Rotary Vs. Vibratory tumblers

[45fan]

What sort of tumbler do you prefer, and why?

My current set up is a Harbor Freight vibratory tumbler, and until recently I used their walnut shell media, with Mother mag polish. I picked up some corn cob media and Frankin arsenal polish, just to see what the difference was, and it set me to thinking, maybe I am using the wrong kind of tumbler too.

 

[Dave Doehrman]

What sort of tumbler do you prefer, and why?

Here's a review I posted awhile back on the rotary with SS media.

https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo...sidewinder_tumbler_stainless_steel_media.html

Semper Fi, Mac !!!!

 

[HavokCycle]

i have a franklin arsenal one, in which i use lyman green corncob media and franklin polish. its not the fastest thing, especially when i overload it but it sure comes out shiny as hell.

 

[ckcollins2003]

I have a lyman vibratory tumbler, which is now filled with lyman treated corn cob media. Used to be filled with walnut media until I got a ultrasonic cleaner.

I can't afford to spend the money on the rotary stainless steel media tumblers, so I feel the ultrasonic cleaner followed by a corn cob polish is the next best thing.

 

[warthog]

I have three ways to clean brass, ultrasonic, vibratory and rotary. I don't use the ultrasonic cleaner for brass much. It's more for handguns. It is just a Harbor Freight cleaner, not some purpose built one but it does the job.

I somehow wound up with three vibratory cleaners, Cabelas is my laregest, then I have two Lymans that are their smaller size ones. I tend to use these the most. I like my brass not only clean but SHINY and I can't get them shiny any other way. I use crushed corn cob and Flitz and in an hour and a half or two hours, they are shiny, clean and smell like breakfast cereal. I use a piece of #4 screen I put into a bucket with heat to separate the brass from the cob. I cut the one bucket so it would stack into a second one to catch the cob as it spills through. It may not be pretty but it works.

The rotary I have started life as a ball mill for making my own black powder. I made BP for both shooting and for fireworks that I was making then. Since I had to move in town all that stuff stopped because there are too many neighbors who it seems, don't want to blow up with me. So I use the ball mill to clean brass instead. I am still trying to make or more likely, buy a good chamber for cleaning. I guess this stuff really does need the polygonal inside to work best. I can put four of the Thumbler's Tumbler containers on my mill's rollers so I think I am going to try one of those first and if it works, get another. I have the pins. I have tried to use it a few times but all I get is clean brass, not shiny. I will say this though, deprime before going into the rotary and this will clean the pockets an flash hole like it was better than new. The pins are small enough to pass through the flash hole so they don't get stuck in there like cob or walnut can.

BTW, making a ball mill/rotary cleaner is easy and relatively inexpensive. I should do a How To post when it gets warmer...

 

[Mark 1911]

I've never used a rotary so don't know anything about them. But I've had the same vibratory tumbler since I first started reloading in 1989 and it does a fine job. Have never considered changing.

 

[Hosted]

I use a harbor freight rotary tumbler with stainless steel media. It's not the best tumbler, but it still does an amazing job. I think I have about $70 in the tumbler and 5lb of media. It is the only thing I've ever used so I can't compare it to anything but people are usually impressed when they see them.

 

[Pete]

I have always used a Franklin vibratory model. I use coarse treated media in the first cleaning cycle for about an hour. The brass comes out clean but dull. Untreated corncob media for another 45 minutes or so & the brass is all shined up.

 

[RSW]

Cabelas vibratory along with corn Cobb and cabelas polish. Comes out shinny and new every time. Corn does get dirty quick, it still works just takes a lot longer. I'm looking to go to harbor freight next time for walnut husk.

 

[45fan]

I guess cost was my biggest reason for going vibratory. I know my dad uses a rotary, the same one he has been running for nearly 30 years now, but I also know he isnt very picky about his brass coming out looking shiny and new, as long as its clean enough.

From everything I have read, I am considering just picking up another vibratory from Harbor freight, and running one dedicated to walnut shell, for initial cleaning, and the second for cob media, for those that I want to make as good as new.
The other thing I have thought of, but just havent put together yet is a separator, thanks Warthog for that idea, I hope you dont mind if I steal it.

 

[LarryC]

We use both, a Thumbler tumbler and an (I believe an RCBS vibratory, (son has them)) really think the media has more effect than the type of cleaner. In the rotary - which we used for over 15 years - we usually used Walnut shells, with Fritz polish added, does a pretty good job, my son still uses both units. Have used corncobs (with cleaner) in the vibratory - think they do "shine" a little more than walnut, but walnut is more aggressive in removing minor corrosion and stains. Both do the job needed - so in my opinion depends on personal preference and prices.

 

[warthog]

The other thing I have thought of, but just havent put together yet is a separator, thanks Warthog for that idea, I hope you dont mind if I steal it.

No worries, it came to me one day as I was separating by hand, really. I couldn't get a separator fast enough and the first vibratory tumbler was a gift and being 18 I had to see if the darn thing worked NOW! After spending what felt like two hours picking brass out of the cob spread out on a piece of plastic I saw the screen rolled up in the barn and the next thing you know...

Here is another way I made one out of #4 screen too. It will even stop .25ACP from going though it.

this way doesn't ruin a bucket too.

 

[octalman]

Used the vibratory tumbler for several years with corncob and walnut media. Always hated media getting stuck in the flash hole. Tried a small tumbler with stainless steel media recently. Started with the formulas mentioned here and other forums involving water and Dawn. PITA to clean, separate, and dry the brass. Just for grins decided to try without water or Dawn. Media and brass only, dry, in the tumbler. After less than half the time for a wet formula brass came out bright and clean. Primer pockets spotless. After a few batches washed the media, although there was no indication cleaning was needed. Anybody else try the dry method?

 

[mospeada]

One thing I haven't seen mentioned is the noise. The vibratory tumbler noise is very annoying to me. I had to put a timer on my rotary after I forgot it was running for a couple of days.

 

[45fan]

One thing I haven't seen mentioned is the noise. The vibratory tumbler noise is very annoying to me. I had to put a timer on my rotary after I forgot it was running for a couple of days.

LOL, I'll bet that was some clean brass!!

The noise issue isnt a big deal to me, as I have a foam rubber mat on the floor in my reloading/laundry room. It seems to really quiet the noise down, almost to a quiet humm. If it does get to be too much to listen to while I am in the room reloading, I can always put it in another room in the basement. I actually have an old freezer that doesnt work, I could possibly wire it up with an outlet inside, and have room for two tumblers to run at the same time, and never hear a thing from either....