Forget the tunblers designed specifically for reloaders who polish brass. Get a rock tumbler from Thumbler's Tumblers. Biggest advantage to these tumblers is that they are "quiet". My first one lasted almost 30 years.
I've run the snot out of a Lyman for 10 years. I clean the crap out of the drum now and again, and blow the dust/gunk out of the electric motor assembly with compressed air once in a while, and it just keeps running. It's this one: http://www.midwayusa.com/product/158440/lyman-turbo-1200-pro-sifter-case-tumbler-110-volt
I'd caution you against the cheapo Harbor Freight tumblers; I have pals who've had them fail far sooner than they should have.
Berry's, the bullet people make a good one. When mine when tits up, one phone call took care of it. I sent them the old one, they sent me a new one. Since I reload for sale, It gets a lot of use.
I've had good success with Lyman Turbo 1200 units in the past, but don't know if current units are decent build quality. Rock tumblers seem like the right approach, quiet is good.
I've seen the results of brass tumbled in a Thumlers Tumblers. Turned nasty blue .38 Special brass into glistening new looking brass.
Dry tumbling with their stainless steel pellet pin media may be the way to clean Berdan primed steel cases, but I haven't had an opportunity to try it yet.
With brass cases I still get excellent results with a mason jar, some apple cider vinegar and a dash of dish soap. Shake the jar every time I get up for a beer. After three beers, rinse and leave to air dry. Cheap, portable, quiet, efficient. Oh, and it keeps working when the power grid is off.
I've been using a Midway tumbler for 6 years. It was well used before I got it. The electrical connection to the motor came loose, but that was a simple solder repair.
Just finished 1000 once-fired that I bought in Mt. Juliet, TN. Corn cob, then walnut shell and then ultrasonic cleaned to get the dust off. No problems. Cases are beautiful in and out. I have cleaned over 25,000 cases with this machine.
I am going to pile on with the Thumler's tumbler recommendation. I have been using mine with stainless pins, hot water, and dish washing detergent as a medium with great success. It even burnishes the primer pockets and the crud rinses down the drain. Sinclair sells the pins or the whole kit. Beware the dust packaged with the pins, whatever it is, it is extremely irritating. Wear a mask when you open the package and until you wet them down.
I am late to the party, having spent the day getting a car worked on then suffering a few dog bites and trying to patch myself up, but had to add my agreement that rock tumblers are the way to go. In a distant past, I had a tumbler used to create beautiful polished stones for jewelry ( or just to make pretty things for the kids of the neighborhood) by using ever smaller grained abrasive powders. They seem to run a bit slower than brass tumblers, but they are quiet and when I gave mine away, after some ten years, it was still working very well. I don't understand what the difference in motors is, but that's been my experience.
Been using The Turbo 1200 for about five years without a glitch. Only downside is I have to run it all night to get 100 .308 cases shiny. May have to look into the Thumbler.
I have been using my Dillons for 15 years and no problems.
All of them will make shiny brass - the media and the polish do that, its how long they last and what the company will do when they break that matters.
Call every one of the manufacturers recommended here and ask them what they will do ten years down the road when they fail.
Thumbler's are the only ones worthwhile. Picked up a "vintage" small one 10 years ago at a fun show, I still have it and it keeps on truckin. Everything else is from China Mart, watch for your Cabela's or Midway coupons since they can save you some extra pennies or pay for the shipping.
No one has mentioned the Dillon & it's super. In 18 years I've probably run way over 100,000 rds. Dillon has a super waranty. A couple of years ago the bowl got warped & they replaced it at no cost.
Thumblers are designed for MUCH heavier and longer workloads than polishing brass. I have one, but then I decided I liked tarnished brass so it is used to tumble rocks.
23 comments:
Try a Thulmers, these things are really well built. Had mine for years without a problem.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Thumler-Tumbler-Vibratory-Rock-Tumbler-3-Quart-183IN-/360687866976?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item53faac1460
Forget the tunblers designed specifically for reloaders who polish brass. Get a rock tumbler from Thumbler's Tumblers. Biggest advantage to these tumblers is that they are "quiet". My first one lasted almost 30 years.
I never use case tumblers, they attract giant carnivorous worms.
I've run the snot out of a Lyman for 10 years. I clean the crap out of the drum now and again, and blow the dust/gunk out of the electric motor assembly with compressed air once in a while, and it just keeps running. It's this one: http://www.midwayusa.com/product/158440/lyman-turbo-1200-pro-sifter-case-tumbler-110-volt
I'd caution you against the cheapo Harbor Freight tumblers; I have pals who've had them fail far sooner than they should have.
signed,
The Arizona guy ;)
Small cement mixer?
Berry's, the bullet people make a good one. When mine when tits up, one phone call took care of it. I sent them the old one, they sent me a new one. Since I reload for sale, It gets a lot of use.
I know of at least one guy who uses a paint shaker and an empty paint can to tumble his brass, but it's somewhat.. harsh on the cases.
I've had good success with Lyman Turbo 1200 units in the past, but don't know if current units are decent build quality. Rock tumblers seem like the right approach, quiet is good.
RSR
I've seen the results of brass tumbled in a Thumlers Tumblers. Turned nasty blue .38 Special brass into glistening new looking brass.
Dry tumbling with their stainless steel pellet pin media may be the way to clean Berdan primed steel cases, but I haven't had an opportunity to try it yet.
With brass cases I still get excellent results with a mason jar, some apple cider vinegar and a dash of dish soap. Shake the jar every time I get up for a beer. After three beers, rinse and leave to air dry. Cheap, portable, quiet, efficient. Oh, and it keeps working when the power grid is off.
Chuck
I've been using a Midway tumbler for 6 years. It was well used before I got it. The electrical connection to the motor came loose, but that was a simple solder repair.
Just finished 1000 once-fired that I bought in Mt. Juliet, TN. Corn cob, then walnut shell and then ultrasonic cleaned to get the dust off. No problems. Cases are beautiful in and out. I have cleaned over 25,000 cases with this machine.
Yenta
15 years on a vortex, 6 on one lyman, 3 on my favorite lyman- turbo 220. all still work fine.
I am going to pile on with the Thumler's tumbler recommendation. I have been using mine with stainless pins, hot water, and dish washing detergent as a medium with great success. It even burnishes the primer pockets and the crud rinses down the drain. Sinclair sells the pins or the whole kit.
Beware the dust packaged with the pins, whatever it is, it is extremely irritating. Wear a mask when you open the package and until you wet them down.
I am late to the party, having spent the day getting a car worked on then suffering a few dog bites and trying to patch myself up, but had to add my agreement that rock tumblers are the way to go. In a distant past, I had a tumbler used to create beautiful polished stones for jewelry ( or just to make pretty things for the kids of the neighborhood) by using ever smaller grained abrasive powders. They seem to run a bit slower than brass tumblers, but they are quiet and when I gave mine away, after some ten years, it was still working very well. I don't understand what the difference in motors is, but that's been my experience.
I vote for the Lyman pumpkin also, mine is the turbo 1200 - also got a 600 bowl for wet tumbling.
Wet tumbling with lemi-shine and spent primers works for nasty brass.
That reminds me - I've a bag of 9mm and .357 mag range pickups to process.
III N TN
I've been using a Hornady M2 for years and years, though I surely don't approach the volume I infer you're doing. No problems with it though.
Hadn't heard of stainless pins.
Been using The Turbo 1200 for about five years without a glitch.
Only downside is I have to run it all night to get 100 .308 cases shiny.
May have to look into the Thumbler.
"Thumbler's Tumbler"
5 lbs.stainless media (never wears out) 1 gal hot water 2 teaspoons of dishwashing liquid. 1 teaspoon of Lemi-Shine spot free dish wasning rinse agent. unbelievable results!
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/426185/thumlers-tumbler-model-b-high-speed-rotary-case-tumbler-110-volt
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/635839/pellet-pins-brass-cleaning-media-stainless-steel-media-5-lb-bag
Dillon Precision - hands down.
No one in the industry has their warranty.
I have been using my Dillons for 15 years and no problems.
All of them will make shiny brass - the media and the polish do that, its how long they last and what the company will do when they break that matters.
Call every one of the manufacturers recommended here and ask them what they will do ten years down the road when they fail.
Thumbler's are the only ones worthwhile. Picked up a "vintage" small one 10 years ago at a fun show, I still have it and it keeps on truckin. Everything else is from China Mart, watch for your Cabela's or Midway coupons since they can save you some extra pennies or pay for the shipping.
http://accurateshooter.net/Blog/thumlersep01.jpg
Just make sure you get a couple of extra belts
No one has mentioned the Dillon & it's super. In 18 years I've probably run way over 100,000 rds. Dillon has a super waranty. A couple of years ago the bowl got warped & they replaced it at no cost.
I put my cases in a bucket with some dish soap and hot water and hand-wash them. Costs me time but very little money.
Thumblers are designed for MUCH heavier and longer workloads than polishing brass. I have one, but then I decided I liked tarnished brass so it is used to tumble rocks.
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