i need a beefy tumbler... should i go vibratory or rotary?

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - i need a beefy tumbler... should i go vibratory or rotary?

Posted: 1/30/2010 10:31:54 PM EDT

i have all but killed the CV500 tumbler that i have had for ages, it is on its 4th motor.
i like to tumble.... a LOT.
i tumble before resize/deprime, i tumble the lube off, load, and tumble once more(short session) before checking each round with a case gauge.

is dillon worth the extra money for their tumblers?
or would going with a harbor freight special or other brand be more economical/sensible?
i have a fair amount of volume per year, so if the HF brand is a pos that fails after only a couple hundred hours, that is not for me.
flamethrower and other industry grade reloaders, what do you prefer to use?
thanks

Posted: 1/31/2010 12:03:14 AM EDT

[#1]

Rotary I offer up Thumblers Model B (High Speed Version) and for vibratory I would look at the Dilllon 750 (now wears CV2001 Motor).

Posted: 1/31/2010 3:23:30 AM EDT

[#2]

I have two Lyman 2500's that I tumble a lot of 50 bmg with.

Posted: 1/31/2010 3:38:28 AM EDT

[#3]

do you have the Lyman 2500's with the autoflo feature? If so, is it useful/worth the extra money?

Posted: 1/31/2010 4:16:54 AM EDT

[#4]

get a Thumler's UV-18, they last decades, literally.

Posted: 1/31/2010 5:32:44 AM EDT

[#5]

Concrete mixer.....

Posted: 1/31/2010 5:51:09 AM EDT

[#6]

I have two of these that I really like. Tumbled a couple of tons of brass in them....

cabela's

Posted: 1/31/2010 6:16:17 AM EDT

[#7]

Quoted:
get a Thumler's UV-18, they last decades, literally.

Great tumblers, and fairly quiet.

Posted: 1/31/2010 6:30:11 AM EDT

[#8]

I have the HF Mega Beast ... it tumbles a couple thousand of pistol cases and about a thousand of any rifle case at any one time. I had a Lyman 2500 with the auto flow and I sold it once I got this. This has double the media capacity (8lbs vs. 18lbs) and the motor is significantly stronger. I have at least 300-400 hours of tumbling on it, and It is extremely quite ... not even as loud as my bathroom fan. I was going to go the concrete mixer route, but the one I have is a little on the loud side ... plus it takes a good bit of room. With the 20% off coupons in American Rifleman ... you would be hard pressed to find a tumbler of this quality for less (about $90 with coupon when it's on sale).

Sarg

Posted: 1/31/2010 7:54:11 AM EDT

[#9]

I've been using Cabelas tumblers for 6+ years now. I ran them almost 24/7 for 2+ years cleaning buckets and buckets of range brass I used to be able to get almost free. Since then, I've only run them an average of twice a week - usually for 8-10 hours at a time though (while at work or overnight). Haven't burned out a motor on any of them. If you save your receipt, I would even bet Cabelas would replace them if they fell apart after a year or two. I have had very good luck with Cabela's branded product and the few times I have had any of it fail, they always returned/exchanged it as long as I still had the receipt (I'm talking years later).

Posted: 1/31/2010 8:10:24 AM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:
I have the HF Mega Beast ... it tumbles a couple thousand of pistol cases and about a thousand of any rifle case at any one time. I had a Lyman 2500 with the auto flow and I sold it once I got this. This has double the media capacity (8lbs vs. 18lbs) and the motor is significantly stronger. I have at least 300-400 hours of tumbling on it, and It is extremely quite ... not even as loud as my bathroom fan. I was going to go the concrete mixer route, but the one I have is a little on the loud side ... plus it takes a good bit of room. With the 20% off coupons in American Rifleman ... you would be hard pressed to find a tumbler of this quality for less (about $90 with coupon when it's on sale).

Sarg

http://heavenintexas.org/images/DSC_4560.JPG
http://heavenintexas.org/images/DSC_4586.JPG

i only see the 5 pound tumbler on harbor freights web site.

Posted: 1/31/2010 8:49:41 AM EDT

[#11]

hands down, the Thumler's UV-18

Posted: 1/31/2010 9:30:18 AM EDT

[#12]

Quoted:
I have the HF Mega Beast ...

I am not seeing that model at HF's web site. Do you have a link or maybe a model number?

Posted: 1/31/2010 10:15:06 AM EDT

[#13]

I have an old Thumbler's rotary model. Going on 20+ years old, and still cleaning brass.

Posted: 1/31/2010 10:26:13 AM EDT

[#14]

That larger HF caught my eye when I saw it in one of their retail stores around me. It looked solid

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=96923

Posted: 1/31/2010 10:44:26 AM EDT

[#15]

Quoted:
That larger HF caught my eye when I saw it in one of their retail stores around me. It looked solid

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=96923

Thank you.

Posted: 1/31/2010 11:50:12 AM EDT

[#16]

OR you can build your own like I did, cost me 12$ to build this baby and i can fit 15# worth or media in there.

specs:
1 half HP motor
1 5 gallon bucket
1 3 or 4 gallon bucket
1 3/4 inch sheet of play cut the fit in the bottom of bucket.
1 frame of some sort
some way to attach it to frame( I used bailing wire, be it i live on a farm and i have more wire than i can shake a stick at.)

now here are some pictures to look at (sorry there shitty, cell phone pics

)

The cleaner

The Bucket with the media in it

The 5 gallon bucket with the motor attached, no meadia goes in here

The motor, i have a peice of steel on the with a hole drilled in it of center to get it to vibrate.

If you would like drawn up plans please IM or email i will be happy to email them to you.

Thanks

Scotts556

Posted: 1/31/2010 12:06:00 PM EDT

[#17]

I would say go with the 3.5Cu ft poly drum mixer if you can afford it for large volumes of brass (4-5 gallons at a time) Or the Dillon CV2001 for large but not huge. I have both and they have worked well for me with no problems.

Posted: 1/31/2010 12:06:51 PM EDT

[#18]

Quoted:
Concrete mixer.....

This!

Posted: 1/31/2010 1:59:02 PM EDT

[#19]

Quoted:
I have the HF Mega Beast ... it tumbles a couple thousand of pistol cases and about a thousand of any rifle case at any one time. I had a Lyman 2500 with the auto flow and I sold it once I got this. This has double the media capacity (8lbs vs. 18lbs) and the motor is significantly stronger. I have at least 300-400 hours of tumbling on it, and It is extremely quite ... not even as loud as my bathroom fan. I was going to go the concrete mixer route, but the one I have is a little on the loud side ... plus it takes a good bit of room. With the 20% off coupons in American Rifleman ... you would be hard pressed to find a tumbler of this quality for less (about $90 with coupon when it's on sale).

I did the same thing, but my bottom like price was ~$130, on sale for $149 plus the 20% coupon and Tx tax. It has been a really good tumbler so far.

Posted: 1/31/2010 2:44:49 PM EDT

[#20]

I have a Lyman Turbo 600 from 27 years ago. My grandpa used it, my dad used it, now I'm using it. This thing has really proven it self over time, and I can guarantee you this, when it does die (if it dies...), it will be replaced with another Lyman (just a bigger one). My only problem is that the 600 is very small (holds 200 9mm or 100 .223), and I plan on upgrading it with a 1200 bowl, which will double my capacity.

Big thumbs up for the Lyman!

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - i need a beefy tumbler... should i go vibratory or rotary?

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