[slammedxonair]

Hello, does anybody use a tumbler for cleaning dross off the cnc plasma? I have been doing a little research. I just found out one of my wholesale suppliers uses a homemade tumbler for cleaning there parts. They use center slug drops and load it with them. It seems effective enough but the one thing I dont like is that the steel has an odd lightly banged up finnish to it that I think makes it look like cheep metal or something along those lines.

In my research I have found 2 different styles a vibratory tumbler and a rolling style that rotates vertically. Does anybody know the pros or cons to either method? or pros or cons to different types of media?

I have figured out how I am going to build mine either way I go, because this will surely speed up my production vs hitting ever part with a knotted wire wheel on a grinder. I just need to figure out which one to go with. Thanks for any information.

[millman52]

I built a tumbler in the shape of an octigon. It's a fairly large one that will tumble about 1000# of parts. To big for a handful of parts. I understand the finish you speak of but I have found that my customers find the finish very satisfactory. The only time I use "slugs" as media, is when I don't have a full load of various size parts.

A tumbler of this design is probably the most time effitient method of automatic cleaning. Mine will remove some pretty horrible looking dross in usually 5-7 min. Also if you let heavier parts tumble more than that the edges will begin to become mushroomed out.. Lighter small parts I can let go till they have a very nice matte gray/silver finish on them

[slammedxonair]

so yours is setup as a rotator? and how fast does it move just enough to move parts up the side and let them slide down or does it take them up higher and drop them? Thanks for the info. I am thinking about using a tire or a big plastic drum for mine to cut down on the noise.

[Fiero Addiction]

I'd also like to see what others have done successfully. I've been thinking about building one using a rotating plastic drum with a couple paddles inside. I've read that it's difficult to make an effective and durable large scale vibratory tumbler because they tend to tear themselves apart if they are not very well engineered.

[millman52]

My tumbler is 32" at 2 of the opposite corners of the octigon. Without going out to measure 36"-38" drum length. I ran a length of 2" 1045 CRR through the center for an axle. Pillow block bearing on each end. 5 HP motor 17:1 gear reducer about 5:1 belt reduction to the gear box & about 5:1 chain reduction to the drum. Speed of the drum is as best I remember about 20 RPM.

It tends to lift then drop the parts without any additional paddles inside. & of course is very very noisy.

I'll try to get a couple pictures posted up in the next couple days. Along with some more detailed specs.

[Fiero Addiction]

millman, yours must look something like this one:
Ebay link

I think I'm going to try to make one with a barrel that lays on two long rotating rollers, like a scaled up version of a little tabletop rock tumbler. That way I can use any old poly drum and even have a few drums containing different cutting media. I just wonder how well an HDPE drum will last. Here's what I'm talking about:
Ebay link

[millman52]

Here are some pictures of my tumbler. I don't have room to keep this beast inside my shop & be able to load & have fork lift room to unload. So the motor & drive is kept covered & the remainder sits outside when not in use. It needs paint in a terrible way. I'll get around to some POR-15 to stop the surface rust sometime soon when the weather is fair enough to do it outside.

Here are some more specific specs. Length of drum 37", RPM of drum 16, ends are from 1/2" A36, flat sides 3/8" Center shaft 2" 1045 CRR, Cover bolts (10) 1/2" NC.

I don't think it could stand to run any more RPM, but could run slower. I feel if it ran faster certain larger parts would begin to want to travel full circle. I can tumble items up to around 1' round Slightly larger rectangles do ok. Weighs an estimated 1000# or so.

As I said before It's very noisy. I run it mostly after hours, inside my building with doors closed. Wear ear protection while loading, walking away after turning on, & unloading. I usually run it for only 5 min. to 10 min. max. for smaller stuff. A twist timer for an on off switch would be a handy improvement over the toggle switch I now have on it. The toggle operates a 40A HVAC relay to operate the motor. I didn't see the need for a regular motor starter with overload heaters as it runs such short periods of time.

The tray on the fork lift is so I can dump the parts with it underneath the tumbler. Then pull it out with the fork lift to sort & package finished parts.

There is usually about a gallon of very fine, (about like masons cement) very black dust from the dross & mill scale. Another reason for running after closing time. Shower immediately after, so I don't wear that black all day.

I just about have a load of various size parts to run. I'll post some before & after parts when that happens.

Except for the pillow block bearings, 3 belts, 2 octogon ends & sprockets. I built this thing from stuff I already had stored away collecting dust & from the scrap bin.

I'd like to have another about 1/2 this size in diameter

Neil

[tinman13]

Nice job Niel, I have a similar tumbler only round with paddles inside. I have lined it with conveyor belting to quiet it down. Works well but still noisy!

Does the shaft through the middle cause any problems? Do parts hang up on it?

I'm getting ready to build a bigger one and looking for ideas!

Thanks, Steve

[millman52]

I have never had a jam up. It does somewhat limit the size of part though. As large & heavy a load as this thing will tumble. I'd be afraid to remove the shaft from inside the drum

[slammedxonair]

anybody else have any input?

[Weldtutor]

anybody else ?

A large manufacturer I did some work for used the cement mixer "trick" which did a fine job for them.

Neil.....
Excellent descriptions & pictures of your tumbler.
Fine looking construction!

[millman52]

Thanks Weldtutor,

I'm going to run a batch tomorrow (7) 5 gallon buckets of small to medium parts ranging from 1/4" to 1" thick material. I'll try to remember & snap some before & after pics.

The thing is a real timesaver. It takes longer to drag the thing out & then sort the parts after dumping than anything else.

[slammedxonair]

before and after pics would be great!

[millman52]

Here are some pics of before tunbling & after. Time to load & bolt on cover 14 min. Tumble time was 9 min. Remove cover, inspect then dump 4 min. remove dump pan & move tumbler drum out ready to sort 5 min. Total time 32 min.

If you look closely in the 2nd pic top row there is a horse shoe looking part that still has quite a bit of slag clinging. I'm sure my tip became plugged & was cutting ratty. The kerf lines across the face are also wavy.

This type of tumbler will leave a muh better finish if you tumble like size & thickness of parts. There is 1/4" through 1 1/2" thick parts in this batch.

The parts are really pretty smooth on the surface & are no gouges in them.

I'd really like to try pouring a 40# bag of Black Beauty sand blast media in with a load & see what happens.

Please feel free to comment good or bad.

[tof1]

That actually looks really good, plus it's quick! What are you using to cut the 1.5" thick parts?

[slammedxonair]

The finnish looks similar to those from my wholesale supplier. Other than the dross of course but most parts are not thicker than 1/4 or 3/8 either. Looks like you have a good amount or work!

[millman52]

That actually looks really good, plus it's quick! What are you using to cut the 1.5" thick parts?

All of the parts pictured were cut with Ox/Fuel.

As information on using Oxy equipment is much harder to dig up I decided to post a few speeds & tips I use. Most of it not really by the cutting chart. But is what I have found works best for me. Not so much for speed of cut but for the quality of it. Except for materials 1 1/4 & above I can get nearly dross free parts. In fact the couple pics I posted of "before" I had to look for stuff ( worse cases) of dross on the 1/4", 3/8", 1/2" & 5/8". 3/4 & 1" parts usually have a bit that will most usually rub off by rubbing 2 parts ,dross side together. Above there sometimes a good bit hangs to the bottom but is still very easy to remove & requires almost no grinding.

I usually tumble all parts similar to these simply for a more uniform finish



Using Oxweld equipment. C-58-3 machine torch, 1/4" cut using a 1502 series#3 tip 28 IPM, 3/8" 1502, #3 23 IPM, 1/2" 1502 #4 20 IPM, 5/8, 3/4 &1" 1563 HS (high speed)Series 1" tip at 23, 21.5 & 19 IPM respectively, 1 1/2" 1563 HS 1 1/2 tip 16 IPM.

I am now in the gathering parts stage to add a Hypertherm 1250 plasma machine to my table for the stuff 1/2" & down.

Neil

[WSS]

Cool machine! It must sound incredible. The best part is no workers comp.

[millman52]

Cool machine! It must sound incredible.

Extremely Noisy. Hearing protection is a must even loading parts into it, much less them hammering around inside.

I need to get belt & chain guards made for it. I just haven't because it sits outside unhooked from power 99% of the time. I'm the only one that uses it & run it after hours so others aren't subject to the noise etc.

[planebuilder]

Millman
Thanks for posting the info, very encouraging!
You said you want the 1250 for ½" and smaller. I am looking at the same cutter but the salesman
said I can cut 3/4" plate with it easily. Am I being mislead? I need to cut 3/4" plates for brackets for
dock building and thought it would be cheaper than ox/acet.
Can I expect vertical cuts and up to what thickness? I am using an old (very old) 50 amp machine
and cutting 1/4" plate I get some vertical cuts and some with a severe (30-40 degree) chamfers.