Can I wet tumble with SS pins in a vibratory "tumbler"?

[Mauser lover]

Okay, simple question.

Can I wet tumble with SS pins in a vibratory "tumbler"?

I can't seem to find anything on this... It seems to be "understood", but I don't understand it! With all the rage with stainless media and wet tumbling everyone seems to be getting new tumblers. My question is (assuming the bowl is waterproof), can I just use my extant tumbler with wet stainless media until I break down and get one of those expensive tumblers?

Does it work? Yes, or no?

Does anyone have detailed plans for building a tumbler cheaper than I can buy a Frankford Arsenal one?

I know it is a simple question and I'm probably an ignoramus for even asking, but thanks for answering anyway!

 

[bihj]

No

 

[Schwing]

The physics don't really work for that. The pins (being heavier) will sink to the bottom and the shells will rise to the top. Do yourself a favor and buy a rotary tumbler. I can't believe the difference.

 

[Mauser lover]

Thanks! That's all I needed! I'll be getting a rotary tumbler one way or another sooner rather than later... But I'll probably build one. Because that would mean I "need" to buy more tools...

Until then... I'll keep using walnut in my vibratory and hold off on the stainless!

 

[Allen One1]

I built my tumbler but it isn't cheaper than the Frankford. However I can put a lot more weight in mine I'm sure. Getting a good tumbling barrel is key to making it work and I ended up getting one specifically for tumbling but it cost $150. To test the system I used a water bottle with a rubber stopper. If you can scrounge enough parts you may be able to hold your cost to something reasonable.

 

[Demi-human]

A length of six inch pvc pipe (Green is fine, white seems to be more expensive.), a six inch cap, a six inch to four inch reducer and one four inch rubber Furnco cap with included hose style clamp. A perfect sized container!
Now for the professional tip. Take a belt sander and chamfer the outside edge of the pipe fourty five degrees, prior to glueing it. This removes the small space between the fittings and pipe, preventing the media from being trapped, as well as any debris.
Fifteen to twenty dollars and found at any hardware stores.
If one disassembled a nineteen eleven it can be placed inside and buried in the yard until forgotten, then found by future generations, perfectly pristine!

I found some stainless appliance panels and bent two, three quarter inch edges over to ninety degrees. Then cut these off leaving a one inch flange. I screwed these inside the barrel with counter sunk, very small bolts and lock nuts (all stainless, or they will discolor the brass and rust off) and bent the bolt over. These baffles cut the cleaning time and stopped small batches from rolling along the bottom.

There are some drawbacks from being able to clean twenty pounds of brass at once though.
The turner must be stout enough to handle the brass and ten pounds of pins and eight pounds of water. A one inch steel shaft, wrapped in an old bicycle tube, set into pillow blocks is what I have. The other side is supported by casters. Two shafts just won't work.
A one horse motor and step pulley from a still press gives ample power and speed variance.

 

[Demi-human]

And it is kind of loud. So I just close the door.

 

[Demi-human]

Just be sure the screws will be set into the glue flange so they wont leak. And use plenty of primer and glue, it will be taking a beating, not just flowing water. (Man, these pictures are big, sorry.)

 

[Mauser lover]

I've got an old craftsman bench grinder I would be perfectly okay with "re-purposing" except... will it overheat and burn the house down in two hours of run time?

 

[hdwhit]

Mauser lover wrote:
Can I wet tumble with SS pins in a vibratory "tumbler"?

No.

I've got an old craftsman bench grinder I would be perfectly okay with "re-purposing" except... will it overheat and burn the house down in two hours of run time?

So long as you don't overload the motor, it will not overheat.

Even if it does overheat, it will probably just fail and not catch fire, so risk of incinerating your house is low.

 

[Demi-human]

Mine only takes thirty five minutes. This is the best part of rotary tumbling. For extra shine, after sizing, I run them again for twenty minutes in a non-baffled drum. I don't do this with rifle brass though.

I could not understand running a vibratory cleaner for so long. So I built my own rotary. If a human is just wanting to try it, a Frankford Arsenal setup is a great start. And will be sellable if one doesn't like it. Though I don't know why one wouldn't.

 

[grandpawj]

Demi-human, that is quite a creative approach to a rotary tumbler. With your permission I would like to make a copy and try my luck at it. Right now I have the double container Harbor Freight tumbler but the volume is still quite low, makes it a lot of work to do more than a couple hundred cases at the time.

 

[Mauser lover]

I just thought of something... forget the grinder, I have a perfectly working motor in my vibratory tumbler! And I know it should be able to run for hours (because that's how long it takes...)! Although... I might just get the Frankford one.

 

[Demi-human]

My permission? I don't think a free human needs it, but you may have it. And a blessing of great luck upon finding the parts and constructing it!

My container will clean about six or seven hundred fourty five auto case at a time.

Probably the most fun was searching for what would work together. I had the sheave pulley from an old sod mill that was my Grandfather's. I really wanted to use it. At eleven inches it was nearly perfect for an eight inch container, on a one inch roller with a standard motor RPM of seventeen fifty.

Then I discovered the price of eight inch PVC fittings. Prohibitively expensive! By using a drill press stepped pulley, I decreased the turning speed to accommodate a smaller diameter drum. My six inch containers are twelve inch long pipe sections. But the apparatus can handle twenty-four inches cap to cap.

The most expensive pieces were the solid steel round stock and the pillow blocks. But I wanted new and bullet proof. I can, and have once, stood on mine. The roller. I can guarantee this will be in use by my Son and hopefully Grandson.

I wish I had pictures of the first one I made, out of an oscillating table fan motor, three eighths round stock and flush bearings force fit into an oak box. A rubber band from a head of broccoli turned it. Google "hand made rotary tumbler". The designs are endless and ingenious. (I never did get any powder made in little Gatorade bottle one.)

Edited, for my auto correct is quite agressive, and usually wrong!

 

[Demi-human]

One more little note. The belt and pulley will crush an oak lath stake and spit it out, like nothing. It will horribly mangle an appendage, without stopping. I lock mine in the room when it's running. That was easier and much less ugly looking than to make a steel guard around it. And my children still have arms.

 

[grandpawj]

Yep, I am encouraged to press on with the project. You are right it is fun to search for items that will make up the mechanics. Thanks for the extra tid-bits of info.

 

[Demi-human]

You are very welcome. And a Merry Christmas to you and you family, sir!