Tumblers; what makes this one better?

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nojoke

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It's probably quieter than my Lyman Turbo 1200 as well.

On the other hand, it's pretty quick and easy for me to look and see if my brass is "done". Looks like it would take some time and effort on that one and it would miff me if I had to put it back together with the same brass in it.
 
Better than what??¿ Better than a vibrator? Nope! Not in my humble opinion.

If used with dry media and polish, it's slower by about 3 times than a vibrator. If used wet with ceramic or stainless steel pins, then it's a good tumbler. BUT you then have to dry the cases, and you don't get the shine a vibratory tumbler can give.

Also, if that's a thumbler, they're VERY expensive.
 
Comparing that tumbler to a vibratory one is apples to oranges to me. All you need for brass is a vibratory one.
 
That is the original - and expensive - rotary tumbler design made for tumbling/polishing semi-precious rocks. Running for days at a time, its a great device. Some guys got the idea of using it to clean cases and that was the start of our tumbler use.

Industry had long used viberating tumblers to debur and polish machined parts. Someone reloader got the idea of making a table top viberator for cases; it worked just as well but was much faster. Lyman sold the first versions as their 1200 and that started the rush to clean - and shiney - cases that still runs today.

Another unknown reloader with access to industrial ultrasonic cleaners found he could totally remove the thin internal black from his cases. Some small table top types made for jewelery got pressed into service and it was found they could do it too, just in much smaller quanties of cases so the race to surgically clean cases began. All the reloader types I know of are far to weak to clean more than a few cases at a time and they have to be given virtually constant attention to prevent heat from destroying the working parts. They will clean a dozen cases reasonably quickly but it can take a day of constant attention to clean a few hundered cases a vib tumbler will do while unattended.

Recently some other reloader got the bright idea of using industrail stainless steel wire bits in those original rotary tumblers to remove internal carbon and now that's the growing rage.

Whatever. Make your choice and pay the price, they all work.

I tried and soon retired my rotary and ultrasonic case cleaners. IMHO, vib tumblers do all we need done to our cases for reloading; they do it inexpensively, work reasonably quickly without attention and leave my cases ready to load the moment they come out of the machine.
 
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Better than what??¿ Better than a vibrator? Nope! Not in my humble opinion.
Click to expand...
OK???

I purchased some brass from a great guy here on THR. The brass was cleaned with SS media in the Tumlers Tumbler. Brass was super clean inside and out, including primer pockets. The outside of the cases do not appear to get that highly polished look that you get with a vibratory tumbler w/ cob or walnut media.
 
I'd love to go the SS+rotary tumbler route. But they're expensive. So I just bought a $30 vibe-tumbler from Midsouth. We'll see how well it works.
 
I did have a Thumblers Bumbler---it did a good job but was too much trouble taking off &
puting back the wing nuts.
I have a 36 year old lyman Vibr. unit---still works good
I had a RCBS Vibr. unit--burned out after 15 years.
I purchased another Lyman--It was badly out of balance.
Last year I purchased a Hornady Vibr. unit---noise would drive you crazy.
I put the bowl from the Hornady on the Lyman body---bingo--another good quiet unit.
 
"Last year I purchased a Hornady Vibr. unit---noise would drive you crazy."

In my limited experience I've found the major cause of loud vib tumbers comes from not tightening the center rod nut that retains the bowl quite tight enough to secure it firmly to the viberating base.
 
There are two versions of the Thumblers Model B, reloaders want the HS version.
I have had mine for over twenty years. Belts replaced, and the rollers were replace about 8 years ago, buyt it works for me. The RCBS Sidewinder is obscenely expensive, and has smaller capacity. The Thumblers is very quiet.
 
I do not have nor have I ever used a vibratory cleaner, but I do have the unit the OP shows in his picture.

Pros
It is very very quiet. It is built like a tank, seriously, you will pass this on to your kids. Spare/repair parts are easy to get and inexpensive even for old units. No debris or dust can get out while in operation. You can use liquids if you want to (i do not). More than likely made in USA

Cons
It takes awhile to get cases clean.
 
I'll stick with my Ultra Vibe 10 any day. As some already mentioned it looks like it would be a pian to work with, drying your brass, opening and closing it seems cumbersome too. I would bet you could sell it pretty easily to a rock hound, then take the money and go buy a good vibratory tumbler, you'll never look back.
 
Tumblers

Ive had only one tumbler for the last 20 yrs now my dad @ I bought it from Midway USA it has a lifetime warranty .Its A MIDWAY 1292 old one stuill runs as good as the very first time i plugged iit in
 
Midway 1292 recall

You should have sent that back to Midway 10 years+ ago. Call them unless it has a sticker to say that it is rebuilt. I think the safe ones have a plate across the bottom to protect motor/fan/weight. I have needed to replace the 1/4" tab, crimp connectors SEVERAL times on my two tumblers.
 
Tumblers

Ive already sent it back & Midway put another motor on it over 10 yrs ago .it is doing fine no problems is the recall more recent ?
 
I like true tumblers more than wobblers. IMHO quieter and more effecient. The one pictured is heavy duty and can use "wet" media and will prolly last as long as you reload.
 
Anyone use the new lymans that dump the media out. Have been thinking of getting one but i wasnt sure how well that would work. Seems like a good idea though.
 
I have a Frankford Aresnal vib tumbler I bought at a local wholesale sports. THrew in some corncob media, plugged it into $9 lamp timer from home depot, and BAM! "Set it and forget it!" Just like Ron Popiel! works great.
 
You know you're reloading a lot of ammo when you have to consider one of these for a tumbler:

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Just get the inside sprayed with some "bed liner" material and make a cover for the opening to control the dust (or use Stainless Steel Media).
 
I have a dual rotary tumbler. I run it for an hour or so and it cleans brass to new. I haven't tried using car wax but I plan on it. I got the rotary tumbler because I plan on making polished rocks with my kids so tried to get a dual purpose machine. I assume its quieter than a tumbler... you just hear a faint jingle in the other room. Pros... quiet and low electrical efficient. cons.. may take longer.. but put it in and forget about it. smaller amount probably couple hundred at a time. I have a small one from harbor freight. I am happy with it. Dual drums make it easy to keep seperate calibers seperated.
 
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