Tumbler project.

[hoser]

Half of my shifts are on midnights, and when this place runs good, I have some free time on my hands. I decided to build my own tumbler. Just started it yesterday, and so far I have the tires or wheels turned, and tonight I put together the hexagon body. I figure this will take me about four or five more mids to complete. Makin it out of 1/8" plate steel, so it should hold up for a while. Gonna be a heavy raskel when its done. I am patterning it after the 15# tumblers that are on the market. So far its a fun project.

[Gregory]

Very nice Bill, keep us updated.

[JohnWPA]

Looks Great.....nice job Bill !!!!

John

[hoser]

Ok, so here is an update so far. I have the drum completed, and now am working on the base. I still have to come up with a continous duty fan service motor to drive the thing, and I have to make the bearing supports for the drive shafts. Let me tell ya, welding the hexagon together was not fun at all. The rims of the drum are made from pieces of heavy steel pipe turned down in the lathe. Everything is made from 1/8" steel, so it should last and is starting to get a little on the heavy side.

[Kenneth Huddleston]

Excellent idea Bill !!!! What size of motor is it goona take to rotate the tumbler ? HAPPY HUNTING ! KENNETH

[hoser]

Sorry it took so long to get back with ya. I have been taking down some very large trees in the yard. The motor I will be needing to drive this can be no less than a 1/15 hp. All the ones I have seen like this are just a small fan duty motor. Has to be a continous duty motor, a brush style don't hold up as long for running over a period of time.

[Kenneth Huddleston]

Good progress on the tumbler Bill !!! About the motor, Wouldnt have to be a low speed motor to turn the tumbler ? It seems to me a fan motor would turn the tumbler way to fast !!! That would get those goodies clean in a hurry !! Keep us updated on the tumbler !!! WTG Bill !!!! HAPPY HUNTING !! KENNETH

[Tom in SWW]

Hi AusableBill!

I tumbled a load of coins last weekend: Everything went in other than the copper plated Zink pennies.
The media used was about a pound of 60/90 grit Silicon Carbide, and I figure a couple of pounds of coins went in.
I put enough water in to cover the coins and an extra inch or so. Also added a 3/4" chunk of Ivory soap.
Tumbled the whole load for about twelve hours. It cleaned the coins well: They had a sandblasted but very clean look!
Probably could have gotten by with less time, maybe even 4-8 hours could have cleaned all but the nastiest coins.
The coins went into a coin machine at a grocery store, so they're out of my hair without any counting.
Good luck with your tumbler project.

HH! -Tom