Need advice for using HF dual drum tumbler

[Bmi48219]

Just picked up a HF dual drum tumbler. I plan on cleaning: .45 acp, .30 carbine & 9 mm. Rather than searching through a gazillion posts & U tubes, I am hoping a forum member can recommend some starting points so I don't have to spend weeks experimenting:

1) What size SS pins to use?
2) How much should I fill drum with brass (1/2 full or?)
3) What volume of pins per drum ( 1 cup or?)
4) how much Lemi Shine per drum
5) how much Dawn per drum
6) how about auto wash & wax?

thanks

[dudel]

The HF drums work fine; but you might want to research using a single piece of 4"PVC. Works nice.

1) don't remember the size; but small enough not to get stuck in the flashhole.
2) 1/2 full is about right, that's why the single PVC tube works well.
3) Not exact, but about a handful should do it. That and about two handfuls of brass. About 150 9mm give or take.
4) I use 1/8 tsp on my FART; but much less in the HF. Really doesn't take much. Too much and you end up with rose colored stains on the brass. Doesn't take much. A pinch would work for the HF. CORRECTION. 1/2 tsp for the FART, 1/4 tsp for the HF.
5) Don't use any Dawn
6) I use a capful of Blue Coral in the water. Water about 3/4" from the top of the drum. Remember to push the top till it seats on the ledge of the drum.


Because the drum is smooth (compared to the FART), it needs to run almost twice as long to get as clean. 90 minutes in the FART, 3 hours in the HF. HF will be much quieter though.

I found the FART to be very good when cleaning large amounts, the HF works well for smaller amounts.

[Bmi48219]

Thanks dudel, that was exactly the info I am looking for. I will look into 4" PVC. I am guessing I could cement two or three " speed bumps" on the inside walls of PVC tube to get better agitation of the brass.

[gsdelong]

Cabelas is selling Lyman ss pins for 5 ponds for $25 seem to work fine.

[Pee Wee]

I use dish soap from the dollar tree, one teaspoon full and lemy shine 1 tablespoon. I tumble for an hour and brass looks like new, inside and out.

[Russ in WY]

How are U-all seprating the S/S pins when U have finished tumbling ???? Am looking into this method
to clean brass that is stained pretty bad. Tks for any info Russ...

[rwadley]

I have seen both magnets and sieves to segregate the pins from the brass.

[dudel]

I use an RCBS media separator for large batches. For small batches, a sieve that nests in a bowl. Widened up some of the small slots at the bottom to allow pins to exit. Pins seem to separate more easily when brass is covered in water.

[LAKEMASTER]

I went to the home depot and bought a length of 4 in pvc, 2 test plugs, and 2 knock out caps.

Made one tub for tumbling, one with 60 + 3/8 holes to drain the pins.

I tumble with citric acid only, (I live in dry desert) and transfer the pins in a big tote to the sorting drum to collect the pins that sort out.

Imo, Im only using the tumbler for brass until I can find time to build a larger tumbler...

The hf tumbler will be dedicated for tumbling bullets in powder coat....

[Pee Wee]

I use a dillon media separator, you should get a good size magnet as when you drain your drum pins will come out. Now I use to do this outside and fill the separator with water and dump the brass in and spin the brass in the water, that was a mess, now rinse in tumbler drum a couple times and then spin in separator with out water. Dry in hydrater.