Tumbler 101... Thumler & media questions - Page 2

ZOOM2X · January 24, 2013, 11:44 PM

paw080

I just looked at that kit. The price of the kit is a good deal less than the sum of the prices for the parts so it looks like a good deal., One shop shopping. I didn't see what the freight was.

ANYWAY, HAS ANYONE ELSE USED THIS KIT? WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT IT?

hounddawg · January 25, 2013, 04:38 AM

Only advantage I see with to the pins is the primer pockets. Just out of curiosity anyone tried using pins mixed with dry media for the primer pockets ?

Zeeba · January 25, 2013, 09:29 AM

Quote:

... so how about sorting those little stainless pins... I have several media screens, all much too big for the lil pins do I need to use "dish towels" or what are you guys using to drain your pins & brass ???

Mag, get yourself to Home Depot and pick up a couple of Trimaco elastic-banded paint strainers:
http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/cata...gry=Search+All

The mesh is exceedingly fine, and won't allow the pins to pass through. I use one on a 5-gallon bucket when dumping the Thumler drum out. I don't have to be so careful tipping the drum slowly so as not to "release the pins".
It also makes it easier to rinse the soap and dirt off the cases before they go into a separator.

Hummer70 · January 25, 2013, 10:47 AM

chek out:

http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubb...3845548&page=1

This thread has over a million hits and has lots of good info.

Originally Thumlers were marketed as rock tumblers but since the stainless steel pins hit they have taken off big time. I called them about a year back and they said their business really took off when the stainless pins came on the scene from above site.

Lube your motor with Mobil 1 synthetic motor oil. It will last forever.

Get extra CLEAR PLASTIC drive belts. they last much longer than black rubber ones in my experience.

when not in use lift drive axle out of slot to release tension from drive belt to keep it from stretching.

Friend just got new Thumlers and his liner is much heavier than mine. I got mine like four or five years back when the stainless thing started and it is still going fine.

If you find a used one with slow speed/or tired motor you can go to Grainger Supply and get a 1/5th hP high speed motor that is a direct bolt up with no modification of motor frame or thumler frame. These big motors sell for like 77.00 and they are built to last but still add Mobil 1.

hounddawg · January 25, 2013, 02:01 PM

I found a coffee can with 4.5 pounds, about or about 300 of .223 under my bench so decided to get some exact measurement for those who wanted them. These were a mixture of range brass and some once fired and deprimed LC cases that I bought a few years back and never reloaded and somehow ended up in the can. These were not real nasty or corroded, mostly just dull with some range dirt on and in some. There was some green looking tarnish spots on a couple but not many

3 quarts of hot tap water, 1 tablespoon dish detergent, 2 oz of concentrated lemon juice. I agitated by hand for 4 minutes, let em sit for another 15 then rinsed until the water ran clear while agitating. Total time 30 minutes total hands on time maybe 10 minutes. If I had wanted them shinier I would have let them soak another 30 minutes or an hour, but unless you shoot them right away they will oxidize back to a dull finish in a couple of weeks anyway so why bother.

These will get a second wash after resizing and depriming, may let em sit a tad longer since I am kicking around the idea of getting a cheap dry tumbler for the nasty ones and putting a wax coating on the washed ones.

before -

after-

Insides of cases in the neck area look like the outside and in my opinion these are plenty clean enough for depriming and sizing tomorrow. Got them in the mesh bag drying now. On the re oxidizing dry tumbling in a wax impregnated media may prevent that or at least slow it if real shiny is important to you. I have not tried it myself since I am still debating whether it would be worth it. On one hand really shiny brass is a tad easier to find but I find brass at my range all the time anyway and generally come home with a hundred or more cases than I left with it's not like missing a couple of 9's that did not land on the the tarp is going to ruin my day

I think this is about the last of all my dirty brass

January 24, 2013, 11:44 PM	#26
ZOOM2X Member Join Date: March 4, 2012 Location: Johnson City, TN Posts: 70	paw080 I just looked at that kit. The price of the kit is a good deal less than the sum of the prices for the parts so it looks like a good deal., One shop shopping. I didn't see what the freight was. ANYWAY, HAS ANYONE ELSE USED THIS KIT? WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT IT? __________________ ZOOM 2X, pronounced "ZOOM ZOOM", is the tag on my supercharged, etc. Miata. NRA Benefactor

January 25, 2013, 04:38 AM	#27
hounddawg Senior Member Join Date: March 1, 2009 Posts: 4,232	Only advantage I see with to the pins is the primer pockets. Just out of curiosity anyone tried using pins mixed with dry media for the primer pockets ? __________________ “How do I get to the next level?” Well, you get to the next level by being the first one on the range and the last one to leave.” – Jerry Miculek

January 25, 2013, 10:47 AM	#29
Hummer70 Senior Member Join Date: June 22, 2009 Location: South Carolina Posts: 203	chek out: http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubb...3845548&page=1 This thread has over a million hits and has lots of good info. Originally Thumlers were marketed as rock tumblers but since the stainless steel pins hit they have taken off big time. I called them about a year back and they said their business really took off when the stainless pins came on the scene from above site. Lube your motor with Mobil 1 synthetic motor oil. It will last forever. Get extra CLEAR PLASTIC drive belts. they last much longer than black rubber ones in my experience. when not in use lift drive axle out of slot to release tension from drive belt to keep it from stretching. Friend just got new Thumlers and his liner is much heavier than mine. I got mine like four or five years back when the stainless thing started and it is still going fine. If you find a used one with slow speed/or tired motor you can go to Grainger Supply and get a 1/5th hP high speed motor that is a direct bolt up with no modification of motor frame or thumler frame. These big motors sell for like 77.00 and they are built to last but still add Mobil 1. Last edited by Unclenick; January 25, 2013 at 10:00 PM. Reason: Fix link

January 25, 2013, 02:01 PM	#30
hounddawg Senior Member Join Date: March 1, 2009 Posts: 4,232	I found a coffee can with 4.5 pounds, about or about 300 of .223 under my bench so decided to get some exact measurement for those who wanted them. These were a mixture of range brass and some once fired and deprimed LC cases that I bought a few years back and never reloaded and somehow ended up in the can. These were not real nasty or corroded, mostly just dull with some range dirt on and in some. There was some green looking tarnish spots on a couple but not many 3 quarts of hot tap water, 1 tablespoon dish detergent, 2 oz of concentrated lemon juice. I agitated by hand for 4 minutes, let em sit for another 15 then rinsed until the water ran clear while agitating. Total time 30 minutes total hands on time maybe 10 minutes. If I had wanted them shinier I would have let them soak another 30 minutes or an hour, but unless you shoot them right away they will oxidize back to a dull finish in a couple of weeks anyway so why bother. These will get a second wash after resizing and depriming, may let em sit a tad longer since I am kicking around the idea of getting a cheap dry tumbler for the nasty ones and putting a wax coating on the washed ones. before - after- Insides of cases in the neck area look like the outside and in my opinion these are plenty clean enough for depriming and sizing tomorrow. Got them in the mesh bag drying now. On the re oxidizing dry tumbling in a wax impregnated media may prevent that or at least slow it if real shiny is important to you. I have not tried it myself since I am still debating whether it would be worth it. On one hand really shiny brass is a tad easier to find but I find brass at my range all the time anyway and generally come home with a hundred or more cases than I left with it's not like missing a couple of 9's that did not land on the the tarp is going to ruin my day I think this is about the last of all my dirty brass __________________ “How do I get to the next level?” Well, you get to the next level by being the first one on the range and the last one to leave.” – Jerry Miculek Last edited by hounddawg; January 25, 2013 at 02:42 PM.