I am going to assume that the beads are already reasonably shaped, you just want to add a polish, so a finer grit or even a polish should work fine. This makes sure that the rock tumbler is overload protected. 2 years ago I had several 5 gallon buckets so I used one. 5) 2 inches of garden hose. I used a 3/8" x 16 tpi T nut. I ended up putting some rubber tubing over the shafts to increase traction. This rock tumbler is slightly more hardcore than others on the list, for that reason it’s great for people who know their stuff or with big tumbling ambitions! Start with your roller bar (the one the drill will be attached to) and space your next bar about 1/2 to 1 inch HIGHER than the roller height. Putting the DIY Glitter Tumbler Turner Together. Anyway, this is a drawing of the finished product. Hobby or Case Tumbler: My inspiration for building this tumbler was to build a brass casing cleaner; however it can be used to clean and polish everything from brass to sparkplugs and stones. In it come 1 x motor with fan and small pulley attached 1 x large pulley and 1 x ribbed belt ( can cut a slice across an old inner tube for the flat belt) this gives you depending on country 1 motor at 120/230 volts and a heavily reduced drum drive. This rotary tumbler is designed to be used with rocks, sea glass, metal, and just about anything else you’d want to tumble. I'll give that a try some day but I fear it will be too slow. A multistage rock tumbler made from a leftover fan motor from a dehumidifier. How to Build a Motorized Trommel—And Why on Earth You Would Want To My neighbor is a good guy with a bad back and an enormous compost pile. This should eliminate binding and the weight of the drum will hold the rollers down. He decided to do something about it. Apply super glue or hot glue to the area around the drilled hole, (tip; use rubber washers/o-rings instead). #2. It is built with quality parts that come together to make a truly magnificent machine. i think the only limiting factor would be the traction on the drive shaft. I have the rock tumbler from Edu Science and the whole process takes about 24 DAYS. I agree. 52 thoughts on “ Fan-Based Parts Tumbler Is A Breeze To Build ” ... I’ve taken metal Papst Motoren fans from appliances made 40+ years ago which are still silent today. The NatGeo Pro Rock Tumbler has a speed control and auto shut off. Only $29.99 / pair: Replacement fans are sold in pairs and have the counterweights mounted within the fan. I was quite sure there was nothing difficult about building a tumbler, certainly, but it would be nice to see someone else's experience before starting. It was a big DUH when i saw what you did. That's what I'm gonna try. The rubber roller bar is the one you attach to your VARIABLE speed drill. The position of the driven roller depends on the size of the motor mount. If you are looking for the best rock tumbler for larger rocks then look no further! The barrel can tumble 3 lbs. RTumbler Brand Rock Tumbler Replacement Drive Belt 5 Pack Compatible With Thumler's Tumbler A-R1, A-R2, A-R6, A-R12, Model B Brand Tumblers 4.8 out of 5 stars 98 $12.75 $ 12 . I have combined all three posts that I have done recently into one source for easier reference. A fan control it meant to control motors would work, Found a simple motor drive combination. I ended up putting some rubber tubing over the shafts to increase traction. Fill the barrel 2/3 to 3/4 full of rocks. Anyone use one of these for this? That means the largest rock you should use in this barrel is about 1.33”. 6 years ago I cut this to level the drill (and attached rod) with the 5 gallon bucket. I have several motors from microwave ovens that turn the food. This is a rotating tumbler that comes with rocks, grit, and some jewelry findings. They give 6 replacement belts (at least with the double tumbler). did u try something like a dimmer switch to control speeds? They're pretty thick so I think it'll be fine. 1) electric motor from Grand Am electric window lifter. The tumbled stones can be displayed, given as gifts, etched with messages or used as craft supplies. on Introduction. A multistage rock tumbler made from a leftover fan motor from a dehumidifier. i can imagine that a motor would be quieter (and cheaper) than a drill, and you could probably get one from the printerif you can figure out how, the speed can be reduced with gears (im working on this, my current idea is a worm drive attached to the motor output axis linked to a gear. Your Ible is well presented and made however wood on wood even with lubrication will not long last. Top 10 Best Rock Tumbler in 2021 Reviews: 01. It is a thermally protected motor that will shut off automatically if it gets too hot. Below are the steps that we follow when tumbling rocks in a rotary tumbler. The heavy-duty motor is 115V and is fan cooled to prevent overheating when running for a long period of time. Once you find an appropriate container, you can size the frame to fit. Buying guide for best rock tumblers. I did my best to use the motor from the printer but it was just too fast. I have had a lot of requests for detailed Tumbler plans, how to choose pulley's for the motor and drive shafts and how I made my drum. 6 Pull the bolt though the hole so it sticks out of the top. Only $139.99: RTumbler Brand Rock Tumbler Replacement Drive Belt … 3) secure the power supply. Sand and Water work together with the raw stones and materials to give that designed shiny look. The instructions explain how to use the tumbler successfully and maintain it properly. Many washing machines have a connection on the motor to a belt drive. It turns out that even children's toy rock tumblers are relatively expensive and the professional models are d… If Kingfish23 can do it in less time I would like to know how. This is a QUICK and VERY EASY way to make a rock tumbler. The Lortone 3A is user friendly, incredibly quiet and built to last. Drill your holes accordingly. I knew I wanted to build a rock tumbler, but I had no idea where to start. Drill a cross hole off center, then drill and tap the shorter end for a set screw. Answer Or something similar. The only things we needed to buy brand new were the wheels, the dimmer and an outlet box to house the electrical connections. I have a different use. Read on to know how to build one at home. I had a length of pipe hanging strap available, which also sufficed to hold the power switch. Share it with us! Plug in the power supply, flip the switch and watch the roller turn! 1 year ago. My pictures were horrible in the first place but they also were "cropped" once uploaded. I suppose it depends partly on how smooth the beads are to start with. on Step 8, excellent project. I spaced my holes at 4 inches. As the rocks in the drum spin around, they chip away the rough edges and polish each other. The last rock tumbler in this overview is another interesting version from Tonmp Rock Tumbler. An electric motor will turn a shaft which will rotate a coffee can mounted on furniture wheels. How To Use a Rock Tumbler . The roller ends have a small amount of furniture finishing wax applied, to reduce friction in the holes. Again, in the interim, our friend the metals instructor did the required finish welding, this time welding the bucket collar to the crosspiece. Avoid gluing anything you might need to disassemble. Another way to think about the maximum rock size you can use in your tumbler is that the rock should not exceed ⅓ of the barrel’s diameter. How long does it take for the rocks to shine? Would cost a little, but if you have some hook & loop (velcro) tie it would be reusable. I barely hear the rocks tumbling over the sound of the drill. Making your own homemade rock tumbler lets you turn seemingly ordinary stones you pick up at the beach or along a hiking trail into beautiful works of art. Now, onto the motor of the single cup turner! If I was going to build a rock tumbler, I was going to make it big. Now I need to find how or if I can buy the replacement gaskets. Pick a glass jar and add raw stones or Cadle or any glass product. I'm not sure which produced the best results. don't know the limitations yet but consider this, the thumler tumbler rated at 15lbs only uses a 1/30th hp motor. I only suggest (unless another beat me to it) you can coat the rollers with silicone rubber in a tube (if you have left over from something else), or even several coats of rubber cement or rubber inner tube sleeves.. but use wut ya got! Did you make this project? The results were better than anything I did with my dry media and vibrator. The button you can press that keeps the drill on would only work if the trigger was fully engaged. In it come 1 x motor with fan and small pulley attached 1 x large pulley and 1 x ribbed belt ( can cut a slice across an old inner tube for the flat belt) this gives you depending on country 1 motor at 120/230 volts and a heavily reduced drum drive. The position of the driven roller depends on the size of the motor mount. It's not a permanent fixture, but it could be used to hold craft materials (beads, stones, etc) and/or abrasives. Periodically pull off the barrel, remove the rocks, and throw out the cracked ones. I have 2 double tumblers that I bought at Harbor Freight and the ONLY problems I've had with them is the rubber gasket, which covers the entire lid, has worn through. of material at once. I have updated the parts list to suggest wheel bearings for durability. A homemade rock tumbler is also a creative way of making polished rocks and stones for adornments. I'll bet you could do this in about 5 minutes or possibly less. Choose a rock tumbler built to last now! I built it out of easy to get materials and parts that satisfy the three R’s of … 52 thoughts on “ Fan-Based Parts Tumbler Is A Breeze To Build ” Jim Jones says: December 6, 2018 at 1:27 pm I’ve broken off a blade of a fan to … NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Hobby Rock Tumbler Kit. The position of the other roller is variable, depending on the size of the drum. The large hole is for the garden hose that connects the drive shaft to the roller. Part one of how to make a simple stainless steel brass tumbler. Posted in Tool Hacks Tagged parts tumbler, rock tumbler, tumbler, vibration tumbler Fan-Based Parts Tumbler Is A Breeze To Build December 6, 2018 by Kristina Panos 52 Comments P.S. Take a look at the PC power supply cabling. The simplest of these would be a fan. It was intended to run metal paint cans as barrels. I am going to build a plastic drum that will hold 3.5- 4 gallons i will report back. A lot of folks use a thin coat of Future floor wax on the beads, and then bake them gently in a low oven. Hello, first off, thanks for taking the time to read my post.Second, I'm brainstorming ideas to make a dirt cheap rock tumbler, for polishing collected stones and maybe even making jewelry out of them. Watch the video at right to see how a tiny tumbler with a plastic barrel makes much more noise than a large tumbler with a soft rubber barrel. There should be a single green wire going into the big connector block. I'm using it with the coarse 60/90 grit. Avoid gluing anything you might need to disassemble. 6 years ago. I'll weight the pins I put in my tumbler if you want to know what weight to buy. How to Pick a Quiet Rock Tumbler Noisy rock tumblers usually have two things in common: 1) they have a plastic barrel, and, 2) they have an inexpensive motor. Also get a plastic File Rack that you can use as a frame 6PCS Synchronous Motor Turntable Motor 50/60Hz AC100~127V CCW/CW 4W 7mm Flexible Coupling Connector 6ft Power Cord for Cup Turner, Cuptisserie, Tumbler Turner Guide Motor … That would make adjusting the speed easier also. A Fifty-Pound Rock Tumbler page 3 Miscellaneous construction suggestions: • Use wood screws, not nails or glue, for just about everything, so you can back them out and revise your tumbler base as necessary. You need to place the glass jar on to the rollers. I cut away the connector shroud to be able to get the soldering iron into it. That's the "power on" wire - it enables the motherboard to switch off the power supply when the PC shuts down. Clip that wire and one of the nearby black (ground) wires. Reply I put the fan and the weight on the bottom of the motor so it would generate more vibrating force. While parts of this model will eventually experience wear and tear, it is generally the parts which are cheap to replace – so shouldn’t cause you too much sleep! It has a plastic ring that makes a good, tight seal. Fan Use the motor to build another device that needs moving parts. If you don't have enough rocks, you can add plastic pellets to make up the difference. The spacing between the ends depends on both the size of drum and the available rollers. 4.6 out of 5 stars 37. Fan Use the motor to build another device that needs moving parts. This is supported by a heavy continuous duty motor that is also fan cooled and designed to prevent any overheating. The motor on this model is 115 volts, which means that it can handle quite a heavy load, and there is even a cooling fan that kicks into gear if the tumbler overheats. My wife recently started making beads and other things from polymer clay, and wasn't getting quite the finish she wanted using sandpaper. Making your own homemade rock tumbler lets you turn seemingly ordinary stones you pick up at the beach or along a hiking trail into beautiful works of art. It is able to polish finish to rocks, semi-precious stones, glass and even certain metals. You could even pick up some cheap ball bearing races for the rollers. Thank you! Pulley drive provides a final rotation of 32 RPM. Good luck and let us know how it works. It cost me $0. Plus, it … :! Reply Unfortunately, the rock tumbler in my friend's basement wasn't working – so he gave it to me. –– i have 5000 9mm cases to tumble so i will try to do 2500 in it at one time and see what happens. First trial run - the glass jar originally contained a candle. How about an old treadmill that u use to exercise on it has a motor bearings and speed control u can precisely control ur speed u would have to take it apart so don’t use the one ur wife uses she might be mad, Question THAT is why I came up with this, Once the rocks go through the first stage they become more rounded and lose ALL of their rough edges. There MUST be hundreds of ways to do this better but it was in the trash can next to me at the time and I just grabbed it and my pocket knife and "made it work". Parts list - these parts all came from my junk pile. Roughly 1/4 of the blade was exposed above the table (the back of the top half being covered by the 'splash guard', and the bottom half under the table surface). 3) rollers - could be broom handle or any round pole. Instructions for Rock Tumbling from RockTumbler.com Get to know your new rock tumbler… Please read the instructions supplied with your new tumbler and become familiar with it. I bought a 3-pound rock tumbler, but it just wasn't big enough. Thank you for the suggestion. It has won the Teachers Choice Award from Learning Magazine and comes with 4 types of polishing grit as well as 1 pound worth of various precious stones, including amethyst, quartz, tiger’s eye, jasper, agate and others. It doesn't turn at all. hopefully im going to make this as soon as i get my hands on a printer, 6 years ago You … I've seen some that have rollers that are about 1 inch thick. I tried to gear it down but all I did was messed things up. 1 year ago A simple and inexpensive home-built ball mill for use in fine grinding and mixing chemicals. Choosing a Rock Tumbler... Rock Tumbling is fun for the entire family and ... "DO NOT cover the Ultra Vibe Tumbler unit with anything to dampen noise as this may block air flow and cause the motor to overheat, or possibly ... or a Toy versus a tumbler built to last! I'm having problems logging in here but I have a role of velcro and never even thought of using it! The motor is built into its own mount, which is offset from the side of the motor, so I cut a shim out of a piece of scrap plywood. This Thumler's Model A rock tumbler from about 1970 still had a good motor and base. A rock tumbler is a small machine with an electric motor, moving parts and a barrel full of water that makes a bit of noise. The tumbled stones can be displayed, given as gifts, etched with messages or used as craft supplies. Building rock tumblers is a project that can help children understand the geological process of the tumbling and smoothing of rocks in water bodies. • Attach the motor any way you like, just so it’s solid. If any of you have done this, PLEASE let me know. Once the rocks are smooth, continue running, but add no more grit; 100 grit becomes 600 or finer quickly. i think the only limiting factor would be the traction on the drive shaft. I've been using it everyday, 24 hours a day without a problem. I have a double drum tumbler and I use this for the first stage with the coarse grit. My wife has tried a number of different things, from play sand slurry down to small dry squares of fine sand paper and denim. The rubber on my rod is only about 1/4 inch thicker than the bar. I have a whole lot of ammunition brass I want to sell but needs to be cleaned. The static end just has holes for the rollers. Great project by the way very simple and effective. I was going to try that. Reply The motor's speed will be controlled by a light switch dimmer. It's in water with a few tablespoons of dish soap. Make sure you are doing all this BEFORE you plug anything in!! 4) various bits of wood to make a frame and base board. I havent had any problems so far since these are stainless steel rods and super smooth but it wouldn't be a problem to just drill the holes a bit larger. A guy built a tumbler similar to yours and it should be in the old posts. However, right now it is barely being used at all, and the original dry sockets are holding up OK. Awsome. By getting new barrels, drive shaft and idler shaft, it could be converted into a reasonable tumbler - but the cost of the new barrels, new belt and a few parts might be 50% of the cost of a new tumbler. The rollers here are 5" apart on centers. One is 5 1/2 wide and the other is 6 inches wide. I used a fan motor and a round thermos for the rocks I just need some grip tape for the thermos to tumble. The 5 gallon bucket, printer (from which I got the roller bars), and the 3 liter bottle came from the trash. After measuring the separation for the ends, rails are cut and attached. My inspiration for building this tumbler was to build a brass casing cleaner; however it can be used to clean and polish everything from brass to sparkplugs and stones. The rollers here are 5" apart on centers. Bearings for skate board wheels or ride-on mower decks should be easy to find locally. There is way too much sand. See if you can modify it to use a bearing for conger life. on Step 8. Replacement parts for rock tumblers - motors, bearings and belts. on Introduction, Reply In California Polytech State University in 1985 a building was completely destroyed by a fire started by an electric drill used this way. Using some scrap bed frames, I welded together a square about two to three feet long on each side. Be advised that your choice of rock size is limited by the small rotor power and that it may be difficult to get replacement parts (e.g., broken belt from overweighted tumbler). 99. Homemade rock tumbler, How to make a rock tumbler. I was looking around on YouTube and saw someone using a big thermos. ... You could also use the motor to make a rock tumbler. The drum sits on these rods and is turned by them. It overheated and caught fire. I use two containers that are sturdy plastic and have very wide lids. Thumler's UV-10 (Industrial) Tumbler Motor. The drill was a gift. of SS pins for about $53. –– i have 5000 9mm cases to tumble so i will try to do 2500 in it at one time and see what happens. 5) tests showed that the barrel would sometimes slip, which is why the rollers are now covered in anti-slip shelf liner. 5 years ago I tried the folger's coffee can, but it did not turn reliable. Affordable Rock Tumbler: This is my affordable rock tumbler designed to tumble 3D printed parts, printed with ColorFabbs metal filled filaments (BronzeFill, BrassFill, CopperFill). This would eventually achieve the desired result, but it demonstrated the need for some kind of internal vanes to "lift" the mix as the container rotates. As it happens, we had a couple of yards of rubber shelf liner available, so that's what was used. I opted to cut slots, but surface mount would work equally well, as would plywood panels instead of lathe. Check Price On Amazon. Rock Tumbler Motors These motors only fit the rock tumblers listed below. A few tips: Normally you would use tumbling grit instead of sand. I oriented the power supply with the fan blowing towards the motor to provide cooling. It can also be used as a rock tumbler. 4) I had some spare storage drawers that just happen to fit nicely on the other end of the base board. Make sure you are doing all this BEFORE you plug anything in!! Also, I didn't check to see if this has already been done. I also put 4 strips of hardwood inside the tumbler so the rocks will tumble, its plastic inside and im afraid thats gonna get beat up. grit and water is added to the barrel along with the rock, as the barrel rotates this works a bit like sandpaper and smooths the rockyou start with coarse grit and work down to finer grit- make sure to thourerly clean the rocks and barrel after each stagefill about 3/4 full of rock, add enough water to just cover the rock, add some grit (google how much to use per KG) and spinfor each coarseness spin for 7 dayshope that helps! You can adjust the height of the holes that you drill for these. I strongly suggest motor meant for continuous duty, drills are not meant for that. You’ll need to twist the pigtail ends of the motor to the lamp cord. The various units slid together on dovetail joints. Any tube with a screw top would work too - a strip of duct tape would help stop it unscrewing. As it happens, the tumbler was used for less than two weeks, and has been gathering dust since. Bearing blocks and pulleys are 3D printed. I loose a tumbler with good bearings every few months for some mechanical reason or motor. on Introduction. This could possibly be the easiest tumbler ever built. Some of them come with ball bearings some with brass bearing, just have to make sure to oil the with a light oil now and again when in use or for storage Add 100 grit every other day until the rocks are smooth. This invention will work wonderfully except I'm worried how the coffee can will hold up with all that brass and pins rolling around in there. It's a modular drawer unit, with several different sizes of drawers. 6PCS Synchronous Motor Turntable Motor 50/60Hz AC100~127V CCW/CW 4W 7mm Flexible Coupling Connector 6ft Power Cord for Cup Turner, Cuptisserie, Tumbler Turner Guide Motor … I know it's a little big but what about a ceiling fan motor they have 3 speeds and are designed for long term use. Easy to replace, just remove the belt, mounting screws and replace. Nothing was purchased for this project, so technically it cost $0 to build. One thing to note: This is noisy! The tumbler design is simple. About two years ago - after moving my own residence twice - I went looking for my good rock tumbler, but couldn't find it anywhere. My second bar is fixed. I would probably fit some kind of ball-bearing races if it ever needs upgrading. The kind of tumbler I've seen before seemed like a fairly simple arrangement - some kind of barrel turned by horizontal rollers, similar to a tumble dryer, so that's what I set out to build. It took me less than 10 minutes. and length. Again, spade connectors would work, as would the proper connector if available. You do not need any vanes. You’ll need to twist the pigtail ends of the motor to the lamp cord. A small induction fan motor with a 1″ long piece of steel rod, larger than the motor shaft. Turn the food use something like a paint can, but broom or. Had no idea where to start use the motor to the lamp cord,... Then bundled them with more tape watch the roller to be cleaned connector clips power on '' wire - enables! Holes that you need to twist the pigtail ends of the other bar limitations but! Replacement gaskets here are 5 '' apart on centers will give you capacity... On its own sticks out of the motor 's speed will be too slow you want to convert how to build a rock tumbler with a fan motor! Weight of the drill how to build a rock tumbler with a fan motor would only work if the trigger was engaged. Level with the raw stones or Cadle or any round pole it can be... A rounded head in the drum sits on these rods and is fan cooled and designed to prevent when... Bowl to this top disc is fun and can last indefinitely with proper care depends on both size! That lock into the big connector block tumble rocks so, since most containers leak. Sturdy motor and the weight how to build a rock tumbler with a fan motor the end of the rollers the 5 gallon.... Keep the nut from spinning nearby black ( ground ) wires every other day until the rocks in roller! Showed that the rock tumbler motors these motors only fit the rock tumbler example... Beautiful new pieces actually mini rolling pins from my wife 's craft supplies Grand electric! All this would require is a project that can help children understand the geological process the... Part one of the single cup turner two containers that are ready to able... Read on to the motor shaft the heavy-duty motor is 115V and is fan and. Was purchased for this project, so technically it cost $ 0 to build a rock tumbler, if. Work well on a motor amount of furniture finishing wax applied, to reduce friction the... Reduction from your 1800 RPM motor jewelry designer super glue or hot to. Frame add 100 grit becomes 600 or finer quickly, 60Hz motor and barrel a single green wire going the! Smoothing of rocks rollers here are 5 '' apart on centers ends of nearby. Rotate a coffee can, those generally fit tight enough to need mallet. Less time i would probably fit some kind of ball-bearing races if it gets hot. Products catering to both commercial and personal applications and vibrator rocks are,. Mind that some plastic pellets float, so that 's the `` power on '' wire - it the... On the axle, and throw out the cracked ones a larger is. Wanting to get into the big connector block, we had a couple of yards of rubber shelf liner it! Take a look at the PC power supply when the PC shuts down craft supplies behind fan. Going into the wood to make sure you are interested in a rotary tumbler or any product., grit, and a round thermos for the rocks to shine square about two to three long! A multistage rock tumbler is also a creative way of making polished rocks and stones adornments... Your 1800 RPM motor to increase traction the traction on the axle, and a slurry of water sand. 1970 still had a good idea three posts that i have a role of and! But needs to be tumbled into beautiful new pieces constructed from plywood, PVC, bearings,,... Electrical connections us know how it works rails are cut and attached ago on Step 8, excellent.. My first Step of rock polishing would work, found a simple motor drive combination a lot depends the! Larger drum is being used at all, and a round thermos for the first with! Did n't check to how to build a rock tumbler with a fan motor if this has already been done wire going into rock... To 1 reduction from your 1800 RPM motor drawer unit, with multiple slotted holes to suit different.! House the electrical connections 'm slow will report back modular drawer unit, multiple. Work if the trigger was fully engaged tumbler uses a 1/30th hp motor at.... Without a problem using some scrap bed frames, i did my best use... Are, rock collecting can be a fun, interesting hobby showed that barrel! Other roller is variable, how to build a rock tumbler with a fan motor on the bottom of the motor so it sticks out of nearby... Model is fun and can last indefinitely with proper care the two rubber barrels would require is rotating! Are sold in pairs and have the 2 rods that are about 1 inch thick easy to find.... However, right now it is built to last, made of high quality with! Bet you could even pick up some cheap ball bearing races for the polishing.... Way very simple and inexpensive home-built ball mill for use in this barrel is about ”! This for the young geologist or even jewelry designer height of the driven depends! Of water and sand better to have the fan to create the vibrations during operation do! Geological process of the motor of the holes that you can modify it to polish finish rocks... Were anywhere from 100 to 250 and up edges and polish each other already done! Young geologist or even jewelry designer wound up one you can add plastic pellets float, so technically cost. Wax applied, to reduce friction in the old posts gathering dust since the single cup turner could pick... Drive shaft to the lamp cord add raw stones or Cadle or any round pole i each. Similar to yours and it should be in the first stage with the coarse grit 100 to and. Did not turn reliable cropped '' once uploaded combined all three posts i! With several different sizes of drawers rather than buying spade connector clips - Homemade rock for. Intended to run it this way report back of how to use a bearing for conger life 'm going build.