Tumblers vs sonic cleaners
- Thread starter canoetrpr
- Start date
This topic has been gone over so many times that it is almost a weekly occurrence. To bad the search function on this site is by far the worst right now on the Internet. Try going over to another gun related site and there are lots of comparisons on the three types.
I will give a quick rundown. I have all three and use all three for different purposes.
Ultrasonic cleaner: I use for a quick clean on very small batches of one off calibers. It will clean the brass but not make it shiny. There are some methods you can use to make the brass somewhat shiny with the ultrasonic but it involves a few steps and a few different solutions. Mainly use it for cleaning gun parts.
Vibrating tumblers: Use one all the time to give a quick polish. Will not clean the inside of brass or the primer pocket. Will make the outside nice and clean and shiny but takes 4-6 hours to do so. To do 1000 .223 it will take 6 hours times how many batches you will have to do depending on the size of your tumbler. Mine it used to take 3 runs to complete.
Rotary tumbler: (Rock Polisher) Nothing compares to a rotary tumbler with stainless steel pins. Cleans inside, outside and primer pockets and the brass is as shiny as new. Separate the pins which involves a brass separator and lay them out on a towel to dry. To do 1000 .223 it takes 2 hours in the rotary tumbler, 10 minutes to separate and overnight to dry or put them on a few cookie sheets and into the over for 30 minutes at a low setting.
I made my own rotary tumbler so mine is over sized compared to the popular rock tumblers. Search under my handle and I give complete drawings and parts lists and how to make one if you are so inclined.
I will give a quick rundown. I have all three and use all three for different purposes.
Ultrasonic cleaner: I use for a quick clean on very small batches of one off calibers. It will clean the brass but not make it shiny. There are some methods you can use to make the brass somewhat shiny with the ultrasonic but it involves a few steps and a few different solutions. Mainly use it for cleaning gun parts.
Vibrating tumblers: Use one all the time to give a quick polish. Will not clean the inside of brass or the primer pocket. Will make the outside nice and clean and shiny but takes 4-6 hours to do so. To do 1000 .223 it will take 6 hours times how many batches you will have to do depending on the size of your tumbler. Mine it used to take 3 runs to complete.
Rotary tumbler: (Rock Polisher) Nothing compares to a rotary tumbler with stainless steel pins. Cleans inside, outside and primer pockets and the brass is as shiny as new. Separate the pins which involves a brass separator and lay them out on a towel to dry. To do 1000 .223 it takes 2 hours in the rotary tumbler, 10 minutes to separate and overnight to dry or put them on a few cookie sheets and into the over for 30 minutes at a low setting.
I made my own rotary tumbler so mine is over sized compared to the popular rock tumblers. Search under my handle and I give complete drawings and parts lists and how to make one if you are so inclined.
- Location
- lloydminster
i use the hornady sonic cleaner. instead of using the solution they say to use (gun store ran out) ive been using vinegar and warm water mix. 1:3 ratio respectivley and run it twice on the long timer. give them a quick rinse and set them to dry. only been using it on .223 reloads for my norc "m4" and howa 1500 and havent seen any problems. but as hunter said it wont make them shiny. and i dont see the primer pockets get cleaned out well sometimes but for just plinking and fun shoots with the gf and buddies i dont have any problems.
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moose2hunt
Regular
- Location
- prince george
.....30 years of rock tumbler all with walnut ...i went stainless this summer ...why did i wait so long ...
You have to use the rotary style....there is a Thumblers tumbler kit for sale on the E.E.
I just orderd mine from ( StainlessTumblingMedia.com) in States and shipping is expensive.
Deluxe Kit 254.95 and shipping to Ont was $109.73
I just orderd mine from ( StainlessTumblingMedia.com) in States and shipping is expensive.
Deluxe Kit 254.95 and shipping to Ont was $109.73
There a guy named Mark out of the state's that is the originator of the SS process, but he doesn't like to deal with our money order's anymore.His bank charged him $15 to charge the last one's.
I sent him cash 2 1/2 year's ago so it all worked out for me.
There is another source for the pin's in the state's.
Pellets LLC
63 Industrial Drive
North Tonawanda, NY 14120
P:716-693-1750
F:716-693-1880
Web www.pelletsllc.com
Tell them it's for reloading/brass tumbling,they'll set you up.
It's about $25 for 5 lbs, but it cost's more for shipping.
Maybe get a couple guy's together for a group buy?
For the tumbler I used http://www.canadiantreasureseekers.com/, but more specifically
http://www.canadiantreasureseekers.c...t_detail&p=330
For $225.
That's in Canadian $ AND shipped!
Make sure it has the HIGH speed motor in it!
I sent him cash 2 1/2 year's ago so it all worked out for me.
There is another source for the pin's in the state's.
Pellets LLC
63 Industrial Drive
North Tonawanda, NY 14120
P:716-693-1750
F:716-693-1880
Web www.pelletsllc.com
Tell them it's for reloading/brass tumbling,they'll set you up.
It's about $25 for 5 lbs, but it cost's more for shipping.
Maybe get a couple guy's together for a group buy?
For the tumbler I used http://www.canadiantreasureseekers.com/, but more specifically
http://www.canadiantreasureseekers.c...t_detail&p=330
For $225.
That's in Canadian $ AND shipped!
Make sure it has the HIGH speed motor in it!
I went the other way and use an ultrasonic cleaner for all my cleaning. Gave away the tumbler.
For rifle brass I decap first then clean the dirty brass in a solution of 4:1 water to vinegar with a dash of liquid laundry detergent added. It does a great job of cleaning inside and out and the primer pockets come out sparkly. All of this from a 4 to 5 minute cleaning cycle.
The pot in my cleaner is small so I can only do two handfuls of brass at a time but the cycle time is so short that I've got literally hundreds or thousands of clean cases drying by the end of an hour depending on the case sizes.
For rifle brass I decap first then clean the dirty brass in a solution of 4:1 water to vinegar with a dash of liquid laundry detergent added. It does a great job of cleaning inside and out and the primer pockets come out sparkly. All of this from a 4 to 5 minute cleaning cycle.
The pot in my cleaner is small so I can only do two handfuls of brass at a time but the cycle time is so short that I've got literally hundreds or thousands of clean cases drying by the end of an hour depending on the case sizes.
I'm all for saving time and money. Interested in what the brass looks lik before and after. Any pics by any chance?
