Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,463
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Post by Sabre52 on Aug 22, 2011 13:16:02 GMT -5
Well, as some of you know, I sat down the other day, cleaned, installed a new belt, and generally tweaked and adjusted one of my Lortone QT 12's. Old motor still seemed to be running weak and slow so I just put on a single 6# barrel from my QT 66. Total weight with water etc just over 8#. Friggin thing ran 18 days and conked out again. I think I've about had it with Lortone tumblers. I put a new belt on my big MJR tumbler and tweaked and cleaned it at the same time and it's running like gangbusters. I'm really thinking the Lortone motors are the problem. Those on these new Lortones just seem to last me about two years and then they slow down to nothing. That was a lot of dirty work for a lousy 18 days of additional use....Mel
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grayfingers
Cave Dweller
Member since November 2007
Posts: 4,575
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Post by grayfingers on Aug 22, 2011 15:20:05 GMT -5
I have a similar complaint about Lortone tumblers. Four years ago I bought a QT 12. I can only load the barrel to just over half full and the barrel weighs close to 14 lbs with grit and water. That is what inspired me to make my home made tumbler that can roll two 12 lb barrels filled 3/4 which weighs around 18+ lbs/barrel. I think the motors should be able to handle a 3/4 full barrel. I would like to find one that would fit the mounts that can roll a properly filled barrel without burning up.
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rons
spending too much on rocks
Member since March 2010
Posts: 450
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Post by rons on Aug 22, 2011 15:28:47 GMT -5
friend of mine has made a "repair list" for Lortone tumblers
8 lb. sledge 2 gal. gas 1 book matches 1 shovel
beat the snot out of tumbler, pour on gas, stand back lite matches throw at tumbler, use shovel to bury remains..
He promises that tumbler will give you no more grief ;D
Evidently he had a few problems with his also
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Post by catmandewe on Aug 22, 2011 15:39:58 GMT -5
You can take the motor to an electrical motor shop and have it refurbed for around $10-25 depending on how much they have to do, it will run better than new. Some shops will beef them up for you if you ask so they will work longer.
I have gone to a home made tumbler with a 1/3 hp motor, it runs great all the time and is turning three overloaded 15 lb barrels right now, no tweaking required.
Tony
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Post by ColtChainmailJewelryDesigns on Aug 22, 2011 15:40:49 GMT -5
And I was just thinking about buying a dual 66 lortone.... Thats a real bummer mel. I like the Lortone design better (from looks), because of the sides around the barral. My 3lb THumblers has get crazy a few times, and I hade to make cage around it from plastic Ken'x to keep it on the tracks. ~Colt
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grayfingers
Cave Dweller
Member since November 2007
Posts: 4,575
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Post by grayfingers on Aug 22, 2011 16:30:08 GMT -5
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charles kuchar
spending too much on rocks
getting ready for the second coming
Member since November 2010
Posts: 300
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Post by charles kuchar on Aug 22, 2011 18:39:27 GMT -5
great shots! i am thinking about building one myself. got a 1/6 hp washing machine motor that should fit the bill. thanks for the info. charlie
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Minnesota Daniel
freely admits to licking rocks
A COUPLE LAKERS
Member since August 2011
Posts: 891
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Post by Minnesota Daniel on Aug 22, 2011 20:53:44 GMT -5
Mel, I think you've talked about this before, but the (already lame) search feature here requires words of at least 4 letters, so I'm screwed for this question. What is the rpm of a 12 lb Lortone barrel on the MJR tumbler?
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,463
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Post by Sabre52 on Aug 22, 2011 22:44:46 GMT -5
Daniel: Really fast, slows down as the belt wears but its about 70+rpms with a new belt. You've got to fill the barrel pretty full with a good mix of sizes to prevent excessive chipping.....Mel
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Minnesota Daniel
freely admits to licking rocks
A COUPLE LAKERS
Member since August 2011
Posts: 891
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Post by Minnesota Daniel on Aug 23, 2011 0:05:01 GMT -5
That sounds like it's designed for polishing brass casings. Is the drive pulley smaller than the one on the Lortone, or are they using a 3300 RPM motor?
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Post by Jack, lapidaryrough on Aug 23, 2011 0:38:16 GMT -5
Lortones are made for the hobbyist, that wants results with a cheaply made tumbler designed to run a few times a years.
Where i expect my to run 10 - 12 mouths a years. and i only use a few minutes of ( P&M ) to keep them running.
The only tumbler i have that wants to much time is a Vibra-VSV-45. The Duel belts seem to last about 4 mouths.
Don`t try O-Rings for belts, Their a waste of time.
I have a 1954 sear tumbler Oil & belts only. GE-motors last forever.
As said i good tumbler is 1/3 Hp. our larger.
with a 40 Lb. capacity barrel. or larger. / With a diameter wider then length of barrel. For a good tear drop side action for fall of material in the fiction cut.
I have been bet, in saying buy cheap and do more repair / wasting cash. and resources. time and life. that fine.
Cheap tumblers are on the same page with cheap diamond saw blades.
why i only use Blades made by MK-Diamond!!!
though when i dry cut its a China shop Blade from Harbor freight.
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,463
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Post by Sabre52 on Aug 23, 2011 8:16:32 GMT -5
Daniel: I questioned the dealer about that. He said it's for rock too. I timed my this morning and it's doing 60 rpm as it's loaded now ( fairly heavy load). I actually love it as a coarse grinding rig for the agate and jasper I usually do. I think the next base unit I buy will be another MJR. Only complaint I have is their website does not respond when you ask questions about parts etc.....Mel
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Post by johnjsgems on Aug 23, 2011 14:26:51 GMT -5
It should be a simple modification to pulley the speed down a little. My only experience with 1/3 hp motor tumblers was a HP 40 lb tumbler. It drove my electric bill up $30 per month. I never noticed anything like that with my smaller tumblers.
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,463
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Post by Sabre52 on Aug 23, 2011 15:48:01 GMT -5
John: I thought of slowing the rotations down but it's really not necessary. Coarse grinds really well at this speed and shapes up rock way faster than the slower Lortone rigs. It does have a large motor and probably uses a lot of power but we're on an electrical co -op here and power is very cheap. We run two monster heat pump units with heat in winter and AC in summer and our bill never goes over $200 or so per month ( back in California it would have been four times as high) so the tumbler cost is not a worry....Mel
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Minnesota Daniel
freely admits to licking rocks
A COUPLE LAKERS
Member since August 2011
Posts: 891
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Post by Minnesota Daniel on Aug 23, 2011 21:04:49 GMT -5
Jack, good stuff to know, especially the part about us Lortone users, but you forgot to say which brands of tumblers runs well 24/365 with a minimum of maintenance. I don't think too many of us are tumbling large enough quantities to need 40 lb barrels, so I mean models that use barrels more in the 15 lb range.
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snuffy
Cave Dweller
Member since May 2009
Posts: 4,319
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Post by snuffy on Aug 23, 2011 21:29:25 GMT -5
Well,I'm gonna buck the trend,I'm running 3 12lb and 2-45c Lortones,no problems yet,the only time they arent running is when I'm changing grit.I love 'em,but that Thumlers Ar-2 I have convinces me never to get another Thumlers.
snuffy
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