Tumbler reliability?????

[Typecaster]

Well, I guess I outsmarted myself (again). A few months ago I bought a Harbor Freight vibratory tumbler for cheap...and didn't think to get the extended warranty. I usually buy the 2-year warranty if it's something with a motor that I'm going to use a lot; if it dies, they just do an exchange. No questions, no hassles, and the store is just a couple miles away. And no, I never would buy HF for something for my business or if my reputation depends on absolute reliability.

The tumbler worked great, load after load...until yesterday. Now it hums, but the motor won't start, even when empty.

Since the design looks the same between the HF, Lyman, Frankford Arsenal (probably another one from China), have any of you had problems with Lyman or FA? If they all are equally bad, I might as well just buy another from HF and get the extended warranty...and just figure it's a fixed cost for 2 years.

[Rod B]

I have owned a RCBS tumbler for almost twenty years.

It's still going strong.

Sometimes cheaper ends up being more costly.:-D

[scb]

One of my Lyman's is well over 20 years old, and lately I've used it to tumble 50's in. The 50's are eating up the bowl thou so I'm gonna have to make something for them.

[dromia]

My Thumlers Tumbler has been rolling along for over 20 years.

Bought another one a couple of years ago to run wet with ceramic media for BP Cartridge.

Never had a desire for one of those vibratory types.

[2muchstuf]

My Midway 1292 been hummin right along for about 12 yrs.
I'm sure it hasn't been used as hard as some, but it has been used hard.
Don't remember the cost but it must have been reasonable to me at the time.

[BD]

I have a pair of Midway 1292s that have been at it for 10 and 13 years. They were guaranteed for life when I bought them and Midway put a new motor in the older one due to a recall/fire hazard back about 2000. No complaints so far.
BD

[testhop]

i have a dillon it is huge i can run 200 06 cases at one time and i have ran it sence thay came out never had a problum with it but with dillon i expect that

[jcwit]

I went through 3 Harbor Freight tumblers till I got my money back. Went to Cabela's and spent an extra $5 with lifetime "satisfaction" guarantee. Have used it 2 years now with no problem. One note about Cabela's alot of people don't realize they have a satisfaction guarantee, will even take back shoes if your'e not satisfied. What a deal.

[Marine Sgt 2111]

I have a Thumlers Tumbler that I bought when I was 18 years old and 2 drive belts and 34 years later....I have no complaints. I can't even imagine how many brass over the years I have tumbled.:grin:

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Buddy of mine has a Midway 1288 he's had since 1988. This year, the bearings wore out in the USA made motor and Midway sent him a new one. He took the motor out of the old one, took it up to a local industrial parts store and got two new bearings. Now he has two tumblers. The old one is running good as new now.

I have a Midway 1292. It's made in USA as well. Just because something looks like the same thing doesn't mean it is. I've had my tumbler since 1996 and it's still going strong. The motor is the same as my buddy's 1288 and is made by Jakel. It's a C frame motor that's typically used in HVAC applications. About the only thing that can go wrong with one is the bearings and those can be bought at any industrial parts store for less than ten bucks if they fail.

So don't make assumptions on these tumblers without asking. Electric motors are fairly simple devices and if they're machined right to begin with, the bearings are about the only failure point. If not, they'll fail fairly quickly. A tumbler is one of those things where you're better off buying a name brand. Especially since most of HF's small motor items are known to be pretty poor in quality. Just read any woodworking forum and you can see that.

Dave

[DLCTEX]

My midway tumbler is 16, same age as my youngest son, and both are still running well. The tumbler has done more work for me than the son. LOL DALE

[1hole]

It is common for the small "fan" motors used in tumblers to dry the oil in its bearings and freeze up. If you haven't burnt the motor windings all you should need to do is put a few drops of fine oil, gun oil will do, on the shaft and spin it enogh to free things up. Keep fresh oil in it, maybe every 3-4 months should do it.

[easy ed]

I have been using my Lyman Turbo Twin tumbler for 10 years or so. Used on all sizes of brass up to a 50. It's getting a little beat up, but still works fine.

Easy Ed

[Ed Barrett]

My midway tumbler is about 9 years old, never a problem. I had a used Lyman for about 5 years and the motor died, got another motor from Grainger and it worked fine for a couple of more years. I gave it to my son when he got out of the service about 12 years ago and he is still using it. I think $6.00 for the motor.

[Lloyd Smale]

ive got a frankfort arsonal a lyman and a big dillon and there all good tumblers. Only thing ill say in favor of the dillon is that it seems to agitate more and clean faster then the other two. Did you pull the screen off the bottom and see if something wasnt jaming the motor?

[rugerdude]

That's what happened to my 1292. One day it just stopped tumbling and would just hum. I took the motor out and took it apart to see what I could find. Nothing looked wrong, no burnt wires or evidence of too much heat. Put some oil on the bearings, wiped any dust off where I could reach, and blew everything off good with compressed air and then put it back together again. Works fine now. It took it 7 years to get to that point, so hopefully I can keep it running for several more years.

[RFWobbly]

I have 2 Dillons I bought used. Both are running strong. Must be 15 years old each.

[LAH]

I have a pair of Midway 1292s that have been at it for 10 and 13 years. They were guaranteed for life when I bought them and Midway put a new motor in the older one due to a recall/fire hazard back about 2000. No complaints so far.
BD

+1 BD

[9.3X62AL]

+1 for the Thumler. I have the larger one, it is almost 25 years old now. 6 or 7 belts, and now on its third set of axles (recently changed out)--it is one of my most reliable and trouble-free tools in any venue.

[dukers65]

i got one from cabelas about 7 yrs ago, the lid is all cracked and cabelasw said they can no longer get a lid and left it at thar. i may try one of midways.

[jcwit]

Dunkers65 I would try again at Cabelas. I was told by their mgr that they would honor a lifetime warrenty. If I were you I'd take the whole tumbler in and ask (demand) a new one. Other than that it wouldn't be to hard to take a piece of plexiglass & drill a hole in it. BTW I would assume we go to the same Cabelas at Dundee.