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Post by mohs on May 1, 2009 15:53:29 GMT -5
Yo All ! This is what greeted me this morning on my bar stool   neighbors around here ROCK! don't know anything about the machine or tumbling will get manual from internet, I suppose will stop by Harbor Freight to check there grits any suggestion appreciated I probably won't start tumbling till later next week more rocks in my head  gotta roll! edmo |
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pporky
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2007
Posts: 1,932
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Post by pporky on May 1, 2009 17:08:15 GMT -5
What a good find, good luck and plenty of enjoyment for your tumbles. pporky
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10thumbs
spending too much on rocks
I want to be reincarnated as a dog.
Member since March 2009
Posts: 480
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Post by 10thumbs on May 1, 2009 18:31:36 GMT -5
I'm sorry to burst your bubble but that's a Chicago Electric (Harbor Freight) tumbler. I tried one because it was so cheap but ended up taking it back after the 2nd belt broke in the first week that I tried using it. After the second belt broke I got on the internet and found dozens of horrible reviews. The belts that come with it last a couple of days at the most. I've heard that if you replace the Harbor Freight/Chicago Electric belts with a Thumblers AR-2 belt it solves the initial problem. None of the hobby shops around here carry the Thumbler belts so I just took it back. Even with the Thumbler's belt the motors don't last more than a couple months.
Of course you can't beat the price you paid...
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Post by 150FromFundy on May 1, 2009 19:28:45 GMT -5
Normally that would be a "make your day" kind of find, but there seam to be a lot of gripes with the Chicago Electric tumbler, especially with the belts.
See the post by soccermud and the responses under Totally Rock Tumbling. Lots of problems with noise and belts. Hopefully you will have better luck.
I've found lots of rocks, but I've never found a tumbler.
150FromFundy
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Post by frane on May 1, 2009 20:44:11 GMT -5
Did someone leave it there for you? Even with the horror stories out about this one, I would say get some good belts, not theirs, and keep them handy. Check the pullys that the belts go on to see if there are any rough areas that would pinch or rough up the belt. File it down if you find anything. Then get some rocks going and see what happens. Patients is the name of the game but sometimes if you have other things to play with like a cabber, it is OK. The size and shape look like my double 3 lb lortone. I am not sure if these belts will fit that one or not. I just changed 2 belts on two of mine. It has been nearly a year and they were starting to slip.
I am looking forward to seeing what you tumble first!
Fran
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Post by mohs on May 1, 2009 22:08:05 GMT -5
Thanks for the insight guys. Price is right so hopefully I can get few worthy tumbled stones. Even with the machine tho- it does seem to become somewhat of an expense- grit wise. Machine seems brand spanking new. How much should I spend to do a couple light loads? Tough question I suppose Yes Fran. Apparently someone-not sure who yet-left it for me. Might be the same person who left me these tumbles stones a few weeks ago. forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=29660&page=1 Pictures not that great . Night time. But there was some fine pieces in there stay tune -I will be rolling and I'll make my own rubber band :help: |
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NDK
Cave Dweller 
Member since January 2009
Posts: 9,440
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Post by NDK on May 1, 2009 23:15:11 GMT -5
Hey Ed, I had a single CE tumbler and it was a POS!!! The barrels are good though. But I think someone else on here wrote they had a double barrel CE like that and it ran good. Maybe they'll chime in. Anyway, I guess the lortone motor works well as a replacement in these units, and the belts supplied are just large o-rings. Get a belt made for a thumbler tumbler - I think it's the same size, and you should be rolling in no time. Harbor freight also sells the tiny 4-step thumbler's grit kit.
Nate
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Saskrock
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since October 2007
Posts: 1,852
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Post by Saskrock on May 2, 2009 8:14:19 GMT -5
Everyone is being too hard on a free CE. Sure they are not built that well but its not that hard to get them running better.
First off remove the silver cover above the motor and throw it away. The motor overheats with it on. If the belt is good still you are off and tumbling. If the belt is original it will break in about 1-2 days. No big problem replace it with a o-ring (thinner ones last longer). Lortone belts I have heard also fit. At this point it will run for a fair while (maybe a year). The little pully will wear through next. This can be replaced with any small pully you find or a drilled out lortone pulley. The motor will stop next (1-2 years) beacause of cheap bearings and a wierd spring setup. At this point put in a lortone motor and pulley.
Sure that is a bit of work but its not that much and in the end you will have a good tumbler which cost you less than $30 in parts (rock shed prices). Just order the parts now so you have them on hand and get tumbling! You will like it.
Great gift from your neighbors, anyone who wants to can leave a CE on my doorstep.
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MikeS
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2009
Posts: 1,081
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Post by MikeS on May 2, 2009 14:17:45 GMT -5
Belt problems are usually easy to get around...I have an OLD beacon star tumbler, I use vaccum cleaner belts for it, I get months of use out of each one before it fails....
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Post by mohs on May 2, 2009 14:40:56 GMT -5
Thanks guys for the good & useful information
I'm not sure yet of the origin of the tumbler
feeling is that the neighbor bought it
person real interested in rock grinding
I was thinking if that the case
I'd suggest they take it back
and I'd pony up some extra cash
for a more solid unit
were all low on cash :2cents:
but were industrialist also
and make do with what's available
so I'll have to see
now it may have tumbled in from another direction
anyway it'll be a week or so before we get rolling
plenty of time to get parts ect... ect..
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Thunder69
Cave Dweller
Thunder 2000-2015
Member since January 2009
Posts: 3,105
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Post by Thunder69 on May 2, 2009 16:26:10 GMT -5
I have about 4 of those tumblers and they are not that bad ...Order some new belts from the rock shed..thumblers ar 12 belts work just fine ...And like Saskrock said remove the silver cover cause it serves no purpose...John
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Post by mohs on May 2, 2009 22:37:50 GMT -5
The mystery is solved ! The guy who I loaned my WorkForce to is giving it to me forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/index.cgi?board=hmequip&action=display&thread=29507Now he got it from a person he did a construction job for The guy said it quit working ~~~broken band~~~ Imagine that !!!  My stone grill dude asked if he could have it? Guy was happy to give it away Then it went to my other friend who repaired it with this rubber band  consider tin metal plate removed Then it made its way to my bar stool Well I know this rubber band probably isn’t going to last & barrel is filled with rocks! Too filled in my estimation ! Here's a few I took out  about 20 more in there  So my question becomes:
It already as grit in there
Can I dump those rocks
Fill it with some scrap ¼ “ thick agate
Turn on
&
let it roll ?
Till it snap again
in the meantime
I’ll be getting another band….
thanks & keep on a roll!!! edmo |
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Post by Bejewelme on May 3, 2009 8:19:33 GMT -5
ED:
How cool is that, a secret surprise on your stool? We are going to that lapidary auction in a few weeks, it says there are lot of tumblers, etc, check out the post in the Buy/Sell, an auction in PA, I am going to get as much stuff as I can so people on here will have parts, etc, if the items do not go really sky high, so maybe I can get you a tumbler for cheap if this one doesn't work out. Never the less, hey it was free and you can always hope!!
Amber
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ktg
starting to shine!
Member since March 2009
Posts: 31
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Post by ktg on May 3, 2009 9:02:23 GMT -5
I have a CE that my husband bought at a flea market for $15 and yes, the belt broke after a couple days but the Lortone belt works. It's been running about a month with that belt. Haven't had a problem with over heating - yet... or with the motor... yet. I figured for 15 bucks it was a good way to start and learn. So free is even better! Also, as others have said you can replace parts with Lortone parts and end up with a pretty good tumbler.
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Saskrock
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since October 2007
Posts: 1,852
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Post by Saskrock on May 4, 2009 23:57:06 GMT -5
You should be able to swap out the rock for your rock I think.
Don't use a rubber band!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I tried that once. It seemed to work fine until it broke. Then you find out that its thin enough to get sucked into the motor. I found mine humming away like that, not turning. It was hot enough to melt the motor mounts. Completely fried the motor, just lucky it didn't catch fire.
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Post by mohs on May 7, 2009 10:17:18 GMT -5
o i messed up ! :nono:
I checked my barrel 2 days ago and had a nice slurry going on
but then I tried to perfect it by adding mo water/abrasive
24 hours later and its been just a wasted tumble!
my grit was just floating
i'm not sure my belt can take it :help:
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Post by rocklicker on May 8, 2009 17:32:39 GMT -5
Hmm, yeah finding a CE tumbler is like finding an accordian. It seems like a good thing at first. ;D As a frame with two barrels it's great. Hopefully it will rock out for you. I went through two CE tumblers and eventually gave them to someone here.
BTW, if your slurry is too thin, try adding some sugar to thicken it up.
Steve
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Post by mohs on May 8, 2009 21:53:32 GMT -5
i better solution than sugar i put beer in there Coors--- Its in the water ;D I keep my rocks happy and over 120 hours and its still roll'n if I get 1 batch it was a great experiment my feeling is that it is going to last a while 'nuff for me to learn but when I opened it today it was like wtfluff! lots of water ,no slurry pulled a marble out how did this get round so fast  I don't remember putting that in!! so poured off some of the water closed it up let it roll then my buddy told he did some tweaking to it! :nono: he's interested now and that good he's already talking about modifying a keg of beer empty of course rolling rock, most likely  |
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Post by mohs on May 10, 2009 2:05:58 GMT -5
band failure @ 10:55 p.m ! replaced with Thumler now that band we put on lasted well over 100 hundred hours I did one motor adjustment in that time I'm really stress testing this tumbler both barrels are filled- running 'course' I'd like to think that by Wednesday I'll have enough smooth stones to fill 1 barrel for polishing and let the other will continue, on course, of course thanks for your attention in this matter edmostly |
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Post by NatureNut on May 10, 2009 7:09:00 GMT -5
Good recovery! (must've been the beer) |
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