Life of Harbor Freight Tumbler

[87iroc]

Mine died after 18 months yesterday. Not sure if I exceeded its duty cycle or just got a dud.

Anyone else have it die after a couple seasons?

Are the Lyman's any better? Figure they come out of same factory in China but wanted to ask as I figure out where to get next one from.

 

[17 squirrel]

I have the little one that Midway's sells that I have used for molying bullets for 15 years or so. But it doesn't run but maybe 10 hours a year.
I clean brass with Dillons Big Tumbler, I have owned it well over 20 years. Sometimes it's forgotten and runs for days. It's a well built workhorse.
It's super quiet, very large bowl, built like a tank and will runs for years and years problem free.
The electric motor on my Dillon has ball bearing and not sleeve bearings along with a bowl made from polypropylene that helps keep things quieter and you will never wear it out.

 

[red_zr24x4]

I've go a little no name one I bought in '95 that's still going strong, I did have to fix the bowl mont about 2 years ago.
We also have the big Dillon one that is every bit of 30yrs old. It works fine still

 

[Leo]

I have a couple of Hornaday M-2 tumblers that ran 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for months at a time. Still going strong. I also bought the big Lyman unit. It ran the same and continued to run, but the plastic used in the bowl was starting to deteriorate. I realize that 6 months of 24/7 is more than a lifetime of use, and that replacement bowls are available, either is up to the task.

 

[ckcollins2003]

Mine died after 18 months yesterday. Not sure if I exceeded its duty cycle or just got a dud.

Anyone else have it die after a couple seasons?

Are the Lyman's any better? Figure they come out of same factory in China but wanted to ask as I figure out where to get next one from.

Had my Lyman for 6 years now... I'll run it all day and night (but not every day and night) when cleaning a lot of brass and it hasn't had a single hiccup. I don't know the life expectancy of the Lyman's, but I know it's been good to me and well worth the little bit that I spent on it.

 

[dieselrealtor]

My harbor freight one died just out of warranty, which was pretty short if I recall. I won't buy another one from there.
Got a Cabellas branded one & it has been going several years with no issues & much quieter.

 

[oldpink]

I've been using a generic model moderately for the last 25 years now, even had a water leak run across it for a couple of weeks when I was unaware of it, and the only thing I've had to do with it was replace the plug when I damaged the power cable.
It may not look pretty, but the thing just works.

 

[bulletsmith]

It's a very simple machine. You may be able to find a replacement motor cheap enough to make it worth while changing. Unfortunately, the motor can sometimes cost nearly as much as the original purchase. Cheap is sometimes relative.

 

[ScouT6a]

18 months sounds like a pretty short life span. I have a small one from Midway that I have been using for 18+ years.
Also have a huge industrial tumbler that I picked up used. Company was tumbling small parts with it. I have been using it on brass for 10 years.

 

[87iroc]

I pulled the bottom off of it today and spun the little weight to see if it would spin. It was hard to spin for a bit...then loosened up. I turned the power on...it spun half a turn and locked up again. I pushed it past that point and it was happy again for a while. I put some brass in it figuring I'd see how long it lasted(knowing it was about done). It ran for about 45 minutes and I came in the house to talk to my wife. Go back out 25 minutes later...its not even buzzing. shut it off, turn it over....major burned electronics smell. Its toast.

I'll have to research the suggestion above and replace the cheap one soon. Seems that 18 mo according to the reviews, may be a long life for the Harbor Freight unit. Served me well for that time...just expected it to last 5 yrs or so.

 

[bulletsmith]

I pulled the bottom off of it today and spun the little weight to see if it would spin. It was hard to spin for a bit...then loosened up. I turned the power on...it spun half a turn and locked up again. I pushed it past that point and it was happy again for a while. I put some brass in it figuring I'd see how long it lasted(knowing it was about done). It ran for about 45 minutes and I came in the house to talk to my wife. Go back out 25 minutes later...its not even buzzing. shut it off, turn it over....major burned electronics smell. Its toast.

I'll have to research the suggestion above and replace the cheap one soon. Seems that 18 mo according to the reviews, may be a long life for the Harbor Freight unit. Served me well for that time...just expected it to last 5 yrs or so.

Sounds like the bushings (bearings) reached the end of their life. It's a shame, a slightly better motor would not have ruined their profit that much.

 

[red_zr24x4]

Check the numbers on the motor, then go to Lowe's and try to match a bathroom fan motor. I've read somewhere they use the same one, but I've never checked into it.

 

[bulletsmith]

Check the numbers on the motor, then go to Lowe's and try to match a bathroom fan motor. I've read somewhere they use the same one, but I've never checked into it.

If it looks anything like this, you might get lucky. But again that explains why it didn't last.

 

[Redskinsfan]

18 months sounds like the characteristic failure of Harbor Freight's cheap-o Chinese tools. I, like another commenter, bought a tumbler from Midway. I have had it for at least fifteen years with no trouble. That is what a tumbler should do. Good luck with your repair.

 

[jcwit]

Why not just replace it with one of these

Cabela's Model 400 Vibratory Case Tumbler : Cabela's

Same basic price point. And buile right here in the U.S. with American labor. That is everything but the motor which in this case has real bearings not sleeves. Reason it has an imported motor is no one here makes one, and it would be cost prohivitive for short runs.

I went thru 3 HF units till I wised up and they did refund my money.

BTW, the Cabela's unit is the same one made by Berry's.

 

[87iroc]

Why not just replace it with one of these

Cabela's Model 400 Vibratory Case Tumbler : Cabela's

Same basic price point. And buile right here in the U.S. with American labor. That is everything but the motor which in this case has real bearings not sleeves. Reason it has an imported motor is no one here makes one, and it would be cost prohivitive for short runs.

I went thru 3 HF units till I wised up and they did refund my money.

BTW, the Cabela's unit is the same one made by Berry's.

Thanks for another idea. How do you know its made in America and has bearings? I see the 'made in usa' decal there...how about the bearings?

That's one thing I've been looking at and many don't specify. The only one that did was up higher and was like 180 bucks.

Haven't ordered one of anything yet....still debating my options.

 

[Robert Richardson]

8 years on a Lyman 1200, lots of brass cleaned.

 

[17 squirrel]

Thanks for another idea. How do you know its made in America and has bearings? I see the 'made in usa' decal there...how about the bearings?

That's one thing I've been looking at and many don't specify. The only one that did was up higher and was like 180 bucks.

Haven't ordered one of anything yet....still debating my options.

Most don't specify because they use bottom end sleeved bearing motors. If they used ball bearing motors they would put it in the specs.
I'm not sure about how many electric motor companys in the USA still make small say under 1/4 HP motors. There's quite a few US companies that make larger 48 & 56 mount and others here. A look in a Grainger catalog would answer that question.

I'm assuming the 180 buck tumbler was a Dillon, they promote they use a BB motor. Here's Dillon specs.. For the large tumbler..
Good Luck with your purchase.


Dillon's CV-2001 Vibratory Case Cleaner is the largest in the industry. Its 12-1/2 quart bowl capacity will allow you to polish up to 1,300 .38/.357 or 550 .30-06 cases per hour.
Not only is our capacity greater, but our motor is larger in horse power, internally cooled, thermally protected, and turns on precision ball bearings. This is no "hobby" machine!
The bowl and base are constructed of 7/32" thick injection molded high-strength polypropylene which is impact and abrasion resistant. All the electrical/electronic components of Dillon equipment are covered by a one-year warranty from date of purchase. This unit is designed for dry media only. Use of water or wet media will void the warranty.

 

[BE Mike]

I have an old school Lortone QT12. I've had it over 35 years. It's like the Energizer bunny. It isn't cheap, but you can tumble wet or dry. It isn't inexpensive, but buy once and cry once. Lortone, Manufacturers of Tools for Lapidary & Jewelry Artists

 

[jimbo-indy]

My Lyman Turbo Twin is about 10 years old and still going strong. Have forgotten it was on and let it run continuously for several days, on several occasions. No problems, doesn't even get very warm. Highly Recommend.