Post by docharber on Oct 9, 2008 1:07:34 GMT -5
I bought my first tumbler a year ago from Chcago freight. It was a 2-barrel 3lb unit similar to the Lortone 3B. These same units are commonly sold for more on eBay and at least one vendor there has been doing a brisk business ioni replacement belts.
Anyway, it lasted about 4 hours before the belt broke. I ordered replacement belts that worked fine, but after one complete load (4 weeks) the motor started stalling and became very noisy. I gacve up and bought a Lortone 3B and a Raytech 5lb vibratory tumbler that are very satisfactory.
I noticed that the overall design of the cheap Chinese import was very similar to the Lortone. i noticed the mounting holes on the lortone and the Chinese unit were very similar as well, and decided to try to replace the motor, which had a very perishable and very cheap plastic arbor/end cap, with a Lortone replacement motor. It fit!. I used the pulley from the old motor after wrapping the drive shaft, which was of smaler diameter than the original motor, with electrical tape. i replaced the mounting screws as well as the originals would not fit. My tumbler was back in service and much quieter than before. I have noticed the new motor lacks the torque the old motor had and I have to avoid overloading or it can stall. So far, though, my $20 replacement motor has done the trick. I have to say that while the motor was crummy, the import unit had a solid chassis, and high quality barrels that are actually thicker than the Lortone's. They are of the same overall dimensions as the Lortone with a similar lid, having a slightly different size threaded stem on the lid. The import unit also has an on-off switch, with an LED which would be nice on the Lortone- it simply plugs in. I had a barrel lid liner wear through at the center where the crew passes through to the locking nut. i found Lortone replacement lid liners work fine here. I am experimenting with rpairing the barrel lids/barrels with the vinyl dipping plastic used to coat tool handles. It's $6.00 a can at Home Depot. and should work fine. More later...
mark (Docharber)
Anyway, it lasted about 4 hours before the belt broke. I ordered replacement belts that worked fine, but after one complete load (4 weeks) the motor started stalling and became very noisy. I gacve up and bought a Lortone 3B and a Raytech 5lb vibratory tumbler that are very satisfactory.
I noticed that the overall design of the cheap Chinese import was very similar to the Lortone. i noticed the mounting holes on the lortone and the Chinese unit were very similar as well, and decided to try to replace the motor, which had a very perishable and very cheap plastic arbor/end cap, with a Lortone replacement motor. It fit!. I used the pulley from the old motor after wrapping the drive shaft, which was of smaler diameter than the original motor, with electrical tape. i replaced the mounting screws as well as the originals would not fit. My tumbler was back in service and much quieter than before. I have noticed the new motor lacks the torque the old motor had and I have to avoid overloading or it can stall. So far, though, my $20 replacement motor has done the trick. I have to say that while the motor was crummy, the import unit had a solid chassis, and high quality barrels that are actually thicker than the Lortone's. They are of the same overall dimensions as the Lortone with a similar lid, having a slightly different size threaded stem on the lid. The import unit also has an on-off switch, with an LED which would be nice on the Lortone- it simply plugs in. I had a barrel lid liner wear through at the center where the crew passes through to the locking nut. i found Lortone replacement lid liners work fine here. I am experimenting with rpairing the barrel lids/barrels with the vinyl dipping plastic used to coat tool handles. It's $6.00 a can at Home Depot. and should work fine. More later...
mark (Docharber)
