Another DIY Tumbler

[Ted383]

The one I am making will function the same as the one Unabiker made, I'm just going about it a little differently.

I sourced the junk 100 pound gas cylinder from the local gas company. I just had to pay them 10 bucks for them to "devalve" it.

The drive shaft will go thru the "gondola" under the tub. The flange mount bearing (2 ea) will mount up to the 4 hole bolt pattern.

The support frame that the tub will sit on top of will be 2x2x.125 steel tube.

I'll have the tubing Monday...stay tuned.

[Jcar]

Smart thinking. I've got something similar in the works, although I fabricated my tub from scratch. I take it you're mounting the angle flanges on springs and putting counter weights on the drive shaft? If so, how do you plan on getting power to your drive shaft?

[mxtras]

Nice start!

Scott

[Unabiker]

Looks good so far.
I can't wait to see how it develops.

[destroyer125]

Very interesting, looks like it has great potential.

[BobWarfield]

Love these tumbler projects!

BW

[Ted383]

I take it you're mounting the angle flanges on springs and putting counter weights on the drive shaft? If so, how do you plan on getting power to your drive shaft?

Yep, the springs will go where the 1-2-3 blocks are. Power will be dilivered by V-belt.

[Ted383]

Since I have no idea how much counter weight will be needed I wanted the set up to be as "adjustable" as possible. I bought two 1" ID x 2"OD x 3" couplers and stacked eight .120 steel plates onto them. I can add or remove plates as needed.

The size of the counterweight and the # of plates was a total guess.

[Unabiker]

Good to see you are making progress.
Some comments on what you've got so far-
Those weights are going to create some powerful forces. Over time, these unbalanced forces will take it's toll on the shaft. You may want to think about adding another bearing to the end of your drive shaft. If that shaft is turning at 1000 rpm, the outside corner of your weight will be moving at about 50mph. You certainly don't need a hunk of metal moving through your shop at that sort of velocity. You might also want to start with less weight than you think you need and add plates as you go. The less weight spinning, the lower the potential for danger.
With the motor located down low and close to the axle center line, the bearings in the motor are going to take some abuse with every upward movement of the tub. This abuse could be lessened by moving the motor up and further off of the axle center line.
You might consider adding even larger gussets to your axle support or even a large plate across the back side of the support. By adding rigidity to the axle support structure, you will transfer more shaking force to the tub. Any place where flex is allowed will result in lost shaking force. It will could also result in welds cracking and metal prematurely fatiguing.
Are you planning on springs all the way around or springs on one side and a pivot on the other?
A large base like that could provide lots of room to weigh that baby down.
Keep up the good work.

[Ted383]

Mcmaster-Carr never ceases to amaze me. The motor they sent had no ID label on it, no markings what-so-ever. So I call, 1.5 days goes by and I don't hear back from them.

So today the FedEx truck brings me another motor...with a ID label on it. Nowhere does it say to send the 1st one back

[Ted383]

I took Unabikers suggestion and cut the counterweight in half. Four .120 thk plates on each side.

The gondola mat thickness is .120. I was supposed to use .134 but grabbed the wrong stuff. I'm thinking .187 would probably be best. I gusseted and welded 'er up good, we'll just have to see how she holds up.

I am using four 2.0 Dia.x 3"x .192 wire springs to suspend the tub.

I put 60 lbs of water in the tub and fired 'er up for a few seconds. I may have more amplitude than I need but I'll have to wait 'till I get 150 lbs(?) of media in there and see what happens.

[Ted383]