Motor in my Midsouth Shooters Tumbler stopped working the other day. I took it apart and cleaned the parts with some steel wool and put a couple drops of Break Free on the bushings. This seems to have extended the life of this motor by a 4 days so far but the motor is making some noise that sounds like it may be trying to stop again. Is there another type of lubricant I should try or is this motor toast? Any idea where I can buy just a motor? Thanks.
Tumbler Motor Lube?
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Blue68f100
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Use ATF it's a non detergent oil that is av very high quality. Can you tell which if not both ends are running dry? I have many time drilled a small hole into to the felt area which hold the oil for lubing the bearing.
Thanks, I'll give it a try. I couldn't tell which end was running dry so I lubed both. I ran super quiet for the first 2 days and now it is starting to act up again. Thanks again.
Beyond my capabilities
If it was matter of replacing ones already made I could possibly manage this, but to fabricate new bushings would require tools (and skills) that I just don't have. Thanks!ranger335v
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Oils are liquids and all liquids will dry eventually. Dried oil is the principle of varnish. Any oil that drys fast and leaves a brownish goo residue (WD 40, motor oils, etc) will slowly bind the bushing bearings to the motor shaft. The drag will over heat the motor windings, the heat will accelerate the drying and the heat will eventually melt and destroy the windings if we don't fix it before that occurs.
IF we really flush out the old gooey varnish (cheep break or carborator spray cleaners work good) and then re-oil the bearings with a good, slow drying, non-gumming oil such as Automatic Transmission Fluid you should be good for at least a year. And then a couple of drops of ATF will renew it again. ATF is the finest gun, fishing reel and other precision machine oil I've ever tried!
IF we really flush out the old gooey varnish (cheep break or carborator spray cleaners work good) and then re-oil the bearings with a good, slow drying, non-gumming oil such as Automatic Transmission Fluid you should be good for at least a year. And then a couple of drops of ATF will renew it again. ATF is the finest gun, fishing reel and other precision machine oil I've ever tried!
Blue68f100
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May want to see if Grainger has the replacement motor. I even take fans/blower from autos and relube them. Put them back end and let them run another 5 yrs.
The heat from the motors dry out the lubes. There is a felt pad that rides next to the bearings/bushing that supplies the oil. Heat what draws the oil to the bearing while it runs.
Another good oil for motors are compresors oil used in refrigeration. These are very high quality non detergent oils.
The heat from the motors dry out the lubes. There is a felt pad that rides next to the bearings/bushing that supplies the oil. Heat what draws the oil to the bearing while it runs.
Another good oil for motors are compresors oil used in refrigeration. These are very high quality non detergent oils.
blarby
Member
Not sure if it'd help or not....
But many midrange RPM longlife motor bushings use dry high-end lubricants.... graphite and the like.
Benefit being no varnish, they don't seep, and its hard to seize... Not sure if it'd work here...but I use it on my PC fan motor bearings... can't think of something that works harder or longer ( or hotter )
But many midrange RPM longlife motor bushings use dry high-end lubricants.... graphite and the like.
Benefit being no varnish, they don't seep, and its hard to seize... Not sure if it'd work here...but I use it on my PC fan motor bearings... can't think of something that works harder or longer ( or hotter )
T Bran
Member
Clean the bushings and shaft with some acetone or carb cleaner relube with STP and let it roll. I use STP for lots of things including engine assembly lube and resizing brass. Some engines have been on the shelf for ten years or more the stuff just doesnt seem to dry up or migrate away from where you want it.
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FROGO207
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Look at why the motor seized up in the first place. The black crud was from the tumbler spewing out dust when it was run without a cover or when opened/dumped. Wipe down the area including the outside of the tumbler with a damp rag every so often. I bet if you run a clean finger along the bench area by the tumbler it comes up dirty. Keeping this dust from getting into the motor in the first place will help the most. BTW Do NOT run your tumbler with the cover off for any length of time. I used to do this to dry the polish that I added to the media before adding the brass and it made a wikid mess all around the tumbler in short order. I find a lube that is non drying and has Teflon in it works the best for that application. I use a couple drops of Lucas Oil transmission additive I have around for other uses and it works well for me. Most all the manufacturers will not sell a motor alone to replace yours due to liability issues. You may get a whole new tumbler in warantee or end up having to buy a new one. I found that the tiny roller bearings on the tumbler motor were available at several sources. The number on the bearing in my Frankfort Arsenal was Googled and I found several for not much money. Usually the one that is near the cooling fan is the bad one but for the price ($3 each) I would get at least a pair of them.
Keeping this dust from getting into the motor in the first place will help the most. BTW Do NOT run your tumbler with the cover off for any length of time. I used to do this to dry the polish that I added to the media before adding the brass and it made a wikid mess all around the tumbler in short order. I find a lube that is non drying and has Teflon in it works the best for that application. I use a couple drops of Lucas Oil transmission additive I have around for other uses and it works well for me. Most all the manufacturers will not sell a motor alone to replace yours due to liability issues. You may get a whole new tumbler in warantee or end up having to buy a new one. I found that the tiny roller bearings on the tumbler motor were available at several sources. The number on the bearing in my Frankfort Arsenal was Googled and I found several for not much money. Usually the one that is near the cooling fan is the bad one but for the price ($3 each) I would get at least a pair of them.
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Thanks for all the tips! I've had the tumbler for about a year and it has seen some serious use during this time so if I have to replace it I won't be upset. I just try to keep as much of these type things out of the landfill as possible. Right now, I have another tumbler that is a combination of one from Dillon and Harbor Freight (the Harbor Freight bowl cracked and the Dillon motor died so I manage to use parts from both to make one that has now been in use for over a year). Thanks again, for all the help.
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