Which is better, sonic cleaner or vibratory tumbler? Also which media is best? Old tumbler crapped out and need info on best choice
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Which is better, sonic cleaner or vibratory tumbler? Also which media is best? Old tumbler crapped out and need info on best choice
RB Dave,
Welcome!
How much of what kind of brass and do you want it "just" clean to reload or looking like new? If you shoot 100 rounds of rifle in a year and want it to look brand new would have different requirements from shooting 20,000 or 30,000 pistol rounds a year.
David
Sometimes life taps you on the shoulder and reminds you it's a one way street. Jim Morris
Most of the sonics are small and expensive, how much brass do you need to process?
SS pin wet tumbling is all the rage right now! I have not made a decision on weather I prefer wet or dry tumbling!
Check around the forum there are lots of discussions/information, I even built a vibratory for my Grandfather.
Mostly 3-4 hundred pistol per month give or take
For that amount go with vibratory. Sonic you still have to dry after cleaning.
I prefer the SS Pin wet tumbling..I use simple green, and 1/4 tsp citric acid... they come out nice and shiney.... you do have to dry them though..Originally Posted by 44Vaquero
I still have my vibratory tumblers... but they don't get used much any more..
I do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same
How much more shiny than CC media? How long does it take?
I purchased my case cleaner about a year and a half ago. After doing a lot of research I bought a thumblers tumbler off eBay and 5lb of SS media. I could not be happier. It was worth every penny and all the hype.
I use a vibratory, it gets the cases clean. SS pins may be the leader in shine but that doesn't mean much to me. I just want dirt and crud off the cases so I doesn't get into my dies. That is clean. Shine isn't required. I prefer to avoid wet methods as it requires drying the cases.
Pretty much anything works as long as it gets the dirt off the cases before sizing.
With SS media, the brass cleaning is more or less complete, outside and inside. I will never go back to the CC/Walnut media for a couple of reasons; 1) the brass gets cleaned completely including the primer pockets; and 2) I don't have to deal with the mess of the cob/walnut media and not only that, there isn't the slightest chance of having airborne lead and it's byproducts floating around. I let the local waste disposal service handle that stuff (down the drain it goes). Also, if you can time manage, the drying of the cases is left as an overnight process for me and for some a hour or so in a oven on low heat works for them.
Last edited by sparky45; 12-07-2012 at 09:47 AM. Reason: additional information
I mostly use a vibrator & corncob with the dryer sheet. If I decide I want the brass really spanking clean I break out the stainless pins and the old Thumbler's model B. It's more of a pain, but those primer pockets really look cool after that treatment. Amazing, but not every time. enjoy Mike
Politicians are a lot like diapers. They should be changed frequently, and for the same reason. Benjamin Franklin
If you are doing 3-400 psitol cases a month I'd recommend a vibratory tumbler with Walnut hulls from Petco, and some Dillon or Nu finish brand polish.
Run for several hours. Sift out media, you're ready to reload.
Randy
"It's not how well you do what you know how to do,,,It's how well you do what you DON'T know how to do!"
www.buchananprecisionmachine.com
type "prongpusher" into youtube. I made one, dang things incredible.
Got any photos, supply list, videos? That looks awesome Gunoil!
there is a big thread i started ongoing here.
amazingmagnets.com 2 inch by 2 inch x 1/2 inch thick.
7 inch grinding disc /harbour freight/home depot
motor is around 5 or 600 rpm
plastic bowl, bottom must be flat
piece of plexiglass
magnets on will black silicone
ss media & lemi-shine (must have) from midwayusa
Dawn dish liquid, just a lil' with lemi-shine and water
RCBS brass/ss media seperator
build a box, nuts snd bolts.
must be secured to table
watch video 5 times.
2 magnets facing up north and 2 faceing up south then silicone as balanced as possible.
decap and wash or wash at least.
Another vote for vibe tumbler.
SS is the best of them all,hand's down.
Just out of curiousity, as much as I love making homemade a tool rather than buying I tend to only do it when it has a benefit (cost, quality, etc). According to amazingmagnets.com, you're looking at $200 + shipping just for the magnets. At this price why not just buy the Thumlers Tumbler (especially once you consider time and money for other materials to make the prongpusher maching).
Is there an advantage to the prongpusher?
Branden
Question, Why 2 magnets facing up north and 2 facing up south? Does this affect the wave of the magnetic field?
thumblers tumblers too slow. This washes brass in 10 mins.. I have one with smaller magnets, but i want one larger. Where ia that big thread on here, thats where all the info is gang! Its a few weeks back. Go fine the big thread.
If your scrounge ability is great you got it. No leaky , 8 bolt tumbler. Slow a$$ thing.
This is the lil' one. And my twin fan system for smoke/lead.
http://i1113.photobucket.com/albums/...2E26F16396.mp4
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