I’m just getting all the gear together to start reloading. I’m down to the last few items and what some opinions in both these options, preferably someone who has used both. Pros and cons to both? Should I pay the extra for the Frankfurt tumbler?
Hornady ultra sonic cleaner vs rotary tumbler
- Thread starter carlson
- Start date
Wet does the best job, but is way more labour intensive. I've been using a rotary tumbler for years, and every time I think about changing to wet, the amount of extra work involved puts me off. Especially since I would have to work out of the kitchen sink.
Shelldrake
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Right behind you,,
I use both, but tend to mostly use the dry tumbler. I rarely use wet now, and when I do I can never be in a hurry to use the cleaned cases.
Wet takes too long to confidently dry the inside of the cases.
With dry tumbling, as soon as they are shiny, I can start to load them.
Wet takes too long to confidently dry the inside of the cases.
With dry tumbling, as soon as they are shiny, I can start to load them.
- Location
- West Quebec
I like the wet tumbling perhaps it's the Zen experience LOL
- Location
- Southern Ontario
I can't say what the time frame is for tumbling..wet or dry. However I can say that at most three sessions of 30 minutes has cleaned my nastiest brass, and after air drying for one day all is good. Seems not to many fans of ultra sonic......but it works for me.
I found that about 90 minutes seems to be the ideal tumbling time for making my brass shine. I think the main reason for Ultra sonic cleaners is that most of them have a small brass capacity for most users. If you want a unit that does larger volumes they can get quite expensive.
I used to have this really pimping CED wet tumbling setup, with brass dryer and all, would work really well. Originally purchased to remove lead from the house.
Sold it all to go back to dry, and do not regret it at all.
Wet tumbling leaves your brass too dry, makes it sticky, so in these situations...
9mm in a Dillon 650, I would have to lube my brass (if not the brass makes running the machine really uncomfortable and tedious), and individually wiping it down is tedious so I would end up with gummed brass. Also required extra effort to work the 650, compared to dry tumble with tumbling media, which makes the brass slippery. With dry tumble, no lube required and machine requires even less effort.
308 in a single stage, I ran all sorts of neck sizing, neck tension, neck turning, bullet seating inconsistencies. After exchanging e-mails with Mystic Precision, and after have gone through all of my reload steps, he suggested trying a dry tumble. Solved everything instantly. Could of went the dry graphite route, but didn't feel like it.
Also, when coming out of tumbler, wet tumbled brass shines really hard, but loses it's luster very quickly. Dry tumbled brass will keep it's luster for a very long time.
I couldn't get the wet tumbler out the door fast enough, dry tumbling with media polish rocks.
And it is said, that media polish also reduces the lead dust in the air when opening the container.
Still tumble under a basement window, with a fan blowing air out the open window. Use gloses to separate brass and media, and wash my hands plenty...
Sold it all to go back to dry, and do not regret it at all.
Wet tumbling leaves your brass too dry, makes it sticky, so in these situations...
9mm in a Dillon 650, I would have to lube my brass (if not the brass makes running the machine really uncomfortable and tedious), and individually wiping it down is tedious so I would end up with gummed brass. Also required extra effort to work the 650, compared to dry tumble with tumbling media, which makes the brass slippery. With dry tumble, no lube required and machine requires even less effort.
308 in a single stage, I ran all sorts of neck sizing, neck tension, neck turning, bullet seating inconsistencies. After exchanging e-mails with Mystic Precision, and after have gone through all of my reload steps, he suggested trying a dry tumble. Solved everything instantly. Could of went the dry graphite route, but didn't feel like it.
Also, when coming out of tumbler, wet tumbled brass shines really hard, but loses it's luster very quickly. Dry tumbled brass will keep it's luster for a very long time.
I couldn't get the wet tumbler out the door fast enough, dry tumbling with media polish rocks.
And it is said, that media polish also reduces the lead dust in the air when opening the container.
Still tumble under a basement window, with a fan blowing air out the open window. Use gloses to separate brass and media, and wash my hands plenty...
I used both, do the tumble clean for my initial brass cleaning after de-capping, once everything is sized I use the ultrasonic to clean off the sizing lube and any chips left from trimming or deburring. Rotary is great, but I would never stick sized brass in it just because of the violence of the action inside the drum. If you only want to clean after sizing, go with an ultrasonic, if you want to clean before sizing and use a case lube like one shot or the RCBS spray lube get the rotary. I've used all 3 methods and none of them are perfect.
I started with a vibratory case cleaner, wasn't happy with dust and having to clear the flash hole, then I went ultrasonic but wasn't happy with the lack of shine and the inability to clean the primer pockets as much as I wanted. Rotary seems to do the best cleaning job but is the most labor intensive to clear out the media after and is in my mind to violent to clean sized brass.
I started with a vibratory case cleaner, wasn't happy with dust and having to clear the flash hole, then I went ultrasonic but wasn't happy with the lack of shine and the inability to clean the primer pockets as much as I wanted. Rotary seems to do the best cleaning job but is the most labor intensive to clear out the media after and is in my mind to violent to clean sized brass.
As mentioned, the dry media tumbler cleans and polishes nicely but can leave media in the primer pockets. Not mentioned and potentially dangerous is that they can also leave media caked inside the case, reducing internal capacity which of course drives pressures upward. This is most likely with much used treated crushed walnut shell which breaks down with continued use. Ultrasonic requires drying the brass thoroughly, another step, although easily done on your wife's cookie sheets at low temperature in the oven.
OP is new,i quote ''gathering all gear together to start reloading'', I think my reply is very relevant in this case, he shouldn't exclude dry in my opinion, at least research and explore the option.
This is actually a very good tip, and how I was proceeding before parting with it all, much less of a hassle.
I have been using a Dillon FL2000 vibratory tumbler for 34 years (they replaced it N/C after it was destroyed in a basement flood in '97) using crushed walnut dry media as I process many thousands of pistol brass a year. Dillon has the best warranty in the business, IMHO.
