Steel pin wet tumbler

[Tenbender]

For all you guys that have been putting off buying a wet pin tumbler, don't do it ! Best investment I could of ever made. Tell Mama to get you one for Christmas. That is all that believe in Christmas. lol Most is my guess. Did I say clean ?
I am starting to get mad though. I almost have all my brass clean. What will I do after deer season ?

[marquitawatts]

Which brand do u have and please share more detail


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[XDROB]

Have trying to source parts to build one. Maybe I should just buy one. What's the best one out there?
I'm not looking for necessarily the most inexpensive one. One that will last the longest.

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[jmort]

Setting aside cost, I would get one from Southern Shine. The high quality rock tumblers are real nice as well. I went with the Frankford Arsenal. I am happy with it and would get it again. $155 delivered from Amazon. Owner reviews are excellent.
https://www.amazon.com/Platinum-Series-Rotary-Tumbler-7L/dp/B00HTN4R6O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1478483209&sr=8-1&keywords=frankford+arsenal+wet+tumbler

[NyFirefighter357]

Jewelers have been cleaning/polishing with tumblers for years. I love my Frankford Arsenal tumbler, I also have a duel HF tumbler. I use different medias depending on what I want cleaned or polished. I use SS pins, jewelers media mix, mixed used ball bearings & I also have SS cuts from nail points. I tumble just about anything. Rusty parts & tools, jewelry, cart. brass, small engine carb. (it got all that corrosion out), brass house numbers and alike things. I also cleaned all my copper plumbing fittings with it & if I know I have a plumbing project I put all the copper fittings I think I need and some more and tumble them, saves on having to clean them piece by piece. I worked out a pretty good method for brass.

[NyFirefighter357]

I'm building another with a windshield wiper motor and bucket with a screw top. All you need is some wood, a couple of casters and a power source & a 3 pole switch. Pretty cheap and easy.

[Bayou52]

I enjoy good looking brass as well. Using a Thumler's model B high speed:


http://i1244.photobucket.com/albums/gg578/Bayou413/IMG_20160617_091504_zpsjxf3vrvz.jpg (http://s1244.photobucket.com/user/Bayou413/media/IMG_20160617_091504_zpsjxf3vrvz.jpg.html)


http://i1244.photobucket.com/albums/gg578/Bayou413/KINDLE_CAMERA_1394110436000_zpsjt709idc.jpg (http://s1244.photobucket.com/user/Bayou413/media/KINDLE_CAMERA_1394110436000_zpsjt709idc.jpg.html)


http://i1244.photobucket.com/albums/gg578/Bayou413/IMG_20150611_111556_zpsvmsnexwm.jpg (http://s1244.photobucket.com/user/Bayou413/media/IMG_20150611_111556_zpsvmsnexwm.jpg.html)

[Tenbender]

Which brand do u have and please share more detail


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I bought the Frankford Arsenal. Priced right and does a great job.

[Mauser48]

Even after 4 hours my harbor freight tumbler just isn't getting the primer pockets totally clean. It definitely does very good on the inside of the necks on the rifle cases but I don't think it does perfect. All the heavy stuff is out but it still looks a little black where I see a lot of peoples looks totally shiny in the neck.

[Traffer]

I built one with a windshield wiper motor. They work as good as can be. I haven't tried to roll a big bucket but anything one gallon or smaller is a piece of cake. I suspect that it would even push a 5 gal bucket. I just don't need anything that big. Started out with applesauce jars. Applesauce jars are good because they are uneven sided. You don't even need ribs on the inside to "flop" the media. Now I am making one from a one gallon round drink cooler. Cutting plastic pipe in half like a "d" and will fix that to the inside for the flop action.
Really you can make them out of just about anything. I have seen folks use front load washing machines...if you need 50 Billion cased done at a time. I am using cheap zinc coated bb's for media. Burned the zinc off with muriatic acid. Just keep them from rusting and your good to go.


I'm building another with a windshield wiper motor and bucket with a screw top. All you need is some wood, a couple of casters and a power source & a 3 pole switch. Pretty cheap and easy.

[XDROB]

What is semi-shine and where do you find it?

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[XDROB]

That would be lemi-shine.

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[Bayou52]

Yes, as XDROB said, it's Lemi-Shine, and it's a dish washer additive that softens the water and contains citric acid.

Available off the shelf at Wally World. This additive is what gives the brass that high shiny brilliance. Without the Lemi-Shine, the brasses would be clean but somewhat dull looking after wet tumbling. Use sparingly - (1/4 TSP) per tumbling batch, as too much more will actually cause the brasses to darken.

http://lemishine.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Lemi_Shine_Booster_12oz600.jpg

[claude]

That would be lemi-shine.

As I understand it, in the dish washing detergent section of almost any store. I just picked up a yumbler and will be looking for some myself.

[XDROB]

Thanks, I'm out and about today. Going to Cabelas to buy Frankford Arsenal tumbler and pickup tool today.
Also I've read that some people use Armour - All polish with the Lemi-Shine?

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[XDROB]

Thanks, I'm out and about today. Going to Cabelas to buy Frankford Arsenal tumbler and pickup tool today.
Also I've read that some people use Armour - All polish with the Lemi-Shine?

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Has anyone used hot or warm water? Would it make a difference?

Jewelers have been cleaning/polishing with tumblers for years. I love my Frankford Arsenal tumbler, I also have a duel HF tumbler. I use different medias depending on what I want cleaned or polished. I use SS pins, jewelers media mix, mixed used ball bearings & I also have SS cuts from nail points. I tumble just about anything. Rusty parts & tools, jewelry, cart. brass, small engine carb. (it got all that corrosion out), brass house numbers and alike things. I also cleaned all my copper plumbing fittings with it & if I know I have a plumbing project I put all the copper fittings I think I need and some more and tumble them, saves on having to clean them piece by piece. I worked out a pretty good method for brass.


As I understand it, in the dish washing detergent section of almost any store. I just picked up a yumbler and will be looking for some myself.


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[lefty o]

i use hot water. as with everything else, washing stuff in hot water is always more effective than cold water. you dont have to worry about your brass shrinking!

[XDROB]

i use hot water. as with everything else, washing stuff in hot water is always more effective than cold water. you dont have to worry about your brass shrinking!
What about mixing colors?

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[Big Tom]

Here are some examples of how .223 brass looks like after 3 hrs. in the Frankford Arsenal tumbler. I still use the corn cob in the vibration one for pistol shells as they get as clean with the dry media as they do in the rotary one with the steel pins.

180756180757180758

[lefty o]

What about mixing colors?

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doesnt bother me if you put your pink's in with your whites! LOL

[Grmps]

They are easy to make. My preference is wet tumbling with stainless steel media in a home made tumbler made with a car wiper motor, 2 gal buckets some rollers and wood. Mine is like these but I use 2 buckets, 1 attached and the other slid inside, screwed 4 small aluminum angle inside for agitators. Make sure the lid has a rubber gasket. 2 hrs with 5# stainless steel, 1 tsp lemi-shine and 2 squirts dawn dish soap get everything clean. can do up to 2000 9 MM at a time https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bXLq_9CW4c
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HyXJI-9EzyY

[XDROB]

doesnt bother me if you put your pink's in with your whites! LOL
😂😂

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[Johnny_V]

Here is a picture of my homemade tumbler. Brass comes out as good as new.

180778 180779

[Bayou52]

Nice, Johnny!

[XDROB]

Very nice, looks simple. Where do you find the parts and design?

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[Johnny_V]

Thanks guys.

Found the motor at a garage sale, picked up the square tube and axles from Speedy Metals, pillow blocks somewhere online, and the pulleys from Granger. I have two of these, one used with pins and one without.