the amazing vibrating cleaning machine part one

So as I mentioned previously, I have a pail full of loose hardware (bolts, nuts, washers etc.) that are completely covered in dirt, grime and rust.  I pondered using my daughter's rotary rock tumbler, but learned that the interior of the drum can get destroyed by the tumbling medium and the metal parts.

A quick Google search led me to this post on how to make a Vibratory Tumbler:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Home-Made-Vibratory-Tumbler/ 

The tumbler described in the link above is for rocks, but the concept is simple enough, perhaps I can come up with something for cleaning my parts.  Another Google search led me to this You-Tube video:

Now that seems more like the type of task I'm trying to accomplish!  And the cleaning media is cat litter!

Shouldn't get much cheaper and easier than that!  Let's build one!

First, I obtained the following two items from the Value Village thrift store:

Aluminum Bundt cake pan - $1.99

120 volt handheld vaccuum - $4.99

I tested the vacuum in the store before purchasing it to make sure it worked.  It was missing the nozzle extension, so as a vacuum it really was worthless.....  but it's the 9000 rpm electric motor that's inside I'm after.  Recycling at it's best!

Remove the filter section and split the main case open:

Remove the motor/blower assembly and filter gasket:​

​Pry off the outer housing with a small screwdriver and remove the blower fan:

I removed the plastic backing plate leaving just the motor assembly.  The mounting screws are quite short so I needed a thin board to mount the motor to.  I had an old poly cutting board (white one on the bottom of the picture below) that I wasn't using for anything.  I drilled out a large hole in it for the motor axle and two smaller holes for the mounting screws.  The upper board is where the bowl will sit, for this I used a piece of scrap laminate flooring I had kicking around.  I used 6 inch bolts with lock washers and nuts to space them apart enough to fit the motor in between.  This whole assembly will be the vibratory part:

6 inch bolts, lock washers and nuts approximately $5.00

Next, I mounted the vibratory assembly on compression springs I bought in the surplus aisle at Princess Auto.  Then the whole thing is mounted on a base of wood:

The camera messes up the proportions, the boards are spaced much more evenly than what it shows. Springs $2.00

Next I mounted the motor.  In the vacuum, it was designed to spin at high speed and very smoothly.

In my application, I want the motor to continue to spin at a high speed, but to also vibrate at high frequency.  To accomplish this, I attached a small strip of scrap metal to the fan mounting bolt/axle of the electric motor:

So...  thinking all was good, I figured it was time to test it.  I very quickly learned that the motor was designed to power the blower fan with the added resistance of trying to move the air through the vacuum filter.  Although I did plug in the motor and tested it once I had it outside of the vacuum housing and disconnected from the blower I didn't think much of it.  However, without this resistance, I believe the motor spins much MUCH faster than it's rated RPM.  Adding the attached metal strip and the whole assembly almost jumped and bounced across the shop floor base and all when I applied power.  I should have tested this before mounting it, but it probably would have ripped my hand off in the process.

This obviously won't do.

More to think about..... stay tuned for part two.

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