A new Tumbling Trick? (or am I just way behind the times?)

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Critter183

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I broke out my tumbler for the first time in about 3 years. I tumbled about 140 pieces of old range .223. It's a Lyman Turbo something or other vibrator.

After about 2 hours, the brass was looking pretty slick, and I started taking it out. Twas then I remembered why I didn't like it. Each piece was full of the tumbling medium, and because of the really narrow case neck, it seemed to take forever to get them empty. Tapping them this way or that way and this way again...

I have one of those strainer tops for the tumbler, which I never really used but it dawned on me that if I strained out the medium, and ran the cases again for a bit, maybe they would empty out. So I strained it out over a large plastic bowl, but while I had the tumbler over the bowl, upside down, I decided to try plugging it in and letting it run for about 2 minutes. Maybe all of the medium would come out of the cases and strain out all in one step.

I had to hold onto the tumbler, naturally, but sure enough... Every case except maybe 2 or 3 out of 140 was completely empty. One tap to make sure and in the can they went. (A great use for Folgiers plastic coffee cans, BTW)

Suddenly tumbling didn't seem so bad and now there are another 150 cases in it. :)

By the way, I REALLY want to thank everyone here for getting me charged up for reloading again. I had lost interest in it a couple of years ago... lost interest in my rifles and shooting in general actually. Since I found this place, my blood is boiling again! It's really great to be here. I hope you guys don't mind me sticking around.
 
Critter,

Try putting the cases back in the tumbler after you have separated the media and running it the normal way instead of holding it upside down. Might have to do it a couple of times. Don't use any kind of liquid polish on the cleaning media.

Your tumbling goals may be different: I just want to clean out/off the crud. I use dry, crushed walnut shell from the pet store. IMHO any kind of polish only makes the media clump and makes resizing more difficult.

I tumble before depriming then the depriming pin makes sure the flash hole is clear and there is no chance the primer pocket is fouled.

If you want shiny ammo, tumble it after reloading in corncob with rouge for 15-30 min. Don't worry about it. It is what the factories do.
 
It's not worth it for a hundred cases every now and then, but the Dillon 2000 case media separator is worth it's weight in gold when you've got 1000 cases at a time.
 
Try putting the cases back in the tumbler after you have separated the media and running it the normal way instead of holding it upside down.
Click to expand...

Why? Holding it upside down worked like a charm. :D

Maybe I wasn't clear, or maybe I mistook the meaning of the 2nd lid I have for the thing. It has long slots cut in it. I put that lid on it, screwed it in place, flipped it over on top of the bowl and ran it for a minute or so.
 
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Another problem solved! Just took delivery of a Frankford Arsenal Quick-N-EZ vibratory tumbler for $30.00 at Midway. Did some 308 cases with corn cob media from Blue Seal Feeds. What a job getting the media out of the cases. Never thought of throwing em back in the tumbler. Ya just gotta love this forum. thanks guys!
 
I got this at Midway and it works perfectly! For less than $20 too.

Frankford Arsenal Rotary-7 Media Separator with Bucket Adapter
 
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I've got one of the Frankford media separators, and it's worth every penny.

I use walnut media to clean, when I want to actually polish I use corncob with some of the Frankford brass polish added. I add it in and let the tumbler run a few minutes, then add in the brass; no clumping of the media.
 
Soak your brass in a solution of 1 part vinager (sp?) to 3 parts water, before tumbling, for about an hour. It will shine up quicker, and remove the black oxide faster.
 
I use a Rubbermaid container (found it on sale at Wal-Mart for about $1) and drilled a lot of 1/4" holes in the bottom and the lower part of the sides. I place this inside a normal grocery store paper bag, dump the tumber into it, and place the cover on it.

I then reach inside the paper bag, grab the container, and shake it, keepin it below the top of the paper bag. Does a good job of separating the cases and media, and the paper bag catches the latter for re-use.
 
I've been using the 'turbo tumbler' since the early '80s. (Now I use three of them!)
I used to take a 1-1/2 gal bucket and put over the top of the tumbler, upside down.
Hold onto both the tumbler and the bucket. Flip upside down.
Media and brass now in bucket.
Put tumbler back on bench.
I then used the Lyman strainer and put it on the post, on the tumbler.
Turn on tumbler.
Pour brass and media back into the strainer.
Media falls into tumbler, brass stays in strainer.

I used this method until I 'discovered' the Dillon brass/media separator.
There 'aint no lookin' back!
 
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