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Post by 1dave on Jan 23, 2021 9:29:10 GMT -5
jamesp built one -So I was thinking RTHers can come up with a super-duper design all newbies can use to build their own and quick-start their fun! Are we up for the challenge?  NOTE - I don't tumble, so am clueless. Here is my best starting guess:    List of Materials:
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Post by 1dave on Jan 23, 2021 9:30:48 GMT -5
Pulley size calculations assist:
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Jan 23, 2021 10:08:04 GMT -5
This is one I designed as a beginner build. Super easy. The barrel guides are not shown but I build all of mine for Lortone barrels and use the lortone stock barrel guides on them. The base the bearings are mounted to is raised up to allow nuts and bolts to be used on the bearings instead of lag bolts. 4 three pound barrels   2 twelve pound and 1 six pound barrel  Chuck |
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Jan 23, 2021 10:21:12 GMT -5
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Post by 1dave on Jan 23, 2021 10:23:06 GMT -5
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Wooferhound
Cave Dweller 
Lortone QT66 and 3A
Member since December 2016
Posts: 1,432 
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Post by Wooferhound on Jan 23, 2021 13:00:12 GMT -5
I suggest DC motors as they are more efficient and easier to control the speed.
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Post by 1dave on Jan 23, 2021 18:52:13 GMT -5
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Post by manofglass on Jan 24, 2021 11:38:35 GMT -5
Thanks Dave I will pick up a couple later in the year
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Brian
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since July 2020
Posts: 1,512
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Post by Brian on Jan 24, 2021 16:32:29 GMT -5
This is one I designed as a beginner build. Super easy. The barrel guides are not shown but I build all of mine for Lortone barrels and use the lortone stock barrel guides on them. The base the bearings are mounted to is raised up to allow nuts and bolts to be used on the bearings instead of lag bolts. 4 three pound barrels 2 twelve pound and 1 six pound barrel Chuck I’ve got a question about your design Drummond Island Rocks. Why did you include a pulley/belt to couple the two shafts rather than having one drive shaft and one idler shaft? Is it due to the combined weight of the barrels? (I’m still figuring out what our long term needs may be, but it never hurts to start planning early!) Edited to add: after further reading, I am guessing that driving both shafts is essentially doing the same as 4wd in a car to provide better traction and avoid issues if only the drive shaft slips. Are there any other benefits of all-shaft-drive vs rear-shaft-drive? |
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Post by holajonathan on Jan 26, 2021 2:31:55 GMT -5
Thanks Dave I will pick up a couple later in the year I am currently building a large DIY tumbler with 1" shafts. I have been looking for good DC options for the reasons you have. AC motors are just do darn inefficient, plus DC speed control is simple. Do you know of any good options? All I seem to find are these super high voltage industrial motors -- 180v dc and stuff like that. I would prefer to keep it down around 24v dc as I have a large (and efficient) DC power supply that can be adjusted from 20v-30v. |
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Wooferhound
Cave Dweller
Lortone QT66 and 3A
Member since December 2016
Posts: 1,432
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Post by Wooferhound on Jan 26, 2021 7:56:13 GMT -5
Thanks Dave I will pick up a couple later in the year I am currently building a large DIY tumbler with 1" shafts. I have been looking for good DC options for the reasons you have. AC motors are just do darn inefficient, plus DC speed control is simple. Do you know of any good options? All I seem to find are these super high voltage industrial motors -- 180v dc and stuff like that. I would prefer to keep it down around 24v dc as I have a large (and efficient) DC power supply that can be adjusted from 20v-30v. Use the motor out of an old treadmill. Normally 90 VDC but they are strong at much lower voltages like 12 volts. I converted a Box Fan to DC using a treadmill motor, am running it off of the battery on Solar Power system so it gets a voltage between 15 & 21 volts and works great with a PWM speed control.
There are many other useful things that can be salvaged from a treadmill like Rods, Rollers, metal frame, Tough Matt, Lights and wheels. In fact I bet you could build a complete quality tumbler by just salvaging one old treadmill.
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Jan 26, 2021 8:26:31 GMT -5
This is one I designed as a beginner build. Super easy. The barrel guides are not shown but I build all of mine for Lortone barrels and use the lortone stock barrel guides on them. The base the bearings are mounted to is raised up to allow nuts and bolts to be used on the bearings instead of lag bolts. 4 three pound barrels 2 twelve pound and 1 six pound barrel Chuck I’ve got a question about your design Drummond Island Rocks. Why did you include a pulley/belt to couple the two shafts rather than having one drive shaft and one idler shaft? Is it due to the combined weight of the barrels? (I’m still figuring out what our long term needs may be, but it never hurts to start planning early!) Edited to add: after further reading, I am guessing that driving both shafts is essentially doing the same as 4wd in a car to provide better traction and avoid issues if only the drive shaft slips. Are there any other benefits of all-shaft-drive vs rear-shaft-drive? That is correct. It gives much more traction. I build my tumblers to have enough power and traction so that when the power goes out and comes back on everything starts turning again from a dead stop with no issues. I do not build my tumblers to save money I build them to be better then what is available in the hobby market. Edit: The other reason for shaft to shaft connection is that pillow block bearings are not as free spinning as you might think. It takes some effort to spin a shaft that has pillow blocks on both ends. Chuck |
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Brian
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since July 2020
Posts: 1,512
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Post by Brian on Jan 26, 2021 9:47:59 GMT -5
I’ve got a question about your design Drummond Island Rocks. Why did you include a pulley/belt to couple the two shafts rather than having one drive shaft and one idler shaft? Is it due to the combined weight of the barrels? (I’m still figuring out what our long term needs may be, but it never hurts to start planning early!) Edited to add: after further reading, I am guessing that driving both shafts is essentially doing the same as 4wd in a car to provide better traction and avoid issues if only the drive shaft slips. Are there any other benefits of all-shaft-drive vs rear-shaft-drive? That is correct. It gives much more traction. I build my tumblers to have enough power and traction so that when the power goes out and comes back on everything starts turning again from a dead stop with no issues. I do not build my tumblers to save money I build them to be better then what is available in the hobby market. Edit: The other reason for shaft to shaft connection is that pillow block bearings are not as free spinning as you might think. It takes some effort to spin a shaft that has pillow blocks on both ends. Chuck Thanks, Chuck! I noticed that you aren’t the only way driving both shafts, so there must have been a good reason for it. My Lortone 33B (brand new and barrels 2/3 full) has struggled to start up once or twice, so I would imagine with more of a load it could be a bigger issue. Bearings always seem to be happiest when they are already moving. |
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Post by 1dave on Jan 26, 2021 11:35:18 GMT -5
I am currently building a large DIY tumbler with 1" shafts. I have been looking for good DC options for the reasons you have. AC motors are just do darn inefficient, plus DC speed control is simple. Do you know of any good options? All I seem to find are these super high voltage industrial motors -- 180v dc and stuff like that. I would prefer to keep it down around 24v dc as I have a large (and efficient) DC power supply that can be adjusted from 20v-30v. Use the motor out of an old treadmill. Normally 90 VDC but they are strong at much lower voltages like 12 volts. I converted a Box Fan to DC using a treadmill motor, am running it off of the battery on Solar Power system so it gets a voltage between 15 & 21 volts and works great with a PWM speed control. There are many other useful things that can be salvaged from a treadmill like Rods, Rollers, metal frame, Tough Matt, Lights and wheels. In fact I bet you could build a complete quality tumbler by just salvaging one old treadmill.
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DocMcCoy
off to a rocking start
Member since January 2021
Posts: 4
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Post by DocMcCoy on Jan 26, 2021 11:38:15 GMT -5
Drummond Island Rocks have you experimented with just one drive axle but raising the idler axle vertically so the drive axle has more weight on it?
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Post by holajonathan on Jan 27, 2021 0:52:46 GMT -5
Covington drives both axles on their tumblers as well. This one has been running over a year, pretty much 24/7 with no issues. No problem getting things spinning from a stop with 60+ pounds on it (rocks + barrels + slurry / grit).    Covington's also got the best barrels in the business, in my opinion. Easy open and close with a hose clamp; very durable; and the ridges on the inside middle part of the barrel, designed to churn rocks from the middle to the ends as they tumble, really do work. It grinds rocks down twice as fast as my Thumbler's Model B despite the narrow diameter of the Covington barrels. If I needed barrels for a DIY tumbler and was willing to spend money on off-the-shelft barrels, I would go with the Covington barrels. I think they are around $85 each for the 1 gallon (12 pound) size. Cheaper than Lortone, I think, and seem to be just as durable. They have an 8 year design life and I think they come with a 5 year warranty. |
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Post by Rockoonz on Jan 27, 2021 2:10:40 GMT -5
Consider a servo motor and controller.
I got one for industrial sewing machines, like 50-4200 rpm, 3/4hp, programmable controller and lever for pedal. Paid $125ish shipped. Going on my facetor first, but another project in mind ultimately. This one about 4a, but a smaller one should be even more efficient.
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Wooferhound
Cave Dweller
Lortone QT66 and 3A
Member since December 2016
Posts: 1,432
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Post by Wooferhound on Feb 1, 2021 13:29:17 GMT -5
- Surplus Electric Motors -
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Wooferhound
Cave Dweller
Lortone QT66 and 3A
Member since December 2016
Posts: 1,432
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Post by Wooferhound on May 11, 2021 19:41:22 GMT -5
Easy tumbler made from a treadmill
For more suggestions search YouTube for "Treadmill Tumbler" .
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,605
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Post by jamesp on May 12, 2021 7:49:29 GMT -5
This is a rebuild of a 10 year old tumbler. Thrifty motor at 1/8 hp and quiet at only 700 rpm yet has rolled a 40 pound barrel. Slanted for only one end roller, basically out of laziness. Bearings and pulley from Surplus Center. The adjustable length belt sure comes in handy for tying the shafts together. Barrels are my own HPDE tough barrels. Very quiet passive machine. Link of re-do: live.staticflickr.com/65535/49188797456_eb0c43f5e0_b.jpg  6 inch HDPE barrels  or 8 inch HDPE barrels  |
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NOTE - I don't tumble, so am clueless. Here is my best starting guess: 
