Need a New Tumbler

EdsPlace · February 25, 2009, 08:02:25 AM

I was saving the pennies to purchase a set of dies for the new '76, but the smell of smoke in the shop dashed that idea. My Lyman 600 tumbler that I've used for the last 10 years finally gave up the ghost. Motor burnt up. Maybe I shouldn't have been running those 0.815" round ball through it!

Well, it's time to upgrade anyway. I was thinking about a Lyman Autoflo-1200 or 2200. The one job I hate the most about reloading is picking the brass out of the media. I understand that the autoflo makes this easy via a drain plug. Anybody have some opinions on making this job easier?

Dirty Brass · February 25, 2009, 08:14:09 AM

I picked up a strainer basket a few years back that works well for me. I just dump 'em in the basket (which is nestled in a clollecting box of course

) along with the media, shke it a few times and swirl them around. With a little circlular motion 99.9% of the media falls through the strainer. Other than picking a few primer holes clean (if deprimed already) it goes pretty fast. I don't know what a new tumbler auto flow goes for, but it may be cheaper to get a standard tumber and a basket. All depends on how many steps one wants to eliminate I guess

Dick Dastardly · February 25, 2009, 09:35:13 AM

I've found the Thumlers Tumbler model AR-12 for prices around $127. Lock Stock & Barrel is out of stock just now. This is a great tumbler. It's a true rotary, not a shaker. The Thumler AR-12 is very quiet running and it handles a wet load. This is the tumbler that I use with my DD Ceramic Porcelain brass tumbling media.

Most shakers won't run a wet load.

DD-DLoS

EdsPlace · February 25, 2009, 09:57:14 AM

Hmmmm... I had a Thumler's Tumbler years ago that I used for grinding Fireworks chemicals. I never considered it could be used for polishing brass, but why not?

I have only used walnut hull media without additives. This has worked well for everything except brass shot with BP that was allowed to sit and corrode. I won't make that mistake again. Now, I throw my brass in the washing machine the same day it gets shot. After it dries, I tumble as usual and it looks brand new. The Missus doesn't know about the washer yet, so I might have to have a plan B if she finds out!

So how does the ceramic media compare with the walnut? And why would you polish "Wet"? Inquiring minds want to know!

Ed

will52100 · February 25, 2009, 10:37:06 AM

I'll second the thumbler's tumbler and DD's ceramic media. I use it and a shot of dawn dishwashing liquid and two or three tea spoons of lemon juice. A couple hours and the dirtiest brass comes up looking like gold. Since I got the thumbler I haven't used my vibratory tumbler at all. The meadia will last forever, the liquid gets inside just about as clean as the outside. The only down side is I generaly have to sort by hand as the media sometimes likes to stick in the case, normaly I'll bump it on the work bench and it'll fall out. The best part is the thumbler will last nearly forever, it's designed to run for weeks at a time. I use it on smokless cases too, and in two to three hours I can get it cleaner than 4 or 5 hours with wallnut hull.

Fox Creek Kid · February 25, 2009, 11:59:28 AM

The Lortone QT12 is THE best tumbler for ceramic media IMO. Why? It only has ONE threaded nut with it's two lid system and is not the veritable valve cover system used by Thumler's. The entire Lortone drum is one piece of solid and quiet rubber. The ceramic media never wears out and cleans light years better than any walnut or "kitty litter" media. It's what industry uses to clean & polish metal. Get out of the Stone Age & get some ceramic media which is used "wet" so you also have no harmful lead fumes from primers floating around in your home.

http://tngold.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=8&products_id=15

Springfield Slim · February 25, 2009, 01:50:09 PM

If you put some paint swirl remover in there with the walnut media not only will it polish even the dirtiest BP shells but it will eliminate the air borne dust also. I just hate picking out the ceramic media and then having to dry the brass. Besides, I already own 3 Lyman tumblers(plus the Thumblers)

Dick Dastardly · February 25, 2009, 02:54:48 PM

Ho Slim,

CP media never gets stuck in flash holes. I just hate picking corncob etc. out of flash holes. . . .

DD-DLoS

Deadeye Dick · February 25, 2009, 04:51:33 PM

Springfield Slim,
Are you using vibratory tumblers with the walnut and paint swirl remover media or the rotary?

jwinks · February 26, 2009, 03:54:01 PM

For those of us still stuck with a vibrating cleaner and cob or walnut media here's an idea........ I took a 2 gallon plastic pail and drilled about 100 1/4" holes in the bottom. Set that baby in a wash pan or any other container that it will fit into, dump all the stuff out of the vibrater into the bucket ( media & cases ) shake it a few times and you're good to go. Save the money that you would spend on a store bought seperator and buy more black.

Springfield Slim · February 26, 2009, 08:55:12 PM

Vibratory. I never get media stuck in my flash holes either as I clean then deprime.

Noz · February 27, 2009, 10:17:41 AM

Quote from: jwinks on February 26, 2009, 03:54:01 PM
For those of us still stuck with a vibrating cleaner and cob or walnut media here's an idea........ I took a 2 gallon plastic pail and drilled about 100 1/4" holes in the bottom. Set that baby in a wash pan or any other container that it will fit into, dump all the stuff out of the vibrater into the bucket ( media & cases ) shake it a few times and you're good to go. Save the money that you would spend on a store bought seperator and buy more black.

I bought a green plastic spaghetti strainer(colander) at a garage sale for 25¢. Drilled a few 3/16 holes to let the media run out easier and done. Dump the media and brass in with the strainer over a container, shake-done.