Found a great use for my useless Lyman Turbo Tumbler.

[prs]

On this forum on at least two different occasions I have noticed threads about hand loaders using their dry type case tumblers to shake and create the static charge for the Air Soft Dry Tumble technique. Years ago I purchased a Lymman 2000 Turbo Tumbler and several different media types to clean brass. It worked, but what a dusty mess and I figured the dust was contaminated with lead oxide residue from the old primers in the cases. Much of the dust was from the bottom drain system, so I ordered a set of accessory bowls and lids without the bottom drain. Still did not like it and purchased a Model B Thumbler for wet tumbling, big thumbs-up! The Tubo dust generator has been on the shelf collecting more dust for years.

So, today I decided to try using the dry tumbler with the ASBB dry tumble method. WOW! That was easy! I used the smallest bowl and tight lid. Half full of the black BBs (well they used to be black, these are well broken in and have been gold, and red, and black and now blue) and a couple of tablespoons of PBTP super durable blue powder. First time added a half cup of 45ACP #68 boolits. 5 minutes in that vibrator and the powder was clinging to the lead like crazy, nice and even and super fuzzy. Next batch 3/4 cup and same result. Third and following batches ran with a whole cup and same result. I added another 2 table spoons of powder. Wearing my well used nitrile glove to dig the boolits out of the tumbler bowl and place onto the oven trays did not disturb the powder one bit, I even dropped a couple on the floor and no damage! I now have a half gallon of these very nice boolits to size. Another plus is that the flashing of cured PC around the bases is almost eliminated. I gotta say THANK YOU! to the Pioneers that cleared the way!

prs

[borg]

interesting,, do you use it on rifle boolits? and does it coat the base well?


ETA have you measured the bands to see if they are smaller?

[prs]

So far ALL of my PC coating has been with two versions of the #68 45ACP SWC boolit. Bases are well coated. I do not understand "ETA" in this context. The base and forward drive "bands" are increased from .452 to almost .454 requiring a resize post baking.

prs

[borg]

Sorry,, "Edited To Add".
I'm just curious if the drive bands are flattened out somewhat when run in a tumbler,, smaller Dia.

[JD74]

I had the same thought for my old tumbler, glad to hear it works. Still waiting on my powder from Smoke4320 his price looks better then pbtp $11/lbs also sells sample packs. http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...raying-bullets

looking forward to tring them in the tumbler.

[tazman]

I got a sample pack from Smoke a while back. His powders are excellent and work much better than the Harbor Freight powders.

[Freightman]

I got a sample pack from Smoke a while back. His powders are excellent and work much better than the Harbor Freight powders.

They do now I have 5# of HF powder need to find what to do with

[prs]

The tumbler did not mar or change the dimensions of the boolits, the alloy was Lyman #2 cut 50% with pure lead. The airsoft BBs probably cushion the ride in the vibratory type tumbler. Now, a rotary tumbler might beat the boolits up fiercely.

Yes PBTP is way more $ than Smoke. He will get my orders from here on. Besides, he knows enough about this to advise.

prs

[borg]

Thanks, I'll have to try it.

[odies dad]

To cut down on the dust when using a tumbler, tear a used dryer sheet in half and throw them in with the brass you are cleaning.
The dryer sheet will collect much of the dust, so you can just throw it away when you dump your brass.

[VHoward]

I have used my Lyman 1200 tumbler to coat bullets without the airsoft bb's and it did just fine. Almost as good as electrostatic spray method.