Harbor Freight Rock Tumbler

Rustydust

Rustydust

Active member
Hey guys

Just to let you all know that Harbor Freight has their dual drum rotary rock tumblers on half price sale for just $45. For those of you that want to use a rotary polisher for their brass the dual drum model is nice because you can be polishing one kind of brass in one and another in the other and won't be having to sort it out later. Or you can use one kind of media in one and one in the other.

If I did not already have the (much) more expensive Thumler's Tumbler I would heading down the HF and getting me one of these.
 
I was wondering the same thing as that is what I do with my Thumler.

It would be nice if they did. Aint nothing that gets your brass as clean as a couple of hours in a Thumler's Tumbler along with some stainless media and some soapy water.
 
Originally Posted By: pahntr760I wonder if they seal (drums) well enough for SS media and soap/water. Yes they are been using it for over a year now.
 
Originally Posted By: Ricky BobbyHow much brass can you jam in those drums? ... say .204 or 22-250 brass


Thanks. I'll go and fill one up now.
 
Originally Posted By: Ricky BobbyHow much brass can you jam in those drums? ... say .204 or 22-250 brass


Thanks. OK just fill one up using 223 brass and leaving a inch from the top got 128 cases in 1 drum. hope this help
 
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I would almost think that if this is for rock polishing, usually that is done in a wet media. This would be great even if only 100 cases fit into the cylinders for SS and soap. Have been thinking about something in the line of ss polishing, but didn't want to spend the big bucks associated with the tumblers.
 
This looks like a great deal. I too have a Thumers and SS media and I couldn't be happier with the way this method cleans brass. I purchased a Lee universal decapper and de-prime all brass and put in drum and I'm amazed at how clean the primer pockets and the inside of the cass are
I'm really pleased with this set up and like it much better than my previous method.
 
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I have a load in now but my press and deprimer didn't come from midway yet, doing some .223 pick ups from the range the other day. Yesterday I stopped by the Harbor Freight and got it for 31.99 had a 20% off coupon, put 100 .223 cases in it and filled to the top of the cases with water then added a tablespoon of cascade, a squirt of dish detergent and a couple tablespoons of lemon juice so let's see how it turns out..... this is a test I think it would do awesome from all I have seen on the web......
 
I've read "bits and pieces" of using the stainless media, and it sounds like it might be worth trying. What method are you using to seperate the media and brass after the process? Don't mean to hi-jack, but ya'll are experienced with this process.
 
Originally Posted By: nr123I've read "bits and pieces" of using the stainless media, and it sounds like it might be worth trying. What method are you using to seperate the media and brass after the process? Don't mean to hi-jack, but ya'll are experienced with this process.

The stainless media that I have been using the last couple of years looks rather like tiny footballs that measure .191 wide by .410 long. That means that they will fit inside the cases of my all of my brass including my.204 but not my .17 Remington brass. No biggie there I guess.

Anyway, when I have let my Thumler run for a couple of hours or so I set a plastic colander (got mine at the dollar store) in the kitchen sink and dump the drum into it. Make sure that the holes in the colander are smaller than the media first if you dont want to lose it all down the sink! Then I just use the sink spray nozzle and rinse all of the remaining suds off. Give it a few shakes and all the media will go to the bottom of the colander leaving all that shiny brass on top, or most of it anyway.

After I get all of the brass separated I lay it into a shallow baking pan or cookie sheet and put it in the oven at about 200 degrees for a few hours to get all of the moisture out of the cases.

That's it. Works for me.
 
Originally Posted By: RustydustHey guys

Just to let you all know that Harbor Freight has their dual drum rotary rock tumblers on half price sale for just $45. For those of you that want to use a rotary polisher for their brass the dual drum model is nice because you can be polishing one kind of brass in one and another in the other and won't be having to sort it out later. Or you can use one kind of media in one and one in the other.

If I did not already have the (much) more expensive Thumler's Tumbler I would heading down the HF and getting me one of these.

My brother got their GIANT rock tumbler(vibrator) that was $159, It is bigger than Dillon's largest and it works fantastic.
 
Originally Posted By: ackleymanOriginally Posted By: RustydustHey guys

Just to let you all know that Harbor Freight has their dual drum rotary rock tumblers on half price sale for just $45. For those of you that want to use a rotary polisher for their brass the dual drum model is nice because you can be polishing one kind of brass in one and another in the other and won't be having to sort it out later. Or you can use one kind of media in one and one in the other.

If I did not already have the (much) more expensive Thumler's Tumbler I would heading down the HF and getting me one of these.

My brother got their GIANT rock tumbler(vibrator) that was $159, It is bigger than Dillon's largest and it works fantastic.


I have not seen that one. What does it use for polishing compound?
 
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