bsky4463
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2013
Posts: 1,696
|
Post by bsky4463 on Dec 19, 2013 13:05:08 GMT -5
Well a few months into this obsession and I am ready to add to my tumbling quiver. I have a UV-10 vibe and a 3A rotary, but the rotary just is too small for mostly what I collect. So I am thinking of a 12+ tumbler next, but with some of the MT agates I could easily see outgrowing that capacity within the next year. My goal is to rough grind in the rotary then switch to the vibe.
So do I buy or build....I like to build stuff and have access to fabrication tools/equipment. Seems like $ for $ this is the way to go for larger capacities and variable speeds. But I am kind of thinking about buying a 12# manufactured unit now then build something larger this summer.
Anyway, I am open to any advice on building or buying a rotary 12- 60# capacity. Cheers.
|
|
|
Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Dec 19, 2013 13:17:53 GMT -5
tough question on building or buying. I did both. I built my two story tumbler with my kids a couple years ago and absolutely love it. I also lucked out and fell into a ebay deal for a lortone 12 pound tumbler with a new barrel on it for a buy it now price of $40 including shipping. My homemade and the lortone have run 24-7 since day one and neither have had any issues. I put new belts on the homebuilt one time and have never put a belt or any parts into the lortone. If you are running your tumbler where noise is not an issue then building your own with pvc barrels will save a lot over buying a store bought unit but with my home built using solid 3/4 shafts, pillow block bearings, heavy duty belts and pulleys, 1/3 hp motor and lortone rubber barrels my cost was reaching $400. Never regretted it for a minute though. Chuck
|
|
quartz
Cave Dweller
breakin' rocks in the hot sun
Member since February 2010
Posts: 3,352
|
Post by quartz on Dec 19, 2013 13:28:05 GMT -5
I've built a dozen+ tumblers with from 4# to 50# barrels and have found anything from about 12# [or double 6] can be built much more reasonably than buying, especially if you have the equipment and are good at scrounging mtl. From an ease of build and good durability standpoint, take a look within the forum at the units [especially barrels] jamesp builds. The units I build are good and durable, just as his are, but my access to barrel material is different than his so I make them different. Really, Jim's are easier to build. Do it your way for sure, this will give you something to think about. Unless of course, you fall into something you can't pass up. Have fun at it. Larry
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,561
|
Post by jamesp on Dec 19, 2013 15:14:51 GMT -5
I saw an octagon that Larry built. He be crazie. It was a work of art. Really a fancy super duty barrel. By favorite size is 6 inch sch 40 pvc about 20 inches long = 16-18 pounds. I have an 8 inch pvc 30 inches long. Those heavy barrels are sure awkward due to weight and getting the rocks out. It is only like 50-60 pounds but it is like picking up a greased pig. You can go here bluesky. My favorite is the wood frame tumbler(last photo i think) that rascal turns the 50 pounder with a 1/8 HP 1000 RPM AC motor out of a roof top unit. The wood tumbler is the 6th photo down on the first page. forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/thread/56106/finished-pound-capacity-barrel-inch
|
|
MrCoffee
has rocks in the head
Member since December 2005
Posts: 634
|
Post by MrCoffee on Dec 19, 2013 15:38:29 GMT -5
If you are just looking for a single barrel 12 pounder, a Thumlers B can be had for less than $200.00. It can be used while you are designing your project, and then you can transfer the barrel to your fabricated base unit. Best of luck.
|
|
|
Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Dec 19, 2013 16:23:11 GMT -5
That one James posted is about as simple and painless as it gets. If that will work for you needs copy that tried and true design.
The mechanical parts list for any tumbler are all similar. The rest is up to your imagination (and pocket book)
(4) pillow block bearings (2) shafts (2) rubber hoses to go over the shafts (1) 1.5" pulley on the motor (1) 10-12" pulley on the driven shaft (diameter depends on barrel speed you want) (2) 2" pulleys (to drive the second shaft) (1) motor
Cost did not drive my design at all. I did mine knowing that 20 years from now it would be handed down to one of my kids and hopefully they will remember the time they helped me build it. Since I have young kids doing this with me all of the belts and pulleys needed to be out of reach. Also mine is in a finished area of the basement so my last requirement was that it had to be quite so that's where the big expense came in. I am sure the Lortone barrels are twice the cost of PVC but the rubber barrels are so quite that we cant hear it at all when right above it upstairs.
As for capacity .... I run about 30-34 pounds in 60/90 at all times and that lets me pull enough out each week to keep my loto vibe running 24-7 all year. So I guess that comes to about 10% each week being ready for stage 2. And of course that means putting another 5 pounds of material back into the 60/90 to get back to 5/8-3/4 full in all barrels. Its a vicious cycle.
Chuck
|
|
|
Post by Hard Rock Cafe on Dec 19, 2013 19:58:19 GMT -5
In my experience, you can build a high capacity (greater than 12-15 lbs.) tumbler for less than you can buy one. Chuck's part list is a good one.
The hardest part is the barrel. I got a scrap piece of 10" pvc for free and built plywood caps for it with a 4" plumbing test cap for the clean out. Large PVC fittings are outrageously expensive for me. James seems to have a supply.
I've also found that my big barrel (holds 50+ lbs.) grinds much faster than my 12-15 lb. Star Diamond (same as Thumler's).
Chuck
|
|
SirRoxalot
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since October 2003
Posts: 790
|
Post by SirRoxalot on Dec 19, 2013 20:05:18 GMT -5
I'd strongly suggest starting out with the 12 lb Lortone, unless money is an issue. Worst case scenario, you'll have the barrel to go onto a custom machine.
Try it and see how you like handling that much rock. It is no small amount. There is a significant investment of time required to hammer, clean, and process that much rock. Hours and hours worth of scrubbing, handling, inspecting; and tons of water use.
I bought one, then another and another, then went to a home built that can run five 12 lb barrels.
I warn you... it's a slippery slope. Before you know it, you'll have 50 pound bags of grit arriving at the house...
|
|
|
Post by nowyo on Dec 20, 2013 1:25:54 GMT -5
Been fooling with the tumbling for a few years now with a 45C and a QT-6. I'm at the same place you are, it'll take me ten years to tumble the rocks I have now at that rate. So, I'm in the process of building a bigger tumbler-frame is welded up now, pillow blocks are bolted on. Had a bunch of 2x2x1/4 angle left over from a job a few years ago, and some 1 inch stainless shaft that I've been hanging onto for years knowing I'd use it sometime. Putting this thing together so it will be kind of modular, and I can add more to it-like probably in a couple of months or so. Had a motor hanging around, so all I've had to buy so far are the pillow bearings. I kept going back and forth on buying/building, this way I can spread the costs over say 6 months or so. And it's more fun. If it doesn't work right, then it's nobody's fault but mine, and I'll have to figure out how to fix it. With any luck at all, I'll have 30 pounds or so running in coarse early next week. And yeah, I got the big box of grit from Kingsley last week.
Russ
|
|
bsky4463
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2013
Posts: 1,696
|
Post by bsky4463 on Dec 20, 2013 10:26:16 GMT -5
Great input, thanks all. I think I will be keeping my eye out for the short term fix with a used QT12 and start to gather parts for the DIY model this summer. I really like Drummond Island Rocks double decker with workbench ontop - maybe in a cart version. Good friends of mine own a plumbing biz - endless scraps of PVC there to follow along the lines of jamesp barrels. Any additional photos or ideas for DIY models would be very welcome - thanks again. Cheers Andy
|
|
|
Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Dec 20, 2013 12:38:22 GMT -5
Great input, thanks all. I think I will be keeping my eye out for the short term fix with a used QT12 and start to gather parts for the DIY model this summer. I really like Drummond Island Rocks double decker with workbench ontop - maybe in a cart version. Good friends of mine own a plumbing biz - endless scraps of PVC there to follow along the lines of jamesp barrels. Any additional photos or ideas for DIY models would be very welcome - thanks again. Cheers Andy I should have mentioned that mine was always designed for both sets of rollers but I originally built it with just the bottom set and expanded it when I had some extra money and needed more capacity. Chuck
|
|
MrCoffee
has rocks in the head
Member since December 2005
Posts: 634
|
Post by MrCoffee on Dec 27, 2013 20:51:07 GMT -5
Since I don't have a shop, it would be a bit more expensive for me to build one, rather than buy. I have my eyes on a Lortone C20. It has all ball bearings, laser cut frame, automotive V-belts, a 1/3HP motor, and a nice handle on the metal barrel which opens with three thumb screws. I would like hearing from someone who owns one of these, as it seems like it would be a nice medium-sized machine at 20 pounds capacity.
|
|
|
Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Dec 27, 2013 21:04:24 GMT -5
just a thought here but the c200 is cheaper then the c20 and with the c200 you will have two 12 lb barrels that are easier to deal with for clean outs. With the c200 you also get the option to just run one barrel when you dont have enough rough for both and you also have the option of getting an extra barrel for polish so you could be roughing 12 pounds and polishing 12 pounds at the same time. Actually for the same price as the c20 you could even get the c300 with three 12 pound barrels.
Chuck
|
|
MrCoffee
has rocks in the head
Member since December 2005
Posts: 634
|
Post by MrCoffee on Jan 17, 2018 5:23:38 GMT -5
I ended up with a Tumlers Model B, and I also have an old Lortone 12 pound barrel. Old thread, I know. But after 5 years, I found a deal on a C20 that was hard to turn down. So I went ahead and grabbed. I can use either barrel on it. Start with 20 pounds, as the gravel wears down, I can switch to the smaller 12 pound to do the final shaping. I guess buying or building another tumbler will be the least of my worries....
|
|