Tumbler questions

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  • Redleg11b

    Plinker
    Rating - 100%
    1   0   0
    May 3, 2017
    90
    6
    Goshen/Elkhart
    I have been hand cleaning brass and it is a real pain in the hands. I mostly load in low volume (25-50 rounds at a time), so it hasn't been too terrible. I want to be able to clean up donated brass from friends and family, the growing number of 1X fired brass I have accumulated, and potentially some bulk 1x fired I may eventually order online. I have been looking at an FA due to the price, but also considered building one myself. I am just not sure of the longevity of it as reviews are mixed. I am sure some of this has to do with how much it is used and how it is loaded. Is there a decent tumbler for under $60? I can get the FA with a jug of media for $65 locally (close to the same as Midway plus shipping). I have no idea what direct drive motors run either to build my own. I also looked at the Harbor Freight rotary tumblers (for rocks) and have seen them mentioned as good enough. Any help and insight appreciated.
     

    ljk

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    30   0   0
    May 21, 2013
    2,690
    149
    I use an earlier version of Thumlers Tumbler model B.


    When wet tumble, the bigger the capacity, the shinier these brass can get, also quicker. It needs the volume to keep the dirty particles suspended.

    It's gonna cost you, but time is money.
     

    Leo

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    30   0   0
    Mar 3, 2011
    9,733
    113
    Lafayette, IN
    Most of the cheaper models are all the same, and they work fine for a long time. I had a business where I cleaned brass pretty much 24 hours a day 7 days for multiple months. The little Hornady M-2 still looks and works like new. The bigger Lyman was more powerful and held a lot more brass, but had a lot of erosion on the bowl. I am sure I would have had to replace the bowl if I continued that heavy use. Admittedly, the Hornady is generally higher priced than other similar models, but it held up fine. I am sure that year was more than a life time of regular hobbyist use.
     

    Sniper 79

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    19   0   0
    Oct 7, 2012
    2,939
    48
    I have a Cabelas brand one that is about 15 years old. Still works good. I think it came in a kit with media and polish for about what you have to spend.

    Hit some yard sales. I just saw two of them a week or so ago. I spent a hundred bucks at that sale. Guy had tons of lead casting and pistol loading gear and tools.
     

    Leo

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    30   0   0
    Mar 3, 2011
    9,733
    113
    Lafayette, IN
    I have a Cabelas brand one that is about 15 years old. Still works good. I think it came in a kit with media and polish for about what you have to spend.

    Hit some yard sales. I just saw two of them a week or so ago. I spent a hundred bucks at that sale. Guy had tons of lead casting and pistol loading gear and tools.

    I never seem to find garage sales like that. My wife talks me into stopping by sales for "just a few minutes" and I end up seeing nothing but children's clothes, toys and broken press board furniture.
     

    Fullmag

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    15   0   0
    Sep 4, 2011
    1,956
    74
    I never seem to find garage sales like that. My wife talks me into stopping by sales for "just a few minutes" and I end up seeing nothing but children's clothes, toys and broken press board furniture.

    They are rare. Have many years ago made a great buy. The kids were little, cash flow was slow so the wife hit the rummages frequently. She got really good at not wasting any time by looking thru newspaper and picking the good ones before heading out.
     

    Redleg11b

    Plinker
    Rating - 100%
    1   0   0
    May 3, 2017
    90
    6
    Goshen/Elkhart
    Leo, I hear you. I stop at one's from time to time, but usually only if I see old hunting clothes from the road or anything else that may be hinting at a find. I have found a few nice used rifles, but always when they are too nice for what I have in my pocket. My wife called me about a Savage 11 7mm-08 for $200. Wish the car payment hadn't just gone out.

    Thanks to everyone else for the input. I do not need shiny brass, just clean. I doubt I would ever clean more than 200 .223 9mm Or 357 at a time and anything larger would be in the 100 range. I will probably pick up the FA unless I find something better in the next few weeks before the budget actually permits me to purchase one. I will keep my eye on a few different websites too.
     

    Fullmag

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    15   0   0
    Sep 4, 2011
    1,956
    74
    Clean brass is much easier to maintain than to clean up nasty long neglected range brass. Also RCBS manual for their dies recommends that brass be tumble cleaned and not hand washed.
     

    Redleg11b

    Plinker
    Rating - 100%
    1   0   0
    May 3, 2017
    90
    6
    Goshen/Elkhart
    Most range brass I pick up is less than 2 days on the ground. Tarnished or packed full of debris brass can stay. It may be good, but I don't want to bother with it.
     

    EyeCarry

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    9   0   0
    May 10, 2014
    1,532
    63
    Bloomington
    Not to put down tumbling but I like my ultrasonic. Larger Harbor Freight unit as the smaller one got, well, too small. Shiny and clean enough for me.
     

    oldpink

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Apr 7, 2009
    6,660
    63
    Farmland
    Go ahead and get the FA tumbler.
    I've been using a discontinued brand "PAST" that I understand is the manufacturer of the FA tumblers, with tens of thousands of cases run through it over the last 25 years.
     

    Earl Sinclair

    Plinker
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    I've been running the FA combo pack with the rotary brass separator since '95 or so. Never a hiccup. Note that brass cleans better if it's separated by caliber beforehand. 380's nest nicely (and sometimes very tightly) into 9mm, and 9mm does the same into .40SW, depending on the size/age of the media.
     

    Doublehelix

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    15   0   0
    Jun 20, 2015
    1,874
    38
    Westfield
    I have the FART as well and it seems like a reliable piece of gear. I've got about 10,000 rounds through it, and it is still basically brand new.

    Regarding old, tarnished brass: I also had an aversion to nasty looking brass found on the range, until I threw in a handful into a batch of brass that I cleaned recently. I never did find them! Clean as a whistle!

    I am not recommending picking up tarnished brass that has degraded and could be potentially dangerous, but you would be surprised what a good job a wet tumbler can do.

    Be sure to use the SS pins...
     

    Sniper 79

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    19   0   0
    Oct 7, 2012
    2,939
    48
    I never seem to find garage sales like that. My wife talks me into stopping by sales for "just a few minutes" and I end up seeing nothing but children's clothes, toys and broken press board furniture.

    Ha! Those are the best ones. I just scored big at a huge clothing sale. Dewalt tools stuck in between all the piles of clothing all in minty fresh condition. I gave the lady 15 bucks and loaded up. 1/2" hammer drill, sawzall, circular saw, jig saw, work light. Score!

    I do real well at the sales. Got to be first and have cash and a truck and trailer.
     

    thecapn2004

    Plinker
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    May 15, 2017
    33
    6
    Brownsburg
    I have been saving brass for about a year prepping for when I start reloading. My budget is not huge but I will be purchasing the FART when I finally pull the trigger.
     

    Pistol boy

    Plinker
    Rating - 100%
    4   0   0
    May 4, 2017
    100
    18
    Griffith
    The fa is the way too go. Mine has thousands of rounds through it and still works like brand new. As for a media try some white rice works good and is really cheap.
     

    bobjones223

    Master
    Rating - 98.2%
    55   1   0
    Mar 3, 2011
    1,779
    47
    Noblesville, IN
    Ha! Those are the best ones. I just scored big at a huge clothing sale. Dewalt tools stuck in between all the piles of clothing all in minty fresh condition. I gave the lady 15 bucks and loaded up. 1/2" hammer drill, sawzall, circular saw, jig saw, work light. Score!

    I do real well at the sales. Got to be first and have cash and a truck and trailer.

    How do you sleep at night????:faint:
     
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