Tumblers?

lorne19

CGN Regular
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Canada
I'm getting sick of cleaning my brass by hand so I've decided to buy a tumbler.
I would like a decent tumble but don't want to spend a fortune. I've read too many bad reviews about the Frankford Arsenal, so that's a no go. I was wondering if the Cabelas tumbler kit is worth the money or do I really need to spend the extra money on a Lyman, hornady ect? I only do 2-3 thousand rounds a year so what ever I get wont get heavy use.
 
I have one of these and I'm very satisfied:

canadiantreasureseekers.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=307

These are much quieter machines than the cheaply built vibratory tumblers typically sold for cleaning brass. The cost is a bit more, but this is something you will only have to buy once.
 
I built my own for now...used a speaker box, a car polisher that sucks at polishing cars but works great as a vibrating/rotating tumbler base, some foam padding, and a bucket. :D
 
my lyman 1200 is great! Its been running hard 24 hours/day for the last week since I had some really filthy brass to clean.My tumbler was used when I got it 13 years ago.
This is before tumbling and after



brass001.jpg
brass002.jpg
 
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Personally i would buy one that has a lifetime warranty. My old one (i can't remember what it was) had it and when the motor burnt out they sent me a whole new tumbler. these days through i am running two Dillon's 500.
 
Have had no issues with my lyman 1200. I have overloaded it, abused it, left it on for days at a time by mistake. It shows no sign of giving up any time soon.

A rotating media sifter is also one of the greatest things you can buy. Small cartridges can be a pain to get the media out of. The sifters handle them no problem.
 
I have read about the motor problems (burning out) with Frankford Arsenal vibratory Tumblers. I looked at the bottom cover plate and it was totally closed. There is enough vent area on the top portion of the base just below the bowl.

I just cut holes in the cover plate, to allow air to circulate freely. I don't understand why the FA designed and build their tumblers this way.

Heat is the biggest enemy of electric motors. Give a motor lots of ventilation and it should last longer.
 
Ironically this post came up today just as my dillon cv500 tumbler died after 2 years of use. I ordered a Frankford Arsenal vibratory Tumbler it was way cheaper than another dillon at that price I dont care if it dies at that price. a quick search i found my model sucked for many others as well. heard good things about lyman but still went with the Frankford.
 
The brass was screwed to begin with..look at the oxidation..in the case necks of the uncleaned brass..just black chit that wouldn't come off I am sure.
or are you talking about the first pic??...I am sure it's the camera ..I would think any brass..speciallly this brass when its cleaned, will have pits like that.
 
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