Vibratory Tumbler

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SONIC
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Vibratory Tumbler

Post by SONIC »

We make a lot of repetitive parts and I am not a fan of wire wheeling. So my project this week has been to build a vibratory tumbler. Figured i'd post it up here.
Used the plasma to cut the ends and then curved a piece of 1/8" sheet around them and welded it up. Advice here: weld the 2" tube supports on the ends before you try and bend it. Then ratchet strap it around the curves and weld as you go.
From there I built a frame around the tub.

Spring mounts were made on the plasma also from 2 pieces of 1/2" plate.

The base was made from 4x2 1/4" tubing.

For a motor I used a 1hp single phase continuous duty one that I had sitting around.

Counterweights I'll post pictures of later but they are made from 1.5" aluminum solid bar stock.

Really a pretty simple project, just lots of welding and lots of time. I've probably got 20hrs in it total.

It's got a sheet metal enclosure now and will be getting paint today or tomorrow.

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Re: Vibratory Tumbler

Post by DesertFabworks »

Nice work!
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Re: Vibratory Tumbler

Post by acourtjester »

The videos I have seen of tumbler show a rotation action that is caused by the shape of the container. Your looks like it will just shake but the "U" shape will not cause much of a rotation. I am not an expert and could be way off base yours may work great.
I wonder if you put a pivot on one side and move the other side up and down if that would cause a rotating action of the materials inside?
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Re: Vibratory Tumbler

Post by SONIC »

There are two types of tumbler, the round ones and the tub style. The tub style (mine) circulate the media with an up and down motion. The u shape actually makes it move, as the media bounces upward the u forces it at an angle and that creates a void that the other side falls into. This creates the "tumbling" action. Works as intended ;)
The round ones have that bundt pan shape and work off of horizontal motion on a vertical shaft.

Hopefully that makes sense.
Maine's based on multiple tub style tumblers.
I'll post a video of it running after I get it all painted.
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Re: Vibratory Tumbler

Post by acourtjester »

Thanks
like I said I could be wrong :lol:
It would be neat to see a video of the tumbler in action, it may not make as much noise as the rotating drum type.
Do you use a motor with an off center spinning load to get the vibrations?
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Re: Vibratory Tumbler

Post by steel 35 »

I am following now! here is a adjustable piece i made years ago that would be under that if I had it. ;) Should adjust from balanced to walk it down the street till the cord comes out.
Vibration Generator.JPG

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Re: Vibratory Tumbler

Post by SONIC »

That's similar to what I used only mines not as nice haha.

Finally finished this up.
Had to swap the pulley to spin it at roughly 1500rpm to get the correct vibration.
That made it LOUD. So I built an enclosure for it that works wonders.

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Re: Vibratory Tumbler

Post by SONIC »

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Re: Vibratory Tumbler

Post by acourtjester »

Well it sure works, :D thanks for posting. :D
what is the largest part you tumbled?
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Re: Vibratory Tumbler

Post by SONIC »

Well it's built to handle my brackets which are 2x24"
It works well for that.

I haven't tried anything really large yet. I imagine it would handle about 12" width if necessary. so 12x24 would probably work, maybe even bigger.

The crazy thing is how expensive the media is! It's unbelievable. 150 bucks for 50lbs. and this thing will hold 250+ lbs of media.
I surely hope it will last a while.
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Re: Vibratory Tumbler

Post by acourtjester »

Ok what's the street rod you have hiding behind the tumbler?? 8-)
Would you supply a ruff drawing with dimensions for the tumbler. :D
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Re: Vibratory Tumbler

Post by Francisco »

Re acourtjester's question: dune buggy? Nice wheels (EMPIs?)!
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Re: Vibratory Tumbler

Post by Francisco »

And just took a peek at the video... wow, excellent job!
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Re: Vibratory Tumbler

Post by leggman »

I have heard of people using cat litter for media... Just keep the lid closed when not in use :D
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Re: Vibratory Tumbler

Post by motoguy »

I'd like to see what you use for the offset, for the vibration.
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Re: Vibratory Tumbler

Post by SONIC »

Thanks Guys. Yep in the background is a VW powered rail buggy. It belongs to my father in law and will be getting a new engine here soon.

I'll post up some photos of the offset weights tomorrow.
I also just setup the liquid system so I'll post that too.
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Re: Vibratory Tumbler

Post by SONIC »

Here's the vibratory mechanism.
1.25" aluminum solid rod with a 3/4" hole bored in it and a set screw.
The smaller ones in the center were the first attempt and weren't enough weight I don't think they are necessary now but oh well they can stay.

The liquid setup is pretty simple just a piece of PEX drilled and mounted with a pump in a bucket feeding it. The drain runs to the same bucket so it recycles.

I'll likely make a pan for the bottom at some point I stead of using the bucket, but this works for now.

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Re: Vibratory Tumbler

Post by bobrl »

Morning! Nice job !! I use a clothes dryer on no heat tumble dry!! Put shot blast and parts. Fine job in a hlf hour !!
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Re: Vibratory Tumbler

Post by whiskeymike »

This is awesome. I've been using a cement mixer with a lid and bolted in agitator.

Would you mind showing before and after pictures of a piece of aluminum and steel? Curious how well it deburrs and polishes.

Also did you work from plans? I don't really understand how the motor does it's thing. I understand the offset weighted pulley on motor making the motor shake, but the rest is a mystery to me.
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Re: Vibratory Tumbler

Post by SONIC »

Hey Whickeymike,
No plans just out of my head.

I'll try to find some before and after photos. the media i'm using does not polish,just deburrs and knocks off any edges. It works well.

If I had it to do over again I would build with larger stock. I've had to reinforce several areas due to stress fractures.
This thing runs 8-10hrs a day every day.

The offset weights cause the entire tub to vibrate not the motor. The motor is floating below the weights so it bounces up and down as necessary to move with it, but is not the vibratory mechanism.
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Re: Vibratory Tumbler

Post by AdrianH »

I am not taking from SONIC as I think Vibratory tubs are brilliant. I built myself a small unit last year, used a few braces down the sides of the tub to stop drumming and provide a bit more solid sides.

Exactly the same type of design, well they are common, I use mine on small arty stuff when I can after grinding, have a 3 phase motor off a VFD that also provides a timer function, so I can switch on vary the speed and the leave it be and go back after an hour. Very similar to SONIC not really any plans for the base just built it around what I had using inch box and angle.

I did draw up a simple dxf for the tub ends and braces and these are here, please modify, scale or do what you would like to get a size that is good for you.
struts.dxf
side2.dxf
side1.dxf
chute.dxf
chute plug.dxf
My tub was done with angle for the tub frame. Some conveyor belting on the inside protects the steel from being eroded by the ceramic.

Do not forget a drain in the bottom for getting the liquid out.

I am pleased there are other like minded people on here, I just hope I can help some time.

Bit of a link here: http://www.homemadetools.net/forum/home ... #post53807

Adrian

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Re: Vibratory Tumbler

Post by SONIC »

That's crazy similar! Amazing how two things can look almost identical without any collaboration
Well done sir.
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Re: Vibratory Tumbler

Post by SONIC »

A little update here, I've had a few people reach out and ask how this has held up.

It's been running 8-12 hours a day every day since it was built.
Had quite a few weld failures in the high stress areas, added gussets as welds broke.

We've outgrown it so we're going to build another one to keep up.
Changes to the next one will include solid 1/2" square side plated instead of the 3/16 curved ones. I'll mill out a curved channel to match the contour I want and then weld inside and out at the joint. The bottom will also be a solid 1/2" steel plate with the eccentric weights mounted to it.
Overall the tumbler works fantastic, the tubular steel frame is the weak point so I'll replace it basically with thicker steel plate instead of tube.
Mr Deburr has the right idea on design here.

It's definitely not the cheapest way to build one, but ultimately if you're using it in a production environment it will pay for itself really quickly.
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Re: Vibratory Tumbler

Post by beefy »

Sonic,

would it be worth considering wear plate instead of thick heavy steel. That stuff gets used on excavator rock buckets, etc.

No experience at all with these but I'm just wondering if the extra weight may affect how well it vibrates, and if you may need a much bigger vibrating mechanism too.
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Re: Vibratory Tumbler

Post by beefy »

What was that insulation material you used in the soundproof box ?? At some point I want to make a silenced box for my compressor.

Another thing I've always wondered is if lining the inside with rubber would help. In particular, old car tyre rubber. May not only help with the wear problem but also with noise.
I'm even considering using a big old truck tyre as a rotating tumbler if the day comes I need it.

Noise always seems to be an issue with these vibrators & tumblers.
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