What smaller tumbler?

Status
Not open for further replies.
T

TeamPrecisionIT

Member
Joined
Aug 1, 2008
Messages
569
Location
Virginia Beach, VA
What smaller tumbler have you guys had good experiences with? I have been doing the boiling water cleaner method, but want to get a tumbler now for the brighter finish. Only thing, I only reload, at most, 200 rounds a week. So I don't really have justification for one of the larger tumblers.

Thanks in advance,

Damian
 
Either Berry's or Cabela's (same thing, different color/price). The Cabela's tumbler kit costs $65 and has everything you need to kick off. Its plenty big for when you start loading more, or if a friend needs his brass run. Comes with the tumbler, 6lbs of media, little bottle of polish, and a sifter pan.
 
I would say any tumbler would do. I always had good luck with Lymans and Franklins. I think Franklin has a pretty small one on Midway that always goes on sale. About the bright finish. If I polish my 357 mag brass to a glossy shine it always sticks in the carbide sizer and chatters on the way out. So I just use any old corn cob media from the pet store (Lizard Litter) and an ounce of mineral spirits and they come out just right.
 
I use a 3lb Harbor Fright tumbler, which holds about 100 cases (38/357/30 caliber size) per run. Used to run dry but that could take a while esp when medium gets "dirty". Water, grit, a bit of soap and a dash of scouring powder takes about 20 minutes (or longer if you aren't in a hurry). Do have to filter and dry the cases though. They don't come out "shiny" but they are clean, even range pick up. The little tumbler has been working over a year and I'm completely satisfied with it. Sometimes it's on sale, and the monthly 20% NRA discount helps too.
 
Cabelas: Package deal, has an on-off switch, a good price, works great, don't forget to buy a cheap 'light timer'--the kind you plug your light into so it turns on at xx O'clock and turns off however many hours/mins you set later.
 
Since you mentioned the Rock Tumbler, it got me to thinking (which can be dangerous, btw): What is more efficient to use a tumbler or the vibrating style - as far as time in there goes? And since I have never used one or seen one in use, do the horizontal mounted vibrating tumbler actually rotate? Or do they just vibrate stationary?

Damian
 
I used a double rock tumbler for years before getting a vibrating tumbler. The rock tumbler worked just fine but it didn't hold enough brass. They are more noisy too.

I noticed the vibrating tumbler in Harbor Freight for the first time Tuesday when buying a sand blaster. It looks nice and the price was right. I also noticed walnut media for sandblasting was also a lot less expensive than what I bought at Gander Mountain and Cabelas. I bought a 20 pounds box of the fine size and when I got home discovered is a lot finer than what I have. Should have bought medium. Ed.
 
"I bought a 20 pounds box of the fine size and when I got home discovered is a lot finer than what I have. Should have bought medium. Ed."

I suspect you will find it works very well and won't clog your flash holes as larger grains will do.
 
Fine is just that "fine for the job". No flash hole plugging.

The only thing I don't like about my Lyman 1200 is that it has no on/off switch.
So I made a short extension cord with an inline switch.
 
Ed, I prefer the Harbor Freight's coarse (12 grit) walnut media over the fine (24 grit). You should be able to exchange the fine box for the coarse box.

They go on sale for $14.99 for the 25 lb box (regularly $24.99) from time to time. Local HF require web printout to receive the online price if lower than store price (If you print out the online ad when they go on sale, local HF managers often "extend" the price even after the sales dates) ;)

HF vibratory tumbler at $40 is an attractive price, but has a very small bowl. I really recommend the Cabela's/Berry's 400 at $50 - quieter than many other tumblers, works well, has an inline on/off switch and has larger capacity (1000 9mm, 800 40S&W, 600 45ACP, 650 38 Spl) - http://www.cabelas.com/link-12/prod...-958E-DF11-A0C8-002219318F67&mr:referralID=NA

FYI, as Walkalong posted before, if you fill with larger cases first then smaller cases into the bowl, you won't get cases inside other cases. With the larger Cabela's tumbler, I can now clean/polish all the brass (mine and range pick up) from a range session in 1-2 tumbling sessions (500-1500 cases). I think the $10 difference is well worth the increased capacity and quality.
 
Last edited:
http://www.thehighroad.org/showpost.php?p=5899057&postcount=10

I use the smaller tumbler more than the bigger one, but there is no substitute for size when doing a lot of cases.

attachment.php
 
I do not know what size they call it. It's 10 X 14, and the biggest one we use. (That I know of anyway) At one point there were a great many in the "going away" pile, so I confiscated a couple of different sizes. They are super for separating media from brass. We still throw away a lot of good stuff, although not like we used to with money as tight as it is. I have a nice rolling stainless steel two door cart. It was a food tray cart. The infection control nurse said "Make it go away, I never want to see it again", so I did.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

d31tc
  • Locked
Rotary Tumbler Used For Rock Polishing
Replies
20
Views
858
d31tc
d31tc
M
  • Locked
Tumbler questions
2 3
Replies
53
Views
4K
mdi
mdi
W
  • Locked
Which is the best tumbler?
Replies
24
Views
4K
rondog
R
Nickjc
  • Locked
Case tumbler
Replies
5
Views
424
jcwit
J
S
  • Locked
Best Large Capacity Tumbler?
2
Replies
31
Views
7K
ranger335v
R
Back
Top