Home Built Tumbler

[jsears]

This topic may have been discussed before. So if it has, please excuse the repeat.

I have been using a vibratory tumbler for many years, and overall, have always been happy with it. But now, I think I want to move to a rotary tumbler using stainless steel media.

Being the cheap skate that I am, I really don't want to pay $200+ for one. I have nearly everything that I need to build one, but I just have one question.

Is there an optimal speed for the drum to rotate? I was thinking something along the line of 100-150 RPM's. Too fast? Too slow?

Thanks..

Jim

 

[fredhorace77]

there is an optimum speed although i dont know what it is. i made a really small version using a plastic coffee can attached to my cordless drill. i used a zip tie to adjust the speed setting and it worked very well. too much speed amd everything sticks to the sides and doesn't tumble. after all the trial and error i done. i think ill just buy one ready to go

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=homemade+tumbler

heres a link to several ideas on youtube.com but like i said for my sake i think ill just be buying on already made...not that it cant be done but the thumlers tumblers are really well made and thought out.

 

[seattleray]

Thumler's Model B (specs) show 40 rpm as the drum speed.........

 

[Lapua40X]

The best rotary tumblers I've seen lift the media just high enough to allow it to slump and roll back into itself. To accomplish that I suspect you'd have to adjust the speed based upon the radius of your tumbler, the mass/weight of the media and whether the tumbler interior was smooth sided or had vanes installed for greater life above and beyond what friction provides on an otherwise smooth surface.
A good engineer somewhere could probably put a formula in front of us to figure all that out. All I can suggest is experiment with an eye toward making modifications as necessary.

 

[jsears]

Thumler's Model B (specs) show 40 rpm as the drum speed.........

Thanks, Ray. I have looked and looked for specs on them, but have never been able to find the drum speed.

I think I'll shoot for anything between that number and 100.

Jim

 

[jonbearman]

I really think the optimum speed would be 30 rpms that will leave less dinging of the case mouths. Whatever you decide,please post pics so we can see the end result.

 

[fredhorace77]

I really think the optimum speed would be 30 rpms that will leave less dinging of the case mouths. Whatever you decide,please post pics so we can see the end result.

+1 I just timed my homemade model with a stop watch and counting revs...im came out real close to 33 rpms

 

[Webster]

I bought a "3 lb. Rotary Rock Tumbler" from Harbor Freight for $39. Search on the website by the model no. "67631". Searches for tumbler or rock won't find it. The drum is about 4.5" in diam. and length. You can DL the owners manual from the website. I bought 5 lbs. of SS pins for about $53. You only need about 2-3 lbs. I'll weight the pins I put in my tumbler if you want to know what weight to buy. You can polish 50-60 cases at a time. I'll fill the drum 1/2 way with pins and weigh the pins. Two hours of tumbling cleaned the cases inside and out. The primer pockets were not clean. It takes a while to get the lid on with a water tight seal. I became paranoid about not getting all of the pins out of the cases and ruining my barrel. I inspected the cases at least three times by tapping them on a table top wet and dry and looking inside with a flashlight.

 

[jsears]

Well, after a few days of gathering parts, I think I have come up with something that will work. It ended up costing about twice as much as had hoped for, but still only about a third of what a factory built tumbler would cost. I have right at $104.00 in it. I thought I could scavenge more parts than I did, but alas, they were just not to be found.

Here is a breakdown of what I had to buy.
2- 6" x 18" sheets of 18 ga. steel (Home Depot)
1- 1/4" x 1" aluminum angle stock (Home Depot)
1- 1500 RPM electric motor (HP unknown) (Local motor shop)
1- 120vac cooling fan (Radio Shack)
1- 6" x 9" S&D pipe (from friend)
1- 6" S&D cap (Menard's)
1- 6" x 4" S&D reducer (Menard's)
1- 4" rubber cap (Menard's)
1- Model "B" drive shaft w/bearings and pulley (Thumbler's Tumblers)
1- Model "B" idler shaft w/bearings (Thumblers Tumblers)
1- Motor pulley for model "B" motor (Thumbler's Tumblers)
1- Drive Belt (Thumbler's Tumblers)

And here's what it looks like. I haven't "prettied it up" any until I see if the motor is going to live or die. I don't know if it's going to be heavy enough to carry a load for any length of time. If it does, I may paint the

 

[lawrence97]

Here is one I found on another forum. Looks sturdy. He also sells tumblers for those that don't want to build it.

http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_6_42/344986_How_i_built_my_own_rotary_tumbler.html

http://biggdawgtumblers.net/

 

[jsears]

Yep..That sure looks like it's well built. I think his prices for the built units are pretty steep though.

 

[jo191145]

Fwiw I once considered building one using a rotisserie motor from a grill. Chances are high you'd need to gear it up.

 

[chuckbuster243]

I have one built with a gear reduction motor and a 5 gallon bucket. It turns at 37RPM and is tilted to around 35-40 degrees. I usually use dawn, lemon juice and water but media works well also. Matt