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All Forums >> [Bottle Forums] >> Cleaning and Repairing >> RE: build my own tumbler

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RE: build my own tumbler - 7/8/2006 8:57:05 AM    tombstone   Posts: 124 Joined: 12/21/2005 From: wv Status: offline a word of warning... copper coated BB's are not a suitable substitute for copper.  There is some sort of chemical reaction that occurs that causes the canister to build up pressure.  When the end blows there will be black gunk all over everything.  Mine blew in the kitchen sink just as i was about to open it up.  Had to shampoo the carpet, wash the walls and cabinets, repaint the ceiling, and buy new kitchen curtains.  On the other hand, I've had some success with plastic bb's.  It takes several weeks to get the bottle looking the way I want, but it does work.  I've got 30lbs of copper wire, but cutting it is a challenge.  I'm trying the drill press but i must not be holding my mouth right cause the copper wants to bend around the bit rather than cut, and if i do get it fed right the drill stalls.    (in reply to Unidumper) Post #: 61

RE: build my own tumbler - 7/8/2006 5:29:39 PM    JGUIS   Posts: 1691 Joined: 3/18/2006 From: New Lexington, OH Status: offline  What about duck shot?  Air nibblers?  Beanie babies have nice plastic beads in them that I use for small neck bottles with clay in them, but I have yet to figure out a good cap system for building a tumbler. < Message edited by JGUIS -- 7/8/2006 5:31:37 PM > _____________________________ A pipe gives a wise man time to think, and gives a fool something to stick in his mouth. (in reply to tombstone) Post #: 62

RE: build my own tumbler - 7/9/2006 2:05:08 AM    JGUIS   Posts: 1691 Joined: 3/18/2006 From: New Lexington, OH Status: offline Maybe I should have read all the posts first.  Nice caps, Cap.  What about using rollers from a copy machine?  They're coated with 1/2" of rubber, and were free. _____________________________ A pipe gives a wise man time to think, and gives a fool something to stick in his mouth. (in reply to JGUIS) Post #: 63

RE: build my own tumbler - 7/9/2006 8:54:21 AM    tombstone   Posts: 124 Joined: 12/21/2005 From: wv Status: offline For the stopples i'm using mechanical test plugs from Lowe's.  These are designed to fit the end of the pipe so i had to grind down the big end to slide inside the pipe.  A friend welded some metal to washers to complete the three finger stopple.  I use these on both ends of the bottles.  I tumble mostly round bottles like sodas, beers, and whiskeys so this stopple has worked fine. Many of my bottles are only sick on the inside, in which case you put the cleaning stuff inside, slap some duct tape over the lip, pack it in newspaper and put it in the canister.  This polishes the insides pretty good. (in reply to JGUIS) Post #: 64

RE: build my own tumbler - 7/9/2006 7:27:09 PM    capsoda Posts: 7471 Joined: 11/15/2005 From: Seminole,Alabama, USA Status: offline Hey Josh, Those rubber coated rollers should work great. Saves time and you won't have to replace them every few weeks like friction tape. _____________________________ Warren Diggin down in Dixie, USA Work is for people who don't dig bottles President, Panhandle Cruisers http://www.panhandlecruisers.org/ (in reply to tombstone) Post #: 65

RE: build my own tumbler - 9/6/2006 5:52:39 PM    Marko   Posts: 32 Joined: 9/6/2006 From: Rochester, NY Status: offline Hi all, Stumbled across this site while researching how to clean old bottles we are going to display in our kitchen. I have looked at the set ups and really like the looks of Capsoda's. I was wondering if anyone could share the best motor set up to get the lower 30 - 70 rpm's. The bearings, shaft, etc seem easy to locate, just having a hard time finding a motor whose speed can be reduced. Would a router speed control work? Pullies? Any help would be appreciated. My new hobby will go nicely with the metal detecting that I do. Thanks in advance for any help you can provide! (in reply to fsperry) Post #: 66

RE: build my own tumbler - 9/6/2006 7:15:43 PM    Bottle tumbler   Posts: 370 Joined: 4/5/2004 From: Noxen pa Status: offline what needs to be done to get the 30 to 40 rpms is a 2 inch pully to a 10 inch pully 2 inch on the motor and 10 inch on the drive shaft, i do all mine at this slow speed, fast just makes things to risky and i do all mine in 14 days or less some in 3 days rick (in reply to Marko) Post #: 67

RE: build my own tumbler - 9/6/2006 7:32:14 PM    tombstone   Posts: 124 Joined: 12/21/2005 From: wv Status: offline i used pulleys to reduce the rpm on mine.  There is a rpm calculator at http://www.csgnetwork.com/pulleybeltcalc.html  the first field (Powered Driver Pulley Diameter) is asking the pulley size attached to the motor, i use a 2 inch pulley but also have a 1.5 inch. the second field (Driven Object Pulley Diameter) is asking the pulley size on your primary drive rod.  I use a 10 inch pulley.  Skip everything else down to (Input (Driver) RPM) where you put in the rpm of your motor.  press the calculate button to get the rpm of your primary drive rod.  Mine (using the above numbers and a 1750 rpm motor) gives me a rpm of 350.  Now clear all the fields and in the first field type in the size of your drive rod (mine is 3/4 which is typed in as .75)  the second field will be the size of the canister you'll be using (i tumble a 4 inch) and in input driver rpm will be rpm of your primary drive rod (350 in my case)  hit the calculate button and the answer will be the rpm of your canister (in this case 65.45) This calculator doesn't take into consider slippage, drag, etc.  The actual rpm of my tumbler is closer to 50.  I acquired my motor first and then punched in different pully sizes and combinations to get the rpm i wanted so i would know what size pulleys to purchase.  Hope this hasn't gotten too complicated but this is the easiest way i've found of getting the information i needed. (in reply to Marko) Post #: 68

RE: build my own tumbler - 9/6/2006 8:35:29 PM    capsoda Posts: 7471 Joined: 11/15/2005 From: Seminole,Alabama, USA Status: offline Hey Mark, I bought 6, 8 and 10 inch pulleys and they cover just about everything. I use a 1750rpm motor I bought at the flea market for 10 or 15 bucks. _____________________________ Warren Diggin down in Dixie, USA Work is for people who don't dig bottles President, Panhandle Cruisers http://www.panhandlecruisers.org/ (in reply to tombstone) Post #: 69

RE: build my own tumbler - 9/6/2006 11:50:05 PM    Marko   Posts: 32 Joined: 9/6/2006 From: Rochester, NY Status: offline OK. That is a start. Nice website find too on pully calculations. I have purchased some cheap bottles on ebay to practice with. One more question. Along with the copper wire, what is the abrasive to use for "cutting" and what is best for polishing? Again, thanks for the help. Cant wait to get started! (in reply to capsoda) Post #: 70

RE: build my own tumbler - 9/7/2006 7:03:31 AM    Bottle tumbler   Posts: 370 Joined: 4/5/2004 From: Noxen pa Status: offline call jar doctor. go to www.jardoctor.com tell him rick kern sent you. rick < Message edited by Bottle tumbler -- 9/7/2006 7:04:21 AM > (in reply to Marko) Post #: 71

RE: build my own tumbler - 9/7/2006 6:41:05 PM    tombstone   Posts: 124 Joined: 12/21/2005 From: wv Status: offline http://therockshed.com/grit.html 1000 grit aluminum oxide for cutting right below that the aluminum oxide polish for polish (in reply to Bottle tumbler) Post #: 72

RE: build my own tumbler - 9/11/2006 10:24:08 PM    Marko   Posts: 32 Joined: 9/6/2006 From: Rochester, NY Status: offline Hey Warren, What size drill bit do you use to cut your wire and what size is the hole drilled in your anvil? (in reply to Unidumper) Post #: 73

RE: build my own tumbler - 10/23/2006 4:47:45 PM    gglockhart   Posts: 3 Joined: 7/29/2004 Status: offline Try McMaster Carr and search cylinders. (in reply to capsoda) Post #: 74

RE: build my own tumbler - 10/24/2006 1:05:12 PM    bottlenutboy Posts: 2138 Joined: 10/10/2006 From: Bordensprings, Ala. or Esom Hill, Ga. Status: offline i was thinking about building my own tumbler and i was wondering if it would be cheaper to buy one of the pre-made ones from the jar doctor without a motor and find a motor for it or just to start from scratch i looked and it is about $200 for one of the cheap ones on the jar doctor's website (in reply to gglockhart) Post #: 75

RE: build my own tumbler - 10/24/2006 8:04:56 PM    stinger haut   Posts: 518 Joined: 6/7/2006 Status: offline Hey everyone, I have been tumbling bottles since 1989 and I have learned a few things by just reading all the posts about making a tumbler. I have had a bad back and anything that I can do to reduce back pain I do. I didn't read of anyone who answered this post talk about their tumbler having an automatic reverse switch on thier motor. My bad back hurt so much when I had to turn the canisters around on my machine, I thought why not just make it so the motor can be reversed by a simple switch. So, I had a friend who did electrical work make it so that my motor will reverse its direction with a flip of a switch.  It saves my back and I don't run the risk of dropping the canisters as much when you pick them up and turn them around. I still have the same pillowblock bearing that I bought back in 1989 on my machine. They cost a lot of money then, but I think that I got my moneys worth out of them. One more thing about if you use steel bars as your roller bar.  Be sure that you buy COLD ROLLED STEEL, they are made a fraction of an inch smaller to easliy fit on your bearings. Otherwise, you could run into big problems trying to put on those bearings. I also use different size pulleys to control my RPM's. This forum is just great with the sharing of ideas, information and the pictures really help with showing just how something looks as well as how to make it. I am amazed at at how some of the machines were constructed and the materials that were used to make them. Stinger (in reply to bottlenutboy) Post #: 76

RE: build my own tumbler - 10/24/2006 9:44:33 PM    capsoda Posts: 7471 Joined: 11/15/2005 From: Seminole,Alabama, USA Status: offline All it takes is a little good old fasion enginuity. I built mine for 60 bucks. Hey Pono, Thanks for the switch idea. That will be the next mod to mine this week. The canisters can get kinda heavy when the old back bone is aching from the sudden stop I took while in the AF. Again, Thanks. < Message edited by capsoda -- 10/24/2006 9:48:11 PM > _____________________________ Warren Diggin down in Dixie, USA Work is for people who don't dig bottles President, Panhandle Cruisers http://www.panhandlecruisers.org/ (in reply to stinger haut) Post #: 77

RE: build my own tumbler - 10/24/2006 10:30:31 PM    stinger haut   Posts: 518 Joined: 6/7/2006 Status: offline Howsit Warren, Mahalo for the mahalo about the reverse switch on your tumbling machine. Its great relief for your back. I firmly believe that reverse electrical switches were invented for old guys that came into contact with RPG's and sudden stops in the A.F. Hunched over in da islands, Stinger (in reply to capsoda) Post #: 78

RE: build my own tumbler - 10/24/2006 10:47:32 PM    capsoda Posts: 7471 Joined: 11/15/2005 From: Seminole,Alabama, USA Status: offline No pra man. Anything that makes life a little easyer is a good thing. Mahalo bud. _____________________________ Warren Diggin down in Dixie, USA Work is for people who don't dig bottles President, Panhandle Cruisers http://www.panhandlecruisers.org/ (in reply to stinger haut) Post #: 79

RE: build my own tumbler - 11/1/2006 4:30:54 PM    stinger haut   Posts: 518 Joined: 6/7/2006 Status: offline Howsit Warren, Hey, I was wondering if you have added a reverse switch onto your tumbling machince? I should have mentioned this,  but you know how old age has a way of making you forget. Anyway, I have actually have two switches on the tumbler. One is just the on /off switch and the other is the actual reverse switch. I have to turn off the machince first then I flip the reverse switch. Then you flip the machince back on. There is a very small lose of RPM's when you reverse the machine. Its not enough to make any difference with your tumbling. You wouldn't even noticed if you weren't looking very hard for it. It really saves your back and it makes it so easy because your not flipping those canisters around. Stinger (in reply to capsoda) Post #: 80

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