7 Dollar Brass Tumbler: A Case Study

[Hone_Heke]

Cut this together this afternoon - my take on a cheap brass tumbler.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHi1ST6rpCI

[Jim]

My volume control is at max and I can't hear it.

[slim1836]

I had no trouble hearing it.

might be more effective if drill were connected to one of the wheels directly.

Just my 2 cents.

Thanks for the idea.

Slim

[uscra112]

Like the idea of using skateboard axles. For the idler axle anyway.

Paint can is a PITA to open and close. Still like bigdawg's ideas using PVC pipe better. Still, all homebrew drum tumbler ideas are welcome - commercial ones are way overpriced for a poor old pensioner like me.

Meanwhile I'm still using corncobs and my old Lyman vibrator. This steel-pin media is just too darn messy. Not mention I can't get the pins out of .223 cases.

Cheers !

Phil

[Hardcast416taylor]

Reminds me of my first tumbler. I used roller skate wheels, a large #10 can (I think) with lid and a rotisserie unit off of a grill. This unit lasted about a year till I could afford a real tumbler.Robert

[WILCO]

If you've got nothing else, that works like a dream!

[farmallcrew]

Good idea!!!

[Shiloh]

I admire the cleverness of those who can improvise.
I'm sure this thing works but would be like having a jet taxiing in your shop.
Can't complain about the economy though

Shiloh

[Bad Water Bill]

Your idea is good but your speed is way to fast. Try for 10 RPM or slower and your drum should stay on the rollers.

[Three44s]

For the run time, I wonder if a drill is made for that much continuous operation due to heating?


Three 44s

[KCSO]

When we tumbled brass in quantity we just used a small cement mixer powered by a 110 1/2 horse motor. But we were doing 5000 rounds of 38's at a time. Our next idea was an old dryer and bags of brass and media in GI sandbags. That worked best as we could do 5oo cases to a bag and each caliber in it's own bag.

[skeettx]

For my first tumbler, I used a rotisserie spit motor

Mike

[AviatorTroy]

How about using a 5 gallon bucket instead? More capacity and the larger circumference would gear down the speed to about 1/4 of what you have there which would be about right..

[Hone_Heke]

Hmm! That isn't such a silly idea Troy. Will try that on a rainy day.

[zuke]

The idea's people come up with.

[mold maker]

If you mount the bucket (on the grill motor) on a 10* angle it will throw the brass from end to end while turning normally. It doubles the tumbling action.