Tumblers?

T

TrxR

New member
I am gathering the equipment needed to start making my own bullets and have realized a tumbler will be handy if not an essential tool.

What tumbler do you all recommend or should i make my own?

Im also getting the idea that most prefer to tumble in a glass jar over plastic, is there a specific reason for this and is there a prefered size for doing 500 cores or jackets at a time?

Thanks.
 
Don't tumble into this POS.

I had one of the early RCBS tumblers. I can not recommend it. It stopped turning the tumbling container despite the motorized shafts turning. Nothing I attempted fixed the problem. Like an idiot I purchased another unit. It too had the same problem. At the time it was one of the few rotary case tumblers on the market. Unless they have improved this unit I would steer clear of it.
 
Thumler

Tim Oltersdorf said:
I had one of the early RCBS tumblers. I can not recommend it. It stopped turning the tumbling container despite the motorized shafts turning. Nothing I attempted fixed the problem. Like an idiot I purchased another unit. It too had the same problem. At the time it was one of the few rotary case tumblers on the market. Unless they have improved this unit I would steer clear of it.
Click to expand...

The Thumler rock tumblers are about the best available, and even they have a lot of shortcomings. Mine has evolved to the point that the container is the only original part left - bigger motor (I like to load that container...), bearings (as opposed to bushings), and sturdier shafts (1/2" vs 3/16"). If I had it to do all over again, I'd just order the container as a 'part' and build the rest from scratch. I think I could have done mine with just a drill, so you don't need a full shop to do it.

If you don't load it heavy, the Thumler will do a good job for a long time. I had mine for ~15 years before upgrading it after I switched to wet tumbling.

GsT
 
tim
if you are talking about their rotary tumbler, the drums sometimes GROW in length.
tap them on a hard floor to shorten them and then try again.
i have 6 drums for mine....working fine for many years.
but i do not make bullets.

Tim Oltersdorf said:
I had one of the early RCBS tumblers. I can not recommend it. It stopped turning the tumbling container despite the motorized shafts turning. Nothing I attempted fixed the problem. Like an idiot I purchased another unit. It too had the same problem. At the time it was one of the few rotary case tumblers on the market. Unless they have improved this unit I would steer clear of it.
Click to expand...
 
GeneT said:
The Thumler rock tumblers are about the best available, and even they have a lot of shortcomings. Mine has evolved to the point that the container is the only original part left - bigger motor (I like to load that container...), bearings (as opposed to bushings), and sturdier shafts (1/2" vs 3/16"). If I had it to do all over again, I'd just order the container as a 'part' and build the rest from scratch. I think I could have done mine with just a drill, so you don't need a full shop to do it.

If you don't load it heavy, the Thumler will do a good job for a long time. I had mine for ~15 years before upgrading it after I switched to wet tumbling.

GsT
Click to expand...

Ive been thinking about building one and using a windshield wiper motor. They turn about 30 to 40 RPM. Ive also got a couple of old furnace fan motors that are 1/4Hp and either 1340 or 1750RPM but with the right pulleys I could get whatever RPM I need.

What rpm would you all suggest to turn the drum at? Im thinking around 40rpm ? So I would have to get the 1/2" shaft to turn around 720rpm to turn a 8 or 9 inch drum at 40rpm.
 
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TrxR said:
Ive been thinking about building one and using a windshield wiper motor. They turn about 30 to 40 RPM. Ive also got a couple of old furnace fan motors that are 1/4Hp and either 1340 or 1750RPM but with the right pulleys I could get whatever RPM I need.

What rpm would you all suggest to turn the drum at? Im thinking around 40rpm ? So I would have to get the 1/2" shaft to turn around 720rpm to turn a 8 or 9 inch drum at 40rpm.
Click to expand...

I have a 1750 rpm motor, with a 1.25" pulley on the motor and a 4" pulley on the rotating shaft. The shaft is actually about 1.5" diameter, because I sleeved it with rubber foam for traction. That should be about 550RPM on the roller, which, with the 9.25" diameter container means about 90 rpm of the container. That's fast, but not uncomfortably so. I wouldn't go much faster.

GsT
 
I used this Thumler's Tumbler model A-R-12. The barrel is a hexagon rubber with a 12 lb. capacity. Put the jackets or cores into glass jars with the lube on the inside of the jar and let the jar tumble around inside the barrel.

Like we say here on the Northern Plains...it doesn't never not work. :confused: -Al

3cwxW94l.jpg
 
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al nyhus said:
i used this thumler's tumbler model a-r-12. The barrel is a hexagon rubber with a 12 lb. Capacity. Put the jackets or cores into glass jars with the lube of the side of the jar and let the jar tumble around inside the barrel.

Like we say here on the northern plains...it doesn't never not work. :confused: -al

3cwxw94l.jpg
Click to expand...
put jackets in zip locks to lub and tumble works like charm
 
Al Nyhus said:
I used this Thumler's Tumbler model A-R-12. The barrel is a hexagon rubber with a 12 lb. capacity. Put the jackets or cores into glass jars with the lube of the side of the jar and let the jar tumble around inside the barrel.

Like we say here on the Northern Plains...it doesn't never not work. :confused: -Al

3cwxW94l.jpg
Click to expand...

What size glass jar are you using and how many jackets or cores at a time?

Im going to see if i can find just the drum off one of those . I have everything here to build the rest .
 
Mine started out like Al's - except my container is rubber-lined steel...

Here's what it looks like now:
 

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GeneT said:
Here's what it looks like now:
Click to expand...

I believe Al's whole drum is some sort of rubber

But that essentially what i have in mind but not as fancy .

What kind of glass jars do you use inside the drum and how many cores at a time?

Now i got to find a drum.
 

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rsmithsr said:
tim
if you are talking about their rotary tumbler, the drums sometimes GROW in length.
tap them on a hard floor to shorten them and then try again.
i have 6 drums for mine....working fine for many years.
but i do not make bullets.
Click to expand...

I wonder if the problem was the semi upright position of the drum. I was unaware of the drums growing in length.
 
TrxR said:
Dont have harborfreight here. Im on the other side of the border.
Click to expand...

Oh, I thought the Chinese controlled Canada. Just like they now control US/obiden....
Don't have a store for cheap Chinese knock-offs? Eh?
Northern Industries is another???? Eh?
 
zippy06 said:
Holy Cow! They got Amazon up there. And they sure got snow....
Hey! why youse hogging the snow. The guys at the club today, were complaining, the Canucks are hogging the snow......a couple bought brand new EPA Cert Skiidoos for the obiden snow thingie....and there is no snow.....

https://www.amazon.ca/Chicago-Elect...otary+rock+tumbler,+3lb&qid=1611190599&sr=8-1
Click to expand...

180 from amazon and from the reviews they arent authorized reseller and the manufacturer wont cover the warranty.

Ill have to see if Princess auto has something they are our version of harbor freight.

As far a snow goes, we might have 4 inches right now, ive got about an hour on my sled so far this year.
 
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