Rotary Tumblers

[EMoore]

Hey guys I've been using a vibratory tumbler for cleaning and polishing brass for years, and have been kicking around the idea of going to a rotary. Perceived advantages are increased capacity, and cleaning the primer pockets and the insides of the cases too. I'm looking for opinions and guidance on how they work, wet vs dry, good brands, etc. I'm pretty clueless on them. Thanks in advance!

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Thumlers model B is pretty much the standard. You can get it from the media people in a package deal

 

[P1ZombieKiller]

I love my Thumblers B. I have 2.

 

[22DASHER]

I think Frankford is actually a little better and is my preference. I have had both.

 

[EMoore]

I'll look into those 2...thanks!

 

[F Class John]

This is what I use. It’s rock solid and let’s me do 500 of my .284 at a time. It hold 25lbs of pins plus about two gallons of water and the brass of course.

https://casetumbling.com/products/lonestar-tumbler-model-lt5

https://casetumbling.com/products/copy-of-lonestar-tumbler-model-lt-5

 

[EMoore]

That's a hoss!

 

[F Class John]

Thank you. Really not that much more cost than all the other smaller common tumblers out there but built like a tank and nothing to wear out like pulley and other systems. And actual footprint isn’t that much larger than my old cv-2001 Dillon tumbler.

 

[rox]

I used a Thumlers, but I was never really happy with it. It started to rust through several seams after the very first use. But it kept me going until I could build one out of a $40 eBay treadmill which cleans 500 .308s in about an hour and a half.

 

[EMoore]

Thanks for all the info! What about media separators? Any suggestions?

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Thanks for all the info! What about media separators? Any suggestions?

Media seperators will allow pins to stay in the case. You have to let them fall out of the case while underwater, so its a slow manual process. I have the blue frankford arsenal and it works very well for a seperator though if you want to try that route

 

[Walt Krafft]

I found rotary tumbling with pins peened the case mouth so all cases had to be inside and outside deburred. Unless the cases need trimming I no longer use it.

 

[F Class John]

I use a Dillon separator and just fill it with water so all the pins comes out. Works great. I use a giraud trimmer every time I do my brass so the whole issue of peening is moot. Not only that but I don’t tumble long enough (only about an hour) to really see peening to begin with.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Peening is a non issue if you own a deburring tool.

 

[EMoore]

Wow I can tell I have a lot to learn before I pull the trigger on anything. I appreciate all the info so far!

 

[chkunz]

I have been using a Model B Thumblers Tumbler since 1972 and still going strong. Why do you think they still call vibrating case cleaners tumblers? I have tried every possible tumbling media and they all work but I have settled on seven parts water and one part Simple Green. Tumble for two hours and dry in toaster oven for 30 minutes on warm and done. cases are clean inside and out and shiny if you like shiny.

 

[LVLAaron]

Love my frankford arsenal wet tumbler. Use a splash of RCBS cleaning solution and brass is like new every time.

 

[F Class John]

Here’s how I dry my brass. Shoe rack in the dryer. Works like a champ. I also added a pic of my brass after seperating the pins.

 

[chkunz]

Here’s how I dry my brass. Shoe rack in the dryer. Works like a champ. I also added a pic of my brass after seperating the pins.

Great input but I will offer that I tried the pins and they did a great job but were a lot of trouble and extra effort that was not necessary with my brass. If I were cleaning really dirty brass from range pick up it might be worth it but for my use it was not worth the extra effort. For my brass the one part Simple Green in seven parts water for two hours in the Model B Thumblers Tumbler was all that was needed.

As to drying brass, try 30 minutes in the toaster oven on warm and see if that is a simpler solution.

Best wishes
Clyde

 

[msinc]

I have a Thumler's Model B and use wet stainless pins. I should say that when I first got it I cleaned all my brass this way. Now, I only use it when I have some really dirty or dark brass. Once cleaned and brightened up I find that the cases tend to stay that way thru a few reloads.
If you opt to go this route you must make sure you get all the pins out. This means doing a visual "QC" check on each case. The pins tend to want to get stuck in the primer flash hole. No "separator" will take care of this for you...it will be a manual thing.
I have never had the issue of so called "peened case mouths". I will say this also, if the extent of my reloading/shooting was to buy limited amounts of all new brass for some exotic caliber rifle I would not go to the expense and effort of cleaning this way. Personally, I receive 5 gallon buckets of range brass off a military base range. I shoot these calibers and some of it is pretty nasty when I get it. For really dirty oxidized brass it is a miracle, for brand new off the shelf cases, not so much.