This is a short video to show the bead tumbler I built as requested by some of the members of the Woodchuckers page on Facebook. The motor is an older version of the one linked here: www.amazon.com/Dayton-Universa...
Made one of these today, 1420 rev motor, 1/4 HP. I used a of PVC for the barrel and a simple wooden lid. I have made a couple of different barrels and platters with different grit paper in each. this allows me to rough things first then polish them, well sand finer anyway. Thanks for the idea Rex
Thanks so much. Just finished mine. I had a bigger motor and it was two speed. I'm running it at the 1700 rpm setting. Looks like it's working pretty well. Just need to put the time in. I would say that the bottom disk, I contact cemented a 100 grit sandpaper to it. More sanding surface. Very impressive and simple. I had some sticky back 120 grit sandpaper I stuck to the sides. I hope this will help anybody just starting out . I also want to say I believe you used a 4" PVC couple and not a 6".
Thanks Greg. I've been wondering quite a bit lately about how beads are made as a batch process - easily. Quick question then an answer. First, what grit or grits of sand paper do you use to shape and finish your beads. Now an answer about the RPM you are spinning at. I don't know about your particular motor, but a simple two-pole AC motor, which yours might be because they are cheap and common, have a natural frequency of 3600 RPM when running on 60Hz household current - approximately. The Variac [vary AC] you have simply divides the power to the motor from100% to 0%. Thus - very approximately - if you are running your tumbler at 70% power, then .7 *3600 ≈ 2500 RPM. You might look up the specs for free-load speed on your particular motor, but it will probably come up with a number very similar to what we just calculated.
Hi there. Thank you. Your video was very informative for me, cause I am going to produce Rastaman Wooden Beads for selling... I am going to produce such kinds of beads: zaf.su/men-beads-wood-different-styles As I am from Russia, we have so much forest and wood to make beads.... So, I have one more question. I am going to make disk shape beads (Rastaman Wooden Beads) and I need corners to be a little bit rounded... So, in your video you showed making them totally rounded like balls... How can I round corners only a little bit? Thank you a lot.
+Greg Southerland I suppose it won't work in my case, or will it? Could you take a look to bead photos following the link? Have tried to make such beads? I want disk beads still remain disk shaped but corners should be a little bit rouned, just a little.
+zaf sorry to take so long to reply. I just took a look at your site and I am thinking this type of tumbler probably would not produce what you're after.
