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Post by Admin on May 13, 2021 8:57:08 GMT -7
@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: Best Rock Fill - 
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Post by Admin on May 13, 2021 8:58:51 GMT -7
From Walt - @manofglass - 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  @hankrocks @jamesp 6 inch HDPE barrels  or 8 inch HDPE barrels  |
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Post by Admin on May 13, 2021 9:12:54 GMT -7
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).    @jamesp |
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Post by Admin on May 13, 2021 9:25:38 GMT -7
"Covington is a great company, both their products and technical knowledge makes them so".Could not agree more......It was a sad day when they packed-up and left my neighborhood.......but I have since learned a hint why, their CNC 3D fabrication arm of the business (really the life blood of their operation) had expanded to various "firearms" equipment manufacturing that was not conducive to the California "small business" environment, for several reasons on a scale that basically forced them to relocate in order to function profitably. They took a hit relocating but have landed on their feet quite well now........! Shipping cost's are now the only aspect that we "lapidary" folks out here suffer with.........still, the product line quality and customer support is unsurpassed. |
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Post by Admin on May 13, 2021 9:30:46 GMT -7
"Covington is a great company, both their products and technical knowledge makes them so".Could not agree more......It was a sad day when they packed-up and left my neighborhood.......but I have since learned a hint why, their CNC 3D fabrication arm of the business (really the life blood of their operation) had expanded to various "firearms" equipment manufacturing that was not conducive to the California "small business" environment, for several reasons on a scale that basically forced them to relocate in order to function profitably. They took a hit relocating but have landed on their feet quite well now........! Shipping cost's are now the only aspect that we "lapidary" folks out here suffer with.........still, the product line quality and customer support is unsurpassed. It looks like they moved to Meridian Idaho @pizzano. No mention of the new product line at their Facebook site. Always liked talking to their tech staff regarding the adjustments of their 18 inch rock saw I purchased. It is a well engineered saw made with minimal components that do a great job. The slip clutch was bullet proof and only consisted of a few leather washers. If Idaho is their new home they should get a red carpet if dealing with firearms products. |
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Post by Admin on May 13, 2021 9:44:34 GMT -7
I have good luck with this type motor Dave. It is on the same page of the HD link you shared on this post. This one does not have a mount though. The 1/8 hp burns way less energy and the slower 710 rpm allows buying a 41%(710/1725 = .41) smaller main pulley saving yet more money. Much quieter operation at 710 rpm than a typical 1725 rpm motor. Can be run 30% faster(1000 rpm) for course grind, back down 30% slower for finish steps. 1/8 hp turns 40 pounds, I know, I have one just like it in this thread. Product Overview PMI's 1/8 HP, 120-Volt, 2-Speed evaporative cooler motor has such stringent performance requirements that it holds a strong 3 year warranty. It's built for reliable, long life performance and can be used for a new cooler or as a replacement motor for an existing unit. It has 2-speeds (1000 RPM and 710 RPM) which allow control for specific comfort levels. |
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Post by Admin on May 13, 2021 9:47:34 GMT -7
It looks like they moved to Meridian Idaho @pizzano . No mention of the new product line at their Facebook site. Always liked talking to their tech staff regarding the adjustments of their 18 inch rock saw I purchased. It is a well engineered saw made with minimal components that do a great job. The slip clutch was bullet proof and only consisted of a few leather washers. If Idaho is their new home they should get a red carpet if dealing with firearms products. Yep......that's the place, the FA stuff they were producing here, before they left, was custom production internals and frame devices. Have no idea whether metal of poly.....or if barrel's were being tuned......just know they were exploring and had a contract or two that had the potential to make very very good money (given, under less stringent legal oversight conditions and raw material State trade embarkment issues)..........this info comes from a couple of gunsmith's my son and I deal with, who also have knowledge of Covington's services........who knows, maybe they even have family in Idaho that made the culture transition easier........never asked that question.......I know they had initially explored Utah as a place of potential, where they do have connections. |
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Post by Admin on May 13, 2021 9:48:43 GMT -7
Wow, how did I miss this thread? Sure is fun seeing all the great ideas. I built a tumbler a few years back for a different purpose but decided to try it on rocks instead. Sitting in storage till I get a new shop built though. fwiw, just North of Meridian, Idaho is Lewiston which has been a mecca for ammunition manufacturing for a long time. Idaho is certainly friendly to that industry. Covington was wise to move there. |
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Post by Admin on May 14, 2021 17:43:17 GMT -7
@pizzano @rwa3006 Good to see a respectable solid small business like Covington score on a profitable path. On my, bringing gun powder into California would be a nightmare in itself, I hear claims of cancer already. Betting they will be a happy campers in Idaho, wish I were moving there with them. I never did understand why Covington's tumblers were not purchased more often by RTH members. They have a more industrial set up. Unfortunately rotary tumbling is hell on bearings and motors. If there were ever a time to spend a bit more on a heavy duty machine it would be a rock tumbler. Covington has a couple of logical design features that make big sense to me: #1 - Long shaft units. Long shafts allows multiple barrels using only one motor and 4 bearings. To avoid intermediate support bearings(that are total hell to get off the shafts if they need replacement) simply use thicker shafts to avoid deflection due to weight. And by the way, a 1/3hp 1725 rpm motor will handle 8 feet of shaft and 150 pounds for sure, probably 200 pounds of barrels. I know this as my tumbler has a total of 9 feet of shafts driven by a single 1/3 hp motor. They managed one belt from motor to drive both shafts. #2 - Easy open barrels. |
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Post by Admin on May 14, 2021 17:44:01 GMT -7
James, I think Covington's equipment is a little cost prohibitive as an initial "recreational" investment........but, if one gets serious and wants/needs to step-it-up, your right on about purchasing "industrial" quality machines like Covington's.......I'm sure the "average" RTH'er doesn't consider the longer term investment aspect due to the quantity of material they process and length of time they stay engaged in the hobby. I know that was a consideration when I jumped into it......ultimately now seldom ever rotary tumbling and just diamond wheel grinding and vibe tumbling those special field collected batches. I'd venture to say that < 1% of those who stick with this hobby, ever pursue it as a money making "return' on investment venture. It's a difficult and very time consuming hobby to turn to profit.......not one for the impatient aspiring entrepreneur with little to no physical, creative, technical application skills or those who do not like to get their hands dirty...........lol.........but, it's certainly a very satisfying craft once one acquires the proper tools and adopts a certain amount of discipline and determination to the process. Impressive assessment @pizzano  . Always well thought out and stated ! Yep, many of the RTH tumbling members are serious. Some tumble for decades. Most quit, agreed. Make money tumbling ? I don't think so. Or, "please tell me how" lol. For those that stick with it for the long haul a more rugged tumbled sure makes sense. I am surprised at how inexpensive a very rugged home built tumbler is. Buying components from Surplus Center and mounting them on a wood frame results in a real nice machine. |
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Post by Admin on May 14, 2021 17:45:31 GMT -7
James, I think Covington's equipment is a little cost prohibitive as an initial "recreational" investment........but, if one gets serious and wants/needs to step-it-up, your right on about purchasing "industrial" quality machines like Covington's.......I'm sure the "average" RTH'er doesn't consider the longer term investment aspect due to the quantity of material they process and length of time they stay engaged in the hobby. I know that was a consideration when I jumped into it......ultimately now seldom ever rotary tumbling and just diamond wheel grinding and vibe tumbling those special field collected batches. I'd venture to say that < 1% of those who stick with this hobby, ever pursue it as a money making "return' on investment venture. It's a difficult and very time consuming hobby to turn to profit.......not one for the impatient aspiring entrepreneur with little to no physical, creative, technical application skills or those who do not like to get their hands dirty...........lol.........but, it's certainly a very satisfying craft once one acquires the proper tools and adopts a certain amount of discipline and determination to the process. Yep, I'd say the logical and practical objective of many tumbler manufacturers is to make an economical tumbler that will simply last long enough for a typical enthusiast to put a few batches through it until they lose interest and then the tumbler will sit in a garage nook gathering dust for many years. Many of them probably have a partially done batch of rocks frozen in a cement matrix within the barrel. It's just human nature. There's something elegant about foregoing bearings and just using wood like Walt @manofglass does. I've seen old machinery that used oak and rosewood timber in place of bearings and it would surprise you how durable it is. |
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Post by Admin on May 15, 2021 7:14:16 GMT -7
Wood bearings are good enough for submarine and ocean liner propeller shafts ! Including nuclear subs and ice breakers.  See 'Lignun Vitae' wood, a tree that grows in the tropics. For the heaviest bearing loads. Roller/ball bearings don't like slow rotation. Wear increases greatly as speed drops. Faster rotation speeds allows the balls to float on grease reducing metal-to-metal contact. Wood bearings perform excellent for slow rotation speeds. @manofglass @rwa3006 |
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Post by Admin on May 15, 2021 7:17:49 GMT -7
Yes, indeed. Lignum vitae, rosewood, cocobolo and numerous others are not only very dense and durable, the wood has natural lubricity which aids the cause. I have some palo verde from Argentina that is incredibly tough and durable. The only problem with these woods in our context is they are not cost effective for our tumbler. I imagine in the eastern part of the USA a person could acquire some oak that would serve, but here in the Rocky Mountain area the best we could scrounge up would be Douglas fir. I've seen home made ranch equipment where doug fir was used on a homestead and the old timers bored a vertical hole where oil could be dripped into it to service the rod running through it. Regardless, it still might be more cost effective to buy bearings. |
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Post by Admin on May 15, 2021 23:21:35 GMT -7
My dad built this tumbler when I was a kid Out of white oak it has held up. I only have to oil it once a month. I started using it in 2009 and it’s still turning. Most people won’t take the time to build a tumbler like this. Takes a bit of time to free the rods by adding a pulley belt and strong motor run it add oil till it frees up then move to the next rod. The rods fit tight. The motor just turns and burns the wood just enough for the rod to turn easily.   |
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Post by Admin on May 16, 2021 0:39:00 GMT -7
How about this Rods - Pulleys - Belts configuration?  Perhaps have the far side pulleys different sizes for different speeds? Or with a two speed motor, just a three pole switch to change speed? |
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NOTE - I don't tumble, so am clueless. Here is my best starting guess: 
. Always well thought out and stated !