Does anyone have a Thumlers Vibratory Tumbler? Eastwood? Good working Lyman?

[Alan in Vermont]

My Midway 1292 tumbler may be down for the count. It just up and quit the other day. I'm not giving up on finding a motor for it but the bowl is worn through in some spots, maybe fixable, maybe not.

I bought a Lyman 1200 Auto-Flo *** last fall. Between taking longer to do a smaller batch than the Midway the drain out the bottom "feature" amounted to having to stand there and babysit the thing for several minutes and then STILL have to dump the cases in a sifter to get the media out of them. I gave it to my son after I told him it was a *** and he still wanted it.

Anyhow, Thumler's Tumblers, the barrel kind, are pretty much the standard in the rock polishing hobby. No feedback anywhere that I can find on their vibratory model. Does anyone have one? How does it work, what is the noise level like?

They are expensive but bigger than normal. The Lyman wasn't cheap but it was junk, IMO so it lost on both ends. Anyone have the Lyman 2500 Magnum without the Auto-Flo? Those are available for a pretty reasonable price but if they don't work any better than the one I just wasted money on they are not worth a nickle.

The Eastwood Company has a BIG tumbler, 15" diameter bowl rated for 18 lb. loads. I have some other Eastwood tools and while generally expensive they also seem to work as intended and last long.

I've got to do something, I'm not going back to my little Thumlers barrel (actually a 1 qt. can (: ) tumbler except as a last resort.

I just realized I posted this in the wrong forum. MOds, can one of you move this over to "Reloading Equipment?

[M Hicks]

I have the Lyman 2500 Magnum but it does not have the auto flo feature. I use an RCBS media separator to get the media out. It is fast and I seldom have media left over. I purchased it about 10 years ago. When I first used it that was how I cleaned my brass with walnut or corn cob media. A year ago I made a SS pin tumbler for the cleaning and shining. I still use the Lyman with walnut but it is to dry the cases after tumbling in the SS.

I used to run the Lyman anywhere from 2 to 20 hours at a time. Now it gets run 30 minutes for each batch of brass I have to dry. I have a lot of hours on it and it still runs strong. Hope this helps a little.

[Circuit Rider]

Alan, I got rid of my Lyman 1200 also. Bought a Thumlers and 3 lb of SS pins from Buffalo Arms last fall and haven't looked back. I put 400 223 Lake City cases, once fired and deprimed in with water covering the brass about an inch, 1 heaping tablespoon of Citric Acid powder and a couple squirts of Lemi-Shine. After 1 1/2 hours they looked like new. I'll never have another vibratory tumbler for my use. CR

[Sweetpea]

I have had a Lyman 2500 for about 7 years now... it has sure seen some heavy use!

I've left it running days on end, and never a hiccup.

[Alan in Vermont]

I have had a Lyman 2500 for about 7 years now... it has sure seen some heavy use!

I've left it running days on end, and never a hiccup.

How many cases, let's say 38, 45 and 270/30-36 size will the 2500 hold?

[ReloaderFred]

I have two Thumler's Ultra-Vibe 18 (UV-18) tumblers that are running most of the time. I also have a Berry's tumbler that also runs most of the time. The UV-18 is a great tumbler. I've had one of them for over 25 years, and the other one was purchased used about 10 years ago. I wore one motor out on the older one and replaced the motor with a new one from Thumler's, but if I had it to do over again, I would have just purchased a motor from Graingers for less money.

I highly recommend the UV-18's, as well as the Berry's. The UV-18's are quieter than the Berry's, but the cost difference is substantial, too. I've gotten great service from these three tumblers and could recommend them to anyone.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[Sweetpea]

As to size, I was tumbling over 400 .308s the other day and still could have put more in.

[Buzzard II]

I bought the heavy duty Thumlers and the stainless steel pins from Buffalo Arms and would not trade it for a vibratory bowl of any price. I knock out the primers before cleaning brass and the primer pockets look like new! I pre-wash the brass I use for bp and it comes out looking great. Works for me!

[Bonz]

Just before Christmas, I bought a Lyman 2500 Pro Magnum Turbo tumbler. I did get to use it for about a week and now its on a UPS truck on the way to Lyman (cost me $20 to ship out of my pocket). Good thing I still have my Hornady M-2 to clean with while I wait...

If I had it to do all over again, I would definately go with the wet tumbler with stainless steel pins route and use a vibratory tumbler to dry them off !

[Dan Cash]

I have 2 Thumbler's UV 18s and my experience mirrors ReloaderFred almost exactly. If I ever buy a rotary tumbler or "wet" tumbler, it will be a cememt mixer. Messing with wet brass is baloney.

[VHoward]

I have the Lyman 1200 without the auto media drain thingy. It has given trouble free service for the last three years. I now use the wet stainless steel pin method to clean the fired brass in. The Lyman only gets used for the loaded .223 rounds to get the case lube off after reloading.

[rda72927]

I have the Lyman 1200 without the auto media drain thingy. It has given trouble free service for the last three years. I now use the wet stainless steel pin method to clean the fired brass in. The Lyman only gets used for the loaded .223 rounds to get the case lube off after reloading.

Your thumbling loaded .223?

[GARCIA]

Have had a UV18 since at least 1986.
Still working and doing what it was designed to do.
Had purchased it from MIDWAY and shipped over to what was then West Germany where I was stationed at the time in the military.

Tom

[chsparkman]

I have a vibratory Thumblers that I purchased shortly before I switched to the rotary/ss method. It's only been used once. I'd be willing to sell for 60% of a new one plus shipping.

[shotman4]

rda
you have to mix the powder so it works . They shoot better, also the powder helps clean the inside of the cases

[Horace]

Thumler's Ultra-Vibe 18 (UV-18) tumblers are stong the motors can gotten at Graingers very good unit. Horace

[Alan in Vermont]

I bought the Thumler's unit that chsparkman offered earlier in this thread. I arrived late yesterday and was put to work immediately. This is one amazing unit!! The contents of the bowl keep right on swirling around, even when it is filled to the top. And it is quiet! The noise level is such that it can barely be heard outside the shed, from inside it is about as loud as the cooling fan on my welder, just a slight hum in the background. It is built like a tank as well. 1/4" thick bowl and lid and perfectly smooth inside, none of the molded in ribs like the lesser brands use to stiffen a much thinner bowl. The bowl is also quite a bit bigger than usual, this one holds 900 pcs. of .40 brass per batch and still has plenty of room for lots of media.

Thank you Chris!

[rodsvet]

I agree on the Thumblers. I recently had a friend give me one as he is not a reloader. It is very quiet and built like a tank. I've had Dillon (junk), Midway, Berry's (good), and a Lyman (junk). This is a keeper. Rod

[march41]

I have a thumbler mod B many years of use,works great with ceramic media,they are good to deal with.

[march41]

I also had a rcbs vib type for 1 day,it did not work,made in china,poor guarentee,returned to store.

[wv109323]

I have a UV-18 and it is very good tumbler.Mine is well over 30 years old. I have gone through one motor and got a replacement from Thumbler. The problem with the motors is they have sleeve bushings. The sleeve bushings are designed not to take end thrust. The motor shaft is mounted vertically and the weight of the rotor puts thrust on the bushings. Eventually in about 25 years the bushings wear and allow the rotor to pole and short out.
Thumblers tumblers does offer a commercial grade tumbler that has bearings in the motor. They should last a lifetime if you want to spring for the extra cash.
I could not find a direct replacement from Graingers for my unit.

[John Boy]

Now it gets run 30 minutes for each batch of brass I have to dry.M Hicks ... want to cut your drying time down to less than 5 minutes?
How to Dry Wet Brass in Under 2 Minutes! (http://www.theopenrange.net/forum/index.php?topic=7653.0)