Shopsmith rock tumbler?

[cincinnati]

I was looking at rock tumblers and the vibrating tubs that are used to polish up rusted bolts and the like.
Was wondering if one could just use something like a paint can with a bolt through the bottom, Mount on your MarkV ( I would use the speed reducer)
My guess it would not over work the MarkV. It would have to run 3 or 4 hours. at a time.

Any thoughts??

[JPG]

I was looking at rock tumblers and the vibrating tubs that are used to polish up rusted bolts and the like.
Was wondering if one could just use something like a paint can with a bolt through the bottom, Mount on your MarkV ( I would use the speed reducer)
My guess it would not over work the MarkV. It would have to run 3 or 4 hours. at a time.

Any thoughts??

Even WITH the speed reducer(100rpm) it would be a bit fast. Also an abrasive slurry would help. I do not think the shape of a paint can is optimum. It needs to rotate on a tilted axis, and lift ledges would be helpful. You did ask for 'thoughts'.

[cincinnati]

Even WITH the speed reducer(100rpm) it would be a bit fast. Also an abrasive slurry would help. I do not think the shape of a paint can is optimum. It needs to rotate on a tilted axis, and lift ledges would be helpful. You did ask for 'thoughts'.

Thanks!

Open to any ideas. I read one guy who uses a paint can filled with sand or corn cob bedding. Takes it to the local paint store and has it put through the paint shaker. said it works.

One guy uses a concrete mixer filled with sand to polish.

The vibrating cleaners just kinda shake like it is sitting on a 1/4 sheet sander. Said to work well.

Don't have enough use to justify spending $50 for a Harbor Freight unit and just kinda like fooling around with the idea in my shop. Just so I can say "I did"

[judaspre1982]

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[cincinnati]

Cincinnati, Clean house on your PMs. ------Dave

Sorry Dave

Too many Priest messages. LOL!!!!

[iclark]

I was looking at rock tumblers and the vibrating tubs that are used to polish up rusted bolts and the like.
Was wondering if one could just use something like a paint can with a bolt through the bottom, Mount on your MarkV ( I would use the speed reducer)
My guess it would not over work the MarkV. It would have to run 3 or 4 hours. at a time.

100 rpm does seem kind of fast. you want a tumbling motion like a dryer rather than a centrifuge gluing everything to the sides like a carnival ride. that said, it ought to be easy enough to try. maybe the slowest speed will be slow enough. I'm not sure if a quart or gallon can is more likely to work.

you might consider setting up the tailstock with a live center and putting the can up against it like it was a rough stock for a bowl.

someone else suggested that you need to tilt the axis. you could get some tilt by chocking up the way tube like you were going to remove the headstock.

Ivan

[paul269]

From Ebay I purchased the Lortone model QT66 tumbler cheap, so the kids can polish some rocks. Here is a link to the Lortone site. http://www.lortone.com/

What I learned is the inside of the barrel cannot be smooth. If the inside of the barrel was smooth like a normal paint can then the rocks will not tumble but simply slide as the can is rotated.. Lortone’s barrels look like an octagon on the inside but round on the outside.

Also the rpm of the shopsmith is way too fast. The tumbler I have is turning about 20-30 RPM. As we all remember while book learning Newtonian mechanics, the inertia or centrifugal force from the rotation of the barrel will create an outward force keeping the media that is being “tumbled” against the wall of the barrel and preventing it from tumbling.

[a1gutterman]

I wonder if the new Mark V Power Pro will go slow enough? If it will knot, I wonder if adding the speed reducer to it will? Hopefully we will soon find out!!!