Homemade brass tumblers ? In the process of one now.

[DODGEM250]

I've decided to build my own brass tumbler using my "R.E.D" I'm wondering if anyone else has built their own and what tricks / method of madness have you come up with. I won't be doing a ton o' brass, so, my tumbler will be quite simple, but, I find the ideas out there are plenty. Redneck Engineering Degree is in full affect.

[ReloaderFred]

I've made a couple of them over the years. On the two I made, I used two 1/2" diameter rods covered with rubber hose for the rollers, and 1 gallon plastic pickle/mayonaise jars for the barrels. I used 1" thick oak for the ends and just drilled 1/2" holes for the rollers, with a small hole drilled from the top for oil. No bearings were needed with the oak, as long as they were kept oiled.

For a motor, I used an old sump cooler motor and geared it down with pulleys and drove it with a small rubber belt. I finally gave the last one away after about 3 years of constant use, and it was still going strong. I mounted the whole thing on some 3/4" plywood, since that was what I had at the time.

I also put three pieces of 1/2" wooden dowel inside the "barrels" about 1" from the wall, and evenly spaced, from the mouth to the base. These acted as stirrers so the media and brass didn't just slide along the slick walls of the barrel. Don't make the rollers longer than two 1 gallon jugs, as there is too much flex and the barrels will slip through and jam everything up. I found that out with my first one, making it long enough to hold 3 one gallon jugs. It didn't work out, so I shortened it to hold 2 jugs and it worked much better.

My second one had a timer from an old clothes dryer on it, but it didn't allow enough cycle time, as I'd have to run it twice to get the sparkle I like on my brass.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[Lawyerman]

While not really "home made" I use a Harbor Freight plastic tub concrete mixer with good results. Never have to do more than "one batch" of cases!

[jmorris]

This is a link to one I built it's not a little one but is pretty simple in design.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=135223


If you don't already have the "stuff" to build a little one the cheap China ones will be the most cost effective.

[Ziptar]

One Word: Ronco (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showpost.php?p=1255004&postcount=25) :-D

http://www.ziptar.com/reloading/Tumbler_Experiment/Tumbler_Version_2_07.jpg

It's been working great! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWEUQHX0PLA)

[jmorris]

Went looking to see what speed it rotated at as most rotisseries are very slow, once I found out it cost $100 I quit looking for the info. So how long does it take to get clean cases with it?

Looks like a good adaption to me those can be a PITA to clean after cooking chicken.


http://www.cooking.com/products/shprodde.asp?SKU=273894&CCAID=CKSCPDSHPG&mr:referralID=ba4fd160-33d2-11e1-a486-001b2166c2c0

[Ziptar]

$100.00??!!?? Mine was free no way I'd Pay that for one even for cooking.

I'm sure they turn up at yard or rummage sales cheap enough. Also check craigslist, I just checked and there are two near me up for sale for $20 and $25. I sold the heating element I took out of it, the racks and other accesories on eBay a while back for ~$45.00.

The Barrel of cheese balls will run you ~$5.00 at the grocery store.

I was in Ocean State Job Lots (local version of Big Lots but, better) a couple of weeks ago and they had the Mini version for $12.00. I almost grabbed one, figured it might be good for small batches but, decided I allready had too many undone projects to work on already.

I don't know what the rotational speed is but, its plenty fast enough to tumble brass.

I use the Lizard Litter Crushed Walnut Pet Bedding from the pet store with a couple of ounces of 50:50 Nu-Finish and Mineral Spirits added in and some cut up fabric softener sheet. The more brass and media the better it works. I never run it as empty as it is in the video anymore. I've also given up on mixing in the corn cob pet bedding, its useless and a waste of time. I bought a 40lb bag of the corn cob blasting media from drill spot and when it comes time to change the media again I'm going to use that. It should polish better.

Normally 2 hours is plenty of tumbling time. Brass comes out like this:
http://www.ziptar.com/reloading/Tumbler_Experiment/Brass_Tumbled_by_Ronco.jpg

[rasto]

The tumblers have main problem to clean a primer pocket effectively.
I bought an ultrasonic cleaner for few bucks fill it with hot water (it doesn't heat by it self). The most important thing is to place a citric acid in it and after 15 minutes it is clean from inside out like yours just from out.

But if you prefer tumbling why not it is up to you.

[jmorris]

$100.00??!!?? Mine was free no way I'd Pay that for one even for cooking.

That's what they are at the link above and I agree, at the store I can get a rotisserie chicken cheaper than an uncooked one. Be a good canidate for wet tumbling with a water tight jug.





The tumblers have main problem to clean a primer pocket effectively.



You can clean inside and out with a tumbler. The one I built will do thousands at a time and they come out like this.

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o213/jmorrismetal/reloading/SST/c.jpg

[Ziptar]

The tumblers have main problem to clean a primer pocket effectively.
I bought an ultrasonic cleaner for few bucks fill it with hot water (it doesn't heat by it self). The most important thing is to place a citric acid in it and after 15 minutes it is clean from inside out like yours just from out.

But if you prefer tumbling why not it is up to you.

It does all come down to preference and I prefer to tumble with corn cob or Walnut with some Nu-Finish

The main reason for cleaning brass is to remove dirt and grit that would scratch the dies, shiny is just an added benefit. I don't need it to sparkle like diamonds and I've never had a primer pocket so dirty after tumbling in walnut that it gave me problems.

The ultrasonic, citric acid and hot water does clean the insides and primer pockets better and cleans quickly no doubt. However its is only cleaning.

Tumbling using corn cob or walnut and Nu-Finish cleans and polishes the brass. The Nu-Finish gives the brass a coat of wax that keeps the brass from tarnishing again quickly and also leaves a nice slick surface that helps a bit when sizing the brass.

When I've got some particularly sooty or dirty brass I'll give them a quick wash in Lemi-Shine, hot water and a drop of dish soap, then a rinse and let them dry. I do it so the gunk doesn't wind up in my media, just as easy to wash it away. I once did that with a batch of brass and then left it sit for a few weeks. When I came back to it, it was dull and tarnished. After I ran them through the walnut and Nu-Finish they looked great again.

I've got allot of brass and it will often sit for a long time after it's tumbled before it gets loaded. I've got brass that I've tumbled a year ago that still looks as good as the day it came out of the tumbler. If I'd just used the Citric Acid alone it wouldn't.

I also will load all winter and shoot all spring and summer. The Nu-Finish keeps the tarnish off them from handling and storage so months later when I go to use them they not only still look great but are smooth, slick, and not crudded up with tarnish.

[rasto]

Copy that ;-)
After citric acid the brass needs to be rinse very well to prevent oxidation.

All the best 2012.