Tumbler troubleshooting.

[KP95DAO]

I recently found that my Lyman 1200 tumbler was not tumbling. All the media and cases would do is go around in a circle. Everything on the tumbler looked ok.

I called Lyman and they didn't have any reason for it and then a thought struck me. I had only used Zip Wax in this batch of media, no abrasive. I had noticed how shiney the inside of the bowl had become. I wondered if the sides had become so slick, from the wax, that the media was not able to "grip" the sides and move up.

I then tried another bowl that was rough inside from heavy abrasive laden media. It worked fine. So I used 220 grit sandpaper and roughed up the sides. It then worked as it was supposed to. So I just added some abrasive to the "virgin" media and we will see if that cures the problem longterm.

Something to keep in mind if you use Zip Wax or something similar to clean your brass.

 

[clown714]

thanks for the tip

you gotta love this place.

clown

 

[Steve Smith]

Are you saying that the wax actually removed the rough surface inside, or just filled the low spots between bumps?

 

[David Wile]

Hey Roy,

Thanks for the heads up.

Best wishes,
Dave Wile

 

[KP95DAO]

Steve,

The inside of the bowl was as smooth as glass even after wiping it down, The wax just made it more slippery. It has done several loads since the sandpaper/abrasive treatment and has acted as it should.

 

[Sunray]

The media is the abrasive. Anything else you add is just unnecessary polishing compounds. How many cases did you have in it?