# JAR DOCTORS TUMBLING MACHINES



## Old man digger (Dec 31, 2021)

I have the chance to purchase a Jar Doctors Machine. I would like to hear from this forum, what do you think of the machines. LIKES/DISLIKES and one thing that is important to me is the noise. Are they noisy or quiet? Cost of tumbling material and can that material be salvaged and reused...Thanks a bunch. OMD


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## hemihampton (Dec 31, 2021)

I don't have a Jar Doctor Tumbler but mine is noisy mostly because it's got 25 pounds of Copper moving around the Tube nonstop. for Material re use you can keep reusing the Copper but not any of the cleaning compounds since that breaks down & disintegrates over time & lose there effectiveness. LEON.


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## Wildcat wrangler (Jan 1, 2022)

Old man digger said:


> I have the chance to purchase a Jar Doctors Machine. I would like to hear from this forum, what do you think of the machines. LIKES/DISLIKES and one thing that is important to me is the noise. Are they noisy or quiet? Cost of tumbling material and can that material be salvaged and reused...Thanks a bunch. OMD


Mine is just set up and is overkill…. Huge! It takes up the whole dining room!  I’m like can we get this shortened to like 3 roller length? Something that could bolt back on, if needed?(I don’t want to have to get a storage room to house it!). It can’t run where it’s at because it has no guard over parts I don’t want to peel a $14000.00 cat out of it. That part is not kosher. ( He needs good insurance-if someone’s kid got caught in that?) But I can’t wait….it looks like fun. It ran for 30 seconds, but then they started coming   (Like a cat magnet.) it didn’t take seem loud at all but wasn’t loaded either.  But I’m used to a rock tumbler and a sledgehammer!


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## Old man digger (Jan 1, 2022)

Wildcat wrangler said:


> Mine is just set up and is overkill…. Huge! It takes up the whole dining room!  I’m like can we get this shortened to like 3 roller length? Something that could bolt back on, if needed?(I don’t want to have to get a storage room to house it!). It can’t run where it’s at because it has no guard over parts I don’t want to peel a $14000.00 cat out of it. That part is not kosher. ( He needs good insurance-if someone’s kid got caught in that?) But I can’t wait….it looks like fun. It ran for 30 seconds, but then they started coming   (Like a cat magnet.) it didn’t take seem loud at all but wasn’t loaded either.  But I’m used to a rock tumbler and a sledgehammer!


Yea, I guess if you can handle a sledgehammer and a rock tumbler anything would be quiet. Maybe one of your kitties getting pealed would get your attention. Hope that never happens!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Mailman1960 (Jan 1, 2022)

Wildcat wrangler said:


> Mine is just set up and is overkill…. Huge! It takes up the whole dining room!  I’m like can we get this shortened to like 3 roller length? Something that could bolt back on, if needed?(I don’t want to have to get a storage room to house it!). It can’t run where it’s at because it has no guard over parts I don’t want to peel a $14000.00 cat out of it. That part is not kosher. ( He needs good insurance-if someone’s kid got caught in that?) But I can’t wait….it looks like fun. It ran for 30 seconds, but then they started coming   (Like a cat magnet.) it didn’t take seem loud at all but wasn’t loaded either.  But I’m used to a rock tumbler and a sledgehammer!


Put a candle on it and you have a nice center piece


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## Old man digger (Jan 1, 2022)

hemihampton said:


> I don't have a Jar Doctor Tumbler but mine is noisy mostly because it's got 25 pounds of Copper moving around the Tube nonstop. for Material re use you can keep reusing the Copper but not any of the cleaning compounds since that breaks down & disintegrates over time & lose there effectiveness. LEON.


Thanks Leon, that answers one of my questions. I am getting our thinking about getting a single tube system. The one the Wrangler has would be nice, but it is like he said huge. And I don't have the room either.OMD


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## webe992 (Jan 1, 2022)

I keep mine in my garage and only run it when I am at home. Noise hasn’t been an issue as I think it sounds like rain when it is rolling. Sometimes I’ll take my 3 month old baby in the garage with me while I work and the noise puts her to sleep so that’s a plus! The compounds are cheap enough, copper can get expensive but thankfully it is reusable. I really like my jar doctor machine. It makes a huge difference in how well the bottles display when they are clean.


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## hemihampton (Jan 1, 2022)

mines a single tube, I run it in the basement. I got a door that can slide closed to the basement entrance that stops most of the sound but don't usually use the door as it's far enough away to not hear & my TV is always blasting loud. LEON.


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## Old man digger (Jan 1, 2022)

webe992 said:


> I keep mine in my garage and only run it when I am at home. Noise hasn’t been an issue as I think it sounds like rain when it is rolling. Sometimes I’ll take my 3 month old baby in the garage with me while I work and the noise puts her to sleep so that’s a plus! The compounds are cheap enough, copper can get expensive but thankfully it is reusable. I really like my jar doctor machine. It makes a huge difference in how well the bottles display when they are clean.


That you for your input, it is a good one and the reuse of the copper is a plus!!! OMD


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## hemihampton (Jan 1, 2022)

Old man digger said:


> Thanks Leon, that answers one of my questions. I am getting our thinking about getting a single tube system. The one the Wrangler has would be nice, but it is like he said huge. And I don't have the room either.OMD




I think that's She said, not He said. Wrangler is a She if I remember right. LEON.


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## Old man digger (Jan 2, 2022)

hemihampton said:


> I think that's She said, not He said. Wrangler is a She if I remember right. LEON.


Well, I didn't know that either. I hope no offense was taken, as none was meant....OMD


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## UncleBruce (Jan 2, 2022)

webe992 said:


> I keep mine in my garage and only run it when I am at home. Noise hasn’t been an issue as I think it sounds like rain when it is rolling. Sometimes I’ll take my 3 month old baby in the garage with me while I work and the noise puts her to sleep so that’s a plus! The compounds are cheap enough, copper can get expensive but thankfully it is reusable. I really like my jar doctor machine. It makes a huge difference in how well the bottles display when they are clean.


Less the BABY this is my similar situation.  I have a dedicated wooden table on rollers that is the perfect size for the Jar Doctor machine.  It makes some noise, but it is not obnoxious.  It stays in my shed, which has a room on the end that serves as my bottle workshop.


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## Vinewood (Jan 5, 2022)

Wildcat wrangler said:


> Mine is just set up and is overkill…. Huge! It takes up the whole dining room!  I’m like can we get this shortened to like 3 roller length? Something that could bolt back on, if needed?(I don’t want to have to get a storage room to house it!). It can’t run where it’s at because it has no guard over parts I don’t want to peel a $14000.00 cat out of it. That part is not kosher. ( He needs good insurance-if someone’s kid got caught in that?) But I can’t wait….it looks like fun. It ran for 30 seconds, but then they started coming   (Like a cat magnet.) it didn’t take seem loud at all but wasn’t loaded either.  But I’m used to a rock tumbler and a sledgehammer!Tads, but then they started coming   (Like a cat magnet.) it didn’t take seem loud at all but wasn’t loaded either.  But I’m used to a rock tumbler and a sledgehammer!


Once you see the results you can achieve with this machine, you will make room for it somewhere.

Your have options.  You CAN purchase two short side rails from the Jar Doctor, swap out the long ones for the short ones, and turn your large machine into a small one.  You can either keep the long rails for going back in the future, or sell them to me or someone else who has a short machine we want to turn into a large one.

While it is NOT ideal, you can run the machine outside under a COVERED patio or porch.  I did this when I did not have room back in the 1990's, but it shortens the life of the components.  Placing it in a garage or workshop or outbuilding is a better option.  Beware of running the machine in freezing temps, or blazing heat. That's not good for the bottles you are trying to clean.

I built my own machine 30 years ago, then purchased a small Jar Doctor machine, then a large frame, and put the two together.  

I LOVE this machine, and appreciate all the years of design and improvements the Jar Doctor has made over the years.


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## Vinewood (Jan 5, 2022)

Old man digger said:


> I have the chance to purchase a Jar Doctors Machine. I would like to hear from this forum, what do you think of the machines. LIKES/DISLIKES and one thing that is important to me is the noise. Are they noisy or quiet? Cost of tumbling material and can that material be salvaged and reused...Thanks a bunch. OMD


See my other post to Wildcat Wrangler for my opinion on my machine.  I will NEVER be without it. When you put in the time to learn to do it right, you will be pleased with the results you can achieve.  Also check out the facebook group "Antique Bottle Cleaning".


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## Old man digger (Jan 5, 2022)

Vinewood said:


> See my other post to Wildcat Wrangler for my opinion on my machine.  I will NEVER be without it. When you put in the time to learn to do it right, you will be pleased with the results you can achieve.  Also check out the facebook group "Antique Bottle Cleaning".


Vinewood, thank you for the info. I don't do facebook...OMD


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## Wildcat wrangler (Jan 5, 2022)

Old man digger said:


> Thanks Leon, that answers one of my questions. I am getting our thinking about getting a single tube system. The one the Wrangler has would be nice, but it is like he said huge. And I don't have the room either.OMD


(But it’s a ”she” bottle addict- . Is that weird?  Not to me!)  It is so huge- and to add additional rollers I think it’s close to $500 that I’d be into it for, by the time I got the canister.  I, for sure, am not opposed to making up my own canister for it- Robby had some really good suggestions for that.  But those thic clear ones are tuff to beat!   Anyone using those?  Do they stay clear, or get all scratched up after the first use?


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## Wildcat wrangler (Jan 5, 2022)

Vinewood said:


> See my other post to Wildcat Wrangler for my opinion on my machine.  I will NEVER be without it. When you put in the time to learn to do it right, you will be pleased with the results you can achieve.  Also check out the facebook group "Antique Bottle Cleaning".


If you get the jar dr one, it will be interesting as to how it stacks up against your machine!    I am going back to fb and will find that group. thank you!


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## Wildcat wrangler (Jan 5, 2022)

Vinewood said:


> Once you see the results you can achieve with this machine, you will make room for it somewhere.
> 
> Your have options.  You CAN purchase two short side rails from the Jar Doctor, swap out the long ones for the short ones, and turn your large machine into a small one.  You can either keep the long rails for going back in the future, or sell them to me or someone else who has a short machine we want to turn into a large one.
> 
> ...


That’s AWESOME!  I have a 1000 sq ft covered patio-it’s screened in and filled with exotic cats, so that wouldn’t work anyway.  I will find a spot in the garage, and can’t wait!  We really don’t have too many issues with freezing, but my garage is in Redding California, or “hell” in the summer?  So 120 degrees, in a garage….  Don’t run bottles then?  Or is that blasting heat?  I’m trying to get husband motivated to make some room in that garage, before I just set it up in the middle of the 5th wheel! I already have 300 paintings stored in boxes for the art shows, in that, but would like to actually use the rv for….  Vacation!  RV/storage unit?!  I will figure it out, one way or another….


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## Vinewood (Jan 5, 2022)

Wildcat wrangler said:


> That’s AWESOME!  I have a 1000 sq ft covered patio-it’s screened in and filled with exotic cats, so that wouldn’t work anyway.  I will find a spot in the garage, and can’t wait!  We really don’t have too many issues with freezing, but my garage is in Redding California, or “hell” in the summer?  So 120 degrees, in a garage….  Don’t run bottles then?  Or is that blasting heat?  I’m trying to get husband motivated to make some room in that garage, before I just set it up in the middle of the 5th wheel! I already have 300 paintings stored in boxes for the art shows, in that, but would like to actually use the rv for….  Vacation!  RV/storage unit?!  I will figure it out, one way or another….


The photo that I shared above IS my Jar Doctor machine, a large frame, like yours, connected to a small frame one.  Depending on the size of the canisters, I can turn 8 to 10 at once.  The clear canisters that you see in my photo have over a year's use in each one and are still mostly clear, with some scratches.
As far as heat goes, The electric motor generates heat when it runs.  It's rather warm when it's 40 degrees. When it's 100, it feels burning hot. In a small space, it will heat the room up a bit.  Just set it up and try it in your favored location, but be mindful that you may have to ventilate the space, and not run it in the hottest part of the summer.  I have well over $4000 in my machine, parts, tubes, stopples, 150 pounds of copper, etc. BUT IT'S WORTH IT for what I can do to my bottles.


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## Wildcat wrangler (Jan 6, 2022)

Vinewood said:


> The photo that I shared above IS my Jar Doctor machine, a large frame, like yours, connected to a small frame one.  Depending on the size of the canisters, I can turn 8 to 10 at once.  The clear canisters that you see in my photo have over a year's use in each one and are still mostly clear, with some scratches.
> As far as heat goes, The electric motor generates heat when it runs.  It's rather warm when it's 40 degrees. When it's 100, it feels burning hot. In a small space, it will heat the room up a bit.  Just set it up and try it in your favored location, but be mindful that you may have to ventilate the space, and not run it in the hottest part of the summer.  I have well over $4000 in my machine, parts, tubes, stopples, 150 pounds of copper, etc. BUT IT'S WORTH IT for what I can do to my bottles.


I can see it totally worth it!  I just wrote the good dr to find out if he has a package for additional rollers.  I’m not worried about the heat from the motor- it’s the summer Redding heat that would test it.  This place is notoriously HOT in the summer.  I was born & raised here- it’s not something you get used to.  That’s why when the going gets tuff, the tuff go to the lake.  (Come on, rain, the lake is more empty than in my whole life!).


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## ROBBYBOBBY64 (Jan 6, 2022)

Wildcat wrangler said:


> Mine is just set up and is overkill…. Huge! It takes up the whole dining room!  I’m like can we get this shortened to like 3 roller length? Something that could bolt back on, if needed?(I don’t want to have to get a storage room to house it!). It can’t run where it’s at because it has no guard over parts I don’t want to peel a $14000.00 cat out of it. That part is not kosher. ( He needs good insurance-if someone’s kid got caught in that?) But I can’t wait….it looks like fun. It ran for 30 seconds, but then they started coming   (Like a cat magnet.) it didn’t take seem loud at all but wasn’t loaded either.  But I’m used to a rock tumbler and a sledgehammer!


That's hilarious!  Rodgers would be wrapped up in the gears in no time. It is big. Small shed out in the backyard would be best i think. Just don't use it to hang clothes on...Lol! This ain't a childs rock tumbler for sure. I wish you the best of luck and of course post any and all triumphs. 
ROBBYBOBBY64.


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## Csa (Jan 11, 2022)

What is the speed you turn the bottles at?  Is it a Variable speed motor or are there a couple speeds it can be set to??


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## Jake2150 (Jan 12, 2022)

Wildcat wrangler said:


> (But it’s a ”she” bottle addict- . Is that weird?  Not to me!)  It is so huge- and to add additional rollers I think it’s close to $500 that I’d be into it for, by the time I got the canister.  I, for sure, am not opposed to making up my own canister for it- Robby had some really good suggestions for that.  But those thic clear ones are tuff to beat!   Anyone using those?  Do they stay clear, or get all scratched up after the first use?


They stay clear enough that you can shine a light in. Usually I do this to see if I’ve added enough copper. My other recommendation would be to plan on using it by a utility sink. I installed one in my basement, they’re $100 at home cheapo


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## Vinewood (Jan 12, 2022)

Csa said:


> What is the speed you turn the bottles at?  Is it a Variable speed motor or are there a couple speeds it can be set to??


The motor is a constant 1725 rpm's. (Variable speed motors almost always sacrifice torque on lower speeds.) If you purchase the "two/multi speed" jack shaft option pictured, you can swap the belt on the pulleys between the jack shaft and your drive shaft to increase or decrease the speed your canisters turn at.  With the included pulleys, you actually have three speeds 2" to 3.5" for slow speed, 3.5" to 3.5" for medium speed, and 3.5" to 2" for fast speed.  You could add or change pulleys to alter this as needed.


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## Csa (Jan 13, 2022)

Vinewood said:


> The motor is a constant 1725 rpm's. (Variable speed motors almost always sacrifice torque on lower speeds.) If you purchase the "two/multi speed" jack shaft option pictured, you can swap the belt on the pulleys between the jack shaft and your drive shaft to increase or decrease the speed your canisters turn at.  With the included pulleys, you actually have three speeds 2" to 3.5" for slow speed, 3.5" to 3.5" for medium speed, and 3.5" to 2" for fast speed.  You could add or change pulleys to alter this as needed.


One last dumb question pls. At the lower speed/pulley set up about how fast is it turning the bottle. How many revolutions is the bottle itself making per minute. All this time I thought those bottles being tumbled were turned pretty slowly like a slightly fast rotisserie, is that totally wrong??


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## Vinewood (Jan 20, 2022)

Sorry for the delay in responding. Since the shaft speed is constant, based on the pulley combination you choose, the lager the canister the slower it turns. The "slow" speed, on a Jar Doctor machine will turn a 4" at approximately 28 rpms, a 5" at 22, and a 6" at 19. Note: best for square and rectangle bottles.
"Medium speed" will give you 4" at 48, 5" at 39, 6" at 33.
"Fast speed" will yield 4" at 84, 5" at 68, and 6" at 58.  Note ONLY for ROUND bottles.


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## Csa (Jan 21, 2022)

Perfect thanks! Seriously toying with the idea of building one and wanted to know the “minimum” Rpm needed at the actual canister/bottle to effectively clean them. Sounds like 20-50 rpm is an okay range. Stay tuned. I sure don’t have bottles worth a $1,000 investment to by a real setup, but have some nice embossed milks and other bottles that could really benefit from a cleaning/polish. 
thx again. 
Plan B is drive 30 miles up the garden state parkway with a box of bottles to see what RobbieB would charge me to clean them!!


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## Slowmovangogh (Jan 24, 2022)

I have an old laboratory tumbler that I use for bottles. It is small(ish) but can do 2 canisters at once. It is on the noisier side and the super simple solution I found was to put a couple large cardboard boxes inside each other and then just stick it overtop of the machine while it is running. It definitely doesn't silence it, but it does cut the noise in down quite a bit. I'm sure if you have the ambition you could probably rig something with noise canceling tiles or something like that that would work better. Of course, if your machine is large then this probably isn't a practical solution.


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## Wildcat wrangler (Apr 22, 2022)

Csa said:


> What is the speed you turn the bottles at? Is it a Variable speed motor or are there a couple speeds it can be set to??



I have no idea! Still learning, and trying to work out some issues with it…. Making mistakes, and making a mess. (Dad always said to find something your good at!) but I will get it figured out. There’s a slow and fast speed, they tell me. I have more polish (as I was using too much), coming


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## Wildcat wrangler (Apr 22, 2022)

Csa said:


> Perfect thanks! Seriously toying with the idea of building one and wanted to know the “minimum” Rpm needed at the actual canister/bottle to effectively clean them. Sounds like 20-50 rpm is an okay range. Stay tuned. I sure don’t have bottles worth a $1,000 investment to by a real setup, but have some nice embossed milks and other bottles that could really benefit from a cleaning/polish.
> thx again.
> Plan B is drive 30 miles up the garden state parkway with a box of bottles to see what RobbieB would charge me to clean them!!



Someone posted they were thinking about using a treadmill machine & customize a machine-hmmmmmm!


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## Wildcat wrangler (Apr 22, 2022)

Jake2150 said:


> They stay clear enough that you can shine a light in. Usually I do this to see if I’ve added enough copper. My other recommendation would be to plan on using it by a utility sink. I installed one in my basement, they’re $100 at home cheapo



I wish a sink would fit in that garage! Lol! Yard sale, next weekend. I’ve begged for a sink out there since I bought the house….. I can give you a book of excuses why that’s impossible to do. So my money is on- that’s probably not going to happen, but I sure wish it would!. Since I keep the hours of a raccoon, I can tell you it’s cold, hosing bottles at night, and hell-A messy in the sink. Kat >^..^< 


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## Wildcat wrangler (Apr 22, 2022)

Old man digger said:


> Well, I didn't know that either. I hope no offense was taken, as none was meant....OMD



No offense taken. Really it’s pretty funny how often that happens here, but I can’t help it…. I love this stuff and have more years into doing this, than I don’t! Just Another hopeless addict, with a strong craving for trash! Original recycler, and didn’t we invent that stuff, anyway? Like way before it was cool? Kat >^..^< 


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## Wildcat wrangler (Apr 22, 2022)

Vinewood said:


> Once you see the results you can achieve with this machine, you will make room for it somewhere.
> 
> Your have options. You CAN purchase two short side rails from the Jar Doctor, swap out the long ones for the short ones, and turn your large machine into a small one. You can either keep the long rails for going back in the future, or sell them to me or someone else who has a short machine we want to turn into a large one.
> 
> ...



That’s a Beautiful Setup. That’s what mine wants to be when it grows up!and someday I want to walk around mine…. The whole thing? I wish my order for polish and copper and roller would get here….


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## Wildcat wrangler (Apr 22, 2022)

I have a question, here. Has anybody either tumbled a large thing, like a big decanter or battery jar in a straight sided bucket and locking lid? Without the handle and with necessary modifications? Like moving the roller back. I’m thinking about trying that. A canister would cost $400 or something close, that would handle that. I could revert to my hillbilly ways and grab some duct tape and an ice cream bucket! Using that rock tumbler, well I’m the queen of being able to jame-0 a thing and make it work…. And can block the bottle securely without stopples. .


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## Csa (Apr 22, 2022)

Wildcat wrangler said:


> Someone posted they were thinking about using a treadmill machine & customize a machine-hmmmmmm!
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


Thanks for the feedback WcW. Still thinking through my approach, been diverted with the spring cleanup projects, so no time for digging or building a tumbler. 
Treadmill, not bad, clean up the bottles as you get into shape!!  I have a couple old ceiling fan motors which right now top my list of possible power supply. Stay tuned.


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