I am running the Lyman Pro Magnum vibratory . It has a large capacity bowl and has worked well so far. I use walnut media I picked up from the pet store and just treated it with a little new finish car polish. One thing you might wan tto consider as well is ultra sonic cleaning . I picked up a cheap one and it works great. 10 min in the ultrasonic, let the brass dry and tumble time cut in half. Cases are clean at this point I only tumble to get the shine.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

I did a lot of research before I bought mine and ended up going with the cabelas 400. I use walnut bedding from the pet store. I add a cap full of nufinish every other tumble. The tumbler itself does a very good job and is super quiet.

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk

 

There's a reason those of us that went to stainless never looked back... It's not involved at all and is much faster and easier than any dry tumbling. Get yourself a Thumler, about 5lbs of pins, and a media separator and you're all set. With the vibratory you'll here people talk about drier sheets, polishes, etc... With a stainless wet tumbler you just toss in some dawn (add lemishine if you want) and let it go 2 hours. Dump into separator and crank the handle. Out comes perfectly clean brass.

 

I have a vibratory from Cabela's I picked up used with a bunch of other stuff. It's the same tumbler sold by Berry's, Frankfort Arsenal and half a dozen other places. Works great. It came with a big bag of crushed walnut media and a bottle of Cabela's polish. Only other thing I do is toss in a half a used dryer sheet to cut down on the dust. I don't get that crazy about cleaning brass.

 

There's a reason those of us that went to stainless never looked back... It's not involved at all and is much faster and easier than any dry tumbling. Get yourself a Thumler, about 5lbs of pins, and a media separator and you're all set. With the vibratory you'll here people talk about drier sheets, polishes, etc... With a stainless wet tumbler you just toss in some dawn (add lemishine if you want) and let it go 2 hours. Dump into separator and crank the handle. Out comes perfectly clean brass.

Plus, my vibratory would only do around 300 or so 9mm. My wet tumbler will do 1,000 per batch.

 

There's a reason those of us that went to stainless never looked back... It's not involved at all and is much faster and easier than any dry tumbling. Get yourself a Thumler, about 5lbs of pins, and a media separator and you're all set. With the vibratory you'll here people talk about drier sheets, polishes, etc... With a stainless wet tumbler you just toss in some dawn (add lemishine if you want) and let it go 2 hours. Dump into separator and crank the handle. Out comes perfectly clean brass.

Plus, my vibratory would only do around 300 or so 9mm. My wet tumbler will do 1,000 per batch.

Just when I thought a firearms-related purchase decision was going to be easy, you guys come along and tumble my plans!

Which Thumler would you suggest?

 

Whichever one you want... I have the 12 pound one since I found a deal on it. The 15lb one is really nice. Keep in mind there a plenty of places to buy from so shop around

Sent from my SGH-T769 using Tapatalk

 

I bought pins and built my own. But, that's just because I'm a tightwad and had a few parts laying around.

This kit (http://www.stainlesstumblingmedia.com/stm-complete-package.html) is the one I considered ordering before I built mine.

I also looked at the one Harbor Freight sells, but was less than impressed with the quality...the fit of the lids, in particular. That may have been because the only one they had at the time was the display model.

 

I bought pins and built my own. But, that's just because I'm a tightwad and had a few parts laying around.

This kit (http://www.stainlesstumblingmedia.com/stm-complete-package.html) is the one I considered ordering before I built mine.

I also looked at the one Harbor Freight sells, but was less than impressed with the quality...the fit of the lids, in particular. That may have been because the only one they had at the time was the display model.

Have any plans from the homemade one? And what was cost of building your own. That same kit is the one I'm looking at also.

 

I have one from Cabelas. Works great. Would buy the Dillon, if restricted to your list.

 

I have one from Cabelas. Works great. Would buy the Dillon, if restricted to your list.

The Model 400 at Cabelas?

Not restricted to my list; that was just what I found from a little googling.

 

Have any plans from the homemade one? And what was cost of building your own. That same kit is the one I'm looking at also.

No drawings, sorry. I saw a pic of one on the net that looked reasonable and winged it. A pic...

I have ~$200 in mine, which includes splurging on a new 1/4hp motor.

 

I got the Harbor Freight model with walnut media and Nu-Shine polishing agent. An hour in the tumbler will clean just about anything. Like you say, not mirror shiny, but plenty clean to reload.

 

Joe I had the frankford and liked it..did the job well. I bought the kit that had everything (tumbler/media/separator) With my reload room being hardwoods, I could hear it upstairs from the other end of the house (reload room on 2nd floor). Moved out to the garage= problem solved. Bras was clean but the primer pockets weren't, if that is something you want cleaned go with steel.

 

Bras was clean but the primer pockets weren't, if that is something you want cleaned go with steel.

Is it important to clean the primer pockets? I assume you deprimed before cleaning?

 

Is it important to clean the primer pockets? I assume you deprimed before cleaning?

Dumped brass in the tumbler after the range. Primers and all. For years I never worried about the pockets. Never had any problems either.
I use(d) a Lyman turbo 1200 for about 5 years with a mix on walnut and corn cob with a used dryer sheet to help keep dust under control. The media last a long time.

 

Is it important to clean the primer pockets? I assume you deprimed before cleaning?

depends who you talk to. To me..no it's not important.

I could take brass from range session, dump brass (with primer) in to the tumbler and let the tumbler to it's magic.

 

Where are you planning on running said equipment? In your apartment?

Stainless is great. Not as loud(IMO) and you only have to buy your media once. Also you use cleaner you already have around the house, it cleans every part of the case, and does it faster.

 

Dumped brass in the tumbler after the range. Primers and all. For years I never worried about the pockets. Never had any problems either.

Same here.

 

Ss tumbling is also a lot easier on your environment. Those dry tumblers crank out a ton of lead into the air around them... VERY bad if used indoors.

 

Ss tumbling is also a lot easier on your environment. Those dry tumblers crank out a ton of lead into the air around them... VERY bad if used indoors.

Carbon and walnut dust maybe, but lead? The bullet is long gone and at the most trace amounts in the fired case.

 

Where are you planning on running said equipment? In your apartment?

Balcony, so not indoors.

Stainless is great. Not as loud(IMO) and you only have to buy your media once. Also you use cleaner you already have around the house, it cleans every part of the case, and does it faster.

LOL, does everyone have a rock tumbler in their home except for me?

Alright, you guys are making me seriously rethink the whole SS/wet tumbling. Faster and quieter are good. Don't really care about squeaky clean.

 

Ss tumbling is also a lot easier on your environment. Those dry tumblers crank out a ton of lead into the air around them... VERY bad if used indoors.

Same effect, different location. Whatever goes into the air when dry tumbling goes to wherever you dump the water used in wet tumbling.

 

Same effect, different location. Whatever goes into the air when dry tumbling goes to wherever you dump the water used in wet tumbling.

Yes, but I wasn't saying one was better for THE environment vs the other, but rather YOUR environment.

Dry tumbling will pump particulate into the air. This may land on an adjacent surfaces or possible even inhaled. I will try to find the testing done, but this is well documented.

Wet tumbling also has lead as a byproduct. However, this lead is contained in the soapy water and is much easier to control.

 

No drawings, sorry. I saw a pic of one on the net that looked reasonable and winged it. A pic...

I have ~$200 in mine, which includes splurging on a new 1/4hp motor.

same idea I am working on. 2 questions did you do anything to the outside to increase traction of the barrel ?
did you put anything inside ( fins) to help the brass move around ?