Help Me Decide Which Tumbler

Kango · November 11, 2005, 04:39 AM

Hi, First post here...

I was wondering what tumbler you guys recommend. Im deciding between the Frankford Arsenal and the Lyman Turbo Tumbler 1200. Theres a bit of a price difference, so is the Lyman worth the extra?

Thirties · November 11, 2005, 08:26 AM

Certainly not, the Lyman is not at all worth the extra.

Check out this one from Berry's Bullets (I believe it is the same as the Frankfor Arsenal). They offer free shipping -- check the rest of their web site. By the way, the rotary sifter is a good thing to have.

I started with a Lyman Tubo, but after a year, I bought the Berry's set. Still have the Lyman as a spare, but I never use it anymore.

link: http://www.berrysmfg.com/categories/50-0.php

.

RERICK · November 11, 2005, 04:08 PM

I use the Frankford Arsenal and have not had one problem with it.Its fairly quiet as tumblers go and it does a good job.I think the kit is the way to go I think Midway has it for around $69.00

Wrangler5 · November 12, 2005, 12:26 AM

I've been using the same Lyman 1200 for about 20 years. I don't remember what I paid for it, but after this long I'm absolutely sure I did NOT overpay. It's not the biggest thing out there, and it's a little noisy (I think - never listened to another one, though) but since it runs in the basement and I can just leave it alone for 2-4 hours and be elsewhere, that's not a big deal. Use a Dillon case/media separator that I've had for about 15 years and have absolutely no complaints about it either. The Lyman tumbler buckets that have the built in strainer sound interesting, but I'm not ready to pitch what's still working to get one.

LAH · November 15, 2005, 09:20 AM

Try this, it's a short read.

http://www.handloads.com/articles/default.asp?id=17

Smokey Joe · November 15, 2005, 01:07 PM

Kango--First of all, welcome to TFL! Glad to have you aboard.

On the tumbler question: Having decided to go with a vibratory tumbler (the only way to go for cleaning/polishing brass IMHO) you just choose the cheapest one that has the bells & whistles that you want. They all work the same, and I've never heard of one breaking down.

Large bowl, small bowl, drain hole, whatever other bells & whistles are advertised. Just pick what you want and go for the low price. Remember to consider shipping costs as part of the price.

Nobody has reported any particular brand as being noisier or quieter than another. Like most guys, it seems, I use mine in the basement, and on the first floor, right over the tumbler, it makes no more than a low hum.

A brass tumbler is one piece of equipment where the brand name literally does not matter at all.

blob · November 15, 2005, 03:17 PM

[SIZE="5"]I have a franklin arsenal and like it alot. Don't really need the rotary brass seperator but I use it and it saves time.

Thirties · November 15, 2005, 03:38 PM

I should explain why I don't like my Lyman turbo . . .

The drain hole is poorly designed, so there is always spillage.

There, I said it!

redbeard55 · November 16, 2005, 10:17 AM

If you reload a lot, you should consider the big Dillon tumbler. The tumbler holds almost 13 quarts. Much easier to tumble one large lot of brass rather than 2,3 or 4 smaller lots of brass.

scottys1 · November 17, 2005, 10:37 PM

I have three tumblers.

Past (same as a Frankford Arsenal) I've had around 10 years. Works just fine, zero problems.

Lyman 1200 given to me several years ago. Works fine but rather noisy. I tried taking it apart and caulking the bowl parts to reduce the noise which worked for a while, but the noise eventually came back.

Dilllon CV500. My favorite tumbler. It holds more and is quieter than the other two.

One thing I've found is that when tumbling different calibers of brass, don't mix cases in the same tumbler where the smaller case will fit inside of the larger case. Some of the cases will work their way into others, media will wedge its way in, and it will often require pliers to get them apart. This is mostly a problem with straight wall pistol brass. Bottleneck brass does not have this problem.

Wrangler5 · November 17, 2005, 11:50 PM

scottys1 said, in part: One thing I've found is that when tumbling different calibers of brass, don't mix cases in the same tumbler where the smaller case will fit inside of the larger case. Some of the cases will work their way into others, media will wedge its way in, and it will often require pliers to get them apart.

For reference, I've found that 9mm, 40 S&W and 45 ACP all need to be tumbled separately. You can mix 380, 9mm Makarov, 38 and 357 with 9mm, but not with the others. You can mix 44 Special/Magnum and 45 Colt with 45 ACP, but not with the others. I've never reloaded pistol rounds smaller than 9mm so can't speak to the 32 caliber stuff.

November 11, 2005, 04:39 AM	#1
Kango Junior Member Join Date: November 11, 2005 Posts: 7	Help Me Decide Which Tumbler Hi, First post here... I was wondering what tumbler you guys recommend. Im deciding between the Frankford Arsenal and the Lyman Turbo Tumbler 1200. Theres a bit of a price difference, so is the Lyman worth the extra?

November 15, 2005, 01:07 PM	#6
Smokey Joe Senior Member Join Date: July 14, 2001 Location: State of Confusion Posts: 2,106	Choices... Kango--First of all, welcome to TFL! Glad to have you aboard. On the tumbler question: Having decided to go with a vibratory tumbler (the only way to go for cleaning/polishing brass IMHO) you just choose the cheapest one that has the bells & whistles that you want. They all work the same, and I've never heard of one breaking down. Large bowl, small bowl, drain hole, whatever other bells & whistles are advertised. Just pick what you want and go for the low price. Remember to consider shipping costs as part of the price. Nobody has reported any particular brand as being noisier or quieter than another. Like most guys, it seems, I use mine in the basement, and on the first floor, right over the tumbler, it makes no more than a low hum. A brass tumbler is one piece of equipment where the brand name literally does not matter at all. __________________ God Bless America --Smokey Joe

November 15, 2005, 03:17 PM	#7
blob Member Join Date: July 7, 2005 Location: Central Louisiana Posts: 32	Franklin Arsenal [SIZE="5"]I have a franklin arsenal and like it alot. Don't really need the rotary brass seperator but I use it and it saves time.

November 16, 2005, 10:17 AM	#9
redbeard55 Member Join Date: November 16, 2005 Posts: 55	Which tumbler to purchase If you reload a lot, you should consider the big Dillon tumbler. The tumbler holds almost 13 quarts. Much easier to tumble one large lot of brass rather than 2,3 or 4 smaller lots of brass.

November 11, 2005, 08:26 AM	#2
Thirties Senior Member Join Date: April 29, 2001 Location: Where the Red Sox meet the Black Bears Posts: 561	Certainly not, the Lyman is not at all worth the extra. Check out this one from Berry's Bullets (I believe it is the same as the Frankfor Arsenal). They offer free shipping -- check the rest of their web site. By the way, the rotary sifter is a good thing to have. I started with a Lyman Tubo, but after a year, I bought the Berry's set. Still have the Lyman as a spare, but I never use it anymore. link: http://www.berrysmfg.com/categories/50-0.php .

November 11, 2005, 04:08 PM	#3
RERICK Junior member Join Date: July 9, 2005 Posts: 369	I use the Frankford Arsenal and have not had one problem with it.Its fairly quiet as tumblers go and it does a good job.I think the kit is the way to go I think Midway has it for around $69.00

November 12, 2005, 12:26 AM	#4
Wrangler5 Senior Member Join Date: September 18, 2005 Location: Missouri Posts: 326	I've been using the same Lyman 1200 for about 20 years. I don't remember what I paid for it, but after this long I'm absolutely sure I did NOT overpay. It's not the biggest thing out there, and it's a little noisy (I think - never listened to another one, though) but since it runs in the basement and I can just leave it alone for 2-4 hours and be elsewhere, that's not a big deal. Use a Dillon case/media separator that I've had for about 15 years and have absolutely no complaints about it either. The Lyman tumbler buckets that have the built in strainer sound interesting, but I'm not ready to pitch what's still working to get one.

November 15, 2005, 09:20 AM	#5
LAH Senior Member Join Date: March 22, 2002 Location: In The Hardwoods Posts: 1,188	Try this, it's a short read. http://www.handloads.com/articles/default.asp?id=17

November 15, 2005, 03:38 PM	#8
Thirties Senior Member Join Date: April 29, 2001 Location: Where the Red Sox meet the Black Bears Posts: 561	I should explain why I don't like my Lyman turbo . . . The drain hole is poorly designed, so there is always spillage. There, I said it!

November 17, 2005, 10:37 PM	#10
scottys1 Senior Member Join Date: May 21, 2004 Posts: 316	I have three tumblers. Past (same as a Frankford Arsenal) I've had around 10 years. Works just fine, zero problems. Lyman 1200 given to me several years ago. Works fine but rather noisy. I tried taking it apart and caulking the bowl parts to reduce the noise which worked for a while, but the noise eventually came back. Dilllon CV500. My favorite tumbler. It holds more and is quieter than the other two. One thing I've found is that when tumbling different calibers of brass, don't mix cases in the same tumbler where the smaller case will fit inside of the larger case. Some of the cases will work their way into others, media will wedge its way in, and it will often require pliers to get them apart. This is mostly a problem with straight wall pistol brass. Bottleneck brass does not have this problem.

November 17, 2005, 11:50 PM	#11
Wrangler5 Senior Member Join Date: September 18, 2005 Location: Missouri Posts: 326	scottys1 said, in part: One thing I've found is that when tumbling different calibers of brass, don't mix cases in the same tumbler where the smaller case will fit inside of the larger case. Some of the cases will work their way into others, media will wedge its way in, and it will often require pliers to get them apart. For reference, I've found that 9mm, 40 S&W and 45 ACP all need to be tumbled separately. You can mix 380, 9mm Makarov, 38 and 357 with 9mm, but not with the others. You can mix 44 Special/Magnum and 45 Colt with 45 ACP, but not with the others. I've never reloaded pistol rounds smaller than 9mm so can't speak to the 32 caliber stuff.