Homemade Wet Tumbler

#4
Not sure I understand how the drivetrain works...?

Looks like the motor shaft is running direction on a rollerskate wheel, driving it. Then the rollerskate wheel drives the drum.

Is that correct?

No troubles with motorshaft/wheel slippage?
 
#7
Yeah, essentially that is what he is doing. If you get the pressure of the motor shaft on the rubber wheel correct, there isn't that much difference in principle from a belt drive system. It's all about correct ratio of contact/pressure to adequately transfer the power.
I like it. Maybe I will get into stainless tumbling after all.


Cheers,
Tim
The Right to Keep and Bear Arms Shall NOT be Infringed
 
#8

That's a clever way to get the reduction so the drum turns at a reasonable speed. One could roughen the shaft for more "traction" or simply slip a piece of hose that fits the shaft snugly over it.

I don't see any "baffles" in the bucket to enhance the tumbling action??? Without them the case/water/slurry will usually just slide along the bottom part of the bucket and there isn't that much cleaning action.

I think I see one of these in my future but I'll be adding some baffles, most likely in the form of some flat pieces of plastic glued in place and the void filled with foam, thus making the inside hexagonal like the old RCBS Sidewinder tumblers.
 
#12
I just finished my wet tumbler. I used a Thumlers drum while I come up with my own design. This was a prototype and used a 1/2 HP I already had. Welded up some aluminum scrap laying around for the base. I just ordered more 1" shaft so I can spin two drums (both sides of the motor)with a 2 grove drive pulley. If you subtract the cost of the drum and the motor I have $66 into mine.
 
#15

I know I just had that motor laying around from a KMG Grinder Clone I built last week. I am thinking about a 12-14" diameter drum on my twin tumbler. I am sort of lucky to have a laser cutting company next door to my shop (I manufacture Specialty Equipment). I've already started the plans in Solidworks for the twin. I am going to put a timer on that one that will run 1-4 hours, although I have clean cases at 1.5-2 hours on this one. I will work on a case dryer next. There is a lot of nice projects in the DIY section here.
 
#19
Homemade Wet Tumbler

I have done something similar on a smaller basis. I used heat shrink tubing to get traction on the drive shaft. I used a 1 hp Baldor motor because it is what I could find.








--Daniel
 
#20

Is the metal "agitator" a problem, causing dings and dents? Seems like it might be. I guess the results will tell if it is or not.

Nice approach. More ideas for one I might build when the "Round TUIT" I have on order comes in. :) :)
 
#21
Works like a charm. No dents or dings. It is raw steel so it will rust between rumblings if I don't oil it. I tumble for 6 hrs and everything is like new-- even brass caked with dirt.


--Daniel
 
#23
That's the style I plan on making also. Question for those of you that have built these. How many rpms are you turning the drum? I don't see how you can get the rpms down to less than 100 without using a pulley that is 20 or 30 inches in diameter.

Paul
 
#24
1750 motor, 2" pulley on motor to 10" pulley on .75" shaft to 4" drum. I think it comes out to around 40 rpm on mine. If you want it slower get a bigger drum. I have 4" toilet flanges to slow down my 4" drum. A 6" drum would be nice, but I don't do that much volume and I already was using the 4" drum as a bottle tumbler.


--Daniel
 
#30
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I Dont think the metal agitator blades are necessary in your drum with stainless media .
I have been using a Lapidary wet drum for a few years with SS media . It's just a standard lapidary rubber drum that turns about 40-50 rpm's . Smooth drum inside, no blades inside & It works fantastic .
.
 
#33

Yeah that clicked once somebody said it above. I have been eyeballing a piece of 8" in the trash pile at a local road construction site for a while now. I stopped and asked the foreman about getting it from him. He had to ask his boss who told him that they can't give it away even though it is trash, but if it disappeared no big deal. I got the go ahead to take it from the foreman, but it's a busy intersection and I can just see myself getting arrested for stealing a piece of trash out of the scrap pile. That would suck. So I haven't taken it yet.

Paul
 
#34
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#36

I hear ya. My father in law works for a water company that provides municipal well water. All they have is sched 80 PVC which is really thick. I already have bought all the normal sched 40 fittings. Trying to catch a plumbing truck to see if I can pay the guy 10 bucks for a section. They only sell the 6" in 10 foot runs at the store around here.
 
#37
One I built using 100 lb chlorine buckets. The one mounted to the face plate is just there to nest the other bucket into. 1000 .223 cases literally, is just a drop in the bucket.




This is a little over 800 .223
 
#40
tumbler

Here is my tumbler. I have a 3rd drum and they all fit I just haven't had time to fix the inner liner that has a crack in it. Expoxy will fix it just no time and no pins for it at the moment. Since going SS I will never go back :) old tumbler has a nice dust layer on it.

http://s817.photobucket.com/user/SmokinAce1/media/Random Stuff for SH/IMAG0040.jpg.html


Also a estimate of what SS can do below is a 30-06 pice of brass that was in the desert for a few years before I found it (almost thought it was steel). 2nd picture is how it looked after 4 hours tumbling. I normally only have to tumble 1-2 hours with typical range brass or my brass.

before
http://s817.photobucket.com/user/SmokinAce1/media/Random Stuff for SH/IMAG0042.jpg.html
http://s817.photobucket.com/user/SmokinAce1/media/Random Stuff for SH/IMAG0044.jpg.html

2 hours in the tumbler
http://s817.photobucket.com/user/Sm...or SH/2013-03-11204830_zps06f8c486-1.jpg.html


After 4 hours (it is the one standing up on the edge the only RP headstamp in the lot)

http://s817.photobucket.com/user/Sm...or SH/2013-03-15160521_zpsf8dd29f1-1.jpg.html
 
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#42

I had 10 pounds to start with. It's now at a friends house that uses it and cleans brass for me. This was the last (single) batch I picked up of more than 2000, 45 cases.

 
#46
#49

Look at the first photo in post 37, the bucket in back with the lid, you can just make out the counter sunk screws that hold the 1/2"x2" plastic strips to the inside of the bucket.
 
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