ataraktos
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since January 2020
Posts: 140
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Post by ataraktos on Nov 29, 2022 23:01:28 GMT -5
I have a Covington rotary tumbler that I purchased about 3 years ago from The Rock Shed. I believe it's the 9 pound one, takes 3 of the smallest barrels ... Anyway, I used it for stage 1 for about a year but then set my rocks aside for the past two years, other stuff was just getting in the way.
Luckily I'm finding a little more time lately and have started running some more batches. I regreased the shaft bearings on this tumbler (white lithium grease - hopefully that's the right kind) and started it back up maybe 6 weeks ago. Been rolling one small barrel (and a tiny thumlers barrel of bottle glass). A few days ago I was noticing how fast of a tumbler it is, roughly 60 rpms for its own small barrels (and that's probably why it eats up 60/90 grit so fast!) but just yesterday, I thought it seemed a little sluggish. And now tonight, it could barely turn the 3lb barrel at 30 rpms! So I shut it off. It's clearly struggling.
No odor, no squeaking or anything. What do I check? Do these motors themselves need oil or anything? I plan to take things apart this weekend and check the belts, see if anything I regreased needs more grease. Is it obvious if a belt is slipping?
Thanks in advance!
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hypodactylus
spending too much on rocks
Member since July 2021
Posts: 467
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Post by hypodactylus on Nov 30, 2022 1:21:56 GMT -5
I am honestly not a lubricant pro, but isn't grease usually used for gears? I use a light synthetic sewing machine oil (this one, to be precise: Liberty Oil (Amazon)) for the shaft bearings on my Lortone tumblers. Honestly, I don't know if that makes any difference; sorry for the somewhat useless reply .
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idearthmover
off to a rocking start
Member since February 2022
Posts: 20
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Post by idearthmover on Nov 30, 2022 7:50:38 GMT -5
Have you checked the belt? It might be getting loose and you need to tighten the tension up a little. I've shut down my tumblers for the winter and I need to tighten up one tumbler come spring. You want oil on the shafts.
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ataraktos
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since January 2020
Posts: 140
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Post by ataraktos on Nov 30, 2022 21:17:24 GMT -5
I am honestly not a lubricant pro, but isn't grease usually used for gears? I use a light synthetic sewing machine oil (this one, to be precise: Liberty Oil (Amazon)) for the shaft bearings on my Lortone tumblers. Honestly, I don't know if that makes any difference; sorry for the somewhat useless reply . oh no, makes me feel better! i just learned today that the little plastic pieces in there are "sleeve bearings" - i had no idea something so seemingly insignificant could "count" as a bearing! but it was definitely packed with a thick, white grease from the factory. and i regreased it tonight, had high hopes b/c i could feel it moving a bit easier by hand. but to no avail, as it's still pretty sluggish under even half a load. i checked the belts too and they seemed good. i wonder if somehow my grease didn't hold up as well as the original or maybe i didn't use enough (when i regreased it a couple months back - that was the first time i'd done it) and now the motor's not so strong anymore?
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ataraktos
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since January 2020
Posts: 140
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Post by ataraktos on Nov 30, 2022 21:25:09 GMT -5
Have you checked the belt? It might be getting loose and you need to tighten the tension up a little. I've shut down my tumblers for the winter and I need to tighten up one tumbler come spring. You want oil on the shafts. i checked and redid everything tonight. Despite knowing little about belts, the belt looked good. watched when i turned it back on and seemed fine as far as i could tell. shafts turned easier by hand after new grease but still struggling under half a load. my guess is i've messed up the motor, partially? it definitely came packed with a thick white grease around the shafts, so that's why i re-greased it. oil would probably be less of a pain.
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