Help***Rotary tumbler drum ideas***

[sandsquirt]

Hello Guys, I am planning to build a large rotary tumbler for multiple types of use. I will use it for reloading,rock polishing and cleaning coins. I need help finding something to use as a drum. I would like to find something like a large mouthed jar made of plastic. It will need to be 3 to 5 gallons in size. The opening should be softball sized at minimum. If anybody knows of a container that will fill my needs let me know.

Thanks,
Eric

[Jim243]

Three to five gallons!!!! Holly cow you are going to need at least 15 pounds of media for that big boy. I have heard of brass resellers using a small cement mixer for a tumbler but a 3 to 5 gallon rotory never. If you could go smaller say 38 oz you could use the round plastic coffee cans from Folgers.


Jim


I suppose you could use a empty 5 gallon paint bucket. You could see if you can find a restrant size plastic jar of mustard, I believe they come in 3 gallon jars for commercial use. Hit your local hot dog stand and see if they have any to give you.

[frumious]

You can go to Sam's and get those big plastic jars of pickles and pretzels and whatnot. They may be a little flimsy though.

Also, I know you said "softball-sized opening" but what about those big jugs that sit upside-down on top of water coolers?

-cls

[maggys drawers]

Get a small cement mixer and take the paddles out of the inside. I've seen small ones with plastic drums...Harbor Freight, maybe ?

[Hey_Allen]

I saw a couple of pictures of rotary tumbler hoppers made out of different sizes of PVC pipe and fittings. Depending on what size you need it to be, you can go all the way up into sewer pipe sizes, and probably get screw on caps for the end as well.

[1911rocks]

I have a Thumler's Tumbler Model B and, yes, it's 31yrs old. They make some BIG Boys. The Model B is good for 9lbs of Media and whatever you're tumbling.

They all have HUGE mouths. A Model B is now ~$175.00

http://www.thumlerstumbler.com/rotary.html

[Sport45]

Something like this?

Northern Industrial Portable Cement Mixer with Poly Drum - 2 Cubic Ft., 250 Watt, Model# PCM185
by Northern Industrial $199

[Ronbo1]

I made a homemade tumbler about 35 years ago from plans in the American Rifleman. Has a large octagon drum made of plywood, two pulleys from the back of an old style clothes dryer of that time, a old furnace blower motor. It still works like a champ and tumbles large quanties of brass and is fast. Would not work for rocks only for brass though as the wood drum would wear with rocks in it. Can take a picture of it if interested

[Snakedriver]

Like RonBo1 I made one from plans shown in Shooting Times, Guns & Ammo or one of the gun magazine. I used an old ice cream maker motor. It's geared and heavy enough to do the job at just the right speed. The drum was made from a large plastic sun tea jar with a bolt & wingnut installed through a hole in the jar's cap. The wingnut fits into the motors gear opening perfectly. To make it all work, all you need is four cart casters mounted to a piece of 2X or 3/4" plywood so the sun tear jar can lay level on its side so it aligns the wingnut with the motor opening on the motor that has also been attached on its side to a 2X screwed down to the base. Fill the jar about 2/3's full with polishing media and you're good to go.

It may not be as large as what you want, but it's been doing the job for me for 25+ years. It'll hold quite a few cases in it.

[pgdion]

Find someone with a pool, if they use chlorine pucks, they come in large buckets (about 3gal I would guess). They are like the large paint buckets except the covers twist on (and have a locking tab). They have a seal on them so believe they are water tight (never tested it though). They are also a very thick, durable plastic. Not a bad idea, Smaller pucks come in 1 gal buckets, I may give one of those a try. :-)

[Snakedriver]

That's really good idea Pgdion!!! I bet if done right with a belt and pulley gear attached to a the lid and laid on rollers as I descibed it would work great with a small motor.

[sandsquirt]

Thanks for all the replies. I'm still in the planning stage of building a tumbler. At this point my plan is to build it with two sets of rollers on pillow blocks stacked on top of each other. Each set of rollers will be long enough to hold 2 drums roughly 2 gallons each. I believe my 1/3 HP 1725RPM electric motor should be o.k. with all the required gear reduction that I will need to get it down to 50 RPM. At this point 2 gallon plastic jars are the best fit for my needs, but I would like to find something much more durable. I think the grit used while polishing large rocks will wipe those out real quick.

Eric

[sc928porsche]

For large batches I use a cement mixer. No, Im not joking, and it works great. I bought mine at Harbor Freight about 30 years ago.

[GP100man]

Four pillow blocks 1" mount em on wood frame 14" apart, allow enuff frame work to mount motor , I bolted mine on a hinge & let the weight of the motor put tension on the belt

2 rods 4ft. & 4 wooden donuts to slip on rods to keep the bucket centered.

I paddled out a 1" hole then a hole for a bolt to jam it with , this`ll work because there`s not that much pressure involved

1 large pulley mounted to 1 of the rods
1 650 rpm motor & small pulley
1 fan belt to run on pulleys
couple of big rolls of duck tape to put on 1rod to give grip

2 plastic buckets 1 to lay on rods & 1 to empty into

Bolt 2 2" hi "paddles" in the buckets so material does`nt just slide

Walnut Lizard bedding from pet store

Dirty brass poured into bucket & lid secured

Let run for 2 hrs or until clean

Install second lid with 1" lip around the top to secure 1/4 inch rabbit cage wire to , pour media into second bucket shaking vigourously

Remove top & remove cleaned brass.

PS: if ya leave it runnin don`t forget it !!

Don`t let anyone talk ya out of your finished product !!!

[sandsquirt]

Thanks for the plans...you know how it is, you build it 100x in your head before you go to work on it. I will definately use some of the ideas. Thanks Again..

[BDS-THR]

This thread may help for DIY 5 gallon tumbler - http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=491043

[Uncle Buck]

How about an ice cream maker? The mouth is big and it can be operated on its side.

I use one for cleaning (Trying) coins. Never thought about putting my cartridges in....

[wncchester]

Use a clean 3-5 gal. plastic 'paint" bucket with a snap-on lid. Pick one up around house painters for free or get a new one from Lowe's, etc., for a couple bucks. Cut away alternate sections of the lid's "clips" to make opening easier. (I use 'em for "range buckets"; store sand bags, rests, stapler, targets, muffs, etc., in them. With a simple pad, they also serve as a shooting stool.)

IF you want paddles inside, get a short lenght of 1" alum angle (also Lowe's), cut in lengths and pop-rivet two-three of them to the sides of the pail.

[mikld]

I think I'd go with a 5 gal pail like sold in hardware store's paint section. Not so big to be cumbersome, but big enough to do a lot of brass/rocks/etc.

[700cdl]

Go to your local hardware store, Lowes or other simular and buy the thick 5 gal. buckets exactly like the ones that drywall mud comes in or comercial paint. They have a snap on lid. Its the same bucket as the ones used for the cheap shop vacumes.

[wncchester]

Is there an echo in here?