Thumblers Tumbler B POS

Ruger007

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I have a Thumblers Tumbler. Had it for about 10 years but never took it out of the box till about a year and a half ago.

Can't believe how much of a piece of Poo the thing is!

I have now used 3 belts. I load it up with no more than 200 44 or 223 cases at a time. It squeals, rubs all the paint off so it leaves red dust all around it. Bushings are worn out. Any moisture on the drum and it won't spin. It leaks so this is constant.

It might have 50hrs of run time total. Now it let the smoke out of the motor.

I tried to contact the manufacturer by Email and by phone. They are useless. They can supply you with parts at a huge inflated cost.

The tumbler I use now my Grandfather bought in the early 70s still is going strong. Used it before and using it again!

Rant over.
 
Mine's been running great, and often, for many years. Only mod I made was to put skateboard tape around the bottom edge. That did cause me to have to replace the rollers a year or two ago, but 3 pounds of brass, 5 pounds of steel pins, water up to an inch from the top, a squirt of Dawn and a teaspoon of lemmeshine, 2 hours on the timer and done.
 
I have a Thumblers Tumbler. Had it for about 10 years but never took it out of the box till about a year and a half ago.

Can't believe how much of a piece of Poo the thing is!

I have now used 3 belts. I load it up with no more than 200 44 or 223 cases at a time. It squeals, rubs all the paint off so it leaves red dust all around it. Bushings are worn out. Any moisture on the drum and it won't spin. It leaks so this is constant.

It might have 50hrs of run time total. Now it let the smoke out of the motor.

I tried to contact the manufacturer by Email and by phone. They are useless. They can supply you with parts at a huge inflated cost.

The tumbler I use now my Grandfather bought in the early 70s still is going strong. Used it before and using it again!

Rant over.

Sounds to me like something isn't set up right. Mine has been going strong for many years.
 
Storage is machinery's worst enemy.

I agree 100% and well said.

I have a Thumblers Tumbler. Had it for about 10 years but never took it out of the box till about a year and a half ago.

Can't believe how much of a piece of Poo the thing is!

I have now used 3 belts. I load it up with no more than 200 44 or 223 cases at a time. It squeals, rubs all the paint off so it leaves red dust all around it. Bushings are worn out. Any moisture on the drum and it won't spin. It leaks so this is constant.

It might have 50hrs of run time total. Now it let the smoke out of the motor.

I tried to contact the manufacturer by Email and by phone. They are useless. They can supply you with parts at a huge inflated cost.

The tumbler I use now my Grandfather bought in the early 70s still is going strong. Used it before and using it again!

Rant over.

Looks like it needs some TLC. I‘d take it apart and see what’s up. Perhaps there is ####e in the motor - clean it out.

A bit of lube on all the moving parts will put less strain on the motor. Maybe the gasket needs replacing.
 
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About 3lbs of pins, 200 at the most pistol brass. Water about 3/4 full.

Just crappy sheet metal construction. They are a poor value for what you pay.
 
I agree, they are made cheaply out of sheet metal. Mine didn't want to work very well out of the box. But being sheet metal, it was fairly easy to bend things into alignment. A dab of grease here, some oil there, grip-tape along the rim, and mine works very well now.
 
Mine was a used unit. Took a a few tries to get the feel of how much to tighten the wings nuts. Let it run for less than 20 seconds, stop it and look for leaks at the wing nut positions. I rotate each one the same amount in an alternating pattern, I use just enough water to cover the brass then add 2-2.5 lbs of pins.

On My RCBS Sidewinder Rotary I used hockey tape for friction..The Thumblers is a dream come true compared to the Sidewinder whose drum is two pieces that in a short amount of time leak along that seam, and the pins force it apart after a time. Ok for dry media.

Surprised belts are wearing out so fast. They feel dry or powdery?
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Sell it! You obviously don't know what you're doing. Mine gets use twice a week. And has for the last 6 years. Never... never have I had any belt "issues". And I've tumbled the BMG cases.

Wow....just wow. Unbelievable.

It has never worked right from the very beginning. Motor needed help just getting started. Tub rides hard to one side.

I think it was a lemon. The crappy sheet metal frame that the rollers go into are not quite in the same spot on both sides. 1/8" out. So rolls at a angle which causes it to ride hard on one side. Picture a belt sander that you can't adjust. Which puts load on the side of the plastic rollers and side load onto the motor.
Belts are a white plasticity rubber. There is no adjustment for the belt tension.

It came from a friend who bought it when the SS pin craze was just getting started. He never used it. But stored it at my house. So his wife wouldn't find it. I inherited it when he got divorced. Finally go around to opening the box and using it a year and a bit ago.

I have the ability to rebuild the motor. The belts came with it. So unless they have improved the quality.
 
WOW that's a drag.
I've had mine for years and no issues at all.
And I love how clean the brass comes.
 
Mine has been great. The only thing I did was build a little bracked to hold the backside of the motor so it didnt flex the other mount.
 
I took the motor apart. Was a loose connection so a wire burnt off. Cheap Mexican motor. Cut a new slot in the proper spot. I went to the local hyd shop and got a real O ring for a belt. It's much happier now. Actually spins at a decent speed now.

5 O rings were $4.
 
I took the motor apart. Was a loose connection so a wire burnt off. Cheap Mexican motor. Cut a new slot in the proper spot. I went to the local hyd shop and got a real O ring for a belt. It's much happier now. Actually spins at a decent speed now.

5 O rings were $4.

Nice. Glad it worked out.
 
The instructions with my Thumblers Tumbler, say 150 to 180 pieces of .223 brass and 160 to 180 pieces of .45 brass.

Or a 2 pound load of brass.

The correct amount of water is also critical.

If you overload, you will have problems.
 
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