Tumbler lid on or off?

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aerod1

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If I try to use my vibratory tumbler with the lid on it makes a lot of noise. I even try to tighten it down, but it's still noisy, therefore when I am tumbling brass I use it with the lid off......out on the patio.
My tumbler is made by "Chicago Electric Power Tools" and I bought it at Harbor Freight. It has a 9&3/4" tub and a 5 lb capacity. It seems to do a great job but it is noisy.
What are your experiences?:)
 
I have a lyman and I usually leave it off unless I filled it so full that I'm worried the media will start dribbling out on the floor. That way I can reach in and pull brass out to see how things are progressing. It's about as quiet with either the top on or off.

Mine runs in an outbuilding workshop so dust and noise aren't an issue.

Maybe if you put some foam tape in three or four spots around the rim to keep the rattle down it might help.
 
You might want to add more media or put in less brass. I have one of those tumblers also and once the brass gets mixed into the media it's not very loud.
Rusty
 
I have a Dillon, and when you tighten down the wing-nut, it actually flexes the lid slightly until there is a tight dust & rattle-proof seal.

Perhaps yours isn't tightening down properly.
Might try adding a couple of washers to the rod before you put the nut on to get more tension on the lid?

rcmodel
 
You can also use the lid as a template and cut a piece of cardboard just larger than the lid. Punch a hole through the cardboard and place it between the lid and the bowl. This should solve your problem and won't cost anything.

Hope this helps.

Fred
 
I've got two, a monster Lyman and a smaller Midway/Frankfort Arsenal tumbler. The small one is the one I use the most and I use it in the house. In an adjacent room with the door closed you can hear the hum but it's not bad, and we sleep in a room not 15 feet away. The Lyman is another matter, I've got a plexiglass lid for that one, and the original lid and it's loud as hell with both. It's just a much bigger more serious machine.

For me though, I don't ever run either with the lid off, otherwise everything nearby ends up with a dusty powdercoat. Especially the Lyman since the pecan media I run is really dusty.
 
I don't ever run either with the lid off, otherwise everything nearby ends up with a dusty powdercoat.
Click to expand...
Absolutely - especially considering that the dust contains a fair bit o' lead in it from the primer residue.
 
I have a FA tumbler and that sucker is much louder without the lid on. I have also heard that tumbling is one of the greatest sources for ingesting lead. Something about the dust from the tumbler being contaminated with lead and being easy to breathe in if you leave the lid off while tumbling.

Just a thought,
Luke
 
I've always tumbled w/ the lids, since I did it in my living room, and didn't want to breath lead contaminated dust. I found that placing the tumbler on carpet significantly reduced the noise volume.

Now that I have a detached garage, the tumbler may relegated out there.
 
Since I tumble in my apartment, I always keep the lid on. I generally put it on the wood floor of my bathroom, turn on the fan, and close the door. As long as it doesn't creep over to the cabinets or wall, it's pretty reasonable. At least, I haven't heard any complaints from my neighbors yet...
 
Keep the lid on, keep the lead dust down. Also, a torn up paper towel soaked with mineral spirits will keep the dust down. Run them with the media/brass until the media stops sticking to them, and they look black/dirty. The brass gets cleaner much faster, Then fish them out and throw them away. Much of the dust will come out with them, the tumbler will stay much cleaner and there will be very little dust. Your media will last a lot longer too.
 
Tighten The Lower Nut

Had the same problem. The nut that secures the base of the bowl to the stand is loose. This lets the bowl itself rattle on the mounting bolt making lots o noise.
 
[/QUTighten The Lower Nut

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Had the same problem. The nut that secures the base of the bowl to the stand is loose. This lets the bowl itself rattle on the mounting bolt making lots o noise.
OTE]

That worked!!! Thanks. Now I can tumble my brass with the lid on.
Click to expand...
 
Just keep an eye on, and make sure that you have the lid nut on securely. If it gets loose the steel washer will chew a groove into the bolt destroying the threads and then the lid will not tighten down. I had to chop my bolt and weld a new one on. I could not find a new 6:1 metric bolt that long to replace it. Had to get a 1/4" bolt from Sears and have it welded on with a spacer/adapter. Only other alternative was to completely take everyting apart and install a new bolt. That is too time consuming and will take at least an hour.
 
Grizz44 is right on the money. Paper towels soaked in mineral spirits absorbs all the toxic dust and leaves the brass, media, and tumbler bowl dust free.

As others have stated, try changing the brass to media ratio. At the home centers you can buy rolls of adhesive foam rubber gasket for a couple bucks. Some of that under the edge of the lid would solve the problem and keep it airtight IMO.
 
Originally posted by RugerSAFan
I've always tumbled w/ the lids, since I did it in my living room, and didn't want to breath lead contaminated dust. I found that placing the tumbler on carpet significantly reduced the noise volume.
Click to expand...

Keep in mind that most vibratory cleaners need some airflow from the slot around the base up through the center to keep the motor cooled...

On many 'tumblers,' setting on carpet can cut off the necessary airflow...

Be safe...

Forrest
 
I put a heavy sheet of plastic over the tumbler and put the lid on.
Used dryer sheets cut in strips collects any dust. Plastic keeps any other dust in the tumbler.

Lizard Litter and car polish for the media.
 
Tighten all nuts.. I have a harbor freight vib.. It does ok but the threads are cheap and they stripped out so I have to get a better threaded rod or bolt and figure out how to stick it on there.. OR get a new one... (woot hardware replacement plan)
 
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