Tumbler question

[Red Ryder]

My Hornady Tumbler is ok but the bowl has cracked 3 times. Hornady keeps sending me a replacement one, but I am pretty sure that won't last.

I want to order the Thumler's Tumbler but don't know if the regular one (yellow band around bowl) is good enough

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/115086/thumlers-tumbler-ultra-vibe-10-case-tumbler-110-volt

or do I need to the Thumler's industrial version?

[johnhhuber]

I use the Dillon 750 and have had no issues.

[ProGunGuy]

thumblers bowl material last. if you can swing it get the 18. can do a 1k 9mm at a time.

[Heavyopp]

I've had a Lyman tumbler for 20 years now -- Never an issue

Recently I switched over to wet tumbling and will never go back

Edited May 29, 2013 by Heavyopp

[stick]

I didn't know any better when I first started reloading a couple of years ago. I bought the Franklin arsenal tumbler. For a cheap little tumbler it still works great. Never had an issues with it.

[gearguywb]

Tumblers are a pretty simple machine. I had the Dillon for years and never had an issue with it. Grabbed an RCBS (small sizeZ) not long ago and it is doing the job as well.

[bigdawgbeav]

I have the Frankford and it's working fine. Cheaper ones could be had at Harbor Freight and they work just as well.

[Mliebs]

I had the Hornady M2 and it worked ok. I recently purchased the Cabelas (Berrys) tumbler and I'm extremely impressed with it. For the money i don't think it can be beat.

[Steve RA]

I've got one of the Cabela's, the least expensive one (Berry's) and it works quite well. Also have one of the seperators and while it is fragile in some respects (hinge area) it has one huge advantage if you use stainless pins which is the enclosure. This keeps you from spreading pins all over if you get too vigorous, RPM wise.

[Twoyellowlabs]

Harbor freight has a good cheap tumbler. Had mine for two years and no issues.

[dmd6x]

I've only ever used a Dillon tumbler. My reloading buddy has a different brand, and he's always complaining about it (mainly that it's too loud). Dillon works great, never had a problem, does exactly what it's supposed to, nothing more nothing less. Can't go wrong.

[Pinecone]

Another Lyman user. Have had it some 30 years and it still goes strong.

[gandog56]

Aww dude, for that price I got a Thumler's Model B rotary tumbler. It cleans the brass SO much better than a vibratory tumbler. When I get enough posts, I'll post some before/after pics of brass cleaned using it and wet stainless steel media. I mena when the black crud in the primer pockets is TOTALLY removed and it looks like new virgin brass!

Grog like shiny tings!

Or go to http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v196/Gandog56/SANY0023_zps5b92c555.jpg. The six cases on the left cleaned with a vibratoy tumbler, the 6 on the right with my Thumlers.

Edited July 23, 2013 by gandog56

[BSeevers]

Im on my third, frankford arsenal just cause I hate gun shows where I used to buy the cheapest one I could find. That's three in 25 yrs and I leave it run all night and day often

[rooster mcbee]

I've been using a Thumblers just like in your picture since about 1985. Zero issues. If it ever goes out, I'll buy another so I can get another 28 years out of it. The wet tumbling does sound interesting though.

[kevin c]

Dillon.

Had one small Dillon for about 17 years. Bought a new one only because the original motor finally died and the replacement didn't last very long. The new small Dillon has the larger motor also used for the big tumbler.

The old bowl was still going strong, so I swapped out the new one for the old one. Anybody need a replacement? :-D

[gandog56]

More proof of why rotary tumbing is better. Will your vibratory clean them up like this?

Before:

After:

Close up of cleaner primer pocket:

Edited July 23, 2013 by gandog56

[Dacsoft]

I had A Frankford, but eventually replaced with a 18 pound tumbler from Harbor Freight. I like being able to do a Large amount at a time.

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2

[kevin c]

Shiny brass (and, mind you, I do like it that way) is, well, shiny. I have to remind myself though, that it doesn't really shoot any different from cleaned but stained or tarnished brass.

Actually, I wonder if too clean can be an issue with the case mouth sticking at the belling station. The carbon deposits inside the case, I have been told, help prevent sticking. Does removing the deposits make for less consistent reloading because of case sticking?

[rooster mcbee]

Shiny brass (and, mind you, I do like it that way) is, well, shiny. I have to remind myself though, that it doesn't really shoot any different from cleaned but stained or tarnished brass.

Actually, I wonder if too clean can be an issue with the case mouth sticking at the belling station. The carbon deposits inside the case, I have been told, help prevent sticking. Does removing the deposits make for less consistent reloading because of case sticking?

Interesting point, Kevin. Whenever I size brand new .38 supercomp brass for the first time, it sticks like crazy on the bell/powder funnel. After its loaded once, it's fine. But that initial loading is tough on my arm!

[Steve RA]

If you'll polish the funnel it will hang up less.

[kevin c]

If you'll polish the funnel it will hang up less.

I polished the bejeezuz out of mine, plus it and the other dies have been used for 17 years so I'm sure there's some extra polishing effect from loading 100K or so of 9mm. Squeaky clean brass (like new on the case interior), like cases treated with Iosso or the nontoxic stuff, stick for me on the first loading. Once sooted up, not so much. I haven't loaded any metal pin wet tumbled brass that I know of, so I was curious.

[frag316]

I didn't know any better when I first started reloading a couple of years ago. I bought the Franklin arsenal tumbler. For a cheap little tumbler it still works great. Never had an issues with it.

I did the same thing, about 9 years ago. Mine just crapped out on me in May--the mounts holding the motor broke, so it didn't shake the bowl any more. I wound up going to Amazon and buying a cheap tumbler off of there.

[Steve RA]

Stainless pinned brass will be a little more difficult. If you polish after the pinning with Nu-Finish (walnut or corncob) the minute amount left on the inside of the case helps a little. It's about like new brass.

[strat81]

I didn't know any better when I first started reloading a couple of years ago. I bought the Franklin arsenal tumbler. For a cheap little tumbler it still works great. Never had an issues with it.

My Frankford Arsenal died on me a few years ago. Turns out one of the power wires to the motor came apart, probably from a cold solder joint. Re-soldered it and it was back up and running.

That said, I've switched to ultrasonic cleaning. While it doesn't get brass shiny the way tumbling does (or super-shiny like stainless wet tumbling), it certainly gets them clean. I don't want to be exposed to the dust of traditional tumbling.