# bottle tumbler question??



## dirtflicker (Oct 18, 2005)

I am building a bottle tumbler and would like to know what the most common canister size is? There must be one that some of you guys use most for everyday tumbling. The reason I am concerned about this is because the machine I am constructing will not have adjustable shafts (rods). For now I am just putting on a drive rod and 1 idler rod, leaving room to add more later (when I have more $$$). It seems to me that a 4" canister will be sufficient for most bottles....even some whiskey bottles. I am also curious as to how much copper to use insed the bottle and inside the tube (outside the bottle). Thanks for any help.

 Dirtflicker


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## Bottle tumbler (Oct 19, 2005)

hello dirtflicker, 4" is good, but you could also use the 5" on the same spot on your tumbler. I built my own add on to a tumbler i bought. and i put the guide wheels on the bottom, this allows you to use several sizes of tubes in one spot, i have a 8" tube turning now on a spot where i do 5" tubes i can also put a 12" tube in the same spot.
 most people fill there bottle half way, i put a little more inside and outside. 
 how fast is your tumbler going to turn?
 do you have your drive rod pushing down into the tube and not up. is it rubber coated?

 just wondering

 rick


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## dirtflicker (Oct 19, 2005)

Thanks for the information bottle tumbler. The machine I am building will not be attatched directly to the tube. The tube will sit in between the drive and idler roller. I am building the system vertically the motor will be mounted on the bottom with a 1.5 inch pulley...from there it will go up to a 10" jackshaft pulley. From there I am having a hard time making the calculations for my RPM's. I would like the 4" tube to turn at about 40-45rpm's so I can do both square bottles and round bottles safely. I need help reducing the RPM's. I know that you multiply the motor RPM's by the motor pulley size...which is 1.5"......then you divide the answer (2587.5) by 10......which is the jackshaft pulley size.....after that I am lost but I think you take 10 and divide it by the next pulley size going to the drive rod pulley? after that I need to figure out the deduction in RPM's from the 1" rod turning the 4" PVC pipe? I was never good at math but after I figure this out correctly I will be able to build my machine. I have already drawn a plan....just need to figure out the formula. Any help would be appreciated.

 Dirtflicker


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## Bottle tumbler (Oct 20, 2005)

keep your eyes open for sewers or water lines going in, they have throw away pieces all the time. it is a aqua color and works great, and you can get what they call test plugs or make some stopples from plywood to fit inside and screw or glue them in place, or cut your plywood in half (the circle you make) cut a rectangle in the center 1" by 2" use a  long 2 piece threaded bolt with and long nut to expand it to tighten inside the tube, I can only do insides in the big ones.

 about rpms and all the numbers you used. well I am no math wizard so they are all just numbers to me, but this is what i do. motor pully size is 2" jack shaft pully is  10" with a 2" along side that. that runs to the drive shaft were you have 2 or 3 pullies. one is 2" one is 3.5" the last is 4" now you have fast slow and slower.
 but if your running straight from the motor to drive shaft remember pully size means  small to big = slow big to small = fast

 rick


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## dirtflicker (Oct 22, 2005)

Thanks Rick, Yeah...at first I was going to impliment a jackshaft...but I decided that the least moving parts the better so I decided to go with a motor that doesn't put off as much RPM's and move down to a two pulley system (no jack shaft). I am run a 1/4 or 1/2 HP 1140 RPM motor with a 1 inch pulley from the motor to a 14 inch pulley on the drive rod...that brings me to 81 RPM's. The 81 RPM's will then be distributed from the 1" drive rod to a 5" OD (4" ID) PVC pipe. So I figure when all is said and done my machine will be running at around 41-46 RPM's (ballpark). Thats good enough for me. Now I just need to buy all the accessories!!![] 

 dirtflicker


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