Topic: Parts Cleaning Tumbler Machine

[mystic_1]

How about for polishing those nearly-impossible-to-polish items like carb bodies, control switch housings, and the like?

If you do the parts one-at-a-time, then intra-part collisions wouldn't be a concern.  Would take a lot longer that way tho.

mystic_1

[troppo]

You could always set up a couple of removable divisions in the tumbler, ones that run parallel to the front and rear faces rather than at 90 degrees to them, put your media and part in, place divider in put media and part in etc etc depending on how many you have set up.
Would definately solve the colision problem

[754]

What you guys are really after is ball burnishing, be great on carb, cases etc..

 i remember a link to a site on another forum, the place was in England and specialized in bike work.

The process would easilly polish a Z1 head.

basically the pasrt is pushed into a vat of ball bearings and vibrated..

[okie]

Check out Harbor Freight.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=93252

[troppo]

Check out Harbor Freight.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=93252

We have a winner!
hehehehehehehehehehehehe

I was thinking about it today and the DIY route would be fairly simple if you could get one of the heavy duty 20 litre plastic drums as a barrel

[Terry in Australia]

I've got a mate here who has a similar tumbler for the bullets he reloads, but it's too small for any decent sized part, like a hub or an alternator cover. I think the beer keg might be a better option. Cheers, Terry.  

[Gordon]

I think the beer keg might be a better option. Cheers, Terry.  

Especially if you start with a full keg and have to empty it before making it into the tumbler.

[BlindJoe]

while on the subject, has anyone tried making their own blasting cabinet?

[Terry in Australia]

A blasting cabinet would be easy, just buy one of those cheap "bucket blasters" and build a box around it, that's pretty much what my little bench top bead blaster is.

You just need a couple of holes for some long rubber gloves so you can operate it, a mesh "shelf" for blasting your parts on and a toughened glass or perspex lid, and a bucket of grit, and you're there!

Mine's got a light in it too, but a cheap mechanics "trouble light" would work fine. Cheers, Terry.

[BlindJoe]

Yeah I tried to do that using a big tupperware but it was a p.o.s and leaked everywhere. What did you build your box out of? I guess a 2x4 frame with lexan or sheet metal used as sides would work, figuring out the door would be the hardest part. Do you have a vacuum hooked up to it keep the dust down?

[troppo]

Yeah I tried to do that using a big tupperware but it was a p.o.s and leaked everywhere. What did you build your box out of? I guess a 2x4 frame with lexan or sheet metal used as sides would work, figuring out the door would be the hardest part. Do you have a vacuum hooked up to it keep the dust down?

I am trying to get one done at work now from colour-bond steel, .8mm, with a basic 20x20mm RHS base and back wall frame, lift up hinged flap/door with a large perspex panel in it and a square "funnel" in the base to ensure a good collection point for the grit (short on time so its taking a while). It will have a 12 volt flourescent light from a truck and a 12 volt vacuum cleaner both attached to the back wall (maybe some spray booth filter material in front of the vacuum), using 12 volt to prevent any hassles with power supply or dangerous voltage.
Started building it when i decided to do a rally job on the escort but can see it coming in handy for the second bike too.
Cheers
Troppo

[City Boy]

Thanks guys for all the responses that have tumbled in.I will update on any progress I make and invite any and all to do same if any store  bought option is found or DIY model is developed. Rock On

[rbmgf7]

while on the subject, has anyone tried making their own blasting cabinet?

i have one i made from 2x4's and 1/8" plywood. i made mine just like a regular stand-up blasting cabinet. i used one of those $20 syphon feed blasters. on the bottom of the cabinet i used a thick yard bag and made it funnel into a bucket to recycle the media. cut out two holes in the front to stick my hands through and used a set of sandblasting gloves i got from harbor freight for $5. was lucky and had a 1'X1' peice of lexan lying around and used it for the window and installed a cheap flourescent light inside. i used grated steel for a platform on the inside. when done, i can unscrew it and store it away. probably total cost of $60 and an afternoon days of work. it's not air tight to keep media from escaping but cleanup isn't too much of a hassle

[rbmgf7]

back to the tumbler. i've never seen one, used one, etc. but from what i've seen on the net, this is a pretty simple machine. if you have irregular shaped parts, apparently this is the most efficient way of polishing them (i've seen matte to mirror).

i have plans to make one using a 5 gal. mason bucket. inside i think i'll construct either a square, pentagon, hexagon, etc. chamber out of some cheap 1/8" ply. the space between the chamber and bucket i'd figure squirt some of that canned foam as a sound proofing media and also hold the chamber in place. as for how to tumble it, i have it figured out already.

now on to the specs. how fast do i want this thing to tumble? i figure you don't want the part to contact the chamber walls but "levetate" on the bed of media..? i have walnut shells handy and will tinker with that. i know time is dependent on media preference. i've heard it can take from 30 minutes to a day or two.

anything else i need to know?

edit: nevermind. mcmaster-carr lists specs and details. i'll just model it after those

[City Boy]

So guys,I am talking to my next door neighbour the other day and out from under his bench he pulls out a lectric motor [1750rpm] attached to a cast iron gear box with an 80/1 ratio and gives it to me.I don't think the output shaft was meant to have a lot of weight hanging off the end of it so I need to come up with a support structure to take the weight of the container.I am thinking a couple of shafts mounted in pillow blocks.For a container I am going to try a Presto cast alum pressure cooker with a locking and sealed lid on its side with a hole drilled in the centre of the bottom to attach to the gear box.Almost there,stay tuned.

[Terry in Australia]

Sounds good guys, I'll be interested to see the finished items, and see how well they work!

[hatchett]

Check out Harbor Freight.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=93252

We have a winner!
hehehehehehehehehehehehe

I was thinking about it today and the DIY route would be fairly simple if you could get one of the heavy duty 20 litre plastic drums as a barrel

I bought this at the freight a few months ago and it works great!  Plus, they often run it on sale for about forty bucks. 

[Aaron J Williams]

Ok, here's my backwoods solution. Total cost was $5 for the gas dryer at a garage sale and I cut up a couple of couch cushions to line the drum with. I put some nuts and bolts in the tank and let it tumble for an hour or two and then just flush all the gunk out with the parts washer fluid. If I want to tumble parts I put some silica sand in a 5 gallon bucket with the parts, put the lid on and tumble away. Since I used a gas dryer I can plug into a 110V outlet. Now don't all laugh at once!

[mystic_1]

Well done!



mystic_1

[Terry in Australia]

Ok, here's my backwoods solution. Total cost was $5 for the gas dryer at a garage sale and I cut up a couple of couch cushions to line the drum with. I put some nuts and bolts in the tank and let it tumble for an hour or two and then just flush all the gunk out with the parts washer fluid. If I want to tumble parts I put some silica sand in a 5 gallon bucket with the parts, put the lid on and tumble away. Since I used a gas dryer I can plug into a 110V outlet. Now don't all laugh at once!

That's actually a really good solution, well done!

[City Boy]

I concur.Shades of Heath Robinson but well done just the same!!

[750]

Back to the parts tumbler.  For fastiners I used a piece of gas line to go over the threads of my valve cover screws and chucked them up in a drill.  Then I spun the screw heads in Never Dull.  They came out to a mirror shine.