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What tumbler 2 buy input needed.
- Thread starter 99si/mass
- Start date
I have an inexpensive Cabelas tumbler. I've used the crap out of it and it keeps on ticking.
If I had it to do over again, I'd get the big one from Dillon as the one I have does not have enough capacity.
If I had it to do over again, I'd get the big one from Dillon as the one I have does not have enough capacity.
Patriot
NES Member
I have the same one and it's pretty good. I picked up a Dillon CV-500 used and it's great as
well. The Dillon is more $ but you get room for more brass and a better built machine. It
depends on how much wear and tear you are going to give it. For the casual reloader the
1200 is fine.
I've only ever used a Dillon CV-500. AND if finally just bought my own! In fact Fedex is scheduled to deliver it today!
I just replaced a Lyman 1200 that died after 5 years of beating on it with a Lyman 3500 that lasted five months. But Lyman did repair it under warranty.
It price is no object, I'd go for the larger of the Dillon line. I tend to overload my tumbler somewhat which probably killed the first one.
It price is no object, I'd go for the larger of the Dillon line. I tend to overload my tumbler somewhat which probably killed the first one.
Get the big Dillon tumbler. You will not regret it. I've had the smaller one for many years and it worked fine. A couple of years ago I "rewarded" myself with the bigger model and I couldn't be happier. Now, I only have to tumble brass a few times/year. Also get the Dillon media separator. That thing works wonders.
-Cuz.
-Cuz.
![[wink]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/002.gif "Wink [wink]")
I don't think much of vibratory cleaners. Among true "tumblers," the Thumblers Model B has been around for a long time and is the brick sh, er, outhouse of tumblers. That would be my recommendation.
Second the question.
I like the vibratory tumbler because I can just remove the lid and check on the progress of the brass. Having seen the cases swirl through the media, I have no doubts about its efficacy.
+1 one of my favorite $5 words!
I have both a Thumblers & Midway. Thumblers is more quite, and has a larger capacity. Mine is over 25 years old and has done tons of brass.
Takes a licking and keeps on ticking!
Takes a licking and keeps on ticking!
gerrycaruso
NES Member
what tumbler
I have the large and small dillons. I tend to overload them and forget and leave them running all night. I've burned out the motor in the small one twice and Dillon replaced the motor both times for nothing.Unbelievable,they really do have a no B.S warranty.
I have the large and small dillons. I tend to overload them and forget and leave them running all night. I've burned out the motor in the small one twice and Dillon replaced the motor both times for nothing.Unbelievable,they really do have a no B.S warranty.
First, I've at one time tried both, including a couple of models of vibratory. The vibes didn't do as good or as quick a job of cleaning brass. Note: I'm sort of fussy; I like the cases to come out looking like new.
Second, given that empirical observation, my guess as to the reason why is that the linear displacement of the shell versus the medium is less with the vibratory than with the tumbler, and it is, after all, the abrasive action of moving one versus the other that does the job.
Third, doubless because I'm fussy, I'm generally not in a hurry. I load up the tumber with brass and a couple of quarter sheets of paper towel, turn on the machine, and let it go for a day or maybe more. When I open it up, they're clean. I suppose I could stop every hour or two and check the progress, but, as I said, I'm not in a hurry.
Fourth, I use walnut shell media, which I think I bought from Thumblers (but may have been from Lyman; it was a while ago). The grit is small enough to clean primer pockets but too large to lodge in the flash hole (though I'll run the cases through the beller/decapper again, to bell, so any lodged grit would be knocked out anyhow). Once every six months or so, I'll add a dab of jeweler's rouge, thinned in a bit of isopropanol (basically rubbing alchohol).
See above: my opinion is in large part based on experience with both types.
However, a true sonic or vibratory cleaner is designed to work by causing the substrate (e.g., jewelry or coins) to vibrate, at a fairly high frequency, generating surprising G forces as the substrate reverses direction. This, in turn, tends to dislodge adhered material by a variant of the centrifuge or centripetal acceleration phenomena, rather than by abrasion between the substrate and the medium (usually a liquid). (The medium is usually possessed of some solvent properties, which, by reducing the adhesive force of adhered material, improves the efficiency of the vibration, but not, as noted, by abrasion.)
The vibratory case cleaners do not run at high enough frequencies, and the media they use are too viscous to permit the sort of acceleration required. Hence, they are relegated to abrasion and, as noted, the efficacy of abrasion is a function of the linear displacement of the substrate and the abrasive in contact.
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Ive got the same one. Fit and finish aren't of the highest quality, but its getting me started and Ive had no problems with it. Mine came with media and polish too. Great deal from what I can tell.
I went through two Midway/Frankford Arsenal tumblers in the past three years. Not going to bother sending in last one to be replaced. Went ahead and bought a Hornady M2 tumbler, it is much better machine then the the other two. I am impressed with its performance.
Jamie
NES Member
Same here. It's noisy as hell, but works well. I usually leave it on overnight and wake up to bright, shiny, April fresh brass (dryer sheets in the media).
![[grin]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/041.gif "Grin [grin]")
jkelly
Shooting at the big range in heaven
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RKG,
Your post was both interesting and a little bit surprising. Like you I want my brass to look “prettier” then new when I’m done loading it. And I freely admit that I enjoy both the compliments and quires from fellow shooters about how I clean my brass.
I use vibratory type case cleaners, corn cob media with a cleanser/polisher and run them for only a couple of hours (less if they have just been shot, more if they are older), which is why leaving your tumbler on for a day surprised me a little bit. I buff off any film in a second vibratory case cleaner with clean corn cob media ending up with some very beautiful ammo [/Gollum voice on] “my precious”.
What I have noticed is that walnut is much more abrasive then corn cob media and works very well with brass that has been left dirty for an extended period. I’ve also noticed that case density in the corn cob media matters with how fast the cases are cleaned. I think that has to do with brass on brass cleaning action, which may be more important with the less abrasive corn cob media. This makes me wonder if a true tumbler would have an advantage, in cleaning very dirty brass, by “dropping” the cases repeatedly on themselves.
Respectfully,
jkelly
As I said, my opinion is based primarily on the fact that (many years ago) I tried a couple of vibratories and found them wanting. Who knows how things may have changed (or not) since then?
I have occasionally wondered about the effect (beneficial or otherwise) of case collisions. So far as I can tell, there is no effect either way. A "full" barrel and a "light" barrel seem to come out equally clean in the same (admittedly excessive) amount of time.
I have no idea what my cases would look like after, say, only 1 or 2 hours of tumbling. I've just never checked.
And, as you may have gleaned, I don't treat my media as well as I treat my brass. I think I'm only one my fourth or fifth load in X (X > 20) years. I do load a couple of sheets (either paper towel or anti-static) every time, and I goose the jeweler's rouge from time to time.
While I don't run from comments along the lines of "That's a reload? It looks brand new," that isn't my motivation. Primarily, I want to be able to inspect the brass, and I believe I can do a better job if it is clean. Secondarily, I don't want to put dirty, possibly gritty stuff, in my guns' chambers and then subject it to umpteen thousand PSI of peak pressure.
Holy crap! You've got some seriously toxic stuff there. Primer residue contains a high concentration of lead styphnate. If your cases are coming out clean, all that crap has to go somewhere (and the dryer sheets aren't removing all of it).
I don't know how much you reload, but if you're running the same media for years, you're probably handling an insane amount of poison. I figure for the price of the corncob media ($20 for 50lbs) I can afford to change it before it becomes too poisonous.
Keep in mind that it still cleans OK when it's old - that's not why I change it.
Changing the media is not only safer, but more economical. I don't need to run a tumbler all day; 2-3 hours suffices.
Pet Smart litter is MUCH cheaper and safer than burned-out motors, short circuits or even the kilowatts involved.
And, no lead poisoning!
Pet Smart litter is MUCH cheaper and safer than burned-out motors, short circuits or even the kilowatts involved.
And, no lead poisoning!
