 6 lb. capacity. Inclined tumblers generally work considerably faster. Anyone interested I have 4 in stock on sale for $295 "while supplies last".
|
|
Minnesota Daniel
freely admits to licking rocks
A COUPLE LAKERS
Member since August 2011
Posts: 891
|
Post by Minnesota Daniel on Jul 18, 2011 18:44:16 GMT -5
Mel, Yes, I did a search and now I see which tumblers you are talking about.
|
|
Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,466
|
Post by Sabre52 on Jul 18, 2011 19:45:26 GMT -5
Tnt: Never have tried an incline. If I got one of those, I'd try to find out about the barrel and replacement costs before I bought one. Some tumblers have very expensive barrels to replace and barrels that are fairly delicate. Lortone Barrels last a long long time where some barrels like those for the UV-10 are fairly short lived if you grind in them. That's why I love Lortone barrels for coarse grinding....Mel
|
|
charles kuchar
spending too much on rocks
getting ready for the second coming
Member since November 2010
Posts: 300
|
Post by charles kuchar on Jul 27, 2011 10:21:14 GMT -5
so far my thumbler barrels are doing fine. the only thing i have had to fix is the lids and plexiglas is holding up a lot better than the lids they have with them. i did wear a hole in my 12# the other day. willl lortone barrels fit and run on a thumbler? i finally wore out a belt after it has run 4 years straight. charlie
|
|