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Thread: Homemade Tumbler Bucket?

  1. #21

  2. #22
    Boolit Master
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    I got them from customers, I have two red and a blue. I know one customer got them from a middle eastern store that sells olives, they may also use them for pickles as you can find the 55gal sold as olive/pickle barrels. You can try any grocery store that has an "olive bar" or maybe a Greek restaurant or dinner. They are about 5gals.

    Last edited by NyFirefighter357; 02-17-2019 at 10:53 AM.

  3. #23
    Boolit Master
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    Could one of these Odjob cement mixer buckets be made to work?
    https://www.gardenersedge.com/leonar...mixer/p/ODJOB/

  4. #24
    Boolit Master
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    A 35 gal poly drum at mounted at an angle would do a lot of brass.

    You can buy the 45lb drum from STM, it works well for batches up to a 50cal ammo can plus a bit.

  5. #25
    Boolit Master
    Dragonheart's Avatar
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    I usually tumble about a thousand+ cases at a time so I use an Igloo water jug. It has a screw on lid/sealing ring and vent in the lid that can be opened. I also have a one gallon jug for smaller batches. When the tumbling process starts there is a pressure build up that can pop out plugs or push liquid past poor seals. After running for a couple of minutes I stop and open the valve to release the pressure then continue. Having a built in valve is a plus. I picked up my jugs from a Goodwill store for about $3 each.

  6. #26
    Boolit Master
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    I built mine from PVC pipe, but it was a little more expensive than buckets. I used 6", but they are available much larger. I cut strips from PVC pipe and glued inside for riffles so the brass would tumble instead of sliding. I've seen some pretty big PVC. It can be found in areas that do a lot of irrigaton.

  7. #27
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dragonheart View Post
    I usually tumble about a thousand+ cases at a time so I use an Igloo water jug. It has a screw on lid/sealing ring and vent in the lid that can be opened. I also have a one gallon jug for smaller batches. When the tumbling process starts there is a pressure build up that can pop out plugs or push liquid past poor seals. After running for a couple of minutes I stop and open the valve to release the pressure then continue. Having a built in valve is a plus. I picked up my jugs from a Goodwill store for about $3 each.
    Good use/repurposing of a common item.
    Do you add any internal paddles to tumble the brass?
    How do you attach them without making leak points?
    just askin'

    edit: the suds/foam of the added soap creates the pressure build-up, adding a few drops of fabric softener will kill the soap suds and end the pressure build up

  8. #28
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kenstone View Post
    Good use/repurposing of a common item.
    Do you add any internal paddles to tumble the brass?
    How do you attach them without making leak points?
    just askin'

    edit: the suds/foam of the added soap creates the pressure build-up, adding a few drops of fabric softener will kill the soap suds and end the pressure build up
    Yes, I used 3/4" aluminum angle. I sanded the inside plastic to roughen the surface then put a few holes in the angle that contacted the inside of the cooler and bonded it down with a good epoxy, not the junk Harbor Freight sells. I considered using some blind rivets, but decided to just try the epoxy alone. So far it is holding.

    My first container was a one gallon glass jar with a 4" mouth. I sand blasted the mouth and areas under the angle to roughen the glass. Epoxy down the angle and epoxy to hold down a wrap of wire mesh around the outside of the jar. I used a 4" expanding plumbing plug to seal the mouth. The jar still works well and I like to be able to see the contents as they clean, but is only one gallon. After a minute or two you need to pop the seal on the 4" plug to relieve the pressure, otherwise the plug can pop out; don't ask how I know this.

    6 & 8 inch pvc pipe makes excellent tumbler buckets, but pipe is not cheap and the fittings and plug cost more than the pipe.

    I will give the fabric softer a try, thanks for the tip. I have tried several cleaning combinations, but so far Dawn and citric acid seem to do the best. Armor-all car wash does let the brass keep it's shine longer, but doesn't clean as fast as the Dawn. I vibrate polish my brass in fine walnut after cleaning anyway. A little Nufinish car wax in the walnut media keeps the brass shine.

  9. #29
    Boolit Buddy
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    Look for a local company that refills fire extinguishers the dry powder comes in a 5 gal pail. They have a rubber seal in the lid to keep moisture out and reseal tight.

  10. #30
    Boolit Master
    NoZombies's Avatar
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    The opening is small, but I knew a guy who used 5 gallon water cooler jugs (with handles) for wet tumbling on a home--made rig. He had a funnel that let him get things in pretty quick, and the neck worked to dump things pretty quickly. I'm pretty sure he was paying under $10 a piece for them.

    He wasn't using pins, but I'm sure you could.

    ETA: his funnel was another jug cut off about an inch below the shoulder, and some rubber hose as a coupler.
    Nozombies.com Practical Zombie Survival

    Collecting .32 molds. Please let me know if you have one you don't need, cause I might "need" it!

  11. #31
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dragonheart View Post
    Yes, I used 3/4" aluminum angle. I sanded the inside plastic to roughen the surface then put a few holes in the angle that contacted the inside of the cooler and bonded it down with a good epoxy, not the junk Harbor Freight sells. I considered using some blind rivets, but decided to just try the epoxy alone. So far it is holding.

    My first container was a one gallon glass jar with a 4" mouth. I sand blasted the mouth and areas under the angle to roughen the glass. Epoxy down the angle and epoxy to hold down a wrap of wire mesh around the outside of the jar. I used a 4" expanding plumbing plug to seal the mouth. The jar still works well and I like to be able to see the contents as they clean, but is only one gallon. After a minute or two you need to pop the seal on the 4" plug to relieve the pressure, otherwise the plug can pop out; don't ask how I know this.

    6 & 8 inch pvc pipe makes excellent tumbler buckets, but pipe is not cheap and the fittings and plug cost more than the pipe.

    I will give the fabric softer a try, thanks for the tip. I have tried several cleaning combinations, but so far Dawn and citric acid seem to do the best. Armor-all car wash does let the brass keep it's shine longer, but doesn't clean as fast as the Dawn. I vibrate polish my brass in fine walnut after cleaning anyway. A little Nufinish car wax in the walnut media keeps the brass shine.
    Thanks for answering my questions
    Had the same experience with wash/wax car product verses Dawn and continue to tumble with Dawn.
    I now have a mix of car wash/wax product and water that I use for the 3rd rinse of brass and use it over and over.

  12. #32
    Boolit Master



    retread's Avatar
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    I see my question was answered.

  13. #33
    Boolit Buddy Cue's Avatar
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    So the last cement mixer I tried was the 4 cubic foot one from lowes. The opening on it was large and it was smooth around the front so there was no way to make a lid for it and I returned it.
    I found this one at Northern tool for $269, and I had a $50 off coupon that they give out every couple of months so I got it for $235 with tax, just a little bit more than a Frankford Arsenal or other wet tumbler.
    https://www.northerntool.com/shop/to...SABEgJfH_D_BwE

    This is a 2 Cubic foot mixer and the opening on it is smaller at around 11", and the sides of the barrel have a steep taper which would help keep the water/suds in and I figured I could make a lid for it if needed since it had a "lip" around it.

    Fired it up tonight and I didnt even have to make a lid for it, I just used a garbage bag over the front of it and a couple of 8" rubber bands and that kept pretty much everything inside. I tumbled 9000 9mm pieces at one time for 2 hours, no pins needed and they came out great, did another batch after that so 18k 9mm in 4 hours. Im happy with it.

  14. #34
    Boolit Mold
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    I am in the process of building one using OdJob mixer as container and other scrap I had laying around the shop.
    This was my first attempt which worded pretty well with only 15lbs of stainless steel media and 15lbs of brass. When loaded with 50lbs of media and brass the little gear drive motor let me know I needed to rethink this design. I will repost when I have completed my design upgrade.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails tumbler .jpg   tumbler 2.jpg  

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BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
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