bigken462
Contributor
I didn't have any luck with this over on TDS so I thought I would try it here.
For those that like to sit around and draw stuff up for fun, I got something for ya to take a peek at. I will admit that IÃÎ bad about wondering off on the loose end and start one project after another at the drop of a hat. Last week it was a dry suit dryer, this week itÃÔ a tank tumbler. Both are in the plans, so while I was in the hunt for dryer parts for the dry suit, I fell in love with the parts list of the surplus center stuff and begin to dream big. That place is like a Sears and Roebuck catalog to a kid at Christmas time.
I do have a good resource buddy who is very knowledgeable in industrial fabrication, and electrical engineering etc that does this sorta stuff day in and day out at work. His comment to me was that IÃÎ building a Sherman tank tumbler rather than a scuba tank tumbler. I know itÃÔ overkill to some extent, but rather than throwing money away toward a 800.00 dollar GMC Scuba tumbler that is limited in length and weight as to what it can handle, I may as well building something that could accommodate anything from a small 40 all the way up to a large high or low pressure bank cylinder. Would I ever need something this solid? Chances are more likely not, but why red-neckit when it can be built tough using surplus parts.
I think though, I have grossly over built the plans using a 1Hp mother and the 10:1 gear reducer. If my math is right, using a reducer that has a 175rpm output, on 2 1/2" drive wheels should give me 54-55rpm or so rpmÃÔ on an 8 cylinder. A lil fast, but can be reduced or increased to some degree using the variable output. I donÃÕ care for belts and chains is the reason IÃÎ wishing to use the gear reducer over pulleyÃÔ to reduce the output rpmÃÔ.
Included in the Excel file is a small parts list of most of the moving parts. My friend said he could wire the motor to be a variable drive etc using relays and all that stuff in which I donÃÕ have a dang clue about. ThatÃÔ nothing a case of beer wonÃÕ get me. What IÃÎ looking from you guys is some ideas.
You will see in the make shift drawing, the general layout. My idea is to mount the outside pillow block bearings in a manner than they can slide in or out to accommodate varying cylinder sizes. My idea is to perhaps use tube steel, then mount the pillow bearings onto a slightly larger size piece of tube steel so that it can travel to and from the center drive shaft as needed and then be secured with pins much like your trailer hitch and receiver.
The idlerÃÔ are 3ǹ8 rollers made for boat trailers. Since they also have a shaft opening for a 5/8 shaft, I donÃÕ know how loose they will fit on the 5/8 steel shaft, IÃÍl simply use a few other pillow blocks to ensure they spin freely either way regardless of how tight or how loose they fit. I would imagine they would be a very tight fit on the same size shaft. I could only find a keyed shaft from surplus, so I used it thinking it would not make any difference. IÃ×e yet to decide what to use for a tank stop since they will travel while turning. Whatever it is, I want it adjustable so that it can be used with any length of cylinders.
If yaÃÍl got the time to look at it, great. This is nothing I can do anytime soon, but still interested to see what my options are about building one from the ground up. I've poured over all the dive forums I could find for the last week searching many types of tumblers. I've ran across some good ideas, but could use some help brain storming. I'de love to see some pictures of some that have been built into a bench such as what is seen here.
Some of the information i'm lacking is:
1. Just how much or little torque does it take to spin a small 40 or a larger sized steel scuba sized cylinder all the way up to a bank cylinder?
2. I havent had a chance to meet with my friend yet to get him to describe how he can build a control feature to make it a variable speed. Am I correct to assume that if 60hertz gets you X rpm's, can those be reduced by half if you reduce the hertz cycle to 30 per minute? Is that even possible without damaging the motor?
3. I see that motors as small as 1/4hp are being used. If this is the case, what type of gear ratio must be used to have enough torque to spin these larger cylinders w/o over heating the motor. I'm assuming you would at least want a continious duty motor for the job.
Safe diving,
Kenny
For those that like to sit around and draw stuff up for fun, I got something for ya to take a peek at. I will admit that IÃÎ bad about wondering off on the loose end and start one project after another at the drop of a hat. Last week it was a dry suit dryer, this week itÃÔ a tank tumbler. Both are in the plans, so while I was in the hunt for dryer parts for the dry suit, I fell in love with the parts list of the surplus center stuff and begin to dream big. That place is like a Sears and Roebuck catalog to a kid at Christmas time.
I do have a good resource buddy who is very knowledgeable in industrial fabrication, and electrical engineering etc that does this sorta stuff day in and day out at work. His comment to me was that IÃÎ building a Sherman tank tumbler rather than a scuba tank tumbler. I know itÃÔ overkill to some extent, but rather than throwing money away toward a 800.00 dollar GMC Scuba tumbler that is limited in length and weight as to what it can handle, I may as well building something that could accommodate anything from a small 40 all the way up to a large high or low pressure bank cylinder. Would I ever need something this solid? Chances are more likely not, but why red-neckit when it can be built tough using surplus parts.
I think though, I have grossly over built the plans using a 1Hp mother and the 10:1 gear reducer. If my math is right, using a reducer that has a 175rpm output, on 2 1/2" drive wheels should give me 54-55rpm or so rpmÃÔ on an 8 cylinder. A lil fast, but can be reduced or increased to some degree using the variable output. I donÃÕ care for belts and chains is the reason IÃÎ wishing to use the gear reducer over pulleyÃÔ to reduce the output rpmÃÔ.
Included in the Excel file is a small parts list of most of the moving parts. My friend said he could wire the motor to be a variable drive etc using relays and all that stuff in which I donÃÕ have a dang clue about. ThatÃÔ nothing a case of beer wonÃÕ get me. What IÃÎ looking from you guys is some ideas.
You will see in the make shift drawing, the general layout. My idea is to mount the outside pillow block bearings in a manner than they can slide in or out to accommodate varying cylinder sizes. My idea is to perhaps use tube steel, then mount the pillow bearings onto a slightly larger size piece of tube steel so that it can travel to and from the center drive shaft as needed and then be secured with pins much like your trailer hitch and receiver.
The idlerÃÔ are 3ǹ8 rollers made for boat trailers. Since they also have a shaft opening for a 5/8 shaft, I donÃÕ know how loose they will fit on the 5/8 steel shaft, IÃÍl simply use a few other pillow blocks to ensure they spin freely either way regardless of how tight or how loose they fit. I would imagine they would be a very tight fit on the same size shaft. I could only find a keyed shaft from surplus, so I used it thinking it would not make any difference. IÃ×e yet to decide what to use for a tank stop since they will travel while turning. Whatever it is, I want it adjustable so that it can be used with any length of cylinders.
If yaÃÍl got the time to look at it, great. This is nothing I can do anytime soon, but still interested to see what my options are about building one from the ground up. I've poured over all the dive forums I could find for the last week searching many types of tumblers. I've ran across some good ideas, but could use some help brain storming. I'de love to see some pictures of some that have been built into a bench such as what is seen here.
Some of the information i'm lacking is:
1. Just how much or little torque does it take to spin a small 40 or a larger sized steel scuba sized cylinder all the way up to a bank cylinder?
2. I havent had a chance to meet with my friend yet to get him to describe how he can build a control feature to make it a variable speed. Am I correct to assume that if 60hertz gets you X rpm's, can those be reduced by half if you reduce the hertz cycle to 30 per minute? Is that even possible without damaging the motor?
3. I see that motors as small as 1/4hp are being used. If this is the case, what type of gear ratio must be used to have enough torque to spin these larger cylinders w/o over heating the motor. I'm assuming you would at least want a continious duty motor for the job.
Safe diving,
Kenny
