steel for brass tumbling

[ghostrider]

This is the first I've heard of this:
http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=4285 ... OTgwMjY5S0

It cannot be used in a standard vibratory tumbler, though.

[natgas]

made for wet tumblers; many people are switching from vibratory to these rock tumblers

[cyphur]

This is the first I've heard of this:
http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=4285 ... OTgwMjY5S0

It cannot be used in a standard vibratory tumbler, though.

Look up Thumblers - they seem to be the popular choice for this. The results are nothing short of amazing and you nearly eliminate dust issues with dry media. Anything that can do a better job of containing lead is a plus in my book.

[jimlongley]

This is the first I've heard of this:
http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=4285 ... OTgwMjY5S0

It cannot be used in a standard vibratory tumbler, though.

Look up Thumblers - they seem to be the popular choice for this. The results are nothing short of amazing and you nearly eliminate dust issues with dry media. Anything that can do a better job of containing lead is a plus in my book.

You won't get far searching for "Thumblers", the compnay name is "Thumlers".

http://www.thumlerstumbler.com/

I gave my grandson one, more than 20 years ago, for his rock collecting. His mother made him put it away because of the awful racket it made and I doubt it has ever been used again.

[cyphur]

This is the first I've heard of this:
http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=4285 ... OTgwMjY5S0

It cannot be used in a standard vibratory tumbler, though.

Look up Thumblers - they seem to be the popular choice for this. The results are nothing short of amazing and you nearly eliminate dust issues with dry media. Anything that can do a better job of containing lead is a plus in my book.

You won't get far searching for "Thumblers", the compnay name is "Thumlers".

http://www.thumlerstumbler.com/

I gave my grandson one, more than 20 years ago, for his rock collecting. His mother made him put it away because of the awful racket it made and I doubt it has ever been used again.

Good catch - typo on my part.

[jimlongley]

This is the first I've heard of this:
http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=4285 ... OTgwMjY5S0

It cannot be used in a standard vibratory tumbler, though.

Look up Thumblers - they seem to be the popular choice for this. The results are nothing short of amazing and you nearly eliminate dust issues with dry media. Anything that can do a better job of containing lead is a plus in my book.

You won't get far searching for "Thumblers", the compnay name is "Thumlers".

http://www.thumlerstumbler.com/

I gave my grandson one, more than 20 years ago, for his rock collecting. His mother made him put it away because of the awful racket it made and I doubt it has ever been used again.

Good catch - typo on my part.

Of course it would probably help some if I would learn to spell "company".

[NcongruNt]

A company called Stainless Tumbling Media sells the whole shebang:

http://www.stainlesstumblingmedia.com/s ... ckage.html

I absolutely love mine. I loaned out my old vibratory tumbler to a friend new to reloading, with the understanding that he can keep it as long as he wants. The stainless tumbling is far and away superior. There was a thread on this a little while back:

viewtopic.php?f=28&t=51418

[TheGasMan]

Since I've decided to get back in to reloading, I bought one of the Thumlers and stainless media. I put some surplus brass in it that was VERY dirty and it did an amazing job. Noise is not too bad, about like a washing machine. All of the brass was amazingly clean, including the inside and primer pockets. It doesn't leave quite as nice of a polished finish like the vibratory and corn/walnut tumblers do, but it is still amazing. I'll try to get some pics up later. Plus no dust and does not ever need to be replaced as long as you don't lose the pins.

[APynckel]

I love mine as well. I don't use my vibratory for anything anymore.

[Don2]

I'd really like to try the pins, but heck, I have so much money in my vibratory tumbler, plus I can clean a ton of brass at a time. AND, If I leave my tumbler running about 5 hours or so the primer pockets will come out clean with walnut media and nu-finish..!!

Maybe one day...But don't really have cash flow now.

Guess I could sell my old one and that would help or maybe buy one?
Hmmmm...it's something to think about.
I wonder how the pins would work in my vibrating tumbler, I can put liquid in mine?
May not be enough action.

Don2

[george]

Harbor Freight has their 3# tumbler on sale for $35.

[JamesM]

I have both the vibratory and the Thumlers, and after using both, IMO the vibratory is still the winner.
This is just my experience with the unit, YMMV.

The Thumlers with stainless pin media, water, soap, and Lemishine, does get brass clean, but, IMO is a big hasle to use. After the brass is cleaned, you have to dump the water/soapy mixture into the sink, rinse well, without losing any of the brass or steel pins, clean up the soapy mess you just made, and then spend more time drying the brass. Then you have to do all that over again, if you have more than 2 lbs. of brass to clean.
The Thumlers has a 15 lb. capacity, unless you get the larger tumbler, (40 lb. capacity) which is almost $800.00. By the time you get the steel pins and water in the unit, this leaves room for approximately 2 lbs of brass, which works out to be:
.45 160-180 pieces
.40 210-220 piece
9mm-230 pieces
.223 150-180 pieces
This might be okay, if you are using a single stage press, working up a new load, or just loading a few rifle rounds, but if you have a progressive press, you might just find that you are spending more time cleaning brass, cleaning up the mess, and drying brass, than you do loading.
Here is a link to a vid, that shows use and clean-up.
http://www.stainlesstumblingmedia.com/tips

The vibratory type also has many drawbacks, dust, bits of media on the floor and in the press, etc. etc., but for speed and price, you still can't beat it. I can easily clean 1000 9mm cases at a time in one vibratory tumbler, and have clean brass in an hour. I add 1000 cases to my vib tumbler, and let it run for an hour, remove the first 1000, add 1k more, and let them run while I am loading the first batch. I can easily load 4k - 5k in an afternoon/evening like this. With the stainless tumbler, I'll be lucky if I get a 1000.

[Jumping Frog]

JamesM -- nice first post & WELCOME.

That's how I am looking at it, except I'll tumble for a couple of hours instead of one.

[JamesM]

JamesM -- nice first post & WELCOME.

Thanks!

That's how I am looking at it, except I'll tumble for a couple of hours instead of one.

Yeah, I prolly let my first batch run longer also, at least until I get everything set up, primer tubes loaded, etc. The second batch gets pulled when I'm through with the first 10000, and have reloaded the tubes and powder measure. I load and clean to many cases to fool around with that stainless tumbler, and it's way to much of a clean up for me. It's kind of like loading the dishes in the dishwasher, running the cycle, and then having to take them out, rinse them by hand, and then towel dry them. I know a lot of people that have bought them and claim that they are the greatest thing since sliced bread, but it is just to much of as hassle for me. Especially since I'm just gonna shoot that brass and not eat off of it. My son wants my Thumler, sooo, it gets shipped off to Colorado, next week.

[Jumping Frog]

The vibratory type also has many drawbacks, dust, bits of media on the floor and in the press, etc. etc.,

I've found using walnut media with about a 1/2 cup of paint thinner, a capful of Nu-Finish, and a cut up dryer sheet minimizes all those issues and give a great shine to the brass.