Can you tumble too long?

[CMV]

If I forget to turn the tumbler off & it goes overnight for example is there any harm in that? I'd assume it will break down the media faster and be wasteful from that aspect along with wasting electricity. But is it going to do anything to the brass that's bad?

I need to get a timer for it. The only ones I have are the ones you use while on vacation to turn lamps on/off. They don't take a grounded plug so won't work (and if I forget about it that type will turn it back on kind of defeating the purpose).

 

[NeuseRvrRat]

no, it won't hurt your brass

i bought one of those timers like you're talking about, but mine has outlets for grounded plugs. they were right beside the ones w/o the ground at my local Lowe's.

 

[Hardtarget]

I thought about a dryer timer. turn it on and it doesn't come back on 'till you set it. Haven't tried it yet. I'd like to get it started and go to bed. I hate to listen to it while I'm reloading. I need to find a timer "fix" too.

Mark

 

[jcwit]

I let mine run overnite all the time, it works while I sleep.

I figure with all the money I save with these blankly blank twisty bulbs I can let the tumbler run overnight.

 

[FROGO207]

If you do tumble it that long you might have to invest in a pair of sunglasses so that you are not blinded while reloading the next day. I used to do it all the time when I used walnut media. Never hurt a thing--I even let it run 2-3 days for really tarnished brass with no ill effects. Now I use SS media and a Thumlers with great results and it is lots faster but can do less brass at a time so there are still tradeoffs to it.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I have forgotten to turn off the tumbler and it's ran overnight a few times. The only thing that happens to the brass is you get very clean and shinny brass... Not to worry.

 

[P-32]

I left some brass in corn cob for too long on my tumbler. Brass came out funny looking dull instead of bright and shiny. It still loaded and shot OK.

 

[Walkalong]

I forgot about mine tumbling in the shed once. It ran 4 or 5 days. Other than wear and tear on the tumbler and the media, all it did was shine the brass up real good. No better than a several hour tumble while I am at work or sleeping though.

 

[cfullgraf]

I let mine run overnite all the time, it works while I sleep.

I figure with all the money I save with these blankly blank twisty bulbs I can let the tumbler run overnight.

Me too!

No problems at all if the tumbler is left running except for the electrical costs and the media will become a bit dustier.

I have on occasions turned off the the tumbler and not removed the cases for a long time, a couple of weeks. The cases came out spotted, probably from the polish in the media. Cases functioned fine but looked funny.

 

[mbopp]

After leaving my tumbler run overnight a few times I put a 12-hour wind-up timer on it. I use it for my cordless drill battery charger too.

 

[dickttx]

Only if you open the lid and there is no brass left in there!
I have several of the continious timers and occasionally forget to unplug them, so they repeat every 24 hours. No problem. A 50¢ converter will let you plug your 3-prong plug into a 2-prong outlet.
I pick the timers up at estate sales for $1.00. At the prices they get for new ones it is probably cheaper to just use the electricity.

 

[Bud0505]

I built one of these over the weekend. Works great.
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=631597&highlight=timer

r/Bud

 

[Arkansas Paul]

I tumble that long intentionally all the time. I'll turn the tumbler on and go to work, then turn it off when I get home. Other times, I'll turn it on and go to bed. I've even forgotten to turn it off and let it go for well over 24 hours. I don't think I've ever let it go for 4-5 days like Walkalong.

In any case, running it overnight aint gonna hurt a thing.

 

[Slamfire]

I had some very tarnished 30-06. I also had walnut media that was coated in the red jeweler's rouge.

I let that stuff tumble in my Thumler's tumbler for a week at least.

The rouge was impacted into the case necks, inside the cases, other areas. It was a major effort to get the stuff off.

A thumler's tumbler will run for weeks on end, you do have the risk of something causing the barrel to jam and the belt will get eaten up.

 

[gamestalker]

I loaded mine with a bunch of .357 mag. brass and forgot to turn it off before going out of town for 3 days! I don't think I've ever seen prettier brass.

 

[Eazmo]

you will just wear out your equipment and add to your power bill.

Or make one of thesehttp://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=631597

 

[Walkalong]

Tumbling too long is rough on nickle brass. It tends to wear off the nickle plating. That doesn't hurt much for anything but target or better loads really, but it does look bad. Who is loading target ammo with nickle cases anyway, right.

 

[atblis]

I remember one of the online dealer selling 30-06 brass at a discount because it had "flared case mouths due to having been left in the tumbler too long". Don't know what machinery and or media they were using.

 

[Constrictor]

I only tumble at night, 7-8 hours is normal

 

[Ghost Tracker]

I think your answer is no, as long as you eventually DO remember to turn it off within a day or two.

 

[orionengnr]

The only ones I have are the ones you use while on vacation to turn lamps on/off. They don't take a grounded plug so won't work

Yes, my timer is set up for a 2-prong plug. My tumbler has a 3-prong plug.
solution? One of those grey or orange 3 to 2 adapters that you can buy at Home Depot, Lowes or any hardware store.
I have left my tumbler going all day while I'm at work--no worries.

 

[Hondo 60]

I've forgotten it overnite.
Found it running in the morning when I let the dogs out.

Did a right nice job of shining up the brass.
So, once again, no, it doesn't hurt the brass.

 

[W.E.G.]

If you have goop stuck to your brass after a long tumbling session, you have a contamination issue.

I've seen it.

You may need to wash that brass in hot soapy water to get the goop off.

 

[jcwit]

I've got some of those twisty light bulbs, what I save using them I spend on running the tumbler.

Actually I have a closet full of std incandescence light bulbs and so far do not concern myself with my electric usage.

 

[788Ham]

Slamfire1,

Ha! I did that one time also, only I used long grain rice and rouge, same danged mess. That rice was packed tighter........ had a heck of a time getting it clean again. Now I use walnut and Nu Finish, no red mess!