Wet tumbler question?

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Wildbillz

Wildbillz

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Apr 10, 2010
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Hi All
I would like to try wet tumbling my brass. Anyone have a recommendation on a kit that has it all?

Thanks
WB
 
"FART", rotary media sifter, and transfer magnet. That's all the kit you need.
 
Most landloaders fall into The Trap That they must have the Largest capacity Tumbler.. An example, Frankford Arsenal. Lyman Cyclone and Other. Remember The bigger the Tumbler The more media. and The more expense. Look @ your needs . What caliber You shoot and amounts. . I have Tumblers from 2 Lb to 40 Lb. . some I don't use a lot . some I don't Use .
Good Tumblers are expensive . . Companies advertise ." Tumbles 1000's @ a time.. I use only Rock Tumblers , Lortone and Others. . Generally These Never go Bad . people who Tumble Rocks would never Think to By a Reloading tumbler. . Why , there Junk. . Cheap and will not last. my fist lortone purchase new 1970. still running , same belt same motor.
Buy what you need for your needs. Buy Once Buy the best
 
Yes, They are Not designed to Tumble Rocks because They are @ the Bottom of the Barrel on quality scale. . An Example Raytech . is the largest manufactures Of Vibratory machines In the US. some of there machines run $3000.00. They are Owned by Lyman Products.
Cheap equipment Is the answer to a Cheap public Buying. Most handloader will not spend the money On quality Item. The loaders who do are the smart one's
 
salpal48 said:
Most handloader will not spend the money On quality Item. The loaders who do are the smart one's
Click to expand...
Umm...that's a pretty broad statement and one I would strongly disagree with. Thousands of reloaders are getting along just fine on an old Lyman vibro tumbler or Dillon vibro. I've been using my old Lyman for a good number of years. Still running strong and cleaning brass as good as anything else. I also have the FART, but haven't had it very long yet.
 
salpal48 said:
Cheap equipment Is the answer to a Cheap public Buying. Most handloader will not spend the money On quality Item. The loaders who do are the smart one's
Click to expand...


That's a pretty elitist statement right there and I'd recommend the OP pay it no mind. Many people don't have the disposable income to buy the best of everything, I'm happy for you that you do. The Frankford wet tumbler was designed from the ground up to clean brass cases and it does a fantastic job at it. I have no reason to believe it won't last and if it dies in 5 years I'll probably buy another one unless my financial situation explodes before then. The success of LEE clearly shows there's a need for an "economy" option in the reloading world.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
GBExpat said:
You may be able to find it a bit cheaper ...

http://www.amazon.com/Frankford-Ars...8-1&keywords=frankford+arsenal+rotary+tumbler

... it doesn't have "it all", but it has "it most". :scrutiny:
Click to expand...
Have had the Frankford Arsenal for about a year and a half, no problems with the unit and does an amazing job at cleaning the brass inside and out, as well as the primer pockets if you use a universal decap first.
Check out jet.com, its 159 but first time to site you get a code for 15% off (max of 30.00 off) and free shipping brings it to 136 to your door. Use code triple15. Its good for your first 3 purchases. Just bought an RCBS chargemaster 1500 and it was 235 to my door!
 
Life long machinist/mechanic here that has purchased tools to make my living for over 50 years. The most expensive tools/equipment aren't necessarily the best and the cheapest aren't necessarily the worst. I have purchased tools because of how well they do the job they were intended to do and not by what the popular TV motorcycle builder or favorite NASCAR pit crew uses.

Originally Posted by salpal48 View Post
Cheap equipment Is the answer to a Cheap public Buying. Most handloader will not spend the money On quality Item. The loaders who do are the smart one's
Click to expand...
:barf:

I have worked with "tool snobs" in a heavy equipment repair shop and have seen, first hand the "elitist", snobbish attitude mentioned in the quote here. Many thousands of dollars was spent on tools that had "The Name" on them, cost the most (whether they did the job properly or not), were the "right color", or which vendor had the "baddest" tool truck. If a product is better and costs more, this handloader will purchase it. If a tool is popular because some gun writer says it is or a forum "expert" recommends it to every reloader because his choice is, of course, the best, I may research it but only buy it if it works...
 
I believe that rotary tumblers made for brass turn at a faster rpm then the
ones for rocks ?
My Frankford turns much faster then the Lortone that I had ?
 
that gun tap brass shine that comes with the pins works really well too !!
 
Years ago I bought a Rebel 17, before the FART was available. I am extremely pleased with it. Its well made with solid shafts, ball bearings, high quality cool running motor, and heavy duty motor mount. Today I would likely choose the FART, for the price, and the fact it is perfectly capable of doing the job.
 
Make your own, that is what I'm doing. Got the PVC drum made and almost all the other components. It will easily tumble a pound of brass to 10 lbs brass with same results. It will be industrial strength, so it should last decades of use.
 
I've had my FART for quite some time now and use it a lot. So far I'm VERY, VERY happy with it and it has performed flawlessly and beyond my expectations. When and if it ever gives out, I won't hesitate getting another one. I find myself grabbing and cleaning all the filthy brass I can get my hands on whether I need it or not, even calibers I don't shoot.

I love to find brass at people's places that is so filthy and tarnished that the owner was getting ready to throw it away and then to see the look on his face when I show him his (or should I say, my) bright, cleaned brass after a tumble in the FART.

OP, suggestions on what to get:

1. FART (comes with media but buy another 5 lbs of pins)
2. Lemishine (citric acid)
3. Dawn (blue bottle) or ArmorAll Wash & Wax (preferred)
4. Media separator
5. Frankfort Arsenal magnet

6. Not necessary but really handy..... a food dehydrator for drying brass and pins. (Used ones can be found cheap at many garage sales or flea markets)
 
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Gravedigger56 said:
I've had my FART for quite some time now and use it a lot. So far I'm VERY, VERY happy with it and it has performed flawlessly and beyond my expectations. When and if it ever gives out, I won't hesitate getting another one. I find myself grabbing and cleaning all the filthy brass I can get my hands on whether I need it or not, even calibers I don't shoot.

I love to find brass at people's places that is so filthy and tarnished that the owner was getting ready to throw it away and then to see the look on his face when I show him his (or should I say, my) bright, cleaned brass after a tumble in the FART.

OP, suggestions on what to get:

1. FART (comes with media but buy another 5 lbs of pins)
2. Lemishine (citric acid)
3. Dawn (blue bottle) or ArmorAll Wash & Wax (preferred)
4. Media separator
5. Frankfort Arsenal magnet

6. Not necessary but really handy..... a food dehydrator for drying brass and pins. (Used ones can be found cheap at many garage sales or flea markets)
Click to expand...



That sounds almost exactly like me! I love polishing up funky tarnished brass.

I have all of the above. One thing I did splurge on was a really good media separator. The Dillon CM-2000 is amazing. Super rigid separator drum, and a nice big tote to catch the pins.

Mrs got me the FART for Christmas of 2014. Since then it has run hundreds of cycles (I've used most of a container of Lemishine, 1/8 teaspoon at a time)
 
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I like my Covington. Its quality. Lots of comments on here from many users all using different stuff. Do some research and I am sure you will make an excellent choice.
 
Hondo 60 said:
I have a dbl tumbler from Harbor Freight.
So far it's worked very well.
Find the 20% off coupon & it's pretty cheap.

http://www.harborfreight.com/dual-drum-rotary-rock-tumbler-67632.html

Just add stainless steel pins

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-Pound-Sta...705823?hash=item2a516cb79f:g:2G0AAOSwBLlVYR5P
Click to expand...
I use the cheap-o HF tumbler, too, and have cleaned thousands of brass for reloading. NEVER had a problem and it's doing the job that the pricey/trendy ones do, at a fraction of the cost. I do pistol brass only, now, but have used it for rifle, too. I've switched from the Dawn+Lemi-Shine to Armorall car wash and wax and Lemi-Shine, and the results are fine. I use the stainless pins, too. Cleans the primer pockets.
 
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