My low low budget brass tumbler how many rpms ?

[RU shooter]

I have to admit I've been reloading 1985 and I've never had a problem not using a powered brass cleaner but as I get older and lazier hand cleaning each case is inthe past so I made up a zero budget tumbler at work , basicly a 3 gal plastic pail that spins at low rpms using an air powered paper winder we have at the shop . I'll be using walnut hulls . I have two questions , first how many rpms should it be turning ? Second on a real rotary tumbler are there any fins or anything inside of the barrel Or is it just smooth ?

Thanks ,Tim

[Trophy Tom]

I don’t know on the RPMs

My tumblers are smooth on the inside.
Really it’s 8 sided not round.


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[edp2k]

My online research on the wet tumbler RPM question has shown that
the people who have had optimal results built theirs so that the drum itself turns at 60 RPM, which is 1 Rev Per Second.
I built mine for 60 RPM and it works great.

Internal fins are needed to agitate things.
Lack of fins or too much RPMs cause the brass to ride/stick-to the inner surface of the drum and not fall when the brass hits TDC.
its the fall that really does the cleaning.
Commercial units either have internal fins/ribs or are hex in cross section (i.e. Thumlers are six sided).

2" ID PVC pipe split into 3rds lengthwise, 4 of them screwed into the walls, is a good solution.

[GregLaROCHE]

Why not make it water tight and wet tumble ?

[OS OK]

My Thumbler Mod. B runs at 24 rpm.

[trails4u]

I have to admit I've been reloading 1985 and I've never had a problem not using a powered brass cleaner but as I get older and lazier hand cleaning each case is inthe past so I made up a zero budget tumbler at work , basicly a 3 gal plastic pail that spins at low rpms using an air powered paper winder we have at the shop . I'll be using walnut hulls . I have two questions , first how many rpms should it be turning ? Second on a real rotary tumbler are there any fins or anything inside of the barrel Or is it just smooth ?

Thanks ,Tim

I modified a 5 gal. round water cooler to tumble on a treadmill for high volume cleaning, using walnut. I never measured RPM, but I would guess it was running in the 30-40 range. It worked well....and I could tumble 1200-1500 rifle cases at a time. They were quite clean and shiny after about 2hrs. No mods on the inside....just the brass and walnut.

[Conditor22]

I heard 30 rpm

[Hick]

Don't know about rpm, but I use a glass jar (like a large instant coffee jar) with stainless steel pins sitting in an old rock tumbler. This lets me wet tumble. I tumble with Dawn and a little citric acid (from the fruit canning section of the store).

[Alstep]

I made one out of a 8" dia sewer pipe with baffles inside. Turns about 40 rpm. Works great.

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[country gent]

Shoot for 5-10 rpm for dry media. wet tumbling the "soak" time is as important as the agitation. either an octagonal drum or 4-8 ribs bolted in to help provide gentle agitation. Saw one home made tumbler he builder had used 1 1/2 pcv cut in half and 3" long staggered in a vee shaped agitator around the drum. they were spaced about 2" steps around the drum and 2" apart this made for a radial and side to side agitation in the drum. The tubing was bolted glued with the edges down making a rounded agitator. drum was a old washing machine tub from a wringer washer.

[smoked turkey]

Alstep that looks like a good robust design that works well. I like it. If you would answer a couple questions about it I'd appreciate it. First, it appears the ends of the pipe are held on by a through bold concept with just compression pressure on the ends by a nut on one end. Is that correct. Do you wet tumble? How are the end pieces sealed on the pipe. Last, can you give the approximate dimensions of the pulleys on the motor and the drive pipe? thanks.

[Alstep]

Hi Smoked Turkey,
Thanks for the compliment.
Negative on the through bolts. The ends are made up of glued up scrap 3/4" boards, glued so the grain crosses. Turned round in my lathe, the shoulder being a press fit in the pipe. Sealed it with that rubberized spray stuff like they advertise on TV. Got mine at the local hardware store, rust-oleum leak seal I believe. Gave it several cotes and put together wet. Secured it with drywall screws around the edges. That leak seal stuff really works, not a drop so far.
The plug is just a 4" sewer pipe plug.
The vanes are made up of quartered 2" PVC and secured with countersunk screws, sealed with a dab of silicon.
The drive shafts are 3/4 bar stock, spaced 8" apart. They are synchronized together by a 40 pitch chain drive, so both shafts turn together to rotate the drum. The motor pulley is 2" OD, the driven pulley is 6 1/2" OD. Motor is 1725 RPM.
The end plate holding the bearings is 1/4" X 4" X 16". The whole rig is 30" long. Legs are 18"high, made from 2" X 2" X 1/8" angle. Everything is bolted together, so it can be broken down if necessary. The plates are drilled & tapped, no nuts.
Having a lathe & Bridgeport really helps, couldn't live without them.

Here's some more pictures. Be glad to answer any more questions.

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[jsizemore]

I copied lortone's and doing 50rpm. I'm using 6" pvc pipe. 1 has 3/4" pvc quarter round screwed and glue. 3 vanes. The other is lined with cloth duct tape that I use to polish or graphite buckshot. I have a 6" cap on 1 end and a 6-4" reducer on the other with a 4" rubber cap with hose clamp for wet tumbling If I chose. Don't need the hose clamp when dry tumbling.

[Conditor22]

https://i.imgur.com/j9ooP47.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/eBafSuv.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/RLFUtJn.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/J9rzhUy.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/3S1Jl3L.jpg

or simple
https://i.imgur.com/B3KN8xA.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/dCXmXcs.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/9oxfGpL.jpg

[NoZombies]

I've got rotaries that run 20-60 RPM, and the sweet spot seems to be in the 30-40 RPM range for the bucket sized tumblers.

[RU shooter]

Thanks folks I can pretty much adjust the speed from zero to 60 rpm so I got that part taken care of , I'll install some fins in the barrel tomorrow .

Thanks ,Tim