Wet Tumbler Recommendations ?

[JimB..]

I just read a similar post on savage shooters. This is my reply/comments:

When the wet tumbling first got started, I was intrigued but noticed the peening on the surface of the brass and decided not to jump into the process. Shortly afterward, I saw an ad for pins that had rounded ends instead of clipped-or sharp-ends. Later, when I got my old rock tumbler running, I couldn't find the ad for the rounded end pins. Has anyone else heard of these pins? Seems that they might be the answer to the peening of the surface of brass.

After reading this thread and the idea of 'seasoning' the new pins, I thought--how about running the pins with something like steel BBs? Or a more aggressive compound--would rock tumbling media do anything to smooth off the edges? I'm still curious--what are your thoughts?

Most importantly, does anyone know where the 'rounded end' pins can be purchased??

Lastly, RE: HF sonic cleaner-I have the small one and it does a good job on cleaning but the batches are awfully small--15 or 20 .223s at a time. The worst thing about the HF model is that the timer is factory set to 9 or 10 minutes, so you have to babysit the thing and keep resetting the timer to get a longer run time.

Thanks for your attention, Steve

I hereby submit the same comments on this site. Any responses are welcome!!

Thanks again, Steve

Maybe I’ve always just locked into some special pins, but I’ve never seen peening. Have any photos?

[RogerDat]

Another vote for Frankford Arsenal. At my volume (modest few k a year) I expect it will provide good service for a long time.

I fill with rinse water and dump slowly so as not to dump pins, repeat until water is clear. Then put the FA slotted lid on and shake the pins out into a 5 gallon bucket. I still have to invert and tap each case to prevent hold out pins. The FA magnet can detect some cases with pins in them so I do the brass cases that try to stick to the magnet first. I still do 100% check for pins. Do not want some pin taking up case space when it is loaded. Never find very many after shaking the pins out of the brass through the slotted top for the FA drum.

I guess it depends on volume of brass and if you think you will get the number of years use out of a piece of equipment to justify the price. If one has to live to biblical age to get the 40 years life out of a high end tumbler it might not be a good investment. I picked up my Frankford Arsenal used for about 1/2 the price of new. I then proceeded to deprime and wet tumble almost all my existing brass. If it goes I would buy another one, maybe new.

[John Boy]

Buy a Lortone, Seven years with no issues and 1000's of cases ... still runs as new. Drum sizes are your option

[Lead pot]

I have two tumblers tumbler B wore one out with there rubber lining and nylon bearings gave out. Bought another and after a couple years the barrel started leaking from rust and again the bearings started rattling but it's stillll going from parts from the first. Three years ago I got the Frankfort Arsenal and it has a larger capacity and I use it the most. I use a mix of SST pins and ceramic in both units. I have no complaints with both types. But I like the Arsenal better.

[durango]

Maybe I’ve always just locked into some special pins, but I’ve never seen peening. Have any photos?

Jim--Try this: www.savageshooters.com Go to forum, then to ammunition and reloading, then to the first or second thread under the stickies. Sorry that I don't know how to post a link. Steve

[Mica_Hiebert]

I have two tumblers tumbler B wore one out with there rubber lining and nylon bearings gave out. Bought another and after a couple years the barrel started leaking from rust and again the bearings started rattling but it's stillll going from parts from the first. Three years ago I got the Frankfort Arsenal and it has a larger capacity and I use it the most. I use a mix of SST pins and ceramic in both units. I have no complaints with both types. But I like the Arsenal better.

You can buy all of those replacement parts for the thumblers

[JimB..]

Jim--Try this: www.savageshooters.com Go to forum, then to ammunition and reloading, then to the first or second thread under the stickies. Sorry that I don't know how to post a link. Steve

Thanks, sadly that forum doesn’t allow folks to browse and I’m not inclined to join another. For now I’ll just have to be satisfied with my good fortune!

[lightman]

I used a Thumlers for years and finally bought a Big Dawg for more capacity. Its expensive but heavy duty.

[doulos]

Thumblers B for about 18 years now. Bought it when I was shooting black powder cartridge so I could wet tumble with ceramic. Have also used it with corn cob media and now just tumbled about 1500 pieces of brass with stainless pins. Its great. It can be used with any dry media not just wet. Very durable. You can let your kids or grandkids polish rocks in it too. You wont need to buy anything else for a long time.

[doulos]

I have two tumblers tumbler B wore one out with there rubber lining and nylon bearings gave out. Bought another and after a couple years the barrel started leaking from rust and again the bearings started rattling but it's stillll going from parts from the first. Three years ago I got the Frankfort Arsenal and it has a larger capacity and I use it the most. I use a mix of SST pins and ceramic in both units. I have no complaints with both types. But I like the Arsenal better.

Im surprised actually about the barrel leaking. The liner must have been bad from the get go.
And yes the Frankford Arsenal looks huge. Ive never seen one in person but It looks like a good machine.

[Iron369]

Im surprised actually about the barrel leaking. The liner must have been bad from the get go.
And yes the Frankford Arsenal looks huge. Ive never seen one in person but It looks like a good machine.

This picture kinda shows the Franklin tumbler for a size reference.

[onelight]

I have theFranklin tumbler and the steel pins that came with it , have 10 or 12K cases though it and not seen anything resembling peening just new looking cases.

[Conditor22]

Friends wet tumbler

[winelover]

With all that rust................it must leak, pretty bad.

Winelover

[Guncrank]

As the many other gentlemen have stated the FART is a good machine and will clean a whole lot of brass in very short order!
However, Frankford/Battenfield Technology's 1 year warranty leaves a lot to be desired!

Strongly recommend you go to their website and read the terms-conditions of the "warranty" before spending the long buck... On any Frankford item.

GC

[Guncrank]

I just read a similar post on savage shooters. This is my reply/comments:

When the wet tumbling first got started, I was intrigued but noticed the peening on the surface of the brass and decided not to jump into the process. Shortly afterward, I saw an ad for pins that had rounded ends instead of clipped-or sharp-ends. Later, when I got my old rock tumbler running, I couldn't find the ad for the rounded end pins. Has anyone else heard of these pins? Seems that they might be the answer to the peening of the surface of brass.

After reading this thread and the idea of 'seasoning' the new pins, I thought--how about running the pins with something like steel BBs? Or a more aggressive compound--would rock tumbling media do anything to smooth off the edges? I'm still curious--what are your thoughts?

Most importantly, does anyone know where the 'rounded end' pins can be purchased??

Lastly, RE: HF sonic cleaner-I have the small one and it does a good job on cleaning but the batches are awfully small--15 or 20 .223s at a time. The worst thing about the HF model is that the timer is factory set to 9 or 10 minutes, so you have to babysit the thing and keep resetting the timer to get a longer run time.

Thanks for your attention, Steve

I hereby submit the same comments on this site. Any responses are welcome!!

Thanks again, Steve

Steve,

From all the investigations and reading on the subject of Peening on the surface of brass that I've done, the consensus is that it is a good thing. This because the peening imparts a random surface texture that inhibits the formation of micro cracks, which is the precursor to case failure.

However, from personal experience, the formation of peening of the case mouth is a real nuance and needs to be considered when washing/tumbling cases! This case mouth peening is a function of a couple factors...
1. Case size and mass. Larger-heavier cases = quicker, more severe peening of the case mouth.
2. Time spent in the washing machine. Longer was cycles = more severe case mouth peening.

What is happening that causes the case mouth's to be beat up?
In order to be cleaned, the cases are necessarily banging around in the tumbler, and when the case mouth of case A hits case B with a hard steel pin in between the two, wham-o a small mar is made to case A's mouth. Wash rinse repeat for several hours and you have a batch of brass that is in need of chamfering and deburring before you can properly run them through the sizing die.

So, it is strongly recommended that no matter which washing machine you choose, keep cycle times to the minimum necessary to yield the cleaning results desired/required. In short the larger and heavier the case, the shorter should be the wash time in order to minimize peening of the case mouth. Or, just expect that there will be some amount of deformation of the case mouth's and deal accordingly with it.

Should choose the home-brew route, I recommend two design criteria... First keep the RPM of the machine's wash drum to less than 60, but greater than 30.
Second, the baffles, paddles or agitator design inside the wash drum, I recommend they be made of a softer material. Do not use metal as that will enhance/speed peening of the cases.

All the above is observed from my personal experience washing countless thousand's of cases for well over 10 years now. This with several types-brands of machines both commercial as well as home-brew.

GC

[iomskp]

I looked at buying a wet tumbler years ago I think they were about $140.00 US plus about $40.00 freight, here in Australia they were about $500.00 AU when our dollar was about $1.10 US, I don't mind paying but if they are going to screw me at least kiss me first, so I made one out of bits and pieces I had in my shed, I can only do about 400 at a time but it has been going strong for about twenty years

[Ramson222]

I have the lyman wet tumbler. So far I have tumbled about 6000 cases. I like it because of the thick rubber ling and its large capacity. The only problem I have ever had with it was my fault. I overloaded it with a bunch of cast round ball. Thinking it could be used to remove the flat spot left from cutting the spruce. The fan that cools the motor ended up losing a blade. However it still works fine. I might call lyman to get a replacement someday.

[Earl Brasse]

Anyone have an MJR Tumbler?

[rmantoo]

I have used a thumblers tumbler for over 10 years and am happy that I've never had a problem with it.

That said, I wish Big Dawg was still making tumblers: When I have to clean, sometimes, almost 100lbs it takes quite a while in the small tumblers.