Homemade Tumbling Parts Cleaner

Homemade Tumbling Parts Cleaner CLEANING EQUIPMENT Cleaning Equipment 25-2-39 Dale Simon, 1993 E. 1650th St., Coatsburg, Ill. 62325 (ph 217 936-2459; Website: dsimon2@adams.net): "I used parts from old photocopy machines, including the electric motor, rollers, bearings, chains and sprockets, to make a tumbling parts cleaner. It's not very high tech but it works great. It uses two rollers, spaced 5 in. apart, inside a plywood box. One of the rollers is chain-driven by the motor while the other roller rotates freely. I put the parts I want to clean into a 1/2-gal. plastic jar along with some degreaser and some drywall screws or 1/4-in. square nuts that act as an abrasive to help clean the parts. Then I place the jar between the two rollers and let it tumble for a while. The parts come out nice and clean. To give the jar more ætraction' against the rollers I place large rubber bands around it. "I made a second model using a smaller 1/8 hp electric motor and rollers made from 5/8-in. dia. wooden dowels covered by rubber hose. The motor is geared down by a jackshaft so the jars don't turn too fast. I use a 1-gal. jar with this model. I also mounted a mechanical counter on it. I let it roll 70,000 rounds or about 7 to 8 hours. The motors on both models are cooled by small computer fans. "I had a problem with some of the contents sliding rather than tumbling inside the jar. To solve the problem I wedged a block of wood or wire mesh inside the container. I plan to make another model using a 5-gal. bucket, which would be big enough to clean couplings clevises and old antique tools."

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