ammo tumbler

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johnbh

Bearcat
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Sep 2, 2009
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Been looking @ different tumbler. I v'e been looking @ Berrys , and cabelas sells it cheaper,any help would be appreciated.
 

Bucks Owin

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Seems to me Harbor Freight has a tumbler listed tho' I haven't seen one at the store yet. I wonder what works better, an actual "tumbler" or the vibrating style ala Lyman, RCBS etc?. I'm tempted to just build one using an old Singer sewing machine motor and rheostat :? Got lots of time but little moola for that sort of thing. I'd rather buy powder and primers!...Dennis
 

SBH4628

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Bucks Owin":1nkbigu0 said:
Seems to me Harbor Freight has a tumbler listed tho' I haven't seen one at the store yet. I wonder what works better, an actual "tumbler" or the vibrating style ala Lyman, RCBS etc?. I'm tempted to just build one using an old Singer sewing machine motor and rheostat :? Got lots of time but little moola for that sort of thing. I'd rather buy powder and primers!...Dennis
Well Dennis,I have two Lyman 1200 tumblers,they work great.Treated media works the best.About an hour works well. Un-treated 4-6 hours.
Old Singer...What kind of tub? :lol:
 

paleocaver

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Madison County, AL. USA
I've been using the Harbor Freight vibrating cleaner for a couple fo years. Works like a charm. Is the exact same as the old Midway vibrators just different colors. Got it for $29.00 at the time.
 

revhigh

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SBH4628":2n1hz990 said:
I have two Lyman 1200 tumblers,they work great.Treated media works the best.About an hour works well. Un-treated 4-6 hours.

I also have a 1200 Turbo, and I bet that thing has 5000 hours of use ... it still works as it did the first day I got it 20 years ago or so. I use a little NuFinish car wax in each batch and let them in overnight. THe brass looks like GOLD when it comes out. When you see the action of the media when it's running it truly is amazing. It just keeps folding the media toward the middle. It works really great.

REV
 

SBH4628

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May have to try that revhigh......My first 1200 tumbler I got in 1984/then put a 1984 penny in it.Still in it. Boy that penny sure is pretty :D
 

johnbh

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I ended up getting the one from Cabelas pretty good price,and the reviews were good. I was also looking @ the Lymans 1200. The nucar wax works pretty good I'll try that.
Thanks for the responses.
 

I_Like_Pie

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paleocaver":3jzyz6cy said:
I've been using the Harbor Freight vibrating cleaner for a couple fo years. Works like a charm. Is the exact same as the old Midway vibrators just different colors. Got it for $29.00 at the time.


Same here....The HF one seems exactly the same as the Frankford Arsenal ones. Carbon copies.

I have been using my Harbor Freight tumblers for years now and not a glitch in the world.
 
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SBH4628: I bought a tumbler last spring and did the same thing, HA! I put two pennies in just to see if they would ever wear down. So far, just really clean pennies... I bought the one on sale at the time at Cabelas, the Lyman; seems to work great.
 

NCMountains

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I have the Cabela's brand and it works great. About two hours with liquid polish added to media and voila.......brand new brass!
 

tookalisten

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NCMountains":24mmca0f said:
I have the Cabela's brand and it works great. About two hours with liquid polish added to media and voila.......brand new brass!

Glad to hear; I just bought one as well and have not put into use yet.
 

johnbh

Bearcat
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Sep 2, 2009
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I bought cabelas 400 package w/ media and the sifter and I
added the rotary for 102.00. There customer was really helpful.
 

Jimbo357mag

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Feb 22, 2007
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So. Florida
Did anybody mention, DON'T TUMBLE AMMO, only empty cases.

My Frankford Arse vibratory tumbler went bad (motor) after about 2 years of regular service. I am now 4 months into a Lyman Turbo Pro 1200 and very satisfied except for the holes in the lid and the relatively small size. :D

...Jimbo
 

Cholo

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I've used a Dillon CV 500 for more years than I can remember with great results. I remember a gun shop recommending one called a "Thumbler" Anybody hear of that one?

Revhigh, you use Nufinish as a polishing agent. It's obviously safe to use with brass as it contains no ammonia...right? My reason for asking is I've always used Dillon's polishing agent and it's gone bad. Would like to make a trip to the Auto store and get some more.

Oh...good catch Jimbo :D
 

two bit okie

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Dec 27, 2004
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Topock, AZ
I had bad luck with the Harbor Freight tumbler so I can not recommend it.

specifically, the motor froze up, after getting going again, the motor just started to slow down and not clean cases, after only about 2000 cases over 2 years.

I have actually been looking at a small cement mixer that was the same price as one of the better tumblers.
 

revhigh

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Cholo":1ir3jetd said:
Revhigh, you use Nufinish as a polishing agent. It's obviously safe to use with brass as it contains no ammonia...right?

To be honest Cholo, I never checked. I don't use much of it, and I don't use it all the time. I've always heard that NuFinish was OK, and I happened to have some, so I threw it in. I just squirt it out while moving the bottle once or twice around the middle of the tumblers circumference. That's all I use, so I can't imagine that whatever the ammonia content there is, if any, would be significantly detrimental to my brass.

It sure does make the brass pretty ... like factory new or better. I've also used Mequiars Gold Polish, and I just checked the bottle and it doesn't even list the ingredients, so I don't know if there's ammonia in it or not.

REV
 

johnbh

Bearcat
Joined
Sep 2, 2009
Messages
63
I just recieved Cabelas 400 Vibratory Tumbler Case Cleaner, fast delivery. The tumbler was 62.00 w/6 lb corn media,polish, and sifter .I also ordered the rotary media brass separator for 26.00. Everything 102.00. Really happy w/ it I did 2 loads, ran 2 hrs. I feel good w/ my choice.
Thanks for all your help.
 
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