Tumblers

[Jagermeister]

What is the best tumbler made now? I will be using media, but haven't put out using pins or liquid. Thanks

 

[Big Mc]

What is the best tumbler made now? I will be using media, but haven't put out using pins or liquid. Thanks

Got mine at Harbor Fright. Works well. And did not break the bank. Tommy Mc

 

[Buttstock-TX]

What is the best tumbler made now? I will be using media, but haven't put out using pins or liquid. Thanks

Expensive, but Thumlers vibratory tumbler is the best I've owned or used. It far outlasts the others and is much quieter. Mine is the 10" model.

For a wet process with pins, it is hard to beat the Frankford Arsenal Platinum Rotary Tumbler.

I use both processes quite a bit.

 

[JayHHI6818]

Thumlers are expensive but they are great. I run corn cob media treated with Flitz and the second one with plain corn cob media to polish Flitz off. Brass comes out shinner than new

Model UV-18 (Stk #180)​
Removable Heavy Polyethylene Bowl With Lid	1.5 Gallon Capacity - Weight Capacity 18lb 200-700 Cartridge Cases
Mass creates a cyclonic effect, moves around the bowl and down into the center.	Motor 115 Volt, 1/30 hp, 1.12 amps. Thermally Protected
Vibrates at 3000 VPM	Overall Dimensions - 11 1/2" Dia x 12 1/2" High.
Shipping wt 11 lb

 

[3Ackleys]

Still using my RCBS vibratory I bought in 1985

 

[SteveUrban]

I have a uv-18 after the motor died on my Dillon. It works great and the best feature is that the motor is off the shelf part. Unlike the Dillon!!!

 

[jpjulian]

I have the Lyman Magnum tumbler. Not as big as the Dillon but still holds several hundred .223 cases at a time. Doesn't get used much these days since I went to wet tumbling, no pins.

 

[SeabeeKen]

I have the Lyman Magnum tumbler. Not as big as the Dillon but still holds several hundred .223 cases at a time. Doesn't get used much these days since I went to wet tumbling, no pins.

Had one of these and it never missed a lick. Sold it when I moved. Replaced it with a Berrys and so far its been great. Quiet compared to the old Lyman and has an inline switch.

 

[kenhwind]

I have a Lyman, Auto-Flow. The interesting thing is I was using a Lyman and one of the bolts got lose and dropped down into the fan and pretty much put an end to that one. So, I ordered two bases from Lyman, one of which didn't last very long, but the other is still in use well over 10 years now.

 

[servant403]

I use my Thumblers Tumbler B with both dry and wet media. It works fine with corn cob. Ive only replaced the belt. Its at least 20 years old.

 

[FloridaAKM]

I originally started out with the Thumblers Tumbler & used dry media such as ground walnut shells or dry corn cob media. It worked well other than the drive belt would break or just fall apart. Then a buddy introduced me to the Dillon 600 vibratory cleaner & the Thumblers tumbler got stuck on the shelf. The Thumblers unit was purchased back in the mid 80's & does still work.

The first Dillon burned out the motor after a few years of hard service, so I bought another one & kept reloading. Not wanting to trash the first unit, I discovered that I could replace the motor with one from Grainger for about $35.00, which is what I did & now use both of them.

One word of advice is, if you replace a Dillon burned out motor, keep the cooling fan/eccentric rotor close to the motor or the added unbalance will tear up the malleable C frame bearing holder. I made that mistake & had to repair the holder once.

 

[SSL]

Still using my old '80s era Lyman. I've used it pretty hard over the years and it's still running fine.

 

[ToddKS]

As others have mentioned, Thumblers is as good as it gets at the hobby level. I have a UV18 and three UV45 and the only thing I ever have replaced is the gaskets on the lids and a switch that was broken by me stepping on it. These units have thousands of hours on them with no issues. They also deliver better results in less run time than the cheaper units.

I had one of the big Dillon tumblers for about 1 day. Performance was significantly less than the Thumblers.

 

[Jonnyofalltrades]

I feel better hearing all the guys that are still running Thumbler's from the 80's.
I inherited my Dad's, and I'm sure it's 80's at the very newest. Works great.