I don't know if any of you owners noticed this, but right where the barrel leaks grit, right underneath, there is a funnel that directs the sticky, gritty sluice straight toward the cheap plastic reduction gear mounted to the motor. Planned obsolescence courtesy of the great state of China. Take precautions if you want this to last a little longer than a few months. a) buy something more expensive and larger (this model only holds a half pound of pebbles) b) buy something with higher durability reviews and including an offset between where the barrel might leak and where the sensitive motor, gears and rubber bands turn c) if you must have this, put a fine cloth filter over the air intake on top and below where the motor gears are