Seems like I saw a How-To on making a case polisher. I think it was the vibrator type, but I don't remember. Seems like it should be rather easy to do a tumbler or a polisher, especially for less than what they sell for. Anyone have any plans?

My tumbler is 10" PVC pipe, 1/2 inch rod, 3/4 inch plywood old Xerox machine motor, coupla pulleys and some assorted lumber.

Motor was 7 bucks and the pillow block bearings 15 bucks apiece. If I had it to do over I would use Oilite bearings and replace as needed!

LouisB

I can tumble 2-3 large coffee cans of brass in a load!

I'm not ragging on ya TC. But for the money you have in your invention you could have bought a new Vibratory Tumbler from Midway.
I do admire your resourcefulness!

You mean like this one ???

ttt

Yeah, Wingnut, that looks like it.

I don't know if this is where you saw it but there is a site called buildgear.cjb.net that has lots of cool things including a tumbler.

Hey Wingnut,
How does one post any photos on this forum?????
Rick

First, go to an internet photo hosting site like "www.hunting-pictures.com" or "www.trophy-photos.com".There are others, too. Follow the onsite directions to register your account and upload your photos. When you get your photos up, remember or "edit, copy" the address.

Then, type your message on the forum. Where you want your photo to appear, type "[img][/img]". Don't use the quotation marks ("), they are just for clarity here.

Then place the photo's address between the "[img]"(start image) and the "[/img]"(end image).

[ 01-14-2003, 00:08: Message edited by: wingnut ]

I didn't get the plan from anyone, it was COMPLETELY self-engineered and built in the summer of 1992.

Plywood box and bowl platform. Automotive springs to mount platform (the tapered spacer springs used on the rod that holds the brake shoe to the backing plate). Two springs joined at the small ends with a short bolt and nut. Short 1/4-20 bolts through a piece of fuel hose, so the hose swells when the nut is tightened, to attach springs to plywood on each end.

The motor is a refrigerator fan motor, mounted to the bowl platform with a 1/2" thick spacer to make room for the head of the through bolt which holds the bowl. The bowl is a simple bundt cake pan. (Word to the wise --- try to find one WITHOUT Teflon. Your cases will be black for years !!! Or you can have the Teflon coating sandblasted off.)

What you can't see in the photos is the counterweight which makes the whole thing work. Mounted on the motor shaft, above the cooling fan blade is a 6" X 1.5" piece of 1/4" steel. The hole is @ 3/8" from center.

The fan on this one is set to blow "up", so there are @ 20 air intake holes in the back of the box. I used a push-button switch that I already had. If I ever replace it, I will use a standard "up-down" residential light switch. The unit, even full, vibrates enough to want to slide when on and trying to turn off, if not steadied with the other hand.

Buy crushed walnut hull, or corn cob. Works great. Rice also works pretty well.

BBBBBUUUUUUUUUUUUUUTTTTTTT--------
Eleven years ago, a new cleaner cost @ $100, and I built this one for @ $25. Now, the parts would probably cost $50. You can buy a commercial rig from Midway or Frankford Arsenal for that.