Vibratory finisher

[BLKBOB]

Well I was toying with the idea of getting a vibratory tumber to deburr small parts that I will be cutting out with my cnc table. Was wondering if anyone has any input on this or if they have a machine that they are happy with. I am looking at a bench top unit or if I could get a good deal on a used MR. DEBURR unit. Any help appreciated.

Gord

[MQYJ]

I've never used one but I somehow doubt it will remove plasma dross. A sand blaster with black beauty will not get it off. I've found the best method is to use a 5 in 1 painters tool and just chip it off. I like the 5 in 1 because it is more contolled and tends to not scratch up the surfaces like a slag hammer will

[BLKBOB]

I wasn't sure if it would take off the dross but I'm assuming if I removed the dross and tossed a bunch of smaller items in a deburring unit it would remove all the scale and and little burrs. Just a thought not gonna run out and get one more of toying with the idea. Wanted to know if anyone had some first hand use.

Gord

[LASER]

I tab small parts in and flip and sand the sheet when done.

[BESRK]

I actually modified a cement mixer to act as a tumbler to knock dross off small parts. I basically welded some "fins" along the inside of the mixer to tumble the pieces. I'd toss a bunch of small gussets/brackets..etc. into the mixer, tape a cardboard cover over it and hit go. Let it tumble for a day and it would knock off about 95% of all dross. It would also round off all the edges and generally "dull" everything... making the parts look "worn out".

In the end I abandoned the $200 mixer project and went back to cleaning dross manually. If I'm cutting correctly, there is very little dross and almost all of that will wipe right off with a wire cup on a grinder. Larger parts will shatter the dross off if slammed down flat on the welding table.

[zukidave]

a small mixer with steel shot work's good
for smaller part's, tab's, bracket's that kind
stuff to buff all the sharp edge's.

[MQYJ]

Originally Posted by BESRK

If I'm cutting correctly, there is very little dross.....

There's the key right there. Some days I have it and some days, not so much.

[jj2k]

I have the small vibratory tumbler from Harbor Freight (I'd like the large one too). I tumble all my small parts in it. I use ceramic media (expensive) in it and it works well for removing dross and scale. But I do have to run it all day. I also built a tumbler out of a 55 gallon plastic drum utilizing a Dayton gear head motor I found in a pawn shop for $50 bucks. I use worn out ceramic media for tumbling media. I tumble old rusted horseshoes as well as finished product. It doesn't leave a perfect finish, it is a little rough. But it is also clean of scale, dross, rust and other undesirable elements.Since I am a full time blacksmith I am removing much more scale and dross than most shops would ever see. I haven't got my 2x2 yet ( another week or so) but when I do, that's how I'll handle all my small and simple shapes for finishing. Hope that helps.

jj2k
Alvarado Texas

[MQYJ]

Shit, you have to tumble parts all day? Like BESRK said, if cutting right, most of the scale takes nothing to remove. Most of my parts are cut, dried off, and welded into something within a few minutes of coming off the table. I would seriously reconsider this machine if I had to wait that long to remove dross.

[jj2k]

I am a full time Blacksmith I am removing much more scale and dross than most shops would ever see. Get it?

[MQYJ]

I missed the part of your post stating you were a full time blacksmith. But, since yours was not the first post to state an all day tumbling procedure, that is what caused my response. Get it?

[BESRK]

The stuff I was tossing into my tumbler were things like gussets, cage plates, flanges...etc. Usually several dozen of each at a time. They were destined to sit on the shelf awaiting sale..

However, I prefer the clean "crisp" edges for parts destined to be sold to general public. They just look "newer".

In the end, I'll employ the cement mixer as a... cement mixer.

[jj2k]

Got it.

[MQYJ]

Originally Posted by jj2k

Got it.

By the way, I'm curious as to your location and your full time employment as a blacksmith? Is it self employment or do you work for somebody? I've been fascinated with the trade for a long time but do not have the space requirements to set up a forge right now. If I ever get to actually build the shop I'm planning, there will be space dedicated to a forge and blacksmith work station.

[jj2k]

Haha some days , it feels more like self-unemployment! No really though, I do a lot of art and craft fairs and sell the trinkets and do demos for the tourists. We do rendezvous and civil war re-enactments and some ren faires on occasion. I take a few really nice pieces to show and to sell. I built a lot of hand forged furniture, & fireplace equipment. Some months the craft fairs pay off, some months it's special orders. But it has always paid something.

It doesn't take as much space as one might think to have the equipment on hand or how fast you can set it up. My first forge consisted of a brake drum and a blow dryer. Laugh if ya like but it lasted 6 years and made me a lot of money. I build a lot of my own equipment. The first shop I had was a 8x12 shed in the backyard. I use a home built gas forge mostly these days, using coal only for the tourist demos. Being in Texas they want to see a bellows and hearth and your anvil on a stump. Any deviation from that and I hear, "Your cheatin!" lol So I had a sign made that said, "Please do not feed, poke or tease the blacksmith" So when someone gives me grief, I just point to the sign and go back to work. They get a chuckle and no hard feelings.

If you'd like to see some of my work, go to : http://jmetal.webs.com .
I've been smithin for over 10 years and I never get tired of learnin more.
I'll utilize this 2x2 for much more than just cutouts to weld in or on a piece.
Gosh I can't wait for this machine to hit the shop.I think I only got a week or so before it gets here.

If ya need help or links or anything, email me here and I'll reply.

jj2k

[camsk5]

I have a very large commercial vibratory tumbler (1/2 drum size)... with a brand new motor and electrics on it.. 220v.. rubber lined.. uses media and wet solution. It was used for production aluminum deburring work

I only want 350.00 for it.. Its a shop built model ..works excellent.. comes with about 50 pounds of varied ceramic media. Its on wheels for rolling around the shop..Its big and heavy.

Its just collecting dust in my shop



If you are interested email me at camismadd@gotsky.com for pictures