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Front loading washer as a tumbler?

Awl--

Couldn't a front loading washer be filled with media to tumble parts? As opposed to these noisy noisy vibratory tumblers?

I'm thinking 18 or 20 ga material could be riveted in to protect the probably fragile-walled tub. A frontloader can handle water, and the inlet could be rigged for a drip water feed, and the drain already exists!

Natcherly you wouldn't wash clothes in such a modified washer.

I'm assuming that the rotation speed, which allows the clothes to drop off at the top of the arc, would provide a suitable tumbling action, like the itty bitty ones you see for jewelers (HF).

Sheeit, you can *buy* a NEW front loading washer for the price of *just relining* used vibratory ones.

Opinions? Yea? Nay?

Reply to
Pre-Meltdown
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I've been wondering if a clapped-out front loader couldn't supply the core of a good trummel for separating dried manure from gravel.

If we happen to meet at a yard sale in Iowa, and each is willing to drive

1200 miles with a clapped-out front loader to our respective coasts -- IT'S MINE! MINE MINE MINE MINE MINE!
Reply to
Tim Wescott

I see bad washers and dryers on freecycle quite often.

Reply to
Michael A. Terrell

One place where I had a summer job used an electric concrete mixer. I think a concrete mixer is probably a better bet than a washing machine. When the drum on their concrete mixer eventually wore out, they replaced it with an octagonal welded drum made from 1/4" steel plate.

Best wishes,

Chris

Reply to
Christopher Tidy

Knew a Screw Machine Shop that used a Cement Mixer.......no media or anything just loaded parts, water little soap and tumbled, DAMN!!! it was loud.

Tom

Reply to
brewertr

Good motion for a ball mill----very undesirable for parts tumbling.

Harold

Reply to
Harold and Susan Vordos

I would think an old clothes dryer would work better. I'd hate to be there when the washer went into the spin cycle. Maybe put that thing outside, way out back somewhere. Mine is loud as can be with sneakers in it.

Reply to
Dan

The newer ones run a three phase motor and vs--should be able to get any action desired if you retro with a vfd and plc.

Reply to
Simon Schnizzard

Is that a fact????? A real No Sh** ??? I have to look into this.!!!!! ...lew...

Reply to
Lew Hartswick

The Maytag Neptune uses a switched reluctance motor. Hack the electronics (rots o ruck) or replace them, speed control range is much wider than an induction motor with VFD.

The barrels in Harperizers were MUCH heavier than the thin metal (or plastic) tubs in a clothes washer -- and they still wore out eventually.

Reply to
Don Foreman

Yes at least on our GE ( which IIRC is re-badged Maytag ) there is a controller makes it speed up slow down reverse direction etc to wash and finally equally distribute the weightand then finally it takes off full speed for final spin....no mechanical transmission whatsoevern just a belt is all.

Reply to
PrecisioNmachinisT

That sounds a lot like the Maytag Neptune. These still run on singlephase household power, in case there's any confusion about that. It's not a 3-phase induction motor amenable to VFD drive.

Reply to
Don Foreman

It still "smells" like a potential source of a variable speed drive for various applications. Small drillpress etc. Anyone ? ...lew...

Reply to
Lew Hartswick

A concrete mixer would work fine. At a place I once worked we built rotary drum part orienter/feeders. Originally we lined the drums with sheet rubber and coated the back pockets with brush on urethane. Then one day somebody got a bright idea and took a drum to the local Rhino pickup truck bed liner people. They sprayed a heavy urethane coating on and it worked great and was quite cheap. That is what I'd do to the cement mixer.

Gary H. Lucas

Reply to
Gary H. Lucas

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