Unless you want it to break after 3 weeks, that is. What a POS. I bought it to show what rock tubling is, to my kids. I sort of knew that it is junk, and bought an extended warranty, but all it give me is the right to get another POS.
I went through the usual labour pains before I decided on mine. Rather than going the cheap way I splashed out on Thumler's UV10 (Industrial) and so far I have not regretted it. BTW do not use cat litter silica crystals wet...or dry for that matter (the dust is awful).
I just chuck a plastic container in my lathe that has a couple of wood slats mounted on the inside of it and run it at the slowest speed. I use the tailstock to hold the lid on. It also works great for deburring parts.
isn't this a metal working group? to make a rock tumbler all you need is an old BBQ motor, a couple of steel bars that you cover with tight fitting flexible hose, and some bracketry to hold the mess - direct drive one of the rods with the BBQ motor. use any plastic jar for the tumbling jar.
"Bill Noble" fired this volley in news:htkmhg$l1g$ snipped-for-privacy@news.eternal-september.org:
Right. Read something on Ball Milling. There's something more to it than what Horrible Fright might tell... and it doesn't take two weeks to "tumble" a bunch of dull, worthless rocks into shiny, worthless rocks -- It takes about 24-36 hours in an optimized mill. In fact, it takes about the same time to change loads and wash between grit charges as it does to do the actual grinding. If you wanted to do the whole job in three days, you'd be working after midnight two of them.
LLoyd (who _actually_ wrote the book on the subject)
That is a vibratory tumbler, and mine was a rotary.
I actually do have a vibratory tumbler, called Nova 501HT (see novafinishing.com). It is not as good for rounding rocks, however. Otherwise it is great.
When I was working in the sand and gravel business a salesman gave me a sample of a urethane sheet that had an adhesive back on it. The product was available in different durometer ratings and thickness'. Once applied to a piece of steel it was extremely difficult to break the bond between the two. I don't recall the manufacturer of the product. It seems like the ideal thing to line a barrel with. Steve
Anyway, I actually do have a 1/3 HP "real" tumbler from an old dirty factory, it is just a bit too big. I wanted to have a little tumbler that would be more friendly to my kids.
Ah. Several people sent me links to the HF vibratory tumbler. I did not know they did the rotary ones too.
But thanks for the links. That Nova 501HT looks a serious machine. BTW is this where you get your media from? $1.50 +/- per lb of ceramics is very good. I wonder if they ship to Canada...
I got the media on the cart with the machine at the factory that went bankrupt. Two half full buckets and a box of ceramic media of various coarseness, and this vibratory tumbler. I also have some corn cob media (way too much; anyone wants some cheap?). I was going to polish a big jar's worth of pennies with the kids this weekend.
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