What is the consensus on which wet tumbler you use and why?

[Johnny_V]

I built my own, as nothing on the market met my standards.

 

[spclark]

I'm impressed, John!

That certainly has a rugged look to it. 8" ID PVC? What do you figure for capacity, either in number of cases or weight of ss media?

I'd have attempted something like that but lacking welding skills & equipment the base'd have to either be wood or bolted aluminum.

 

[jlow]

One thing to keep in mind when scaling a tumbler up in size is weight. Even the thumbler Tumbler is reasonably heavy when filled with water, brass, and pins. It's certainly not too heavy to handle but cumbersome when draining especially if you want to rinse 4x-5x. My guess is one double the size would be difficult to handle indoors say in a wash tube both because of weight and size - outdoors better but still...

 

[jlow]

We inhale/absorb a great deal more airborne lead contamination with each and every round we send through a barrel than we ever will when dry tumbling.

That of course is the reason why force air circulation is mandatory in any indoor gun range. Out doors less of any issue if there is a good wind. However, if you are one of those who loves the smell of gun smoke early in the morning and make it a point to inhale, you would be correct...

 

[Johnny_V]

I'm impressed, John!

That certainly has a rugged look to it. 8" ID PVC? What do you figure for capacity, either in number of cases or weight of ss media?

I'd have attempted something like that but lacking welding skills & equipment the base'd have to either be wood or bolted aluminum.

Rugged it is. I used 6" PVC and it will easily handle 1000 9mm, around 400 .223, and about 300 .308. I usually wait until I have several loads and take a whole day and clean all my brass at once. I forgot to mention, I have a twin sister to this one so I can get both going at the same time. I don't disagree that it's heavy when filled, but once you have a method in place for cleaning, you rarely think of the weight, especially when you see all that nice, shiny brass.

I have seen many variations of this tumbler made from 2 x 4 and strap metal from Home Depot

 

[jvw2008]

Does anyone have any experience with the Rebel Extreme tumbler that STM sells?

Yes, it's extremely well built and quiet. I've seen the Franklin and used the Thumbler. IMO the STM Rebel is the best of the three.

 

[Webster]

I am making myself sick from inhaling all the darn dust over the years and am fed up with it. I want to go to a wet /pin tumbler. Which size pins, separator, and tumbler do you recommend and why? I will be selling a rifle off to convert to this so it may take a short while and then sell off almost all my dry tumblers to boot. I have a Dillon large tumbler that works great but powderize's all the polish and what not. I wear a mask but still get the burn in my nose. I do high volume tumbling at times and it sucks.

I use the Harbour Freight rock tumbler. They make two models, one drum or 2 drums on one motor. I can do 50-60 6BR cases at a time in the one drum model. I think it was $39. It works fine if you are not into large volumes. It's a rubber drum on all inside and outside surfaces. It takes a while to learn how to quickly get the tight rubber lid on. Never tested it with a magnet to see if the drum is steel coated with rubber. It's sturdy and doesn't flex. The pins are .040" x .250". It's been a while since I weighed the pins but I think it was 1.5 lbs. I eyeball the Dawn and Lemishine it's not critical. Tumble 2 - 2.5 hrs. Can send photo if you wish.

 

[Jammer Six]

What size pins do you recommend.

The ones that worked the best were the small, straight pins that come in a kit with the Thumbler's Tumbler.

Footballs rusted, and got jammed sideways. I tested some small, ceramic media in various shapes that did the same thing.

With the small (really small, to my eyes) pins that come with the Thumbler's, if you de-prime first, they even get the primer pocket sparkling clean and have not jammed anywhere yet, in .45 ACP or .223.

The one question remaining there in my mind is why did "stainless" steel footballs rust?

I'm a wood guy, not a metal guy, and I thought the whole point of "stainless" was not to rust. So they must have been some kind of sub-standard alloy that I didn't know to check out. Looking back, I remember wondering why they were so cheap, and that was one of the reasons I gave them a try-- I figured I could replace them as needed at that cost. But not if they rust, and not when the Thumbler's pins do such a good job.

Judging by Valencic's picture, he's the real expert! I'm familiar with some of the problems he overcame!

Valencic, have you considered selling those tumblers?

 

[Medic505]

Look up Lone Star Tumblers. Mark Roberts builds a beast of a tumbler. I picked one up at Berger SWN's a couple years ago and haven't looked back. At $420 bucks it's somewhat pricey, but the way it's built it should last forever. Built by a shooter for serious shooters.

Or, if you're willing to pay the shipping, and we can strike a deal, I have a thumblers sitting under my bench collecting dust I'd be happy to part with. Make me an offer I can't refuse!

 

[Johnny_V]

One thing I failed to mention, avoid the smaller .040" pins, regardless of the tumbler you choose, as they will hang up in flash holes. In a batch of 9mm, I would get about a half dozen cases with 2 pins stuck in flash holes. Go with the .047" pins and save yourself some grief.

I had thought of making them, but shipping would make it cost prohibitive.

 

[Jammer Six]

I just went through my records, and what Valencic says matches what I wrote in my log.

At different times, I tried footballs, ceramic crosses, pyramids and balls, first dry and then wet, then I switched to stainless pins. I started with the small pins, what I believe is the .040 pins Valencic mentions, but I didn't record the size. I just referred to them in my log as "small" pins, and "large" pins.

I might have been able to make some mix of the ceramic media work, but it was too expensive and too light to tumble reliably.

Checking my checkbook, the pins I've used since I bought the Thumbler's didn't come from Thumbler's, (my mistake, sorry) they came from here, and they are indeed the .047 pins:

http://www.bullseye-reloading.com/Pellet-Pins-Tumbling-Media.html

I actually found that site when I was searching for 150 lbs. of stainless media, for my concrete mixer experiment nightmare, and the price and the video on that site is what finally convinced me to give up and get a small, commercially built rotary tumbler. I rooted around and read reviews, and ended up buying the Thumbler's based on reputation. I haven't tried anything other than the Thumbler's, and don't know how they would compare side by side to anything else.

 

[Jammer Six]

Now that I think about it, I wish plastic pipe had occurred to me!

I have a 36" wood lathe in the basement, I could have set some kind of clamp chuck up and...

NO! BACK! NO! I'M HAPPY WITH THE THUMBLER'S! HAPPY, I SAY! HAPPY, DO YOU HEAR?

 

[Mulligan]

Do these effect case hardness in any way?
Just thinking a million pins crashing into the brass will clean it very well but is there a downside?
Just pondering.
CW

 

[Johnny_V]

Do these effect case hardness in any way?
Just thinking a million pins crashing into the brass will clean it very well but is there a downside?
Just pondering.
CW

I had heard of the cases work hardening, but have never experienced it myself.

 

[Jammer Six]

I've heard both ways: that it's an internet myth, and that it's happened.

I've never seen it happen, and quite frankly, the pins are so light, I lean towards the internet myth.

 

[savagedasher]

I have a good friend that reloads some he uses 8 1 1/2 yard cement mixers . 2 of each set with different pins .
He says they can and do work harden brass. If your not carefull you can ruen the brass.
But what does he know .
He re manufacturers 12 million round a year . Larry

 

[Joe R]

I had a dry tumbler. Then I went and bought the Franklin Arsenal Platinum Wet Tumbler.
Man what a step up. No more media in my primer pockets that I had to pick out that arent even clean. No more powdery film on the cases. This tumbler cleans the shells to the highest degree of shine from primer pockets to insides and all you need to add is a dash of Lemishine, Dawn and Water.
I would pick up the Magnet they sell for it as it great for picking up steel media pins from 5 gallon bucket (which you will need).
I have done well over ten thousand easily and it works perfectly every time.
I think Cabelas is running a sale on them btw.

He nailed it Jon

Here's a video I made for some of the guys at my range

Kindest regards,

Joe

 

[jonbearman]

Can someone please tell me what diameter pin is best to use in this application to avoid them getting stuck in flash holes etc.???????????

 

[Johnny_V]

Can someone please tell me what diameter pin is best to use in this application to avoid them getting stuck in flash holes etc.???????????

.047", any smaller and you chance the flash hole getting blocked.

 

[JRS]

Can someone please tell me what diameter pin is best to use in this application to avoid them getting stuck in flash holes etc.???????????

Reading reviews on other gun sites, along with the recommendations on this thread, it appears the .047 is the pin size to use.