Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 7, 2014 20:41:36 GMT -5
Will be out of the circuit for a while after a crappy day my tumbler started locking up and forcing it self to spin just now....lots of sqeaking and hopping around.....will be back in the future hopefully, just turned it off and will save everything for a later date
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 7, 2014 20:55:13 GMT -5
I turned it off because it was locking up, if its not spinning theres no reason to let it keep running
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 7, 2014 20:56:11 GMT -5
im not a quitter, I will be back
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on May 7, 2014 21:44:49 GMT -5
sorry to hear that.
Usually nothing too major to fix on the tumblers. what model is giving you trouble?
Chuck
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Post by iant on May 8, 2014 2:32:53 GMT -5
A good strip down, clean, oil and rebuild usually fixes things . Hope you are back rolling soon!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 8, 2014 6:13:48 GMT -5
Greetings [tumbleon] I agree with Ian "A good strip down, clean, oil & rebuild usually fixes things", however i use grease instead of oil, as it stays where you put it, unlike oil that runs away & instead of oiling the machine every week I only need to grease the machine about once a year. Please check out my Sticky's below. -- Please click images to open larger images in a new Tab, same with everything that is Underlined! 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, 5#: Aussie Lapidary Forum: Rock Tumbling Guide!
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tkvancil
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2011
Posts: 1,546
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Post by tkvancil on May 8, 2014 10:28:37 GMT -5
You have one of the tumblers from Harbor Freight? And its still relatively new? Locking up to me means it may turn but then stop and then with a push may turn and stop again?
At any rate it should be an easy fix. Remove the top cover, 4 screws if its like the old one I have. Check the belt, looks like a big O-ring. If the belt is stretched it could be deflecting far enough to catch on something. If its broken you'll see that of course. Again if yours is like the one I have there are screws that hold the pulleys to the shafts. One of those could have come loose and the pulley may have moved on the shaft and be dragging on the frame.
If the belt and pulleys look OK you can check the motor easily enough. See if it runs without a load, turn the tumbler on with no barrel on it. If it seems to run fine then put a loaded barrel on. If it stops then the motor would be the culprit. Need to check belt and pulleys first and be sure they are right though.
If you need a belt buy a lortone or thumlers belt. One that fits their 3# models.
Oh yeah....when you have the cover off look to see that there is no oil on the belts or pulleys. I over oiled my bushings before and the oil got onto the belt and made it slip.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 8, 2014 17:58:22 GMT -5
Update, yeah it was running then stopping running then stopping.......I turned the plastic spacer out as far as I could to keep the barrel off the frame it has grinded half away since I started....its running for now that may have been the problem......ive been running since last November/December...I haven't oiled or greased it yet I the instructions didn't say what to use, it came with a bag of belts though....anyways its running and im keeping my ear and eye on it
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1nickthegreek
spending too much on rocks
Member since February 2014
Posts: 382
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Post by 1nickthegreek on May 8, 2014 18:25:13 GMT -5
Update, yeah it was running then stopping running then stopping.......I turned the plastic spacer out as far as I could to keep the barrel off the frame it has grinded half away since I started....its running for now that may have been the problem......ive been running since last November/December...I haven't oiled or greased it yet I the instructions didn't say what to use, it came with a bag of belts though....anyways its running and im keeping my ear and eye on it Just put one drop of sewing machine oil, or 3in1 oil on each bearing monthly, works a charm!!!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 8, 2014 19:38:55 GMT -5
thanks guys... Its running for now but I guess I do need to eventually put some oil on it, where do you buy it at? hardware store?
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1nickthegreek
spending too much on rocks
Member since February 2014
Posts: 382
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Post by 1nickthegreek on May 8, 2014 19:45:49 GMT -5
Can just get a little bottle of gun oil or whatever almost anywhere I believe.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 9, 2014 13:40:49 GMT -5
can I use wd40? I got a can of that in the closet I think
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1nickthegreek
spending too much on rocks
Member since February 2014
Posts: 382
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Post by 1nickthegreek on May 9, 2014 13:48:42 GMT -5
can I use wd40? I got a can of that in the closet I think Yes you can, spray it into something and then just use a cotton swab or something to put it on the bushings/bearings.
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stephent
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2014
Posts: 213
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Post by stephent on May 9, 2014 13:50:30 GMT -5
WD-40 is a rather miserable lube.. find some Vaseline...sewing machine oil...mineral oil.. Gun oil.. wheel bearing grease. Motor oil even. In a pinch you could cut some small shims out of a plastic bottle and insert them into the worn plastic "bearings" to make do until ya can order some. But WD-40 isn't a lube for very long at all.
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1nickthegreek
spending too much on rocks
Member since February 2014
Posts: 382
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Post by 1nickthegreek on May 9, 2014 13:58:25 GMT -5
WD-40 is a rather miserable lube.. find some Vaseline...sewing machine oil...mineral oil.. Gun oil.. wheel bearing grease. Motor oil even. In a pinch you could cut some small shims out of a plastic bottle and insert them into the worn plastic "bearings" to make do until ya can order some. But WD-40 isn't a lube for very long at all. Agreed fully, but in a pinch it will work (just dont count on it LUBRICATING much) LOL
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 9, 2014 14:29:29 GMT -5
Thanks guys, I don't know if it is my problem but I know I have never oiled it since getting it, It's starting to get really squeaky ...would that be an oil issue or a belt issue.......I'm not very mechanically inclined lol
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stephent
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2014
Posts: 213
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Post by stephent on May 9, 2014 15:08:28 GMT -5
If ya ain't oiled it...you have metal to metal contact now. It will have eaten plumb thru the bushing... probably on the drive end where the big pulley is. The others won't be in good shape either. I oil every 2 weeks er so.
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1nickthegreek
spending too much on rocks
Member since February 2014
Posts: 382
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Post by 1nickthegreek on May 9, 2014 15:41:52 GMT -5
If ya ain't oiled it...you have metal to metal contact now. It will have eaten plumb thru the bushing... probably on the drive end where the big pulley is. The others won't be in good shape either. I oil every 2 weeks er so. Exactly, have to keep those surfaces from eating each other away!!!!!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 9, 2014 15:44:35 GMT -5
So am I screwed and did I destroy the tumbler? I mean its still running now, and the squeaking has stopped for the time being....Hell I'm embarrassed to admit this but I don't even know what a bushing or bearing looks like so I wouldn't know where to apply it without making things slip
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stephent
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2014
Posts: 213
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Post by stephent on May 9, 2014 15:51:24 GMT -5
Which tumbler ya have tumbleon? HF? or ??
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