Thumler's Tumbler Model B Rotary Tumbler

[Moby]

Tumbler

http://www.cabelas.com/tumblers-scales- ... er-1.shtml

Stainless Steel Media

http://compare.ebay.com/like/1906963006 ... s&var=sbar

Howdy fella's,
As I'm new to reloading I want to get good equipment one time rather than replacing mid range equipment. To that end I need advice on tumblers and media.

I read that tumble like the one in the link are better than vibratory tumbles. Mechanically it makes sense. I also am learning about SS media. The combination of these two products seems to produce fabulous results. I'm a stickler for meticulously clean brass as I figure if I'm going to get into reloading the first thing is clean, then attention to specs.

Can anyone tell me if SS media wears on brass? What are your thoughts on the tumbler in the link?

[Don2]

You asked, so I'm "gonna" tell you what I know, or think I know.....

I have been using a standard vibrating bowl cleaner for many years now...They work just fine depending on how dirty your brass is. You can adjust the cleaning ability of them by changing the media and even adding a liquid polish to the media.

Walnut media is a little more aggressive than corn cob media.
Some people say the corn cob media gives you a brighter finish...I can't tell the difference in the way the brass comes out using polish ( Nu-Finish ) in both types of media.
Some also use a mix of 50-50 walnut/corn media ??? It sounds good, but I have not tried it yet.

I feel using walnut media with polish is the best for me because it cleans the brass a little better and both come out shiny.

Now the tumbler type of cleaner.
I actually have NOT used one with the SS pins for brass.
I have a nice vibrating tumbler that works great, why change and the added cost is not worth it for me.
I understand from the ones who have the SS pin setup, that they work great. Also all say they also use a vibrating tumbler to make them shine....So if my setup works great for me, I don't see the added cost of having both.

My setup will clean primer pockets if I want it to by letting it "tumble" a while longer. I have never worried about inside of the brass and most don't because it makes no difference unless it's caked up, but I've never seen that in my reloading life. Most crud if any, gets blown out with the bullet..!

I have noticed with my setup, with the addition of polish in the last few years that even the inside get cleaner than it ever has...NOT PERFECTLY SHINY, but clean. I'm not OCD.

The SS media you have a link to is not what I have seen others use...The one most of them use is a SS pin type...that one has shot added which may be better or not?

I can see where someone thats new to reloading may want the brass perfectly clean these days now that they have so many new ways of cleaning/polishing brass.
But remember people have reloaded for many years now and some never even clean their brass at all but to wipe the crud off of them with a rag so that the dies do not get scratched, which is the main point to cleaning brass IMHO..!!!

Pretty is nice, but how much money and time is it worth to you.
Thats a decision you must make.

I'm NOT trying to persuade you in any direction, just giving you the facts as I know them.

Don2

Ps..I have never heard of the SS pins wearing on the brass, but I see that it very well could..Metal to metal? But how much??? Who knows?

[Jumping Frog]

Personally, I think it is a lot more work for a benefit that has zero to do with ammunition quality.

First, it is smaller capacity unless you are talking the $700 size. Then you need to deal with sifting the SS pins from both the soapy water and the brass. Then you need to rinse the brass and dry it.

Not worth it to me. I throw mine in the vibratory tumbler with walnut shells, a cut-up used dryer sheet, a half cup of paint thinner, and a capful of NuFinish. Takes about two minutes. Then I run it on a timer. Later, it will take me another minute to pour it into my media separator and I am done.

Once my ammo is loaded, no-one can tell it apart from ammo wet-tumbled with SS.

[Don2]

Personally, I think it is a lot more work for a benefit that has zero to do with ammunition quality.

First, it is smaller capacity unless you are talking the $700 size. Then you need to deal with sifting the SS pins from both the soapy water and the brass. Then you need to rinse the brass and dry it.

Not worth it to me. I throw mine in the vibratory tumbler with walnut shells, a cut-up used dryer sheet, a half cup of paint thinner, and a capful of NuFinish. Takes about two minutes. Then I run it on a timer. Later, it will take me another minute to pour it into my media separator and I am done.

Once my ammo is loaded, no-one can tell it apart from ammo wet-tumbled with SS.

BINGO
You Win


Don2

[Charles L. Cotton]

I used a Tumler's Tumbler for about 15 years. I had to let it run for 48 to 72 hours to get the same result I get from my Dillon in about 3 to 4 hrs. The Tumler's Tumbler was designed for rock tumbling with liquids and although it works with brass, it's very inefficient.

Chas.

[Moby]

Thanks fella's

I did not know one could add paint thinner.

Does that make the walnut media unusable again?

[Don2]

Thanks fella's

I did not know one could add paint thinner.

Does that make the walnut media unusable again?

What exactly do you mean by " Usable Again" ?
Media can be used over and over for a long time depending the condition of the brass it's cleaning.
Some people use it for years, I do not recommend that, but I guess if its still cleaning the brass...why not?
It builds up "crud" in it after a while ie. powder and primer residue that is not good to breath
much of. Also I and others run a few pieces of cloths drier sheets cut up along with the brass and media and it helps to pick up some of the powder and primer "crud".
Some even use cut up paper towels too..most anything that is fibrous and will hold the small debris, then it can be discorded.

Don2

[Moby]

http://www.dillonprecision.com/#/conten ... ?viewImg=0

This looks like a good tumble in my price range.

Appreaiate ya,

[Don2]

http://www.dillonprecision.com/#/content/p/9/catid/8/pid/23659/?viewImg=0

This looks like a good tumble in my price range.

Appreaiate ya,

It's suppose to be a good one. If I didn't have the one I have now, I'd get that one.
I like it....Plus you may want to look at the media separator too.
It's very handy....I use a wire basket that just fits in a 5 gallon bucket and shake it.
One day I will break down and buy one..but have been spending a lot of money on supplies lately....
Oh well...the old way still works

http://www.dillonprecision.com/#/conten ... _Separator


Don2

[Don2]

Moby, let me just say one more thing.."There are more ways than one to skin a hog"...!!!

I don't feel that there is a right way and a wrong way to clean/polish your brass....I guess it's a matter of how much time and money YOU want to put into cleaning your brass.

Another method that has not been mentioned is Ultrasonic cleaning.
From what I heard, if you want the brass to shine, you must tumble it in corn media after the ultrasonic treatment also.
But, one bonus in using an ultrasonic cleaner is that you can clean your guns or parts very nicely.
Or the whole gun if the tank is big enough.
I do plan on getting one of these cleaners in the future, but mainly for cleaning guns and parts.
I'm sure I will run a bunch of brass through it too..

I have been looking at the LARGE Hornady metal one, or maybe the NEW RCBS model they came out with a 3.2? quart tank. ( I like GREEN )

Don2

[APynckel]

I switched from vibratory to stainless and I'll never look back.

I can run 100+ rounds of .45 acp through the thumbler for 4 hours and it comes out brand spankin new. The problem is, as I've found, IT'S TOO CLEAN for a progressive press. The carbon residue left over from firing actually acts as a lubricant in the dies. My SS wet tumbled brass will get "stuck" on the case flaring die in my Dillon Square Deal B.

However, for rifle ammunition, where cleanliness sorta matters, and you're going to be lubing it anyways, I prefer to wet tumble, then polish afterwards with a vibratory.

I have also tried ultrasonic, and it leaves much to be asked for compared to SS tumbling, and also vibratory. VERY low qty of brass to clean at a time, and I haven't seen any real benefits over a good SS wet setup.

[Jumping Frog]

I can run 100+ rounds of .45 acp through the thumbler for 4 hours and it comes out brand spankin new.

If those kind of volumes work for you, then I am happy you found a solution that meets your needs.

For me, I cleaned 850 .45 ACP cases running it in my vibratory tumbler this morning. I would not have wanted to split that into 8 batches.

[Don2]

I switched from vibratory to stainless and I'll never look back.

I can run 100+ rounds of .45 acp through the thumbler for 4 hours and it comes out brand spankin new. The problem is, as I've found, IT'S TOO CLEAN for a progressive press. The carbon residue left over from firing actually acts as a lubricant in the dies. My SS wet tumbled brass will get "stuck" on the case flaring die in my Dillon Square Deal B.

However, for rifle ammunition, where cleanliness sorta matters, and you're going to be lubing it anyways, I prefer to wet tumble, then polish afterwards with a vibratory.

I have also tried ultrasonic, and it leaves much to be asked for compared to SS tumbling, and also vibratory. VERY low qty of brass to clean at a time, and I haven't seen any real benefits over a good SS wet setup.

I have a question, is the 100 rounds a number you picked, or is that how many that tumbler will let you polish at one time?


Don2

[APynckel]

I switched from vibratory to stainless and I'll never look back.

I can run 100+ rounds of .45 acp through the thumbler for 4 hours and it comes out brand spankin new. The problem is, as I've found, IT'S TOO CLEAN for a progressive press. The carbon residue left over from firing actually acts as a lubricant in the dies. My SS wet tumbled brass will get "stuck" on the case flaring die in my Dillon Square Deal B.

However, for rifle ammunition, where cleanliness sorta matters, and you're going to be lubing it anyways, I prefer to wet tumble, then polish afterwards with a vibratory.

I have also tried ultrasonic, and it leaves much to be asked for compared to SS tumbling, and also vibratory. VERY low qty of brass to clean at a time, and I haven't seen any real benefits over a good SS wet setup.

I have a question, is the 100 rounds a number you picked, or is that how many that tumbler will let you polish at one time?


Don2

Yea, I just pulled it out of a hat. I honestly have not counted what "max capacity" is. I just throw everything I have in there, and let it go. I would say max capacity is closer to 300-400 .45 acp rounds.

[Don2]

I switched from vibratory to stainless and I'll never look back.

I can run 100+ rounds of .45 acp through the thumbler for 4 hours and it comes out brand spankin new. The problem is, as I've found, IT'S TOO CLEAN for a progressive press. The carbon residue left over from firing actually acts as a lubricant in the dies. My SS wet tumbled brass will get "stuck" on the case flaring die in my Dillon Square Deal B.

However, for rifle ammunition, where cleanliness sorta matters, and you're going to be lubing it anyways, I prefer to wet tumble, then polish afterwards with a vibratory.

I have also tried ultrasonic, and it leaves much to be asked for compared to SS tumbling, and also vibratory. VERY low qty of brass to clean at a time, and I haven't seen any real benefits over a good SS wet setup.

I have a question, is the 100 rounds a number you picked, or is that how many that tumbler will let you polish at one time?


Don2

Yea, I just pulled it out of a hat. I honestly have not counted what "max capacity" is. I just throw everything I have in there, and let it go. I would say max capacity is closer to 300-400 .45 acp rounds.

Just wondering, I never used an actual Thumler's Tumbler.
Myself, I'd hate to get stuck with only being able to polish 100 at a time.

The problem with the average vibrating "tumbler" is that you can't get the amplitude needed to really clean them in a reasonable time. My old RCBS unit took 6+ hours to get the brass the way I wanted it.
Most time I let it go all day or night.

I'm very happy with my Burr-King 150, I got a great deal on it.
It has adjustable amplitude and a large motor and bowl...I can use walnut media and Nu-Finish and have 2000 to 2500+ pcs. of brass very clean in 6 hours. Thats about 80% + shiny inside the brass and primer pockets. I have left it running all day, about 12 hours and had the whole brass very nice inside and out. But I usually do not worry about the inside and pp's much except on rifle.

I can also use various media in my tumbler, ceramic etc. ( suppose to be able to use the SS Pins too?? ) It is a wet/dry tumbler with a drain on the bottom.
Never tried wet tumbling yet.

Maybe the ss pins will come down in price one day and I'll try them. I would have to buy about 4 packs of them for this unit. That costs way too much just to try it.

I hope it all works out for you...!!
Have fun.

Don2