Tumbler: Vibrator or rotary?

[mgkdrgn]

I'm in the process of collecting equipment to begin reloading (mainly 45 Colt and 9mm), and a case tumbler is one of the items on the list.

I'm of the mindset that believes that the cheapest way to do things is to buy quality equipment and take care of it so that you don't have to buy it again.

With that in mind, is there any advantage to a rotary case tumbler to the vibrating kind?

Thanks in advance,
Brett

 

[Otto]

A rotary is quieter and eliminates dust with walnut media.
Used with ceramic media it will clean the interior of the case and the primer pockets.

 

[dave from mesa]

Have both and I use the vibrating tumbler 99% of the time. Just seems easier. I THINK, cost wise you can get a pretty good vibrating tumbler for less money.

Otto
Never used ceramic media. Where can you get it?

 

[jcwit]

I've been using vibrating tumblers for years and don't understand the dust problem. Put a used cut up used dryer sheet in with the media and there's not enough dust to worry about. I use corn cob 20/40 grit, its fine enough to not clog the primer pockets or flash holes. Also use about a teaspoon of Nu'finish car polish per tumbler full. Maybe have to refrish it with more Nu'finish another time or two till midea wears out.

If you put the tumbler on a concrete steping stone and not fill it ungodly full it will run very quite, just a hum. Let it run overnight and come morning you're ready to go.

Midea is available from Graingers, about $25 for a 40 lb. bag. With that said I have no assoc. with Graingers, I'm retired and love it.

Hope this helps.

 

[ThomasT]

I have only used the vibrating tumbler. I set mine outside on the back porch and forget it.

I have read you can also get the media from Petsmart. I have seen it myself because I don't have a pet and don't go in there. But when I need new media I will check them out.

 

[Rembrandt]

Have both the RCBS Sidewinder and a Dillon CV2001.....Sidewinder tumbler is noisier by far, more expensive and doesn't do as nice a job as the Dillon.

 

[Walkalong]

A little polish, a touch of water if it gets dry, and no dust in my vibratory tumblers. Drier sheets help the media last longer. I am sure the rotary tumbler work great too.

 

[DickM]

I've used one of the old Model B Thumler's Tumblers for about the last 35 years - never had to replace anything, not even the little belt. A couple of years ago I picked up an RCBS vibratory type. The tumbler is much quieter - you can be working right next to it and forget that it's there - but takes a good bit of time, usually several hours, get a batch of brass clean. The vibratory one works in a couple of hours but I can't stand being anywhere near it when it's running. Either one will get the job done.

 

[Slamfire]

I've used one of the old Model B Thumler's Tumblers for about the last 35 years - never had to replace anything, not even the little belt. A couple of years ago I picked up an RCBS vibratory type. The tumbler is much quieter - you can be working right next to it and forget that it's there - but takes a good bit of time, usually several hours, get a batch of brass clean.

I have had my Thumler since the middle 80's. I have worn out the rollers, lots of belts. But nothing else.

Much better than a vibratory.

I also purchased a second barrel. I tumble rifle cases with a lube saturated patch. A lazy man's way to get lube on the case.

A side benefit: I was lubing cases during Halloween. The tumbler sounded like Ghosts rattling chains.

Boo!

 

[bongfoo]

i use a vibratory tumbler also. but instead of buying media from a reloading supply place i find it cheaper to go to wallyworld or a pet store and buy the pet bedding. they have chopped walnut and corncob. a little bit of liquid car polish on new media and let it run for a few hours.

 

[ranger335v]

"I've been using vibrating tumblers for years and don't understand the dust problem."

I think most of the "dust" many people refer to comes from excessive polish. It drys and reverts to a free powder. We need much less polish to shine cases than some think and it never really "wears out". If it starts working slow, just add a an ounce or three of oderless mineral spirits, aka paint thinner, to reactivate it.

Excess polish powder will get trapped in the fibers of a few small pieces of loose weave paper or fabric and can be tossed out.

 

[jcwit]

You're right about many people using to much polish, never thought about that being the cause of dust as I use VERY little polish. One of the main things I like about polish is the light coating of wax/or whatever it leaves on the cases preventing tarnish.

Regarding the "wears out" my corn cob after many, many, many cycles the media gets a coating of oils/wax or something from shooting cast bullets and probably some from case lube from rifle rounds. It also turns the media dingy after a while. Have stoped most of the buildup from case lube as I now use spray teflon "Blaster brand", this doesn't leave any oily residue on the cases and works good, even on 30/06.

 

[rockhound758]

I've got a 15-20 year old vibrating tumbler and it still works great. Pretty quiet and nothing has worn out or needed replacing (I'm knocking on wood as I type). As others have said, put it on something solid and forget it (or better yet, put a timer on it so it turns off after x hours). Makes the brass pretty pretty pretty!

 

[Howard B]

I too have both. I bought my first (of 2) Thumblers Model B in 1972, it still works. The drive band has been replaced a couple of times. I also have a couple of the Dillon models. I believe rotary is quieter, but takes much longer to do the same work. I just use the rotary now to remove lube from rifle cases after sizing and trimming. Howard

 

[Gungle George]

Get a Dillion CV-2001 and some case polish. One thing to remember with Dillion, if it breaks, they fix it and right now. I wore a hole through the tub on and older Dillion 2001 and they sent me a new one NC.

Cheers,

Gungle George

 

[smomo]

I'm new to reloading. I've got a Lyman 1200 tumbler that works fine, but it sure is noisy. It sounds like a small generator. Are some brands or models of tumblers quieter than others?

 

[jcwit]

What do you have it setting on, I quieted my Cabelas down by putting it in a concret steping stone. Now it just hums.

 

[smomo]

My tumbler is sitting on concrete, so that's not the issue. Maybe I've just got an unusually loud one.

 

[NorCalRanches]

I've heard the Lyman setups are noisy. My Berry's is on a hard floor and doesn't bother me at all in the next room whilst running with the door closed.

Does your lyman have the "autoflo" and does it actually work with dry media? I've always wondered about that. Thought it would be a better solution than a media seperator... if it worked

 

[jcwit]

Maybe thats it , the lymans are louder!

I've heard the Berry's and Cabelas are the same.

 

[smomo]

No, I don't have the "autoflo", so I don't know how it works.

Maybe Lyman's are just noisier. I'm not sure that I can or want to live with the noise. Maybe I'll pick up a Berry's and see if there's a difference. Let's see if anyone who has had experience with different tumblers can chime in.

 

[Roccobro]

I had to load my 1200 magnum to 7/8th full. Any less and it was loud. Any more and it wouldn't move the media around.

Justin

 

[RM]

I am a new reloader, and I went "alternative" with the Thumbler Model B. I can't really compare it to a vibratory tumbler, since I haven't owned one. However, a few comments about the Thumbler Model B. 1) It is relatively quiet. I put it in my second bathroom, close the door and forget about it for 1-2 hours. 2. Brass comes out very clean. It does need to be rinsed, and then into the oven at 150 degrees for about twenty minutes on two dedicated cookie sheets. 3) Not much work is involved. Mostly the brass is either tumbling or drying. 4) Very little to buy- dishwashing liquid and lemon juice. (See link below.)

http://www.surplusrifle.com/shooting2005/liquidcasecleaner/index.asp

Overall, I am very pleased with the Thumbler's Model B.

 

[smomo]

Roccobro, thanks for the tip. I filled it up a bit more and it seems to be noticeably quieter.

 

[azar]

I've heard the Berry's and Cabelas are the same.

Yes, the Cabelas brand is a re-branded Berry's. At least, I can vouch for the Model 400 that my wife gave me for my birthday yesterday. In fact, the warranty card you send directly to Berry's Mfg. in St. George, Utah.

I have nothing to compare my brand new Cabela's tumbler against as I've never used one but it's sitting directly on my concrete garage floor and it's much quieter than I anticipated (it's running for the first time right now). It was a choice for me between this one and the Lyman Turbo 1200. I liked this one a bit better and after reading peoples opinions, the Berry's models in general seem to get a bit more favorable reviews than the Lyman's.

Others have also said that if you don't have enough media, it will be noisier. The instructions for mine said to fill it 2/3rds the way full with media. That's what I did and mine seems quiet enough.