WANT TO BUY MY FIRST TUMBLER which one to buy?

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Say I want to not spend a lot, I don't have to have the best one made thats for sure. Something on the entry side I am thinking.
definitely under $100

In this case I just want something to get the job done and not break or fall apart.
I will probably use it once a month for a couple hundred pieces lets say.

Anyone tell me which ones to stay away from?
Any brands have good warranties?
Features I NEED or really WANT, or features I don't want?
 
Get the Cabelas tumbler. It works really well and is inexpensive. I would say that of all the reviews on tumblers the Cabelas had the most consistent and positive reviews. I have one and can't complain.
 
Another vote for the Cabala's tumbler. Have had one for 5 years now, and use it alot. Have had no problems with it, works great. Great value for the money.

I'd stal away from the Harbor Freight, tried theirs, they replaced it 3 times within 1 month, ended up getting my money back (no Hassle) then got the Cabalas.

Best.
 
Cabellas has been good for me. It has a shut-off switch, clear top and polishes to a high shine in a couple of hours.

I use Grainger's 20-40 corncob with a couple of caps of Cabellas case polish. Other polishes and liquid car finishes will do the same.

I'd recommend it to my son, but he doesn't need it. He's got me doing his brass.
 
I got the Cabela's kit as well, and I love it. Its the same one that Berry's Mfg. sells with their name on it, and its a few dollars less at Cabela's. I have put over 20,000 cases through it and it keeps on vibrating.


Bass
 
I have the Cabelas. Wore the first one out within three years. Bought it online and then they opened a store here. From my understanding the older ones had a three year warranty, since I was within that period they refunded all of my money no questions ask. Didn't even ask if I wanted an exchange (which I did). Took the money while in the store and bought a new one with a new receipt (no exchange just brand new with the warranty starting over). Now I have a new tumbler with a new receipt...They told me that they only have a two year warranty now....but I didn't check...but kept the receipt. I just looked online and couldn't really tell what the new warranty is, but I would guess they will make it good they usually do.

For the price it is hard to beat and it does a nice job as well!
 
I got my Franfort Arsenal off Ebay for less than $50 and free shipping. I just use a Fry Daddy basket as a case separator. It works great.
 
I have an old Midway 1292 that has been great. They don't make them anymore though.

I also bought a Berry's (which is the same tumbler that Cabela's sells, only theirs is green instead of blue). I think it's probably the best small to medium tumbler out there, and Berry's gives a lifetime warranty. Heavy duty cord and switch, heavy duty plastic bowl. Two thumbs up.
 
I have a Dillon tumbler I bought at least 16 years ago. Still works great.

You want to get that brass really clean?
1. Invest in an ultrasonic cleaner.
2. Fill Ultrasonic cleaner with a mix: 50% water, 50% White Vinegar, 1 drop of Dawn dish detergent for every cup (8oz) of liquid.
3. Clean in ultrasonic for 30 min then shake most of the water out of the brass.
4. Pour the brass into a cut off leg of a pair of jeans or sweatpants. I keep one end tied permanently and the other end tied so I can remove the string. Run that in the clothes dryer (with a couple old towels in there so it doesn't beat up the dryer and make a racket) for 20min.
5. Empty the dried brass into your tumbler with 50% Lyman Red Rouge coated media and 50% white rice. The brass comes out like mirrors inside and out. Even crappy range brass.
 
I agree with the Cabela's tumbler.

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It's light weight, very queit and is a large capacity. I have had mine a little over two years and it works great.
 
Lyman 1200 Turbo works well for me - Midway had a sale about a year ago so it was about $50.

60/40 corncob vs walnut, a couple cut-up dryer sheets and a capfull of liquid car polish now and then.
 
If you do enough research, I believe you will find they all have their issues. Some last forever, some die in 1.5-2.5 years (Lyman, Dillon, Cabelas, etc). If you go over your $100 mark you can get a thumblers uv-18. It's the only one that I've never really heard complaints about.

I've owned a Lyman 2500 and a Thumblers uv-18. The Lyman died in two years. If I had it to do over, I'd get a cabelas. The Thumblers is great but expensive. I could buy 4+ cabelas for the same price.
 
Just got my first tumbler from here. It's the Frankford - for $35.00 + shipping. So far I've run about 300 runds of .45acp - did fine.

For media, went to Petco, got a bag of their 'reptile bedding' for about $8.00 - crushed walnut. Tossed in a cap-full of Nu-finish and voila. Totally happy.

I'm in biz for vibratory cleaning for under $50 including media and polish.
 
^^Zotter ^^ has it down. I have the Frankford Arsenal and after 1.5yrs a wire broke. Bought another to replace it then looked inside and found the wire had broked right at the clip. Replaced the clip and was back in business with 2 tumblers. 2nd one had the same problem after about 150k rounds and was fixed just as easily. If I had to buy another down the road it would be the same one.
 
Lyman

Eleven years ago after researching the same question I bought a Lyman 2400. It has worked well for me and has the capacity for anything I would need. A couple of years ago I was given a Lyman 1200 along with a multitude of other reloading items from a friend that did not reload but was given it all from the widow of an old friend that had been reloading since 1965. I would venture to say this Lyman 1200 is possibly from the first batch made it still works like new.
 
I have been using a Frankford Arsenal for a couple of years, and it is still going strong. It is a little louder than it used to be, but not bad. I just got a Lyman 2500 magnum pro with the auto flow emptying feature. I love the tumbler, but the autoflow is a waste. Great capacity though and runs quiet. I would get teh normal 2500 with out auto flow and save $10 if I were to do it again. I use them both at the same time. If looking for a budget tumbler I would suggest the Frankford any day.
 
I have used for years a midway tumbler and absolutely love the rotary separator ... no more shaking polishing media out of a case.
 
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