|
Post by mohs on Sept 4, 2012 15:35:40 GMT -5
This tumbler as been rolling great t for over month. I changed it out this morning for a pre-polish stage and now the damn thing won’t roll unless its at an acute angle. In meantime I got go to work so maybe my rocks will only be polished on one side? ;D Any idea guys ? Thanks Ed sorry about the small picture photobucket is down Attachments:
|
|
snuffy
Cave Dweller
Member since May 2009
Posts: 4,319
|
Post by snuffy on Sept 4, 2012 15:50:34 GMT -5
Just a gut feeling its your shaft bearings needing a good greasin'.My barrels will stop sometimes on my 12 lbers,I give 'em a shot of lithium grease and they get going again.
snuffy
|
|
|
Post by 150FromFundy on Sept 4, 2012 15:52:36 GMT -5
I'm assuming you mean the motor is still running when you say it won't roll ... If this is the case, you have a problem with belt slippage.
1) Remove and wipe the O-ring with dish detergent to remove any grease. Wipe the motor pulley and wipe the axle pulley. If this doesn't fix it, go to 2).
2) Replace the O-ring. I replace mine yearly, whether they need it, or not. Ozone attcks the rubber and they tend to lose their elasticity over time. If this doesn't fix it, go to 3).
3) Wait for an RTH'er with more experience to advise you.
Funny story ... my neighbour's kid checked out my tumblers yesterday. This morning I found my A-R2 spinning with no barrels rolling. It turns out he oiled the O-ring for me. His heart was in the right place and my machine oil was in the wrong place.
Darryl.
|
|
marinedad
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since December 2010
Posts: 813
|
Post by marinedad on Sept 4, 2012 17:39:43 GMT -5
i have one like that, the belt is stretched out past adjustment. stuck a peanunbutter lid under one side to shift weight slightly. i will need to change the belt soon.
|
|
|
Post by johnjsgems on Sept 4, 2012 20:54:28 GMT -5
If it is a Lortone order Thumler's belts (401?) for AR-2, B, etc. They are same diameter but a tougher material that doesn't stretch like the black Lortone belts.
|
|
cardiobill
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since March 2012
Posts: 879
|
Post by cardiobill on Sept 4, 2012 21:07:41 GMT -5
I love what you named your picture ed - "another strange phenomenon" Hope you can get your tumbler level again. It's probably a belt but do you live in the twilight zone? Just asking Take care Bill
|
|
|
Post by mohs on Sept 4, 2012 21:41:03 GMT -5
Ha Ha Bill! If you only knew ;D
That Askew Tumbler Up Ahead
You've Enter The
|
|
|
Post by mohs on Sept 4, 2012 21:47:27 GMT -5
Thanks snuf, Darryl, marinedad, john & Bill for the suggestions I won't be able to give a thourough checking out till morning But the barrel out the happily rotating on a cant
I think Bill might have the mystery solved somehow I'm thinking its not on level surface although I didn't move it and it had been working fine
as a general rule how much weight does that size barrel hold ? I have it about a quarter filled about 5lbs
Thanks Ed
|
|
cardiobill
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since March 2012
Posts: 879
|
Post by cardiobill on Sept 4, 2012 22:03:28 GMT -5
Hilarious
|
|
|
Post by connrock on Sept 5, 2012 6:50:02 GMT -5
There's a couple of other things that can cause a barrel to stop turning,,,,,,,, Sometimes the rubber rollers get "glazed" and the barrel just slips on them. Sometimes the barrel gets "glazed' as well and just won't turn onthe rollers. If either of there are the case,the easiest way to remove the "glaze" is with a fairly fine emery paper or sand paper.
Another thing can be oil on the rollers and or barrel.Acetone or alcohol can be used to remove any oil on them. If oil is found on the rollers it will also be on the barrel so both should be cleaned thoroughly.
One other thing may be that the drive pulley on the motor may be slipping.You can tighten the pulley by using a small hex key to tighten the "set screw" on that pulley.
I don't think your problem is a stretched belt. Looking at your photo it seems to me that you are putting the "load" or weight of the barrel toward the drive roller. If the belt was stretched this would cause the belt to slip even more then if the tumbler was in it's proper position.
connrock
|
|
|
Post by mohs on Sept 5, 2012 10:38:13 GMT -5
Well I haven't figure it out-- yet
Motor, pulley, belt, roller bars are all strong.
The idler roller bar had a gunk build up on it. I cleaned that real well. I was thinking that it was holding the barrel up higher on that side and not making good contact with the driver roller bar. Theory proved wrong --but at least its clean !
This is a used unit. Is it possible that the rubber barrel as worn down in diameter-- enough -- that its not making full wide contact with the roller bars?
Anyway its running at an acute angle. And the barrel are turning on both bars So all well-- that rolls
Thanks ! ED
|
|
|
Post by mohs on Sept 5, 2012 10:41:41 GMT -5
test photobucket fixxed? Attachments:
|
|
|
Post by connrock on Sept 6, 2012 6:29:29 GMT -5
Did you try scuffing up the barrel a little?
I am almost convinced that there is a problem with with slippage between the drive roller and the barrel. If the barrel and or rollers look glossy at all the barrel will just slip and not rotate. The barrel should rotate even if it's empty so it's not a weight problem either. If the rubber on the rollers have "wear grooves" in them,this can cause the barrel to slip too. You may want to check the frame itself to make sure it's not twisted and distorted.
I'm running out of ideas here fella,,,,you're killin me! LOL
Mechanical failures are a "thing" with me and it drives me up a wall if I can't figure out what the problem(s) are!
Now go fix that thing so I can sleep at night! LOL
connrock
|
|
|
Post by johnjsgems on Sept 6, 2012 7:31:06 GMT -5
Is it a QT6? If so forget what I said about the Thumler belt. Wrong size. They fit the 3 and 33's though. So, the drive roller turns but not the barrel? If so, scuff the barrel a little and either replace the roller covers with braided hose or put new hose over. Do you always run the barrel 1/4 full? By the color that is a really old Lortone. While you have the rollers off check the bearings and shaft too.
|
|
|
Post by mohs on Sept 6, 2012 11:26:59 GMT -5
Hey connrock this is driving me off my rocker too! Ha Ha I had tried wrapping duct tape around the roller and barrel ! Trying to get some friction But it still wouldn't roll level !! Plus I decided that was a bad idea :nono: ever try cleaning sticky duct tape off ? took lots of acetone, elbow grease with a scotch brite although I did scrub a few rock why I was at it Its going to take a ROCKet barrel scientist to figure this phenomenon out ! John: I just bought this unit used about a month ago It’s a Q.T. N.R. ? It was working fine I’m wondering if the beer slurry I’m using got it off kilter ? Happy rocks Ed
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 6, 2012 20:10:27 GMT -5
Greetings Ed, it looks like you have a Lortone QT12/66 with a single 12lb barrel & since your barrel is only 1 quarter full, which is seriously under filled. Lortone 6lb barrel empty = 1.134kg (2.5lb), external dimensions 115mm (4.5") long X 200mm (8") wide. Lortone 12lb barrel empty = 2.267kg (5lb), external dimensions 215mm (8.5") long X 200mm (8") wide. The Lortone QT NR is the original QT12, before it got that name. I hope that you are not using the following formula Ed!? 5lb barrel + 5lb rock + 1lb water +1lb of grit = 12lb. Forget the barrel sizing weights even Lortone tell has been telling us for yonks to fill the barrel by volume also in their 2011 "Professional Tumbling Guide" with a few tweaks to their recipe like stage 1 may take more than 1 week, Agates & Jaspers may take 2 or 3 reloads in stage 1. Filling the 6lb / 12lb barrel, fill to 20mm (0.787") below the lip the lid sit's in with rocks & water, occasionally settling may occur like this video, but it was only a 18 hour pre burnish run with two heaped tablespoonfulls of borax & it weighed 8.2kg (18.07lb). Click on the pics for a larger one in a new tab. The Optimum filling level for a Lortone 12lb barrel. The Optimum filling level for a Lortone 6lb barrel. I have a 12lb barrel running at the moment & it weighs 9.8kg (21.6lb) gross including barrel, 454g (1lb) of F80 SiC grit, water (soft) & brick red Rhyolite (Ingenious rock (Moh's 6.0)). Last month my 12lb barrel was running at 14.8kg (32.62lb) gross full of Gold Tigers Eye (Quartz (Moh's 7.0)). On average my 6lb barrels weigh anything between 4kg (8.81lb) - 7.5kg (16.53lb) gross per barrel & i run two 6lb barrels together. Your problem, remove the belt and spin the motor with your finger and thumb the motor should free spin for 3 - 5 seconds, the same with the drive pulley, the pulley should free spin for 2 - 3 seconds, put the belt back on. Finally what does it sound like when it runs even at an extreme angle. My Movies-- I hail from (The Barony of Seabegs) Bonnybridge, Stirlingshire, U.K, where aliens (15mb) sometimes come for a visit & about 4 miles west from this monstrosity! Sticky's: their contents are resource information 1#: Vendors worldwide (2mb), 2#: How to use the forum, 3#: How to identify rocks & minerals, 4#: Save money on expensive grits & polishes!
|
|
|
Post by johnjsgems on Sept 6, 2012 21:27:41 GMT -5
The green combo unit I restored this year was "over 35 years old" per Lortone. Green predated gold and replaced with the Lortone baby blue. Age doesn't mean much unless it was used continuously all those years. Many older used Lortones I've picked up had worn shafts (from wearing completely through the plastic bearings. Cold rolled shaft stock from hardware, new bearings, new hose on shaft and new belt and ready to roll for a long time. If tilting moves the motor shaft it could be a worn out motor. If there is a lot of in/out shaft play it may run tilted if shaft moves to the sweet spot. In my opinion all barrels should be rated by volume not pounds. Forget the scale. Load the barrel 3/4 full. If it doesn't turn fix it. If motor is worn use lighter media to fill to 3/4.
|
|
|
Post by mohs on Sept 6, 2012 23:25:35 GMT -5
Thanks ASI for the valuable info! Good to see ya about Nah I'm not using that formula I'm using a more explosive one my lid blew off ! Darn! Rocks flew everywhere Must of been to much gas from my beer batter. ;D I'll clean it up in the morning stay tunE ...
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 8, 2012 0:55:39 GMT -5
Greetings Ed, sorry to hear that your barrel puked it's load. Back to your main problem, it is possible the one or both of the pulley allen-key's maybe slack, when working at an extreme angle it bites and then spins the barrel, whereas when the unit's flat there's no bite thus the barrel does not spin. My Movies including noisy Tumbler-- I hail from (The Barony of Seabegs) Bonnybridge, Stirlingshire, U.K, where aliens (15mb) sometimes come for a visit & about 4 miles west from this monstrosity! Sticky's: their contents are resource information 1#: Vendors worldwide (2mb), 2#: How to use the forum, 3#: How to identify rocks & minerals, 4#: Save money on expensive grits & polishes!
|
|
|
Post by mohs on Sept 8, 2012 18:21:25 GMT -5
Well I'm pretty upset with myself & bummed! Just a few weeks of using this really nice tumbler and I got it all munched up! UUGGGHHHHHHHH!Because of my carelessness of not tightening the lid screwsecurely the barrel was rolling erratically for hours empty! Rocks slewed all over the place and the damage to the tumbler is significant. Not anything that can’t be easily repaired BUT The barrel stabilizer on the one side broke On the other side it had a little nylon wheel riveted in. Broke. The sealing rubber on the lid is torn. I got it rolling again and bearing and bars seem good. I was concerned about grit getting in the bushings. I suppose I should completely disassemble the unit and clean those bushings? Anyway I’ll never figure out what the original problem was! HAHA Strange days indeed... Ed
|
|