Question on wet tumbling process.

[OilyPablo]

Thumler Tumbler Rebel 17 or Frankford Arsenal Platinum Series

What is the volume of each?

 

[jmorris]

Even though I admit that wet tumbling produces very good results, IMHO, it isn't worth the hassle unless you need to process large amounts of brass

Most folks that do it must be cleaning tiny amounts of brass or there would be much larger tumblers ar a reasonable cost.

 

[jmorris]

Even though I admit that wet tumbling produces very good results, IMHO, it isn't worth the hassle unless you need to process large amounts of brass

The B thumblers will hold 235, 9mm cases the 17 will do 484 cases. From the STM site that sells them.

 

[tbui127]

I just started using the wet tumbler. I bought a rock tumbler at harbor freight for 40$, stainless steel media, citric acid. I run a lb of brass on each can (2) for an hour and they get pretty clean. Just make sure you deprime using universal de capping die and you're set. Its not that much of a hassle really if you want your brass to be shinny.

 

[OilyPablo]

I ordered the Rebel 17 tumbler package deal with the separator. If I can tumble 350-400 pieces of 10mm brass per go, that will be fine.

 

[Nordeste]

Most folks that do it must be cleaning tiny amounts of brass or there would be much larger tumblers ar a reasonable cost.

Or you may as well look at it from a different angle, and assume that a larger wet tumbler would be more expensive and wouldn't sell that well.

Any brass cleaning process that involves water is time consuming. I know this because I sonic clean mine, but before they get into the sonic cleaner they get decapped and resized. And before that I have to give them a wash with dish soap and citric acid because they always, always, bring mud from the range on them. Quite often, if the brass I picked up from the range is muddy but still shiny, this wash is all they get, and I can tell you guys that the results are good. Only if the brass is tarnished I make the effort of the whole process of sonic cleaning and dry tumbling.

I admit, no doubt about it, that dry tumbling is the quickest and easiest process. However, I live in a condo like millions of other Europeans, and the idea of having lead particulate flowing through my house doesn't appeal to me.

 

[z7]

I do not see how dry tumbling is the quickest. This weekend alone I cleaned 50pcs of 6.8 spc, 1200 9mm, 400 40sw, 500 45acp, and 300 .223. These were run in batches for an hour, quick water change then 30 more minutes using wash n wax and lemishine. I separated in a media separator, then into a 200 degree oven for 30 minutes. All told I ran 5 batches and it took me just Saturday to do. They are spotless and very shiny, it would take all day with my vibrating tumbler to clean the 9mm.

I only decapped the rifle brass, which reduces the time involved. If I want to clean and load in the same afternoon its 1hr of wet tumbling followed by a good rinse and 30mins in corn cob and nufinish, it gets everything clean, shiny and polished in 2hrs including setup and sorting out media. Perhaps I just like my brass too clean for my own good

 

[Nordeste]

Well, perhaps "quickest" slipped in there and it shouldn't have. It takes a few hours of dry tumbling to get shiny cases and they will still be dirty inside, not to mention primer pockets. But it is, certainly, what requires less preparation and effort. It has other downsides, though.

If it wasn't clear enough yet, I have nothing against wet tumbling. I might follow that path in the future, who knows, but so far, sonic cleaning plus dry tumbling produces cases that look like factory new, for those days I want my reloads to look that nice.

 

[MikeLang]

trying to keep cost down and building my own wet tumbler using the stainless steel media. Does anyone know the rpm of the drum?

 

[Toprudder]

trying to keep cost down and building my own wet tumbler using the stainless steel media. Does anyone know the rpm of the drum?

I'm guessing it is close to 30 rpm.

 

[quartermaster]

Buy an ultrasonic cleaner and be done with it. For $100, you can get a decent one. After the degassing process, which may take 8 to 10 minutes, cases will be clean inside and out in 4 minutes. I use a solution of citronox and water.

Quick and simple

 

[jmorris]

trying to keep cost down and building my own wet tumbler using the stainless steel media. Does anyone know the rpm of the drum?

The one I built is 40 rpm.

Photos if it are here. http://s121.photobucket.com/user/jmorrismetal/library/reloading/SST?sort=3&start=all&page=1