Tumblers

[dlbleak]

Swampratt mentioned the Harbor Freight tumbler. It's actually sold as a 'parts cleaner'. I've had one for years and like it because it has an on/off switch unlike the Hornady and others. I know it's a small thing but sometimes a pain for me to plug and unplug the tumbler(if you saw my workbench,you'd understand)
I have a Hornady but the HF gets used for smaller batches.

 

[vearl]

I'm starting to look for a tumbler, and like everything else it's overwhelming. I have found a few, but am wanting advice.

Frankford Arsenal Quick-n-EZ Case Tumbler - $35
Hornady M-1 Case Tumbler - $58
Hornady M-2 Case Tumbler - $75
Lyman Pro 1200 Tumbler - $54

I HAVE THE FRANKFORD TUMBLER. HAS LASTED A VERY LONG TIME. DOES A GREAT JOB.

 

[DRC458]

Swampratt mentioned the Harbor Freight tumbler. It's actually sold as a 'parts cleaner'. I've had one for years and like it because it has an on/off switch unlike the Hornady and others. I know it's a small thing but sometimes a pain for me to plug and unplug the tumbler(if you saw my workbench,you'd understand)
I have a Hornady but the HF gets used for smaller batches.

The Frankford Arsenal tumbler also has an inline on/off switch. What does Harbor Freight get for their 'parts cleaner?' I might just need a back up.

 

[swampratt]

54.99 without a coupon.
I will agree the Vibratory did just fine at making cases clean enough to shoot sub MOA and then some but so does not cleaning them.. just wipe them down and remove carbon from neck with 0000 steel wool or just a rag and solvent of some kind like alcohol.
I have cleaned many that way.

I first began cleaning cases in a pan of simmering water with cool aid packet tossed in and stir it with a wooden spoon.
This is way before I began researching cleaning methods.
I knew citric acid would clean a copper penny and knew Cool aid had that in it..Hot water has cleaned crud for me better than cold so I went to the kitchen and tried it out.

I would Qtip the primer pockets clean and the insides of the case.
Then I got the vibratory. and so on.

 

[tkdgeek]

For my casual shooting tumble a batch a month, the wet tumbler with ss pins has been good enough. Harbor freight with coupon. Wish it was only one bin instead of two smaller bins personally. Hold about 1lb of shells in each one with Dawn and Lemi.
My larger issue with the ss tumbler (again as a casual shooter) is the standard pins keep getting sideways in the 223 cases. They make some very pretty 45acp pocket and all. For 223 the pocket is so-so and I always have to check to see 2 or 3 out of 50 will have pin wedged sideways in bottom of case. Small phillips screwdriver to unwedge and toss. I have read that there may be some slightly off-spec from vendor pins is why. Only time will tell on that. I think 'standard' length is 0.255. I put about 1lb in each of the small harbor freight rubber barrels.

 

[Pokinfun]

For the vibratory cleaners like you posted in your first post I would go to pet smart and get Lizard litter. It is ground walnut shell.
Works great..eat a couple Cutie oranges and save the peelings. Or other orange not critical.
Let the peel dry for about 8 hours on the counter.. then tear it into 1" squares add that to the media.
I tried all kinds of things and like the orange peels best.

For a tumbler that uses water some stainless pins will peen the cases..

Here is what you will find out. Walnut media cleans well but takes many hours and you still have dirty primer pockets and inside of cases are ok but never perfect.

Then you get another type like a sonic cleaner.. still leaves some to be desired.
Then you get a wet tumbler and you begin resizing cases and find out the cases are a little harder to resize than what they were with the walnut media..HHHMMM

Stainless pins will peen almost can't see it but when resizing you can feel it.
This is why I made copper pins.
Actually I made copper pins because I had copper laying around and I am a tight wad.
I eventually got stainless pins but quit using them after round 1.

MoBoost mentioned the harder to resize and cases being not as smooth with stainless pins..
He cleans with stainless then into the vibratory to slick them up with dry media.

I got a harbor freight vibratory and used it maybe 2 years and it did well and the dust was annoying and so I built a liquid tumbler and the vibratory collects dust in the shed.

Yes I made it from a treadmill I used the rollers and the DC motor. 2 quart V8 bottle is what I clean in that goes round and round.
The DC motor is 95 volt the one I have anyway.. and at 12volt it has the perfect speed.

Cost me about 4 bucks to build it..Duct tape you know.

I believe you are wrong, stainless steel pins will not peen the cases.

 

[swampratt]

Maybe "peen" is not the word but my cases got rougher when using stainless pins.
I am not the only one that has noticed this issue so it does in fact exist.
I do not overload my tumbler either. A bit under 1/2 full of cases and fill full with water. I have slowed the speed also and checked cases at 45 minutes tumble time and i just abandoned the stainless pins.

My pins are not extremely small though like some I have seen.
But people using the smaller pins have seen issues.
If stainless works for you and your shooting that is great I am just mentioning what I observed with my cases.
http://www.65guys.com/a-look-at-brass-case-cleaning/

Some more reading on peening and how to eliminate most or all of it.
http://www.urbanrifleman.com/2013/0...-media-thumbler-brass-case-cleaning-findings/

 

[cdschoonie]

Thank you guys for all the help!

 

[Calamity Jake]

Don't overlook the Berry's tumbler, a little more cost but a better warranty(lifetime on the replaceable bowl)
I've had one for about 3 years now, now problems.