Tumbler Just Died: Time to switch to stainless media?

[perdurabo93]

Looks like my old trusty reliable Lyman 1200 tumbler has finally gone to the big reloading bench in the sky. The bowl sheared plum off the base. Is now the time to switch to the stainless steel tumbling media? Pros: on super special sale right now for Black Friday, gets brass cleaner, media lasts forever (or you lose it, which is more likely). Cons: requires a special fancy $200 rotational tumbler like a Thumler's tumbler, and requires water (messy cleanup, and drying required). I don't have a sink in my shop so dealing with the water might be a PITA.

I've heard from various internet commandos that its possible to use the cheap Harbor Freight rotational rock tumblers with the SS media, but I'd need to see it work myself before I'd go that route. Anyone have any experience with those?

So, buy another vibratory cleaner and go back to good old corncob media or make the (expensive and messy) switch to stainless steel media? I've also considered ultrasonic cleaners but the reduced capacity, long run time and required special cleaning solution put me off of those.

 

[rsrocket1]

Don't bother with ultrasonic unless you get a used industrial capacity cleaner for free.

How many cases did you clean with your vib tumbler and how much did it cost to run that? How much effort did you put into cleaning your brass during that time?

If you were happy with what you had, why switch unless you are in it for the novelty.

 

[perdurabo93]

One thing I hate is constantly replacing the corncob media. I get about 3-4 tumblings before it gets dirty and the brass comes out a dull dusty pale yellow instead of shiny, even if I use brass polish.

I was hoping that switching to stainless would mean I get shiny brass every single time and I never have to change the media unless I lose it. This seems like an advantage to me. Dealing with water and buying a very expensive tumbler seem like negatives. I'm looking for personal experiences to tell me whether those negatives are worth it.

 

[jcwit]

What kind of media and what kind of polish are you using? Have you tried the cut up dryer sheet trick?

I'm using a Berry's tumbler AKA a Cebela's 400 tumbler. I get 10 to 15 tumblings before even thinking about changing media. AND YES THESE ARE FULL LOADS.

 

[perdurabo93]

I'm using standard Lyman corncob media out of the 6# jug. I've tried the dryer sheet trick in the past, but it never seemed to make my brass any shinier or make the media last longer. The Frankford arsenal brass polish does seem to get cases shiny, but only if you tumble for 5-6 hours and that usually only lasts for 2-3 tumblings before the brass just comes out pale dusty yellow.

Maybe a new vibratory tumbler could work out better than the old Lyman.

 

[jr_roosa]

Stick with traditional. I clean everything with walnut and then do a final polish with corncob and flitz after resizing or when loaded. I don't bother with a final polish with cast lead loads, because it makes the brass look better and the bullet look worse.

J.

 

[jcwit]

I believe the Lyman media is your problem, WAY to much polish in it if you're using the treated media. Approx $15 bucks for a 1 gal bottle. Check this out

http://www.drillspot.com/products/521055/econoline_526040g-40_40_lbs_blast_media

Thats $35.00 for 40 lbs shipped right to your door.

 

[hAkron]

Harbor Freight has a gigantic media tumbler....like double the size of my RCBS. When my tumbler dies, I'm getting two of those.

 

[788Ham]

Go to Petsmart and buy a large sack of lizard litter, crushed walnut. Then get some Turtle wax polishing compound, put a tablespoon of it in thee and let'er rip, cleaned 10-12 batches of brass before I even think about changing!

 

[cfullgraf]

I use stainless media and wet tumbling only on occasions when I the cases super clean, otherwise I still dry tumble.

The batches of wet tumbling are relatively small and time intensive when handling the cases.

I run media until it stops cleaning well. I get maybe a years life out of mine with weekly use but will admit I do not load the tumbler to the max.

When shopping at Harbor Freight, I am usually disappointed with the equipment after using it for just a short while. I shop there as a last resort. Others are pleased with their Harbor Freight purchases.

 

[angus6]

BTDT with the thumlers tumbler now someone else has it , I'll stick with my big Dillon unless I come across a great deal on a Burr King

 

[rsrocket1]

I bought a 50# bag of crushed walnut at a feed store for $17. The media lasts for many dozens of tumblings and I've hardly made a dent in the sack. One of the ways to make it last is to add a couple of cut up used dryer sheets to each load. The sheets pick up the soot which includes the lead-laden primer dust.

Some add a capful of NuFinish for shine or mineral spirits to trap the dust but I've found that this also traps the soot to the media and it eventually turns black. If I wanted shine, I would run the cleaned cases through a quick second batch with polish laden media but I don't. Clean is good enough for me, shiney doesn't make it shoot any better. Before putting it on a timer I've accidentally run it overnight and the brass was about as shiny as new brass.

 

[Hamish]

I'm usually disappointed with purchases from Harbor Freight after a few months or years. There are some worthwhile things there, but some of the cheaper stuff is just... cheap.

With an infant in the house, my wife brought up the issue of lead dust and tumbling media. She put her foot down and said to stop reloading or to find a better solution than dry media. I can't blame her - lead exposure can really screw a child up. I switched to stainless steel media, bought a Thumler's rotary tumbler, and started cleaning my brass with this setup.

Cleaning brass is more involved when using wet media. The rotary tumbler doesn't hold as much brass as my Cabela's corncob media tumbler did, but it does get the brass astonishingly clean in less than 3 hours. Dealing with the media and water is a little more complex and messy, and drying the brass is an extra step, but I feel better knowing I've eliminated a source of lead dust in the house - well in the work shed, but I'm not bringing it into the house. I pour the dirty water down the drain, and don't worry about breathing it in. I took some brass I had previously tumbled clean in new corncob media, and ran it through the stainless steel media in the tumbler just to see how much cleaner it could get. The water was filthy and the brass was much cleaner, and now I want to (but I won't) re-clean the roughly 10k+ pieces of brass I have waiting to be reloaded.

I probably went a little overboard in the switch - picked up a Dillon media separator to help save the steel pins. Also picked up a Lee single stage Challenger press and a universal decapping die to knock out the primers before tumbling. I probably didn't need all that, but I don't regret any purchase that makes the process more efficient.

 

[jmorris]

I built a wet tumbler that will clean thousands at a time using stainless for less than $100. That said I also have two dry tublers, can't post load tumble to knock the lube off wet.

 

[jcwit]

Here's my experience with a Harbor Freight tumbler, and I normally like the value that H/F gives its customers.

Few years back I bought a H/F tumbler tumbler, lasted less that 2 weeks, returned it and got a replacement, it lasted less that 2 weeks, returned it and got a replacement, it lasted less than 2 weeks, returned it and got my money back.

I now use a Berry tumbler purchased from Cabela's with Cabela's brand on it, made in the good ol' U.S. of A. for basically the same price as the H/F. Its been going strong for 10 years now, runs as good as the day I bought it. Plus with Cabela's forever satisfaction guarantee its good forever. Fail to see how anyone can beat that.

 

[FROGO207]

I also use both types. I like the way the SS pins clean--even the primer pockets. I use the regular tumbler with NU-Finish to quickly finish polish my loaded ammo or to polish the empty brass if I am loading lead bullets. Also note that for the stuff I am going to shoot up soon I do not bother even clean at all. It still shoots just the same and saves a boatload of prep time. YMMV

 

[Walkalong]

I wouldn't mind having a SS set up for dirty range brass, and may get one, but for just tumbling my relatively clean brass fired by me corncob works just fine.

For straight walled range brass I use a brush set up to clean the inside before tumbling in corncob. It is tedious and slow. I do bottle necked brass with a water jet now. SS would eliminate doing all that.

 

[35 Whelen]

I've used a tumbler and corn cob for 20 or so years, and still do. I'd suggest buying the cheapest, finest corn cob you can find then put a dab of the polishing compound of your choice in it.

A couple of weeks ago I bought one of the Harbor Freight rotational tumblers. Although it has a relatively small capacity, it works great. I use 2 cups of water, 1 lb. of stainless pins, 1 lb. of brass, 1/2 tbsp. of Dawn and a sprinkle of Lemi-Shine per canister. Works great and cleans brass very, very well.

I find they two have different uses. The vibrating cleaner does about 90% of my cleaning. The wife and I shoot CAS, so after a match I can size her 120 .38 cases and my 120 .44 cases drop them in the tumbler, drizzle a dab of Brasso in (no sermons, please), plug it in and forget about it until morning.

The rotating cleaner however is used for really filthy stuff. Many times when I'm load testing I'll have a couple dozen cases in the block that I load, walk to the bench, shoot, repeat. The cases after a few firings without cleaning become filthy, so that's when I use the rotater. Also, it's much better for cleaning sizing lube off of bottleneck cases.

I've seen the ultra-sonic cleaners and I'm sure they work great but I don't like the idea of having to buy solution.

35W

 

[rsrocket1]

I must live a charmed life. The tumbler I've been using several times a week for the past 2+ years has been the 5lb Harbor Freight tumbler. I replaced the butterfly screw on top with a large plastic knob for easier twisting and replaced the metal tube on the screw post with 2 nuts tightened together so nothing falls off when I dump the stuff into the separating cage. I make sure the tumbler sits firmly on the garage floor with plenty of space around it to reduce overheating issues.

All vibratory tumblers use essentially the same cheap bathroom fan motor with an offset weight so a replacement should cost about $10. But the whole tumbler cost $40 on sale so it's not really a big deal.

 

[MrCountyCop]

Try using large cleaning patches for a shotgun and some Nu Finish polish. I have used the same bag of corncob for the last 2 years. It's still clean and still works great.

 

[jcwit]

All vibratory tumblers use essentially the same cheap bathroom fan motor with an offset weight so a replacement should cost about $10. But the whole tumbler cost $40 on sale so it's not really a big deal.

Well the Harbor Freight tumbler motors have cheap bronze sleeve motors, not really substantial.

The Berry tumbler has ball bearing bearings.

Current price difference $0.00 plus with the one available from Cabela's comes with media, polish and a media sifter. AND ITS MADE HERE IN THE U.S.A.

 

[GLOOB]

+1 for Berry's/Cabela's tumbler. Just keep the lid out of direct sunlight, as it's not very UV resistant.

One thing I hate is constantly replacing the corncob media.

I use the same media you use. The green Lyman corn cob, in the 6# bottle, right? When it's about time to clean the tumbler bowl, I just keep going and clean the media, too. Takes about as much time and effort as cleaning the bowl. Put it in a bag, add water, squeeze out, and then put the media out in the sun.

I keep a bucket of water with a dash of dish soap by the tumbler. I fill my media separator with brass and dunk it in the bucket and swish the brass around to remove some dirt and dust before putting it in the tumbler.

I keep a 2 oz eye dropper bottle full of Nufinish and an 8 oz bottle of mineral spirits by the tumbler. I give the media a little squirt of each before every full batch of brass, in approx those proportions, and those bottles are enough to last on the order of a year, running a batch a week. The mineral spirits helps to loosen and remove the soot/crud so the polishing can start, sooner.

I expect to have clean and shiny brass in about 1 hr. Serious bling in 2 hrs. When I don't get the results I want, I clean the bowl and switch out the media. How many batches I get varies. The more you polish the brass, the more often you need to change out the media. A significant portion of the black dust/crud is actually the brass particles that have been polished off. They'll gunk up the media just like the primer dust and carbon bits. This is why that "super bling, can't even tell the difference between brass and nickel plate, anymore" batch of mirrored cases that you made by leaving the tumbler going overnight is often a one hit wonder and a distant memory the next time you use the same media.

 

[thump_rrr]

I'm a Stainless convert myself.
I have a progressive setup with a case feeder so I deprime all my brass on that then wet tumble.
I have enough brass so that I don't need to hurry to dry my brass.

 

[JLDickmon]

I think I paid $89 for my RCBS vibrator bowl.. and like five bucks for a sack of lizard bedding..

 

[gwalchmai]

I got a Thumler's last month from stainlesstumblingmedia.com, and have been running all my old brass through it. It works great - cleans the insides and pockets just like new. A little messy until you get used to the new routine.

I strain about half the water out through an old towel to get rid of most of the dirty water while catching pins, then put the rest in an old wire wastebasket inside a 5gal bucket. This separates the pins from the brass very effectively.

Finally, I rinse the brass in HOT water (my water heater is in the basement next to my reloading bench), then spread the brass on a towel. The hot water rinse makes the brass dry in just a few hours, but I usually leave it all night.

I also setup a single-stage press with a universal decapping die to speed up that process. AND not having the decapper in station 1 helps keep my 550 clean and working smoothly.