Case cleaning tumble or vibrate????

[abunaitoo]

Which is better Tumble or vibrate????
I vibrate. I've never tried tumble.
I'd like to find out which cleans better in the least amount of time, and which is quieter.

[Old Ironsights]

Most tumblers are too small...

So this guy built a bigger one.

http://www.acc.umu.se/~widmark/tumbler.jpg

http://www.acc.umu.se/~widmark/lwtrumle.html

Got a wheelbarrow full of brass to clean? :shock:

[montana_charlie]

You really need an opinion from someone who does (or has done) both. That's not me, as I recently got my first tumbler, and it's the rotary type.

I expect that a rotary would last longer than a vibrator, simply because of the way the motion is developed...less violence on the materials. As for noise, mine makes a low-pitched rumble which is easy to ignore after hearing it for a few minutes.

The main difference, in my opinion, is the ability to use wet media in the rotary style. If you wanted to use that type of material, it would probably slosh out of a vibrator.
CM

[AlaskaMike]

That's probably the coolest tumbler I've ever seen! I love the brick--um, I mean harmonic vibration dampener!

Mike

[ANeat]

I really like the tire tumbler:-D

I used a 5 gallon bucket to make mine, can do about 20 pounds at a time:mrgreen:

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h165/aneat/tumbler.jpg

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h165/aneat/tumbler2.jpg

[Old Ironsights]

That's probably the coolest tumbler I've ever seen! I love the brick--um, I mean harmonic vibration dampener!

Mike

Doubles as a Gerbil Trainer too... :twisted:

[ovendoctor]

looks like a good idea should run with a lot less noize:drinks:

I see a 10.00/20 in the future [wat do you think redneck dan]

:redneck:

[Jon K]

Cool idea- Tire Tumbler.
Looks like an exellent use of parts available.
What do you use for media in it?

I use both rotary & vibrating tumblers, and to your question, there is no right or wrong, or should I say best tumbler answer. Each has it's advantages and usage. I use the rotary tumbler for straight wall cases 38 cal and larger w/ceramic media.
I use vibrating tumbler for BN & smaller caliber cases.
I'm sure everyone has their own way to do case cleaning, that's mine.

Have Fun Shooting,
Jon
:castmine:

[DLCTEX]

At least he had enough sense to use a brick for weight insted of wasting lead for the purpose. Dale

[redneckdan]

vibratory cleaners take much longer than tumblers. we have both at work. the tumbler is used for cleaning, the vibrator is used for deburring with stones and a mysterious liquid labled "vibrator juice".

[imashooter2]

I used a tumbler for a few years. Vibratory is faster. Both produced the same finish.

The only reasons I can see to choose tumbling is to do huge quantities (ala cement mixer) or wet cleaning for black powder, etc..

[melw]

Most tumblers are too small...

So this guy built a bigger one.

http://www.acc.umu.se/~widmark/tumbler.jpg

http://www.acc.umu.se/~widmark/lwtrumle.html

Got a wheelbarrow full of brass to clean? :shock:

Reading this guys page he was using it to tumble rocks!
He wore out a tire in only three months. I bet that if you wanted to use one for brass it would last a lot longer.
Mel W.

[mazo kid]

I'll go along with Jon K, I have both and use the rotary (Lortone) to clean black powder cases with ceramic media. They come out CLEAN, then if I want to, I'll put the cases in the vibratory with corn cob to put a higher shine to them. Vibratory is noisier; both do nice work. Emery

[ChrisK]

I'm currently using a cement mixer as well as a vibratory cleaner. The cement mixer is much slower cleaning. I'm sure if I was able to change the gearing on the thing and had it tumble faster the results might be different.

[1hole]

Well, restricting ourselves to common commercially available case cleaner/polishers, there are sound reasons viberators have pretty much captured the market away from the older tumblers.

[ChrisK]

Well, restricting ourselves to common commercially available case cleaner/polishers, there are sound reasons viberators have pretty much captured the market away from the older tumblers.

Vibrators have their place, so do tumblers. When tumbling .50 bmg or very large quantities of brass, it's very hard to find a vibrator (if they even make one, I'm using the largest Dillon) that can handle it. The cement mixer is great, but I've got it rigged for a 5 gal bucket and it really doesn't hold too much more than the Dillon.