High Capacity Tumblers?

[petrey10]

Really need to get a tumbler... I would like to get the biggest one I can find so it is efficient and I don't waste time tumblin so I can focus on reloading and shooting..

should I go small cement mixer with SS media? Or is there a big ultrasonic cleaner? Or stick with the biggest vibratory tumbler I can find (which is what model?)?

 

[MtnCreek]

An electric mixer w/ a steel drum does a great job w/ cob media. I would assume you could use SS in it.

 

[41 Mag]

Really need to get a tumbler... I would like to get the biggest one I can find so it is efficient and I don't waste time tumblin so I can focus on reloading and shooting..

should I go small cement mixer with SS media? Or is there a big ultrasonic cleaner? Or stick with the biggest vibratory tumbler I can find (which is what model?)?

Geeez how much brass are we talking here....I have three, one is the smallest on Midway sells or used to sell for around $35, and it gets about 95% of the cases I load. The next one is a RCBS which I rarely use at all anymore unless I have some REALLY cruddy cases and I put them in a solution. The last is the Lyman 2500 Pro Magnum Tumbler I use when I process a LOT of cases. It will handle close to 200 or so 30-06 cases or who knows how many revolver or pistol cases. I don't think I have ever bogged it down with what I shoot and load at one time.

 

[fguffey]

Petrey10, cement mixer? Close, a friend/smith/builder found a blue print machine, I went over and checked it out, there were only two built as custom machine, anyhow, with a little work on his part he built a tumbler with a stainless drum that operated with a liquid cleaner, the motor was designed to run with a rheostat meaning the speed was variable, no such thing as running too many cases or too much fluid, when he finished building, it would not run, so he called me, I thought he would be through tumbling/cleaning in a couple of days, I did not know how many cases he had, tumbling to him is something that must be done but not something that should consumes his time.

His drum is equivalent to a 35 gal drum.

F. Guffey

 

[petrey10]

i would like to fit about 1000 223 cases.... give or take..


am I dreaming? Can this even be done?


Most of the time I would be doing 45 colt and 32 acp... about 500 at a time.... but I will soon be reloading 223 for my AR15..

 

[medalguy]

Sure, easy to do. As I see it, you have two options: (1) Buy a cement mixer from one of the big box stores and it'll do fine. Storage may be a problem unless you leave it outside. (2) Build a large tumbler yourself as I did.

I have a friend who can weld stainless so we made a 6-sided barrel 16 inches across and 10 inches on each flat side, out of some big narrow pieces of .080 SS he had. We made a stand out of 2 inch square tubing, added a floor plate to hold the motor, and bolted 2 sets of pillow blocks with a 1 inch steel rod between each pair to suport the barrel, with a pulley on one side connected to the motor, and pulleys on the opposite side to turn the rods together for maximum torque on the barrel. We covered the rods with vinly tubing slid on before mounting the rods. It works like a champ. It's pretty stout removing it from the stand when full!!

I can tumble 1,000 rounds of 30-06 or .308, and I've put 3,000 rounds of .223 in it at a time. I had to build a large box about 36 x 36 inches covered with 4 mesh hardware cloth to separate the brass and media. My Dillon separator wouldn't quite cut it.

 

[rfwobbly]

Dillon used to make one called the CV-2000 or CV-2001. It was supposed to hold 2000 cases. I have one and the thing is huge. I don't think it's a current product, but they show up on Ebay all the time.

 

[esheato]

Dillon CV-2001

"Dillon's CV-2001 Vibratory Case Cleaner is the largest in the industry. Its 12-1/2 quart bowl capacity will allow you to polish up to 1,300 .38/.357 or 550 .30-06 cases per hour.
Not only is our capacity greater, but our motor is larger in horse power, internally cooled, thermally protected, and turns on precision ball bearings. This is no "hobby" machine!"

I've had one for a few years...just a couple months ago the motor went out. Called Dillon and surprisingly they don't warranty the motor. $100 and the new/improved version was in the mail. Bolted right into the old model and I was back in business.

 

[Uniquedot]

Don't know about the quality of these, but they look like they may work for you. The harbor freight has a liquid drain hose.


http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=00047VBSR00521

http://www.harborfreight.com/18-lb-vibratory-bowl-with-liquid-drain-hose-96923.html

 

[petrey10]

i am contemplating that Smart tumbler.... I have one of their auto powder dispenser and it works good so far