There’s no need to make things harder than necessary.

Taking shortcuts, more often than not, is the smart way out. It’s a way to retain the same amount of quality for less work, giving you more time to focus on other areas that require your attention. As a hobbyist or beginning professional you’re better off thinking about different ways of getting the job done. Tumbling drums are a useful tool you can tap into when you require extra hands. Not only will the end result be just as good…it might even be better.

Check out the list below for some quick tips on getting the hang of your surge machine, from their recommended load sizes to the difference between wet and dry screening.

Tumbling Drums Will Save You Time And Money

The function of tumbling drums is to give the one-person show a little extra power. It’s also a useful device for small businesses trying to keep up with customer demand. The food grade hammer mill is a standard resource used in many plants to separate food parts and create that high-quality you see in grocery stores and food chains. Cement crushers, vibratory screeners, and general tumbling drums are also used by hobbyists, artists, and entrepreneurs of all stripes. With less time spent doing everything by hand you can finally use the extra hours to rest or focus on other tasks.

Don’t Overload Your Barrel Drum

The first, and perhaps most importance maintenance tip, is not to overload your barrel drum. Just like washing a load of laundry, going overboard with the load weight is just going to strain the machine and impact the final result. For barrel loads the optimum load height should be around 50%, with around three parts media to one. This will keep your materials from impinging. The number of parts that fit safely into each barrel should always correspond closely with the barrel size.

Keep A Close Eye On Your Speed

Your second course of action is to look at your speeds. Barrel speeds in dry tumbling, for starters, is generally kept between 28 and 32 RPM. Rotary speeds, on the other hand, vary between 85 RPM and 1,200 RPM. The most popular barrel dimensions vary in diameter and length, with the diameter usually smaller than the length. With the given time and careful handling your plastic parts are able to be polished to a finish that closely imitates hand buffing.

Choose Between Dry Or Wet Screening

There are two types of screening you should consider before investing in tumbling drums. For dry tumbling you should look to the horizontal octagonal barrel, used almost exclusively with this method. This barrel sometimes comes with a metal skin and hardwood lining, able to be replaced at the nearest sign of damage. Dry and wet screening differentiates between the flow of material into grades, those grades then further processed to either the intermediary or finished product. Just like any other part of life, slow and steady wins the race.

Be Patient For Your High-Quality Results

While tumbling drums save you time and money by freeing you up, that doesn’t mean you should rush things. Even the smaller loads can take between six and 15 hours to get the polished results you desire. The surge machine comes in enough categories to fit just about any hobby, material, and production rate. You have high frequency vibrating equipment with a fixed frame, offering small particle ranges for the highly particular jobs. You have large barrel drums for the slow jobs that require a steadier eye.

With a little work, your tumbling drums can support your craft in ways you never thought possible.