Many years ago, probaly atleast 20, I found a Thumblers Tumbler at a garage sale for $3. I was not familar with them and thought a kids toy possibly worth the $3. I later learned that they are worth a lot more and a very rugged little unit. One feature I didn't like was no ON OFF switch. That was an easy fix, the motor housing has some vent holes and by removing the rivets and taking cover off I installed a toggle switch in one of the holes. Probably spent more on the switch than what I paid for the unit--but it was worth it. Then just pop rivet the housing back on. If you didn't know it--would think it came from factory that way. Then my belt stretched and was useless. Some sewing machine belts were close enough to work, but rubber belts stretch after usage. I made a leather belt probaly atleast 15 years ago. This was done by cutting a strip of heavy leather to a width where it is square, knock of the edges and roll it on a hard surface to round it and then connect the ends with a heavy staple. Haven't tried it but I'm thinking a belt could also be made using parachute cord. You can melt the ends and touch them together and get a pretty good weld. This post started out to be reviving a dead one, so I'll now get to that part. I had not used my Tummler for a year and it had bound up. The motor made a humm but would not turn. I could move it a little by hand, but it was difficult and would not kick off. I chucked the pulley into my drill press and spun the motor a few seconds. This made it free and she is now running as good as ever--have ran it continiously over 24 hours. Afterall I paid $3 and have to get my money's worth. Despite it being idle past year or so, I have used that thing a whole bunch--tough little machines.

The oil in your motor bearings dried to a thick gum. Unless you add a good oil that can loosen and 'slick' up the bearings it will soon recur. I suggest automotive Automatic Transmission Fluid; it's a very good light oil, dries slowly and without gumming and it's quite inexpensive. Great gun and reel oil too.

Jim C--Thanks for the tip. ATF has been applied--hope in right spot and will penetrate to where needed. I too believe in ATF, substitute a quart of your motor oil in a car engine and I have seen that stop a car from burning oil. A felt ring under your positive battery terminal with a few drops of atf will cut down on battery corrision.

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I too believe in ATF,

Good. ATF is actually synthetic sperm whale oil which used to be the finest machine oil available, they had to make a substitute when auto transmissions came on the market, not enough whales to keep us going! ATF is so good I get a lot of chuckles reading folks tout their favorite very costly gun oils.

I once did a few tests of about two dozen simular gun, reel and auto oils. None of them came close to matching the non-gumming qualites, penatrating, lubing and rust prevention of ATF.