Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[William Phillips]

 I have a Lortone 3A tumbler, the barrel won't turn.  The motor runs and the drive rod turns, however the barrel won't roll.  I have the barrel half filled and I weighed the material I put inside (About 1 pound plus water to cover the rocks). Any Suggestions
Thank You
Bill Phillips

[lapidaryrough]

http://www.lortone.com/pdf/Model_3A_PartsList_Instructions.pdf

      link for manual for 3 A tumbler.

    Consider pillow block bearings, For your next upgrade.

    Vibra-sonic's great for 220 grit and finer - rotary tumblers for 40/70 through 80 grit ( 80 grit breaks now fast so let it run for three weeks JUST keep a good paste wet , and more 80 grit water as needed. Just let it break down for three weeks, sort for the barrel, keep different barrels for coarse runs / other polish & fine grit runs. 

  Dad  gave me a LS-18 in 1981, Fine saw though - Lortone fine if you use them twice a year for life. Or daily uses ( OLD HighLand-Park )   with light PM over 3 decades. Funny how lapidary has gone from the yard of piles and buckets. to a shoe box under the kitchen table.   with a 8'' diamond pacific  Titian.   "GOT SLABS?"

   

[William Phillips]

Thank You,
 I used the link to the Lortone  PDF
 I took the cover of and found the drive pulley was full of rubber dust. I cleaned it and I'm off and running (tumbling).
My parents also had a 20 pound tumbler, which I am also using. Its a Lortone they bought while I was in the Army.

Thanks again

Bill Phillips

[robirdman]

I just had a similar problem with my decades old Lortone gallon tumbler, not used in years.  Lortone said maybe the belt was too loose, and when I pressed in on it, the barrel turned.  There were screws to move the motor and I adjusted and this worked.

[Ryaly2dogs]

A new belt at about $3 plus shipping from the Rock Shed also does wonders. I also use duct tape around where the lid meets the barrel as this action over time can wear to a polish and loss of friction results in slipping but no rolling.  Again a few cents and wham, back on track.  One has been going for about 2 years straight now on successive loads.  I have tried several times to kill my Lortone's but they keep plugging.