Which Tumbler and why?

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My Ultra Vibe lasted over twenty years and tens of thousands of cases before the motor quit. Nice unit.
 
I like the Rebel 17. Quiet and solid. Decent volume for the footprint. Wet tumbling after depriming is not for everyone but it works absolutely great for me. I tend to run it now for stretches, and have a mass of very clean brass on hand, then load that up for a good while. My brass is super clean and ready to go when I am.
 
@MikeMyers, I would be very suspect of the video review / instruction comments on that tumbler with respect to holding 1000 9mm cases (if I heard that right). Not gonna happen in a bowl that size! 400 would be max and it would be packed at that.
 
Yep, you heard it right. Sounds far too high. I tried to find the instructions - haven't found them yet on the internet, but I did find a question and answer page on this unit:

http://answers.cabelas.com/answers/8815/product/212869/cabelas-cabelas-model-400-vibratory-case-tumbler-kit-questions-answers/questions.htm?sort=recentq

Hope this helps.


Edit: Added later.
I found the answer on the Cabela's website:

"Quickly and easily clean all your cartridge cases. The Model 400 Vibratory Tumbler has a large 4 quart 12" injection-molded bowl that holds up to 650 .38 cal. cases per cycle. Tumbler also has a quiet 110-volt motor with a inline on/off switch. Height is 10". See-through plastic lid."
 
I have the Frankford Arsenal vibratory tumbler, as well as their newer rotary tumbler that uses stainless steel tumbling media.

Without a doubt I prefer tumbling with stainless media. Tumbling in this manner gets the brass fantastically clean (looking brand new), removes all traces of fouling from the inside and outside of the brass, including the primer pocket (that last part is the thing I enjoy the most, since it saves me that step when I'm loading for precision rifles and want clean primer pockets). Anyway, the media lasts forever, I only need to add Dawn dish soap and some Lemi Shine, and the tumbling produces no dust.

The one downside to tumbling wet is that you need to rinse and dry the brass before you load it. I just use a couple of 5-gallon buckets for the rinse, then throw it in the oven at 175 degrees for an hour or two and it dries out just fine.
 
After watching hours of YouTube videos I hit the button on a Frankford Arsenal Platinum rotary tumbler. The 30 lb capacity is nice and I like that it was designed from the ground up as a cartridge cleaner.
 
mikemyers said:
I'm more concerned about noise and dirt than I am about the price. I expected to be purchasing the Thumbler's Tumbler, but here's what I'm considering now...

First, the video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VM5Uw0yJ8U

....and where to get it:
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabelas-Model-Vibratory-Case-Tumbler/731767.uts


Anybody using one of these? Your opinion? I like the clear top, and it seems to be quite quiet. The price is very reasonable too, much less than the Thumbler's UV-10.
Click to expand...
The kit in the video is exactly what I have. I didn't use the media that came with the kit yet, I've been using walnut lizard bedding. It's a bit dusty now, not as clean as that video shows, probably because of the media type and amount of times I've used it. Also, the more brass you add, the noisier it is. Overall, I'm very happy with it.
 
Just a quick update for anyone still looking for a tumbler. My total experience at this is from a whole TWO tumblers, one from Harbor Freight, and the Thumbler's Tumbler which i bought from Cabella's.

The HF tumbler made a racket, which wasn't that big a deal as my relative left it in the garage.

The Thumbler's Tumbler was literally quieter than my refrigerator. The water filter on a fish aquarium would have made more noise! I turned it on in my living room, and it just made a quiet hummmm sound. I put it on my balcony as it's supposed to be left on a hard surface, and when I stepped inside, with the door wide open, I couldn't tell that it was even running!

It's also made in the USA, and the manufacturer said they'd support it for long after I bought it; they sounded as supportive as RCBS and Dillon. In my case though, my major concern was noise, and I got everything I hoped for.
 
I run 2 of the larger Dillons. I also have a "Big Dawg" for stainless tumbling. I did not want do give up the space for a cement mixer. The Dillons are nice and have lasted hundreds or maybe thousands of hours. Thumblers makes a vibratory model that is one of the best.
 
I have a HF dual drum tumbler. I have put about 5000 pieces of brass through it in the last 6 months without issue. There are probably better ones out there many have been mentioned here so get what ever your comfortable with. The price was right for me so I jumped. I do keep it well lubed. It came with five extra drive belts but I am still using the original. I did check the tension before I started using it. I put about 50 rounds of 38/357 brass with the spent primers in each drum and fill them up with water to about an inch from the rim, add a drop of Dawn dish detergent and a cap full of lemon juice to the mix and tumble for about two hours. Serves my purposes
 
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I hit a home run when I bought the smallest portable cement mixer Harbor Freight offers for $140. Simply a fantastic brass tumbler. I like to tumble 2, 2lb coffee cans full of brass at a time.

I got fed up with the vibratory tumblers not agitating enough after a couple months of use.
 
OK that still doesn't beat my record. :) I did ~2000 10mm and more .45ACP in a few weeks span. Hey but who is counting.

When I retire, a cement mixer will be calling my name!!
 
i use a thumler's tumbler uv-18 that i got in 86. runs today as good a new. some times i turn it on and walk away for a day. real clean brass. made like a tank.
 
I just bought a berrys tumbler it does a great job but it is very loud maybe I have it overloaded with 45acp. My Lyman 1200 is way quieter
 
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