JAR DOCTORS TUMBLING MACHINES

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UncleBruce

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I keep mine in my garage and only run it when I am at home. Noise hasn’t been an issue as I think it sounds like rain when it is rolling. Sometimes I’ll take my 3 month old baby in the garage with me while I work and the noise puts her to sleep so that’s a plus! The compounds are cheap enough, copper can get expensive but thankfully it is reusable. I really like my jar doctor machine. It makes a huge difference in how well the bottles display when they are clean.
Less the BABY this is my similar situation. I have a dedicated wooden table on rollers that is the perfect size for the Jar Doctor machine. It makes some noise, but it is not obnoxious. It stays in my shed, which has a room on the end that serves as my bottle workshop.
 

Vinewood

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Mine is just set up and is overkill…. Huge! It takes up the whole dining room! I’m like can we get this shortened to like 3 roller length? Something that could bolt back on, if needed?(I don’t want to have to get a storage room to house it!). It can’t run where it’s at because it has no guard over parts I don’t want to peel a $14000.00 cat out of it. That part is not kosher. ( He needs good insurance-if someone’s kid got caught in that?) But I can’t wait….it looks like fun. It ran for 30 seconds, but then they started coming (Like a cat magnet.) it didn’t take seem loud at all but wasn’t loaded either. But I’m used to a rock tumbler and a sledgehammer!Tads, but then they started coming (Like a cat magnet.) it didn’t take seem loud at all but wasn’t loaded either. But I’m used to a rock tumbler and a sledgehammer!
Once you see the results you can achieve with this machine, you will make room for it somewhere.

Your have options. You CAN purchase two short side rails from the Jar Doctor, swap out the long ones for the short ones, and turn your large machine into a small one. You can either keep the long rails for going back in the future, or sell them to me or someone else who has a short machine we want to turn into a large one.

While it is NOT ideal, you can run the machine outside under a COVERED patio or porch. I did this when I did not have room back in the 1990's, but it shortens the life of the components. Placing it in a garage or workshop or outbuilding is a better option. Beware of running the machine in freezing temps, or blazing heat. That's not good for the bottles you are trying to clean.

I built my own machine 30 years ago, then purchased a small Jar Doctor machine, then a large frame, and put the two together.

I LOVE this machine, and appreciate all the years of design and improvements the Jar Doctor has made over the years.
 

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Vinewood

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I have the chance to purchase a Jar Doctors Machine. I would like to hear from this forum, what do you think of the machines. LIKES/DISLIKES and one thing that is important to me is the noise. Are they noisy or quiet? Cost of tumbling material and can that material be salvaged and reused...Thanks a bunch. OMD
See my other post to Wildcat Wrangler for my opinion on my machine. I will NEVER be without it. When you put in the time to learn to do it right, you will be pleased with the results you can achieve. Also check out the facebook group "Antique Bottle Cleaning".
 

Old man digger

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See my other post to Wildcat Wrangler for my opinion on my machine. I will NEVER be without it. When you put in the time to learn to do it right, you will be pleased with the results you can achieve. Also check out the facebook group "Antique Bottle Cleaning".
Vinewood, thank you for the info. I don't do facebook...OMD
 

Wildcat wrangler

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Thanks Leon, that answers one of my questions. I am getting our thinking about getting a single tube system. The one the Wrangler has would be nice, but it is like he said huge. And I don't have the room either.OMD
(But it’s a ”she” bottle addict- . Is that weird? Not to me!) It is so huge- and to add additional rollers I think it’s close to $500 that I’d be into it for, by the time I got the canister. I, for sure, am not opposed to making up my own canister for it- Robby had some really good suggestions for that. But those thic clear ones are tuff to beat! Anyone using those? Do they stay clear, or get all scratched up after the first use?
 

Wildcat wrangler

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See my other post to Wildcat Wrangler for my opinion on my machine. I will NEVER be without it. When you put in the time to learn to do it right, you will be pleased with the results you can achieve. Also check out the facebook group "Antique Bottle Cleaning".
If you get the jar dr one, it will be interesting as to how it stacks up against your machine! I am going back to fb and will find that group. thank you!
 
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Wildcat wrangler

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Once you see the results you can achieve with this machine, you will make room for it somewhere.

Your have options. You CAN purchase two short side rails from the Jar Doctor, swap out the long ones for the short ones, and turn your large machine into a small one. You can either keep the long rails for going back in the future, or sell them to me or someone else who has a short machine we want to turn into a large one.

While it is NOT ideal, you can run the machine outside under a COVERED patio or porch. I did this when I did not have room back in the 1990's, but it shortens the life of the components. Placing it in a garage or workshop or outbuilding is a better option. Beware of running the machine in freezing temps, or blazing heat. That's not good for the bottles you are trying to clean.

I built my own machine 30 years ago, then purchased a small Jar Doctor machine, then a large frame, and put the two together.

I LOVE this machine, and appreciate all the years of design and improvements the Jar Doctor has made over the years.
That’s AWESOME! I have a 1000 sq ft covered patio-it’s screened in and filled with exotic cats, so that wouldn’t work anyway. I will find a spot in the garage, and can’t wait! We really don’t have too many issues with freezing, but my garage is in Redding California, or “hell” in the summer? So 120 degrees, in a garage…. Don’t run bottles then? Or is that blasting heat? I’m trying to get husband motivated to make some room in that garage, before I just set it up in the middle of the 5th wheel! I already have 300 paintings stored in boxes for the art shows, in that, but would like to actually use the rv for…. Vacation! RV/storage unit?! I will figure it out, one way or another….
 

Vinewood

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That’s AWESOME! I have a 1000 sq ft covered patio-it’s screened in and filled with exotic cats, so that wouldn’t work anyway. I will find a spot in the garage, and can’t wait! We really don’t have too many issues with freezing, but my garage is in Redding California, or “hell” in the summer? So 120 degrees, in a garage…. Don’t run bottles then? Or is that blasting heat? I’m trying to get husband motivated to make some room in that garage, before I just set it up in the middle of the 5th wheel! I already have 300 paintings stored in boxes for the art shows, in that, but would like to actually use the rv for…. Vacation! RV/storage unit?! I will figure it out, one way or another….
The photo that I shared above IS my Jar Doctor machine, a large frame, like yours, connected to a small frame one. Depending on the size of the canisters, I can turn 8 to 10 at once. The clear canisters that you see in my photo have over a year's use in each one and are still mostly clear, with some scratches.
As far as heat goes, The electric motor generates heat when it runs. It's rather warm when it's 40 degrees. When it's 100, it feels burning hot. In a small space, it will heat the room up a bit. Just set it up and try it in your favored location, but be mindful that you may have to ventilate the space, and not run it in the hottest part of the summer. I have well over $4000 in my machine, parts, tubes, stopples, 150 pounds of copper, etc. BUT IT'S WORTH IT for what I can do to my bottles.
 

Wildcat wrangler

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The photo that I shared above IS my Jar Doctor machine, a large frame, like yours, connected to a small frame one. Depending on the size of the canisters, I can turn 8 to 10 at once. The clear canisters that you see in my photo have over a year's use in each one and are still mostly clear, with some scratches.
As far as heat goes, The electric motor generates heat when it runs. It's rather warm when it's 40 degrees. When it's 100, it feels burning hot. In a small space, it will heat the room up a bit. Just set it up and try it in your favored location, but be mindful that you may have to ventilate the space, and not run it in the hottest part of the summer. I have well over $4000 in my machine, parts, tubes, stopples, 150 pounds of copper, etc. BUT IT'S WORTH IT for what I can do to my bottles.
I can see it totally worth it! I just wrote the good dr to find out if he has a package for additional rollers. I’m not worried about the heat from the motor- it’s the summer Redding heat that would test it. This place is notoriously HOT in the summer. I was born & raised here- it’s not something you get used to. That’s why when the going gets tuff, the tuff go to the lake. (Come on, rain, the lake is more empty than in my whole life!).
 

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