On Mon, 30 Sep 2013 05:56:44 -0700, SteveB
wrote:

I want to make a parts tumbler, either a 55 gal size, or 5 gal. bucket
to clean and polish some parts. Anyone ever make one? What kind of
sand do you use? Tips?

Steve

Ive made several. Now the big question...is what is the delicacy of
the parts...and why are you using sand?


"The socialist movement takes great pains to circulate frequently new labels for its ideally constructed state.
Each worn-out label is replaced by another which raises hopes of an ultimate solution of the insoluble basic
problem of Socialism, until it becomes obvious that nothing has been changed but the name.
The most recent slogan is "State Capitalism."[Fascism] It is not commonly realized that this covers nothing more
than what used to be called Planned Economy and State Socialism, and that State Capitalism, Planned Economy,
and State Socialism diverge only in non-essentials from the "classic" ideal of egalitarian Socialism. - Ludwig von Mises (1922)

I want to make a parts tumbler, either a 55 gal size, or 5 gal. bucket
to clean and polish some parts. Anyone ever make one? What kind of
sand do you use? Tips?

Steve

On Monday, September 30, 2013 8:56:44 AM UTC-4, SteveB wrote:
I want to make a parts tumbler, either a 55 gal size, or 5 gal. bucket

to clean and polish some parts. Anyone ever make one? What kind of

sand do you use? Tips?



Steve

Hi,

For mass finishing a vibratory bowl tumbler works well.

You could buy the plastic bowl and build the rest I suppose. The drive is just an off-center weight on a motor shaft. The bowl's shape rolls the media/parts mix with the vibrations. Takes an hour or three for results.

You use a ceramic, or plastic, abrasive shape, or steel media, or sometimes corncob with polishing compound, but not just sand, in my experience. You can buy media at places like MSC or McMaster.

Ceramic shapes for de-burring works pretty good. Leaves a matt finish and rounds sharp edges nicely.
Plastic media is for delicate/small parts.

A high polish is a little harder to get, but steel balls can work some parts well enough. There is a corn cob DryShine media that works okay on brass.

This is usually a wet process. The media and parts will be muddy if you don't keep them bathed in a detergent-laced quantity of fresh water, A flow-thru, or recirculating, flushing system during operation is a desirable feature.

With a 55-gal drum set-up, fishing out those smallish parts might take awhile ;-).

G'luck,

--
PaulS

I can sell you a very nice gearmotor with a 110v controller, to go
fast and slow. Just plug it into your 110v.

i

On 2013-09-29, Gunner Asch wrote:
On Mon, 30 Sep 2013 05:56:44 -0700, SteveB
wrote:

I want to make a parts tumbler, either a 55 gal size, or 5 gal. bucket
to clean and polish some parts. Anyone ever make one? What kind of
sand do you use? Tips?

Steve

Ive made several. Now the big question...is what is the delicacy of
the parts...and why are you using sand?


"The socialist movement takes great pains to circulate frequently new labels for its ideally constructed state.
Each worn-out label is replaced by another which raises hopes of an ultimate solution of the insoluble basic
problem of Socialism, until it becomes obvious that nothing has been changed but the name.
The most recent slogan is "State Capitalism."[Fascism] It is not commonly realized that this covers nothing more
than what used to be called Planned Economy and State Socialism, and that State Capitalism, Planned Economy,
and State Socialism diverge only in non-essentials from the "classic" ideal of egalitarian Socialism. - Ludwig von Mises (1922)

http://www.royson.com/ is a good company to talk to. They sell tumblers,
media, and chemicals, and their applications guys don't care if you are
using their equipment or not and are very helpful when it comes to selecting
media composition and shape, and the right chemicals to go with them (very
important if you want the brightest, shiniest surface finish, not important
beyond "keep it wet and put in a dash of soap" if you just want to knock off
sharp edges). We have a couple of small Royson tumblers at work and run the
snot out of them deburring stuff from the machine and sheet metal shops.
Yes, lots of other places sell supplies but we are very happy with Royson.
They have helped us a few times over the years with special media needs, and
their advice was spot-on.

-----
Regards,
Carl Ijames
"PCS" wrote in message
...

On Monday, September 30, 2013 8:56:44 AM UTC-4, SteveB wrote:
I want to make a parts tumbler, either a 55 gal size, or 5 gal. bucket

to clean and polish some parts. Anyone ever make one? What kind of

sand do you use? Tips?



Steve

Hi,

For mass finishing a vibratory bowl tumbler works well.

You could buy the plastic bowl and build the rest I suppose. The drive is
just an off-center weight on a motor shaft. The bowl's shape rolls the
media/parts mix with the vibrations. Takes an hour or three for results.

You use a ceramic, or plastic, abrasive shape, or steel media, or sometimes
corncob with polishing compound, but not just sand, in my experience. You
can buy media at places like MSC or McMaster.

Ceramic shapes for de-burring works pretty good. Leaves a matt finish and
rounds sharp edges nicely.
Plastic media is for delicate/small parts.

A high polish is a little harder to get, but steel balls can work some parts
well enough. There is a corn cob DryShine media that works okay on brass.

This is usually a wet process. The media and parts will be muddy if you
don't keep them bathed in a detergent-laced quantity of fresh water, A
flow-thru, or recirculating, flushing system during operation is a desirable
feature.

With a 55-gal drum set-up, fishing out those smallish parts might take
awhile ;-).

G'luck,

--
PaulS

On Monday, September 30, 2013 8:56:44 AM UTC-4, SteveB wrote:
I want to make a parts tumbler, either a 55 gal size, or 5 gal. bucket

to clean and polish some parts. Anyone ever make one? What kind of

sand do you use? Tips?



Steve

I have started to build a vibratory tumbler. From what I have read, the drum tumblers are better for deburring and eliminating sharp edges and the vibratory ones are better for polishing parts.

I bought some crusded walnut shells from Harbor Freight. They had the best price if one uses a 20% off coupon, but then read something about buying media at pet stores. Walmart has one of the best prices for ground corn cobs.. I expect both the walnut shells and the ground corn cobs work better with a bit of something added. I plan on trying Bon Ami.

I am planning no something like the tumbler described in

http://www.jurai.net/~winter/tumbler/tumbler.html

Instead of using a threaded rod thru the bowl, I am planning on four threaded rods around the bowl.

Going to try using a fan motor from a scrap microwave oven with an eccentric weight.

Dan

" fired this volley in news:13f71ad2-
:

I want to make a parts tumbler, either a 55 gal size, or 5 gal. bucket

to clean and polish some parts. Anyone ever make one? What kind of

sand do you use? Tips?


A ball mill, turned slowly, makes a perfect parts tumbler.
Here are plans, theory, construction drawings, etc...

http://www.fireworksnews.com/Item/M2

Lloyd
G

"Lloyd E. Sponenburgh" lloydspinsidemindspring.com wrote in message . 3.70...
" fired this volley in news:13f71ad2-
:

I want to make a parts tumbler, either a 55 gal size, or 5 gal. bucket

to clean and polish some parts. Anyone ever make one? What kind of

sand do you use? Tips?


A ball mill, turned slowly, makes a perfect parts tumbler.
Here are plans, theory, construction drawings, etc...

http://www.fireworksnews.com/Item/M2


As a point of refrence, mine is 3/4 hp 1750 rpm motor and the 50 lb media load ( 3cubic feet) commutes at an amplitude of about .030 in

On Monday, September 30, 2013 9:58:06 PM UTC-4, PrecisionmachinisT wrote:



As a point of refrence, mine is 3/4 hp 1750 rpm motor and the 50 lb media load ( 3cubic feet) commutes at an amplitude of about .030 in

Is the axis of the motor vertical or somewhat off vertical? And is the shaft with the eccentric weight as far away from the bowl as reasonably possible?

Dan

wrote in message
...
On Monday, September 30, 2013 9:58:06 PM UTC-4, PrecisionmachinisT wrote:



As a point of refrence, mine is 3/4 hp 1750 rpm motor and the 50 lb media
load ( 3cubic feet) commutes at an amplitude of about .030 in

Is the axis of the motor vertical or somewhat off vertical? And is the
shaft with the eccentric weight as far away from the bowl as reasonably
possible?



Mine is the rectangular tub wet-type, Dan.

http://www.candmtopline.com/finishing_tanks.html#300

I use it mostly to clean and remove minor burrs from band sawing 6061
aluminum rectangular bars to length, and also it provides a uniform matte
surface that enhances product overall appearance before anodizing.

I also have a medium sized rock tumbler that I can use with various media
such as silica sand or walnut if the need arises, but mostly I've used it in
the past to grind "meal" which I'd then mix with about 30% 4F which lowers
the cost per launch and also slows the burn rate which reduces mortar
pressure thus eliminating a failure mode I had been experiencing that is
oftentimes called "flower potting"

On Mon, 30 Sep 2013 05:56:44 -0700, SteveB
wrote:

I want to make a parts tumbler, either a 55 gal size, or 5 gal. bucket
to clean and polish some parts. Anyone ever make one? What kind of
sand do you use? Tips?

Steve
I have seen on sites that are aimed at rock polishing DIY 5 gallon
bucket trumblers. Google for lapidary and the like. Easy enough to
make. The bucket is canted at an angle while it rotates. The bucket
fits into a rotating ring that is welded to either a flat base or a
base made from flat bar or angle iron welded in a cross. Some had
adjustable angles. I even saw a cement mixer pressed into service. The
inside had been painted with some sort of thick rubber compound. They
parbably poured in bed liner and let it spin until set. You can buy 5
gallon cement mixing buckets that have vanes inside like a real cement
mixer. Bet that would work real good. They work good for applying dry
rub to sirloin tips.
Eric