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Vibratory Tumblers - home made and industrial

Hi all,

I've read tons of wisdom in all the old posts from RCM folk on how to use bowl and tub vibratory tumblersand media and have been looking on ebay to see if the "buy used" option presents a better deal that building. But not as much fun, of course.

Could those who have built their own provide an update on their experiences and satisfaction with their own designs?

For those who use either commercial units or home made tub types - how do they couple the motor to the shaft with eccentric weights? I saw one reference to a sloppy belt setup. If not a belt, there is a huge (intentional) vibration in the tub, how is this isolated from the motor? I've looked in the McMaster catalog and the Tire couplings (e.g.

6241K22 on page 1006) might be suitable but overkill? What about a big spring between the motor and the vibrating shaft?

I've watched the video on the Kramer website:

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and the overall design seems pretty straightforward to replicate using readily available parts but I can't see/imagine how the motor is coupled to the vibrating shaft. It's some kind of in-line coupling. Anyone know?

I have seen many references to the benefits of trickling or spraying a suitable detergent/water mix into the bowl/tub - but am not sure how it is gradually removed. Does it just trickle out through the door of the tub style units into a catch tub where it gets filtered and recycled? Or is it lost due to spray mist or splashing? I understand too much liquid reduces the efficiency of the derburring process so the liquid level needs to be maintained.

I'm looking to build (or maybe buy) a unit in the .75 cubic foot - 1.5 cu ft range to debur machined aluminum parts up to a couple of lbs in weight and in some cases - prior to anodizing.

Thanks for any suggestions.

Cheers, Peter

Reply to
Peter
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Pete,

I have plans on building a unit one day. I have not done much planning, though I have done some research. The result was zero until I found volume

5 of the ASM handbooks (Surface Cleaning, Finishing, and Coating). I recommend you go find a copy. The basic requirement is 1200 to 1800 cycles per minute, and 1/16 to 3/8 inch of amplitude. Most of your questions can be derived from this basic requirement.

Good luck,

V> Hi all,

Reply to
Vince Iorio

Get your hands on a copy of Machinery Supermarket or Machine Trader. You'll find some used ones in those. Or contact a dealer like Leigh Knudsen or Steven Haerr, Gunner can probably find one for you. I'm a cheap bastard and would rather build than buy usually. Just buy one. You could get a cement mixer.......

michael

-- release the fish from the net to reply

Reply to
michael

I have three pretty good sized bowl feeders. Could they be adapted to make a vibratory tumbler? Each weighs about 100 pounds, so the thought is that a pretty good sized tub could be attached.

Earle Rich Mont Vernon, NH

Reply to
ERich10983

Hi,

Offline, I've had two success stories with pics sent to me. In both cases a tub style was built, around 3 cu ft. In both cases the success and satisfaction after an initial "shake-down" period (sic.) was high. In one case the sloppy belt kept flying off until a deeper groove pulley was installed. In the other case, the parts just bounced around on top of the media until two of the spring mounts on one side of the tub were stiffened with respect to the other pair. Something to do with inducing a rolling action to the vibrations.

In both cases relatively simple designs yielded great results.

I've got some more research to do but thanks for the input. I'll let the group know the outcome if I decide to build.

Earle, I don't know enough about bowl feeders to comment. I do plan to go look at some used units at some local machinery dealers before I build and will ask that very question.

Thanks & cheers! Peter

ERich10983 wrote:

Reply to
Peter

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