Vintage tumbler

[VooDooGasMan]

I have a 76' steel 72 that came with a watergill, It has rust inside and with ling season over in two days I am doing tank repair and vis on them.

This is all you need to tumble, as you can see I made it for free, If you look at the ends I have holes drilled in wood for oil, there is a brass bushing and a rod. and the hose is the stop for tank riding up.

I made this in the 70's, I still hold the paten on it, so don't even try to reproduce it with out at least sending a pic of yours.

This has been the biggest money saver that I have, although I have taken to dive shops and let them do it when needed hydro and a vis if going to get rid of the tank.

So when ya need a little more than a brush job, or an o2 cleaning this is all you need.



Happy Diving

 

[Mike Lev]

That's a nice set up.It looks like something from the movie saw.But if it works great!

 

[VooDooGasMan]

Mike with the only maintenance of adding oil to the holes on each end, yes it works very well, look at the piece of pvc missing, I do not Know if it is pvc it was from the 70's, thats what grabs tank for traction. The only thing I do is plug in and oil.

The picture of the end shows where I notched as shaft was to long, and no real cutting device back then.


Happy Diving

 

[knowone]

Bloody marvelous.

Almost as good as crawling around in a bin of scrap stainless
or in the past use by bin, in the lane behind the supermarket?

 

[8dust]

what king of media are you using inside to tumble? and aprox. how long are you letting it run?

 

[VooDooGasMan]

For the steel 72 in pic I will whip the light rust, clean with solution and then aluminum oxide media for 4 hours, as it looks rusty, after whip and clean I will re think time, yet 4 hours is what I more than likely do. I also add solution to the media also.

Have to get out dryer, and set it all up is what I have been slowly doing the pass few weeks.



Happy Diving

 

[gypsyjim]

That rig looks just like a tumbler rig I have had for 20-30 years (and it was ancient when I found it!), but the rollers on mine were designed to carry a series on metal tumbling drums, for polishing jewelery, stones, empty ammo shells for reloading, whatever . I have no idea where the thing came from originally, or what industry it was designed for. I have used it for cleaing up brash shell casings, and pollishing stones, and jewelery castings.

The long "rollers" ride in ball bearing mounted on the wooden platform, instead of simple bushings, and they are also belt driven by an ancient electric motor like yours appears to be. Noisy critter, but it got the job done. Never occured to me it could be used to tumble a tank. hmmm.....I will have to see if my old steel 72 fits on it...

 

[smorneau]

What size aluminum oxide do you use and where do you find it?

 

[VooDooGasMan]

northeast scubanortheastscubasupply.com is who I would have you go to, and all you other supplies to get a feel for what is out there, but john is very fair and will not short change you.

Happy Diving

 

[SwimJim]

I went with ceramic media for mine. I think I got it from harbor freight. I know I bought it for around $2.50 per pound. It works great. I can roll a teflon liner out of a 72 in about 3 hours. A tank with a little rust, much, much less. I did buy my tank cleaning supplies and flash rust preventer (Global Products) from NE Scuba supply. They are great folks.