# I need Copper cut.



## peejrey (Oct 23, 2010)

Hey you guys, I hate to ask ,but I'm having a hard time getting copper cut to clean bottles with. If any of you Pro's have any extra, i need some. No more than a small flat rate box-full.
 I've tried a couple methods so fare but either i got the wire wrapped around the drill, or the iron piece slung out at me. But if you guys don't have any to spare i'll go buy a bottle of copper shot pellets.
 Thanks-P.J.


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## cyberdigger (Oct 26, 2010)

Uhh, don't buy shot pellets unless they are made of 100% copper! Trust me!

 I might have a couple pounds of hand-cut 16 gauge to spare..


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## peejrey (Oct 26, 2010)

really!
 I tried to cut it but the wire wrapped around  the drill, and slung around the room.
 not fun!!!


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## cyberdigger (Oct 26, 2010)

https://www.antique-bottles.net/forum/m-207308/mpage-1/key-chomping%252Caway/tm.htm#207308

 ..I managed to pick some bits up off the carpet.. []  One thing.. I don't recall if I'm talking 14 or 16 gauge any more.. it's one of them.. []


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## suzanne (Oct 27, 2010)

So, how are you coming with your tumbler?  Do you have before/afters yet?  If you do it is your duty as  a forum member to post them.  As an electrician I get copper all the time.  I wouldn't like to be cutting it into tiny pieces though.


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## cowseatmaize (Oct 27, 2010)

I think you need this rig if your in it for the long haul.
https://www.antique-bottles.net/forum/m-5467/mpage-1/key-tumbler/tm.htm
 About half way down.Then the other side is at the end.


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## cowseatmaize (Oct 27, 2010)




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## peejrey (Oct 27, 2010)

What are you using for the iron piece?
 I got the motor, driving belt, turn wheel, and barrels. I'm still looking for: Frame, Bar-stock, i can get roller skate wheels from goodwill, and stoppers for the pipe.
 very difficult.


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## suzanne (Oct 27, 2010)

Calling all Charlies!  Yes, that means you.  I want to see before afters from your fabulous home-made tumbling machine.


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## cyberdigger (Oct 27, 2010)

I bet you do...  it was right about the time you joined the forum I had to move from a farmhouse with out buildings to a 1 bedroom apartment, so my whole tumbling program got scrapped. Staunton Dan got my motor.. I hope it's still spinnin'.. 
 I still have copper, cut and uncut.. and I still have the chomper.. []


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## suzanne (Oct 27, 2010)

Ok, so, now you have plenty of room for a tumbler.  You can set it up in a corner of the living room.  That way you can always keep an eye on it.   
 So as a construction type person  I know you most likely come across motors that are not being used.  I know I do. You could just snag one of these babies and regroup in a New Jersey minute (I always ask permission  first and never got a no  because people want to get rid of them)  You have so darn many bottles it is the only practical thing to do.


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## cyberdigger (Oct 27, 2010)

Tomorrow is another New Jersey day, my dear.. we'll see what happens..


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## peejrey (Oct 27, 2010)

TODAYS NEWS: Wood bottle tumbler frame is out of the question.[]


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## cyberdigger (Oct 27, 2010)

That looks more like an interesting headline, without all the juicy details.. what happened? []


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## peejrey (Oct 27, 2010)

All the steps for screwing up your tumbler!  

 By P.J. Reyome



 Step 1. always make sure you leave your wood out in the weather for 3-4 months before using so the wood can expand, shrink and get hard.

 Step 2. Don't use a proper saw when cutting the wood always use a dull hack saw.

 Step 3. Make sure the nails go in crooked and get mad and say thing you don't usually while throwing the wood across you work area.

 Step 4. When there is a big gap in between the wood because you didn't cut it strait use splints from scrap metal.

 Step 5. when cutting notches for the pvc pipe (plastic bar-stock) make sure there unevenly spaced.

 Step 5. Always use an industrial 1 speed fan motor.

 Step 6. STAND BACK!!!!!


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## cyberdigger (Oct 27, 2010)

[]


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## Poison_Us (Oct 28, 2010)

[sm=lol.gif][sm=lol.gif][sm=lol.gif]

 Will be the next viral youtube video.


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## suzanne (Oct 28, 2010)

Congratulations, you are off to a good start! You now have a proto-type.   I don't know from tumblers but when you have any kind of motor set up it is good to have a steel frame to mount it on, welded up nice and square, and bolted down to the floor with concrete anchors. Angle iron works good for this.  Even little motors are very torque-y and shake a wood frame apart sooner or later.    Everything has to be nice and level and plumb in order not to become unbalanced.  You would not  want your tumbler set up to shake loose from the floor and go lurching down the street like Godzilla, would you?  Oh, no, there goes Tokyo!

 You can use a pulley to reduce motor speed to whatever you want within manufacturers limits.  The formula is:

 Divide actual motor speed by the speed you would like the load to run at
 This has to equal -
 driven pulley diameter divided by your motor's pully diameter

 In this hypothetical case "x" is the driven pulley diameter that you want to find out

 Example - let's say your motor runs at 1800 and you want to cut speed in half to 900.   Go get calculator.

 1800/900 = X/6      
 Cross multiply.  1800 times 6  is 108,000.      
 Now divide by the motor speed you desire which is 900
 108,000 divided by 900 is 12

 You need a 12 inch pulley.

 I don't know if that's how actual tumbler guys do it but you could ask some.  Who knows, maybe you could catch one in a good mood.   Maybe they just go out and buy a slow motor.  Speed is determined by line frequency (60 hz) and number of poles that motor has>the more poles the slower it can go but the more expensive it will be.  

 The copper cutting jig looks like someone snagged a random piece of iron with a groove in it somewhere and drilled holes in it to insert copper .   The important thing would be that it is square so it can be bolted down, and the feed holes for the copper be straight and have a precise tolerance for whatever guage of wire so you get a square cut.  You would need to drill the little wire holes using a drill press to keep them straight.

 Everything I just said is opinion so if anybody sees a problem with it they should probably help this guy out so I don't give him bad ideas.


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## peejrey (Oct 28, 2010)

Hmmmmm...........[8|]
 I think i have a twelve in pulley.
 Where can i buy the frame materials at?
 also the bar stock?


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## suzanne (Oct 28, 2010)

OK, that's if the pulley on your motor happens to be 6 inches.  If it's something else you have to recalculate.  Just measure across it and insert it into the formula instead of 6.  Angle iron can be purchased in some small quantities at some hardware stores I have noticed, or you could go to a welding/fab shop and find out who their supplier is.  You might want to have them weld it up after you come up with a viable drawing of what you want.  

 I am long on theory and very short on experience when it comes to tumblers so someone who knows what they are talking about could hopefully get on here and help.  SO WHAT DO YOU GUYS DO?  Do you just buy a really slow motor or what?  What is the most cost effective way to do it?


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## chosi (Oct 29, 2010)

I realize I'm just a wimp who bought a tumbler vs. building one, but if it's any help, here's a photo of my tumber.  
 The motor is 1/3 HP and runs at 1725 RPM.  
 The pully on the motor is about 0.75" and the pully on the roller is 6".
 It goes at a good speed for tumbling soda bottles, and does OK with smaller bottles, but is a little too fast for large rectangular bottles.


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## chosi (Oct 29, 2010)

By the way,
 I just measured with a stopwatch.

 My 4.5" diameter canister (soda bottles) turns about 70 times a minute.
 My 3.5" diameter canister (drugstore bottles) turns about 90 times a minute.


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## peejrey (Oct 29, 2010)

What are the pieces on each ends, that hold the bar stock in?


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## chosi (Oct 29, 2010)

I don't know if they're custom made bearings, or what.  Here's a photo.


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## peejrey (Oct 29, 2010)

IT LOOKS DANGEROUSLY IMPORTANT!!!!!!![sm=rolleyes.gif][8|][8|][8|][8|][8|][8|][8|]


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## div2roty (Oct 31, 2010)

Choisi,

 Change the size of the pulley and you can slow it down for the rectangle bottles.


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## riverdiver (Nov 23, 2010)

The bar stock "holders" are called "Pillow Block Bearings" and without them the bar stock would not turn, you can purchase them as sealed pre-greased units or buy them with an installed zirk fitting so you can keep them lubed yourself with a grease gun. Most Industrial suppliers carry them, Granger is a popular one and should have an internet address.


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