DIY Brass Wet Tumbler

[wquiles]

I wanted one, but did not wanted to pay the price for one, so I made my own. My inspiration was this one, which I found in youtube, as to me it was simple, cheap, and elegant:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNwLEC_0u5M




Of course I decided to weld mine, since I wanted to make it heavy duty "enough" to load it with as much weight as I need without worrying about it. Using the poster's idea I started by buying some Gamma Leads on Amazon:
http://m3coupe.com/Welding/Brass_Wet_Tumbler/IMG_20141115_144730.jpg




To make the steel frame, I had to align the side arms with the tapered body of the plastic buckets (by they way, do NOT buy these from Lowes. These were out of round and are too thin. I should have tried the ones from Home Depot first - lesson learned!):
http://m3coupe.com/Welding/Brass_Wet_Tumbler/IMG_20141116_131407.jpg


http://m3coupe.com/Welding/Brass_Wet_Tumbler/IMG_20141116_143336.jpg






I spot welded the 4 pieces and checked alignment - close enough:
http://m3coupe.com/Welding/Brass_Wet_Tumbler/IMG_20141122_134423.jpg


http://m3coupe.com/Welding/Brass_Wet_Tumbler/IMG_20141122_135825.jpg






I cut the arms that will hold the skate wheels, drilled them on my milling machine:
http://m3coupe.com/Welding/Brass_Wet_Tumbler/IMG_20141122_141145.jpg


http://m3coupe.com/Welding/Brass_Wet_Tumbler/IMG_20141122_143613.jpg

[wquiles]

Then checked alignment, and spot welded them:
http://m3coupe.com/Welding/Brass_Wet_Tumbler/IMG_20141122_145254.jpg


http://m3coupe.com/Welding/Brass_Wet_Tumbler/IMG_20141122_150515.jpg


http://m3coupe.com/Welding/Brass_Wet_Tumbler/IMG_20141122_150525.jpg






Mounted the wheels and checked, and then welded everything in place:
http://m3coupe.com/Welding/Brass_Wet_Tumbler/IMG_20141122_151422.jpg


http://m3coupe.com/Welding/Brass_Wet_Tumbler/IMG_20141122_153044.jpg


http://m3coupe.com/Welding/Brass_Wet_Tumbler/IMG_20141122_153050.jpg






I then started work on the motor placement, and the support/mounting arms, and welded them in place:
http://m3coupe.com/Welding/Brass_Wet_Tumbler/IMG_20141122_154604.jpg


http://m3coupe.com/Welding/Brass_Wet_Tumbler/IMG_20141122_161525.jpg


http://m3coupe.com/Welding/Brass_Wet_Tumbler/IMG_20141122_164905.jpg

[wquiles]

For supporting the other side of the motor, I made some small pieces and cut them to allow for welding them in an "L" pattern for added strength:
http://m3coupe.com/Welding/Brass_Wet_Tumbler/IMG_20141122_172845.jpg


http://m3coupe.com/Welding/Brass_Wet_Tumbler/IMG_20141122_173325.jpg




Checked everything for alignment:
http://m3coupe.com/Welding/Brass_Wet_Tumbler/IMG_20141123_113957.jpg




Bolted the motor down, and started work on the rear positioning wheel:
http://m3coupe.com/Welding/Brass_Wet_Tumbler/IMG_20141123_124734.jpg




This is when I discovered that the tumbler was more stable and consistent if it was tilted a little, so I added a spacer:
http://m3coupe.com/Welding/Brass_Wet_Tumbler/IMG_20141123_124958.jpg


http://m3coupe.com/Welding/Brass_Wet_Tumbler/IMG_20141123_131032.jpg




Went to my lathe and made a custom sleeve for the motor's shaft, with a groove to closely match the contact surface for better traction:
http://m3coupe.com/Welding/Brass_Wet_Tumbler/IMG_20141123_132243.jpg


http://m3coupe.com/Welding/Brass_Wet_Tumbler/IMG_20141123_135423.jpg


http://m3coupe.com/Welding/Brass_Wet_Tumbler/IMG_20141123_140422.jpg

[wquiles]

I don't want to have to remember (hard to do with me getting old and such!), so I added this nifty timer:
http://m3coupe.com/Welding/Brass_Wet_Tumbler/IMG_20141123_154521.jpg


http://m3coupe.com/Welding/Brass_Wet_Tumbler/IMG_20141123_154613.jpg




I then added the internal baffles to the bucket. These are "not" optional - you need them to properly agitage the brass against the SS media - otherwise as the bucket turns everything slides inside the bucket and very little cleaning takes place:
http://m3coupe.com/Welding/Brass_Wet_Tumbler/IMG_20141123_160213.jpg




I noted the rotation of the bucket and made them "directional" to the rotation (you can easily see here how thin these crappy buckets are!):
http://m3coupe.com/Welding/Brass_Wet_Tumbler/IMG_20141123_161348.jpg




Sealed them with Silicone and screws, and of course tested them for a while - no leaks!:
http://m3coupe.com/Welding/Brass_Wet_Tumbler/IMG_20141123_161357.jpg


http://m3coupe.com/Welding/Brass_Wet_Tumbler/IMG_20141123_163417.jpg




I gave the frame a very light sanding, and painted it flat black:
http://m3coupe.com/Welding/Brass_Wet_Tumbler/IMG_20141123_183539.jpg




I then added and welded the "raiser" arm keep it tilted backwards a little:
http://m3coupe.com/Welding/Brass_Wet_Tumbler/IMG_20141124_163528.jpg


http://m3coupe.com/Welding/Brass_Wet_Tumbler/IMG_20141124_163928.jpg


http://m3coupe.com/Welding/Brass_Wet_Tumbler/IMG_20141124_164819.jpg

[wquiles]

After painting the new raiser, I have the finalized tumbler:
http://m3coupe.com/Welding/Brass_Wet_Tumbler/IMG_20141124_174535.jpg


http://m3coupe.com/Welding/Brass_Wet_Tumbler/IMG_20141124_174550.jpg




How well does it work? Amazing. These were 45-70 brass that I already had cleaned in my standard vibratory tumbler with walnut media. Look at all of the dirt/debris and how dirty the water looked on brass that had already been "cleaned" on a standard tumbler!
http://m3coupe.com/Welding/Brass_Wet_Tumbler/IMG_20141124_181326.jpg


http://m3coupe.com/Welding/Brass_Wet_Tumbler/IMG_20141124_181253.jpg


http://m3coupe.com/Welding/Brass_Wet_Tumbler/IMG_20141124_181304.jpg


http://m3coupe.com/Welding/Brass_Wet_Tumbler/IMG_20141124_181311.jpg




This is the media that I bought:
http://m3coupe.com/Welding/Brass_Wet_Tumbler/DSCF2084.JPG




This is the recommended "formula" and ratios. I just eye-ball it and used a little "Simple Green" for the soap and Citric Acid powder (very little):
http://m3coupe.com/Welding/Brass_Wet_Tumbler/DSCF2087.JPG




The system runs great, but I need a better bucket that is not out of round as this ones from Lowes. I will edit and post the video shortly.


Will

[nrdewalt]

Looks good. How much can you tumble at once?

[wquiles]

Looks good. How much can you tumble at once?

I have not tried to see the max. yet, but so far I have been able to tumble easily with the bucket + water + cases + media at about 26 pounds (bucket water level was about 1/2 way). I suspect I should be able to do like 40-50 pounds (combined).

[wquiles]

Here is a video of the tumbler running:

http://youtu.be/mZvMY9tJfsI

[Elkins45]

Very nice! I'll bet it doesn't take long to do a load at that speed. I had never seen the push button timer either, but now I really want one to hook my tumbler or lube heater to.

What are your internal baffles made from? Is that plastic resin or PVC quarter round?

[rondog]

Very nice! If you have a band saw, welder, welding table, lathe, shop, steel, etc. at your disposal. Most of us don't.

Myself, I just bought a small cement mixer at Harbor Freight and 25lbs of SS pins. It works wonderfully and I can tumble approx. 20-25lbs of brass at once. Drawback is that it's a warm weather/outdoors only method. I'd really like to get one of the Thumler or Frankford Arsenal tumblers for smaller batches and indoor use.

Building my own just isn't an option. But it's awesome that you were able to! I hope it serves you well for many years!

[JASON4X4]

Congratulations they work great. I built a big dawn model last year and love it.

[kbstenberg]

How does your buckets cover attach to the bucket? My cover screws onto the pail with a rubber gasket inside. An I still had water leakage out of the bucket until I angled mine to almost 50 deg.
I used an old clothes drier as my tumbler.

[6bg6ga]

Very nice work. Now that you have shown the concept and your design it would be easy to make for someone without a welder simply by bolting it together. Everything you have put together could actually be made by someone that doesn't have the tools you do. One comment if I may....with respect to the turned motor drive pulley I would have used a store bought rubber pulley because as pointed out not all people have a lathe.

[jmorris]

I was going to use a 5 gallon bucket on mine but then I noticed how much stronger the 12.7gal buckets chlorine comes in are and used two of them.

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o213/jmorrismetal/reloading/SST/DSC02444.jpg

I made it as simple as I could, a used gear motor and lovejoy coupling off eBay for $30 and a pair of bearings and 1" shaft I had. The one bucket is bolted to the plate the motor turns and is slotted for the handles of #2 bucket that serves as the "key" for the drive.

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o213/jmorrismetal/reloading/SST/DSC02490.jpg

I used 1/2" plastic for the agitators.

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o213/jmorrismetal/reloading/SST/2.jpg

[wquiles]

Very nice! I'll bet it doesn't take long to do a load at that speed. I had never seen the push button timer either, but now I really want one to hook my tumbler or lube heater to.

What are your internal baffles made from? Is that plastic resin or PVC quarter round?
It is synthetic trim/molding from Lowes - probably plastic resin stuff. It cuts easily with a knife.




How does your buckets cover attach to the bucket? My cover screws onto the pail with a rubber gasket inside. An I still had water leakage out of the bucket until I angled mine to almost 50 deg.
I used an old clothes drier as my tumbler.
The Gamma Lid is a two part system. The base has an inner gasket and is press fit into the lip of the bucket. The actual lid screws into this base, and also has a gasket. As long as you close it tight, there is zero water leaks:
http://www.uline.com/Product/ProductDetailRootItem.Aspx?modelnumber=S-17945&pricode=WG17&AdKeyword=gamma%20lids&AdMatchtype=e&gclid=CjwKEAiA1-CjBRDOhIr_-vPDvQYSJAB48SmEqm3V8XLGFsrkdbYvUmY4wSF7jVTT3ZKs1iw 2A4uFvBoCnZrw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds




I was going to use a 5 gallon bucket on mine but then I noticed how much stronger the 12.7gal buckets chlorine comes in are and used two of them
Awesome - I get they are more "round" than the ones I used. I have to see if they make the Gamma Lid in larger sizes - that would be a great upgrade. Thanks!

[oley55]

here's my home made:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?144547-Home-Made-Tumbler-Plans-with-Pulley-Size-and-Drum-explained/page2

[wquiles]

Very nice!

[1066]

Excellent job - Is the motor spring loaded to control tension?

This is a tiny little one I made thirty odd years ago just for my .32 S&W Long competition pistol brass. This is a conventional dry tumbler with a 6 hours clockwork timer.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v639/allan1066/Shooting%20bits/th_Tumblerwith6hrtimer1985.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/allan1066/media/Shooting%20bits/Tumblerwith6hrtimer1985.jpg.html)