"Stacking" canisters on tumbler?

[bamabottles]

Hi. I recently came across a 5 year old Jar Dr small frame two cannister two speed tumbling machine that needed adopting ($400 adopting fee--ha!) and just starting doing some tumbling. I have been collecting since i was a kid and have quite a number of very sick bottles to clean... and two cannisters is going to take me forever. So, I wanted to try stacking the cannisters, as I saw in at least one post here a while back--cannot find it now.... in a pyramid on top of the other canisters. So, if you have 3 canisters on the bottom,, then add two more on top of and between them and then finally one on the top... Has anyone had experience with this? seems to be the cheapest and easiest route... rather than adding a back kit or side kit or getting another tumbler. But one person told me it wont work well, as they tend to slip... so I was thinking of using either wide rubber bands around the upper canisters or tight fitting vacuum cleaner belts to add grip... any one out there stacking canisters?

 

[bamabottles]

Ok, I found the thread with the stacked canisters. Here it is:
https://www.antique-bottles.net/forum/m-276449/mpage-1/key-tumbling/tm.htm#276639
It was a pic from BarbaraInCalifornia, but is seems she hasn't been on here in a while...

Anyone know how to get in touch with her or anyone tried stacking canisters like this?

thanks

 

[epackage]

if you click on her name in the post you can send her an e-mail...

 

[andy volkerts]

[] The wide rubber bands work quite well, have been using them on cannisters up to five inches inside diameter. I have a four cannister machine on the bottom so I can run three and then two and then one, dont really need anything on the three as the weight keeps them turning well. I have a variable speed belt driven 110 volt industrial 1and three quarter horse thru the gear box drive mechanism that can take the load without any trouble, I bought it for threehundred dollars at an auction at an old machine shop going out of business sale, made the rest out of pillowblock bearings and shafts from other sales. Its a really good machine........

 

[bamabottles]

Thanks, this is good info. Can you post a photo of your setup? I am interested in how you keep the canisters from rolling off the upper part of your machine, i mean from the side. I assume you have some type of nylon roller to keep them on top of the other canisters. Also, what diameter canisters are you running? I have a 2 canister machine, just adding a third idler roller to make it a 3 canister machine with 4 inch canisters. Want to run the 3 on bottom, then plan to run 2 then one on top. But the three in the stack I plan to make "double" canisters with one of the central double stopples so I can run 2 bottles per canister in them...

 

[andy volkerts]

I have sent you a pm re the machine..Andy

 

[epackage]

ORIGINAL: bamabottles

Thanks, this is good info. Can you post a photo of your setup? I am interested in how you keep the canisters from rolling off the upper part of your machine, i mean from the side. I assume you have some type of nylon roller to keep them on top of the other canisters. Also, what diameter canisters are you running? I have a 2 canister machine, just adding a third idler roller to make it a 3 canister machine with 4 inch canisters. Want to run the 3 on bottom, then plan to run 2 then one on top. But the three in the stack I plan to make "double" canisters with one of the central double stopples so I can run 2 bottles per canister in them...

From the pic it looks like threaded rod and nuts bolted thru a side plate and covered in a nylon or rubber type cover over the threaded rod...I'd imagine 1/2" rod and 3/4"pvc slid over it would be fine too.
Jim

 

[bamabottles]

Thanks for all the comments. The nylon spacers worked very well. I did add a nylon washer at the bottom to reduce friction so the spacers would spin freely. They do. Looks like the nylon spacers will last quite a while. I plan to add two more 4 inch cannisters and then top it off with the 6 inch cannister. Hope the picture comes out.

 

[epackage]

SUPERB JOB !!