docharber
has rocks in the head
Member since October 2008
Posts: 716
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Post by docharber on Aug 30, 2021 16:21:59 GMT -5
I have three ailing rotary tumblers that need Lortone parts and I can't find anyone with them in stock. A friend who can't get parts for his Diamond pacific saw3 and a new one he waited 15 months for arrived defective. Does anybody have any idea when this parts/ equipment shortage might be relieved? What are you hearing?
Mark H.
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Post by HankRocks on Aug 30, 2021 16:32:02 GMT -5
I believe in general, there is a hold-up with a good bit of imports of all types. Don't try an buy a new vehicle at the moment, the new car lots are only have about 30% or their normal capacity and prices are outrageous.
It would be nice if these shortages were serving as a lesson that having so much stuff built overseas is a really bad thing, but I doubt the lesson will change anything.
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JR8675309
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since August 2019
Posts: 807
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Post by JR8675309 on Aug 30, 2021 17:13:06 GMT -5
Minnesota Lapidary had some parts in that I needed for my QT 66 and my UV-10. Might call or email. Online ordering isn't supported.
Maybe someone here has extras they'd sell you. Good luck.
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rewdownunder
spending too much on rocks
Member since March 2012
Posts: 357
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Post by rewdownunder on Aug 30, 2021 22:00:08 GMT -5
Just read on the news 42 cargo ships are waiting outside Long Beach CA harbor in line to be unloaded. Also just got an email from friends in Australia trying to ship a container of minerals to Tucson for 2022 and were told a price 5 times prior years rates. The were told the ship would get there but to expect major delays in unloading and transfer from CA to Tucson. Do not hold your breath for anything from overseas. That said the last order of disks for a flat lap came from China in 6 days via air mail.
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Post by fernwood on Aug 30, 2021 23:02:35 GMT -5
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quartz
Cave Dweller
breakin' rocks in the hot sun
Member since February 2010
Posts: 3,352
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Post by quartz on Aug 31, 2021 0:27:02 GMT -5
Some pictures and/or descriptions of the parts you need may be helpful in finding some from people here on the forum. Lots of people here have come up with good workarounds.
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docharber
has rocks in the head
Member since October 2008
Posts: 716
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Post by docharber on Sept 6, 2021 14:15:35 GMT -5
i appreciate the responses. I have been able to replace tumbler motors without problems off Amazon or eBay with near equivalents. They just have to be of similar wattage and be continuous duty rated. The barrels and bearings and rollers are a lot more difficult to substitute. I discovered the cheap Chicago Electric tumblers from Harbor Freight actually have fairly robust frames but crappy motors and barrels. Lortone is really proud of their barrels, but what can you do? Apparently,the Chinese don't seem to know how to make durable rubber goods which perhaps explains their population problem??? I will check out Minnesota Lapidary. Kinsley North and Johnson Brothers don't have anything in stock and so I'm down to a Lortone 3B with a homemade barrel, a Raytech TV5, and a QT 12 that has to be slightly tilted to prevent binding. The rollers are shot. i think I might be ble to recover the rods with vinyl tubing and I might find bearings from an online source. I discovered that ball bearings don't hold up at all in the presence of grit and dust even if they are "sealed" bearings. I made a homemade tumbler with them and aluminum rollers that didn't get through one cycle before the bearings locked up. Anyway i guess I just have to wait it out. Thanks, folks!
Mark H.
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quartz
Cave Dweller
breakin' rocks in the hot sun
Member since February 2010
Posts: 3,352
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Post by quartz on Sept 6, 2021 22:23:58 GMT -5
docharber, are you using sealed as in rubber sealed bearings or shielded as in metal shields covering the balls? I've used sealed bearings for years on a variety of homemaders and have had one failure on a Chineso pillow block.
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sticki
off to a rocking start
Ready to upgrade
Member since September 2021
Posts: 3
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Post by sticki on Sept 19, 2021 18:08:56 GMT -5
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vwfence
has rocks in the head
Member since January 2013
Posts: 564
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Post by vwfence on Sept 20, 2021 10:11:25 GMT -5
Try Kingsley North
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,711
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Post by Fossilman on Sept 20, 2021 14:23:44 GMT -5
Trying to rebuild a few of my Lortone tumblers and some of the parts are on back order. That's going on with every major lapidary company... The Rock Shed, Kigsley North and etc... Just have to wait it out..
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Post by knave on Sept 20, 2021 14:42:21 GMT -5
Lol durable rubber goods casusing a population problem.
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