Sonic or Tumblers???

i don't use the SS pins in there but I guess you could, except your normal vibrating case cleaner isn't really a tumbler. I just don't fill it up to full, It's a plastic bowl, just like when you make a bowl of cereal, don't put in to much milk.

I put the cases in the vibrator to agitate the solution with the lemi shine to clean out the cases (gets the inside carbon out) and then run as normal. This is where the Dillon shell sorters are great. I put them on the bucket and pour out the whole thing and the sorter catches the brass and the water falls through.
 
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Originally Posted By: gene10pntr So can you use you're regular tumbler then? Do you add water in it? I have the Frankfort Arsenal tumbler...will that work with the SS pins?

Can't use the SS pins in a vibrator (well I guess you could but it won't do any good). You need some type of rotary tumbler. The thumbler tumbler like the one posted in Jeff's pic works great. THey are made to tumble rocks for days-weeks, if that tells you how well they are built.

Back not too long ago when 223 brass was scarce. I doubled my $$$ I had in the SS tumbler system by selling range pic up brass that I tumbled with it. It's expensive but by far the best option if your a serious reloader. If your only gonna load brass 2-3 times & chunk it a vibrator & organic media will suit you well. I have some lapua brass with WELL over 30 firerings. I can't imagine how much buildup would be inside. I havn't scrubbed a primer pocket since & aint gonna start back.
 
Built my own rotary tumbler. Scrounged most of the parts and had to order a few things. I have about $100 in mine and that includes the SS media. I have cleaned about 11K pieces of rifle and pistol brass. I do 5 lbs at a time. Run for 2 hours with dawn dishwashing liquid and lemishine. Rinse well and strain off as much water as possible. I then put out an old bath towel on a table in the sun. Pistol brass is dry in 2 hours and rifle brass about 4 hours. Primer pockets are perfectly clean. Brass is nicer than new. My lyman vibrator never gets used.
 
Originally Posted By: HucksterBuilt my own rotary tumbler. Scrounged most of the parts and had to order a few things. I have about $100 in mine and that includes the SS media. I have cleaned about 11K pieces of rifle and pistol brass. I do 5 lbs at a time. Run for 2 hours with dawn dishwashing liquid and lemishine. Rinse well and strain off as much water as possible. I then put out an old bath towel on a table in the sun. Pistol brass is dry in 2 hours and rifle brass about 4 hours. Primer pockets are perfectly clean. Brass is nicer than new. My lyman vibrator never gets used.

You don't live in AZ.. lol it was 114 here and you put brass out like that, and you had better use welding gloves to pick them up. lol (just kidding around)

Could you post some picks of your build, I think there are a lot of us that are crafty that would be interested in building one if you have something worth while.
 
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Originally Posted By: greenhornet-1Originally Posted By: Smokin BarrelI have never used a sonic cleaner, but you'll have to pry the SS setup out of my cold dead hands. For me, shiny=clean.

Same here!!
Another SS user here ......
 
Are these the same rock tumblers for about $100 or so? Will those work? I'm really interested in going to the SS media. I seldom do more than a hundred at a time.
 
Originally Posted By: Tbone-AZOriginally Posted By: HucksterBuilt my own rotary tumbler. Scrounged most of the parts and had to order a few things. I have about $100 in mine and that includes the SS media. I have cleaned about 11K pieces of rifle and pistol brass. I do 5 lbs at a time. Run for 2 hours with dawn dishwashing liquid and lemishine. Rinse well and strain off as much water as possible. I then put out an old bath towel on a table in the sun. Pistol brass is dry in 2 hours and rifle brass about 4 hours. Primer pockets are perfectly clean. Brass is nicer than new. My lyman vibrator never gets used.

You don't live in AZ.. lol it was 114 here and you put brass out like that, and you had better use welding gloves to pick them up. lol (just kidding around)

Could you post some picks of your build, I think there are a lot of us that are crafty that would be interested in building one if you have something worth while.


It was 93 here today. Did a load of 40sw brass, it did get warm. Checked it in an hour and it was fully dry. I will try to get some pics and put them up. If you would make one from scratch and had to buy everything it would be about $225. That would include a 1/4hp 1750rpm motor. I will post a separate thread on how I made mine.
 
Harbor Freight has a single "barrel" tumbler on sale $39.99 and a double "barrel" for $49.99. (print out coupon online) Reviews say belt doesn't last too long. Buy a vacuum cleaner belt at Wally World.
 
I ordered mine two days ago and have it in now. I have never tried this but I already think I need more media than 5lbs. I just ordered an additional 5lbs. I talked to the supplier and they are very helpful. My tumbler is a Thumbler but it is 20 years old so it may be just a little bigger. The brass is tumbling now so when I get off work we will see the results.
 
Originally Posted By: daddyfleaI ordered mine two days ago and have it in now. I have never tried this but I already think I need more media than 5lbs. I just ordered an additional 5lbs. I talked to the supplier and they are very helpful. My tumbler is a Thumbler but it is 20 years old so it may be just a little bigger. The brass is tumbling now so when I get off work we will see the results.


Not sure how long you plan on having it in there, but it doesn't take too long.

When I purchased mine, I spoke with Cory the owner, and he told me that it can be in there too long. He said that there comes a point when the detergent will break down and the brass will become dirty again. He told me 2-3 hours and that's what I do and I get the same results others on here have posted.
 
Originally Posted By: daddyfleaI ordered mine two days ago and have it in now. I have never tried this but I already think I need more media than 5lbs. I just ordered an additional 5lbs. I talked to the supplier and they are very helpful. My tumbler is a Thumbler but it is 20 years old so it may be just a little bigger. The brass is tumbling now so when I get off work we will see the results.

OK three hour Tumbling. I am sold the Case at very bottom was polished with Walnut Media. The others SS Hint the dull looking ones are Nickel plated. These are perfect and I did nothing special, I did not even closely measure my soap. Just gave it three short squirts and one 9mm case full of Limishine.



 
Kinda figgered you might like it.

lol.gif
 
I suddenly have a like-new Thumblers Tumbler Ultra-Vibe for sale! [beeep] you guys, I shouldn't even read this site. This will cost me some money! Incredible looking brass.......
 
OK...I'll be the black sheep....

I use nothing but a vibrator with treated corn cob media.

I don't want the necks squeaky clean, in fact, I don't believe in running anything in there to clean them, as I want the small amount of carbon to give me equal bullet seating and subsequent consistent bullet release, which equal small groups.
 
Originally Posted By: alfOK...I'll be the black sheep....

I use nothing but a vibrator with treated corn cob media.

I don't want the necks squeaky clean, in fact, I don't believe in running anything in there to clean them, as I want the small amount of carbon to give me equal bullet seating and subsequent consistent bullet release, which equal small groups.

+1 I might run mine through the sonic cleaner after about 10 firings if the brass lasts that long.
 
Originally Posted By: alfOK...I'll be the black sheep....

I use nothing but a vibrator with treated corn cob media.

I don't want the necks squeaky clean, in fact, I don't believe in running anything in there to clean them, as I want the small amount of carbon to give me equal bullet seating and subsequent consistent bullet release, which equal small groups.

You guys with the Vibrators seem to get much better results than the Tumblers when using Walnut or Corn Cob media. Personally if I got anywhere near good results I would not change until my Machine quit or my Media got too expensive. Buying the Walnut from the Pet shop cuts Media cost way down anyway.

Now the above statement causes problems. If you are not lubing the inside of your neck before the expander ball runs through there, you may actually be stretching your neck, when you extract the case from the die. I used to load without lubing the necks myself and soon found the error of my ways.

Cleaning the inside of your cases is a very good thing because Carbon is super abrasive and will do great harm to the Barrel and action quickly.

I was amazed at the Water when I poured it out of the Tumbler. Don't get me wrong I hate using water it is messy and I don't like waiting until the Cases dry, but the Water was Coal black when I poured it out which means this did a super job of cleaning and the shine I got was amazing.

Before you think I am just advertising for the SS pin people, know up front I did not think the amount of pins was sufficient for my Tumbler, so I ordered another bag which cost me an addition $50 bucks.

So in short, I am been reloading since 1975 and this is by far the best cleaning and Polishing system I have found. The best thing is the pins never wear out. Sort of like Leupold and NF scopes pay once and cry once then be happy.
 
I have had great outcomes w the ultrasonic cleaning method. Currently using a crest US cleaner. Cases come out clean as a whistle. Only downfall is that you are limited to the number of casings you can clean at one time. I run 2 pyro beakers in the US bin. Each beaker can hold 15-20 casings.
 
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