Okay, I just got my first tumbler. Do you have to run it outside? It's 40 degrees out right now with the chance of rain, so I would prefer to run it in my basement. Is this a no-no? My basement is unfinished and somewhere around 1300 sqft - if that matters. The RCBS manual doesnt say anything about where to run the tumbler. thanks in advance
where to run tumbler?
- Thread starter firstg19
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mkl
Member
Your basement will be fine. I run mine in a small bathroom so I can close the door and isolate the noise.
If your tumbler tries to "walk" on you, cut a 12'X12" piece of that rubber "no slip" shelf lining material and place under the tumbler. The no slip shelf liner is available at any RV or marine store, and in many grocery stores, K-Mart, etc.
Some people report a dusting problem, but I have never had that trouble. If you get dust in the air, ask on here -- there are several fixes.
If your tumbler tries to "walk" on you, cut a 12'X12" piece of that rubber "no slip" shelf lining material and place under the tumbler. The no slip shelf liner is available at any RV or marine store, and in many grocery stores, K-Mart, etc.
Some people report a dusting problem, but I have never had that trouble. If you get dust in the air, ask on here -- there are several fixes.
The Bushmaster
Member
Cut up paper towel or used dryer sheets (also cut up) in the tumbler for dust collection. Basement will be fine. That's where I have mine...
I run mine in a spare beroom, same reason, I can close the door. It sits on an $8 'oak' little folding table I got at WalMart also atop that rubber shelf liner. It doesn't budge a mm in use.
I run it thru a $5 Harbor Freight appliance timer for my convenience. And use a blue plastic media separator that fits just right into a 5 gallon plastic bucket.
My Lyman turbo 1200 came with a perforated lid that did let dust loose so I just used the handyman's secret weapon (duct tape) to seal up the holes.
I run it thru a $5 Harbor Freight appliance timer for my convenience. And use a blue plastic media separator that fits just right into a 5 gallon plastic bucket.
My Lyman turbo 1200 came with a perforated lid that did let dust loose so I just used the handyman's secret weapon (duct tape) to seal up the holes.
The one I bought says to run it on a cement surface, but I don't have cement in the reloading room, the floor is southern pine.
So I tried it anyway. I thought that it may cause a heat problem. I ran it for a little more than an hour checking the floor for heat, or wear, but noted none.
So, unless someone can tell me why Franklin Arsenal wants me to run it on cement I will continue to use it on the floor. Also, no dusting noted.
So I tried it anyway. I thought that it may cause a heat problem. I ran it for a little more than an hour checking the floor for heat, or wear, but noted none.
So, unless someone can tell me why Franklin Arsenal wants me to run it on cement I will continue to use it on the floor. Also, no dusting noted.
Funderb
Member
helz mcfugly runs his under a storage bin in the garage with dryer sheets in it. That seemed like a good idea to me.
Historian
Member
I run mine in the garage because there are two doors between the garage and the house. The only thing I don't like about the set up is that my bench is in the garage as well and I can't load while the tumbler is running. So I usually run it while I'm runing errands, watching TV, or (even better) while I'm at the range.
Historian
Historian
put it somewhere that you dont want to be contaminated by lead. the most dangerous thing in terms of lead poisoning to reloaders is a tumbler.
no matter what you do to reduce the dust (dryer sheets/ papertowels etc) it will still coat everything around it with lead dust.
you can try synthetic media, i have read that there are some polishing products that are tiny plastic pellets instead of corn and walnut. i think that would help quite a bit because there is no chance of dust coming off the media itself and it can be kept much cleaner (you can reuse and wash the plastic media)
t
no matter what you do to reduce the dust (dryer sheets/ papertowels etc) it will still coat everything around it with lead dust.
you can try synthetic media, i have read that there are some polishing products that are tiny plastic pellets instead of corn and walnut. i think that would help quite a bit because there is no chance of dust coming off the media itself and it can be kept much cleaner (you can reuse and wash the plastic media)
t
The Bushmaster
Member
Lead dust smed dust...Least of your worries. Just don't suck your thumb after handling anything dealing with reloading. Keep your tumbler up away from children and wash your hands before you suck your thumb...
Ben Shepherd
Member
The cement thing-
Because they want all the vibration transfered to the bowl, not through the surface it's sitting on.
Dust-
Use a solid lid and cut up used dryer sheets. After handling the media/brass, wash with COLD soapy water.
Because they want all the vibration transfered to the bowl, not through the surface it's sitting on.
Dust-
Use a solid lid and cut up used dryer sheets. After handling the media/brass, wash with COLD soapy water.
oneounceload
member
Why not? I do it all the time. My gear is in my garage and has been in a garage for over 25 years in various houses - put the lid on, run tumbler while resizing other brass - no big deal
mkl
Member
I am curious as to how people get a dust problem with a vibratory tumbler.
Are you running the media completely dry?
I use a 50/50 mix of corncob/walnut media and about two tablespoons of Flitz metal polish in my Lyman 1200 with the big bowl, and get no dusting whatsoever. I only tumble fired cases with the primer in.
Like I said in my first post (#2), I tumble (vibrate) in a very small third bathroom, and I have never noticed dust in the air or any dust on the bathroom fixtures after three hours of tumbling.
Maybe Flitz is the secret?
Are you running the media completely dry?
I use a 50/50 mix of corncob/walnut media and about two tablespoons of Flitz metal polish in my Lyman 1200 with the big bowl, and get no dusting whatsoever. I only tumble fired cases with the primer in.
Like I said in my first post (#2), I tumble (vibrate) in a very small third bathroom, and I have never noticed dust in the air or any dust on the bathroom fixtures after three hours of tumbling.
Maybe Flitz is the secret?
Smokey Joe
Member
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- 2,617
Tumbling problems...
The only dust problem I've encountered is with corncob medium I bought from a feed store. BOY was it dirty!!! I'll be tilling most of the 50# into my garden.
My tumbler runs on my wooden workbench in the basement. At first I was worried that it'd "walk" to the edge of the bench and fall off, so I made a fence and clamped that to the bench. No problems.
(And BTW, no problems with excessive heat, or noise, either. From upstairs you can hear that the tumbler is going, but it's hardly a nuisance noise.)
Dust does NOT rise up from my tumbler when I open the lid. The most dust in the air comes from sifting the medium away from the brass. I'm thinking of getting one of those RCBS medium separators--the COVERED one, to combat that. But have not done so yet.
The dust does not get all over everything, anyhow. My workbench is essentially clean when I'm done, except for the bits of medium that get unavoidably dropped. Clean those up with a shop-vac, clean out the tumbler bowl with same, and done.
What problems?
The only dust problem I've encountered is with corncob medium I bought from a feed store. BOY was it dirty!!! I'll be tilling most of the 50# into my garden.
My tumbler runs on my wooden workbench in the basement. At first I was worried that it'd "walk" to the edge of the bench and fall off, so I made a fence and clamped that to the bench. No problems.
(And BTW, no problems with excessive heat, or noise, either. From upstairs you can hear that the tumbler is going, but it's hardly a nuisance noise.)
Dust does NOT rise up from my tumbler when I open the lid. The most dust in the air comes from sifting the medium away from the brass. I'm thinking of getting one of those RCBS medium separators--the COVERED one, to combat that. But have not done so yet.
The dust does not get all over everything, anyhow. My workbench is essentially clean when I'm done, except for the bits of medium that get unavoidably dropped. Clean those up with a shop-vac, clean out the tumbler bowl with same, and done.
What problems?
Steve H
Member
I run mine on a table in my reloading shop. I'ts a bit old and noisy so I turn it on and go in the house for about an hour while it runs.
Winston_Smith
Member
Most of my stuff is on a bench inside the house but I keep/use the tumbler in the garage. I always seem to make a mess with the media.
LCTitan
Member
Its best to run them on the floor. They have a tendency to walk a bit.
ranger335v
Member
- Joined
- Dec 3, 2006
- Messages
- 3,797
"The RCBS manual doesnt say anything about where to run the tumbler. thanks in advance"
They don't say anything about where because it doesn't matter. Tumbling ain't rocket science, nor is the dust a toxic waste. We have a lot of lattitude in how we do it with no difference in the final results at all. Just set your tumbler on any solid surface, not carpet, so the air flow to the motor won't be degraded.
I'm not seeing what "dust" others are having but I strongly suspect MOST of it is from excess polish that has dried and turned to dust. It takes a LOT less polish to clean/polish brass than many seem to think. It's not the old 'if a little is good, then a lot must be better' thing at all.
Add two-three caps full of polish to new, untreated media. Media lasts a looong time! When it seems to be "worn out", add a couple of ounces of mineral spirits to rejuvinated the polish and run the tumler until it mixes well before adding cases. When the media gets dusty, use the dryer sheet squares to pick up the excess polish.
They don't say anything about where because it doesn't matter. Tumbling ain't rocket science, nor is the dust a toxic waste. We have a lot of lattitude in how we do it with no difference in the final results at all. Just set your tumbler on any solid surface, not carpet, so the air flow to the motor won't be degraded.
I'm not seeing what "dust" others are having but I strongly suspect MOST of it is from excess polish that has dried and turned to dust. It takes a LOT less polish to clean/polish brass than many seem to think. It's not the old 'if a little is good, then a lot must be better' thing at all.
Add two-three caps full of polish to new, untreated media. Media lasts a looong time! When it seems to be "worn out", add a couple of ounces of mineral spirits to rejuvinated the polish and run the tumler until it mixes well before adding cases. When the media gets dusty, use the dryer sheet squares to pick up the excess polish.
The Bushmaster
Member
Do not operate a vibrator tumbler on any form or type of carpet...It will dampen the vibrating action and may over heat the motor...
moooose102
Member
i run mine in a closet in my basement. doing so lets me go on about my normal life without listening to the noise. i have it on a timer, so i set it for how long i want it to run, and forget it. only once did i forget about it for a couple of days. which was ok anyway. nicest brass i ever turned out (3 - 3 hour polish sessions).
The Bushmaster
Member
Times a wastin' lgbloader...Get ta busy on that brass...
bullseye308
Member
I run both of mine outside on a freezer. Just make sure you have sufficient airflow to the motor so it doesn't overheat. As for the dust, I use walnut with some Nu-Finish and every few loads add a cut up dryer sheet. I have no problem with dust. My brass looks like new after a few hours.
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