motor for tumbler

[wickedwitch]

Hi
 I have just acquired a robuilt tumbler complete which has never been used, but to drive it I need a 1/4 hp motor with a 2 inch pulley. I have no experience with tumblers and am wondering it anyone has any idea where I can get one of theses motors, or am I better off to buy a new tumbler with motor included. I am in Tassie. Nothing on ebay right now. Can I use a higher hp perhaps, or use a motor from something else? Any ideas would be appreciated.

Thanks

Wickedwitch

[fossickeract]

Washing machines and fridges have just the thing a repair business should be able to fix you up cheaply.
            Ted

[moonshadow_dancer]

I had a washing machine motor fitted to my gemmasta facet machine when I went to California and OMG!!!! did that machine more and groove. I would go the washing machine motor for sure.

Take Care,
Deb 

[Andrew]

 Good advice,if you use a old washing machine motor just be sure its wired safely,some of the modern machines dont have fully enclosed wiring like older models. Not good to be Zapped to save a few dollars.
  New motors in stock at link ( we supply pulleys as required):
http://www.aussiesapphire.com.au/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=86&products_id=1289

Cheers Andrew

[llarson]

My safety solution for the newer open-frame washer motors is to mount the motor inside a piece of plastic pipe, which is in turn attached to a saddle that can be bolted down like the older motors were.

[silverspear]

Heard of a guy who made his own tumbler, he used a motor from a microwave oven, (turns the plate inside)they run at about 3-4 rpm

[mehoose]

Now there's a thought.

[agatepete]

I would have thought .25 HP motor ex washing machine was way too big for use on a tumbler. They are normally rated 1400-1725 rpm which means you would need a huge pulley to step down the speed for a small tumbler.  It would also be power hungry. This would certainly be the case here in the UK.

Referring to an earlier post which suggests a fridge motor, my understanding is that they are not suitable for lapidary purposes.

agatepete

[llarson]

 A 1/4 H.P. motor is way too big and kw. thirsty for a little tumbler, I used a 1/12 hp fan motor for a 1qt. barrel unit I built for sunstones and other little pieces. Solved the "air over" requirement by making a little fan out of sheet metal and attached it to the drive pulley. The fan is about the size of the motor diameter. It has run many loads with no heating problem at all.

[geriatricgipsy]

You are right about 'overkill' in motors.  I used a washing machine moto to run a tumbler turning two four litre drums... great idea, but you need tons of rock to keep this practical.  They took about 5 kilos of rock each... which needed 'topping off '  after the first couple of grits. That is a lot of rock!  I pay my electricity monthly, and I noticed a shockingly high change in the bill over that six weeks of tumbling.... add the cost of grits, and I decided to 'deep six' that machine.  I now use a small Lortone tumbler that handles about 2 kgs for special rocks I want to use in my lapidary pursuits and is economical to run.  Rock tumbling is fun, but only if you have a use for the finished product.  Luv & kisses, Patrick.

[snappa]

hi
maybe all problems are solved now
I will be making a tumbler myself
12 volt electric motor WIPER motor out of a car or truck
these little beauties have plenty of torgue.

cheap to run

[Andrew]

Hi all,

Power usage in units intended to run continually is going to increasingly be a issue as we all see Electricity prices rising.  Selection of the right tumbler for the job is as always important. The Lortone Tumblers are efficient and offer a whole bunch of size options to suit varied needs.

Vibratory Tumblers, although slightly more expensive in most cases to buy first up, offer the greatest savings.  Not hard to work out really - with tumbling time significantly less, that alone is a big saving without the extra HP and therefore Electricity used to turn extra pulleys and shafts.  Vibratory Tumblers also use a less grit so you also get a saving in consumables.

It's not quite as simple as a Bigger motor will use more Electricity.  Modern motors are far more efficient than old ones -new standards enforce this.  Just like the star ratings on household appliances, not all motors are as equally efficient even today.  I was speaking with technical support from our Motor Wholesaler only last week to choose a new Motor to drive a Trim saw we are working on.  We usually used a 1/3hp for this but I was told that I could use the 1/2hp if we liked and it would use no more Power.  Simply, he advised that these new motors only draw what they need (within reason) and often an overloaded small motor can use more electricity than a bigger motor that is doing the job easily within its specs.  Old washing machine motors and the like do not fit into these comments as we were discussing new motor options.

How to save:

Buy the right Tumbler: Consider size and type.  A Vibratory or Double barrels offer many options including only using one for small loads (this will reduce power use from less load).  Refer Geriatricgypsy's comments above about moving back to a more efficient smaller tumbler.

Select your Rocks- Spend time sorting your rocks and remove jagged, non-performing rocks before or early in the process.

Use Quality Grits and Polish - Yes there are many different quality Grits around.  We pay a premium for top grade media. The particle size in this has to meet tighter restrictions meaning when you use our #80 Grit Silicon Carbide it is #80, not the more loosely graded 60/90 and so on.  The angular shape also needs to pass strict testing.  Lower graded Silicon Carbides are often used for non slip surfaces or industrial abrasives where particle size and shape variations dont matter as much - they are cheaper but just not as good for Tumbling Gems.

Buy grit and polish in bigger bags - we offer discounts for larger lots so try a small lot and then stock up with what works on your product.

Tumbling polishing rocks and gems is rewarding, simple, challenging - so many things to try.   

cheers Andrew