Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Vibratory - Sonic - or Rock ...

Tumbler?

My old tumbler bit the dust in the flood last June and I'm about ready to start cleaning some of the brass and bullets that still have traces of mud on them. May also use it for some smaller tools, chrome sockets, allen wrenches, drill bits etc. Maybe also some gun parts, firing pins, hammers, sears, springs, etc once I start detail stripping the firearms. Loading dies. Could run into a mixture of mud, wd40, rem oil, grease whatever.

I have been watching videos of each on you tube and it looks like either the sonic or the rock tumbler may be the best bet as they can be used with different cleaning agents and with or without stainless pins. Honestly I don't know if a vibratory tumbler will hold liquid or if it would leak out.

Which one would you buy?

Thanks.

I don't think you will hold any liquid it a vibratory tumbler, and if you do I don't think it will work well. You really need a rotary tumbler if you go that route. Rock tumbler would work but not sure of the capacity you typically get. Lot's of guys seem very happy with the Frankford Arsenal package for wet tumbling brass.

I have a vibratory and a sonic. Barely use the sonic. Wish I would have gotten a rotary with stainless pins (least for brass).

We did a treadmill tumbler (found a used treadmill on Craigslist very CHEAP... in about 3-4 months (after New Year resolutions fade).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwZOsU2oLh0

We use pretzel jars from Sam's Club, BJs etc. Silicon the Agitator fins (3) on the inside... I had some PVC ceiling grid in a "T" shape. SS pins. They work great.

the vibrator will hold liquid but it just bathes,and splashes.
i have both types and for brass alone i always use the vib. But that is only because i am lazy.
i have used my tumbler for all the things you have listed and more. I got a hard on for the Stainless pin cleaning and bought the Frankford Arsenal unit. excellent unit but takes more time then the vibe units though it makes brass look new even primer pockets. i found a padlock from the 1850's that looked to have been lost new, put it in the pin tumbler with lemashine and citric acid and when it was done(2 days) it operated and i could just make out the name on it.

Thanks guys.

Dave-
The Lyman Turbo Sonic 6000 is made to clean parts. Whole guns etc. They have different solutions for different materials to clean. Can use other solution also.

It is not cheap but very powerful. Large parts basket and drain. Two industrial transducers. You can get it at Cabela's and other places.

Check out u tube videos of the thumblers tumbler, works great, cleans brass inside and out. Cleans primer pockets, makes 100 year old silver dollars look new.

And destroys any numismatic value! Okay if your making jewelry, but NOT for collectible coins!

I have a Thumlers Model B I bought in 1976 and have tumbled literally hundreds of thousands of pieces of brass in that time. Mostly dry but have done some wet tumbling as well.

I also have a vibratory from Harbor freight. (2nd one, 1st one burned up in a month)

Both have their uses, but the Thumlers is a real workhorse.

Thanks guys, think I'm going to try one of the rotary/rock tumblers.

Boy there are some strange homemade (funky) tumblers on youtube, buy your self a quality tumbler you won't regret that you did.

10-4, and I love your tag line.

Dave,

I bought the RCBS Sidewinder a couple of decades ago and don't regret it at all. It will do wet or dry tumbling. I use ceramic media with the RCBS solution and it will clean even the dirtiest, most tarnished brass, inside and out.

Ed

Stainless steel wet tumbling kicks everything else off the table.

Franklin armory makes a good one or you can buy the old rock tumbler style

I use a dual drum rotary tumbler from Harbor Freight. Stainless steel pins with hot water, dish soap, and LemiShine. Check out YouTube for instructions. Works great.

I use the Frankford Arsenal tumbler.
You don't have to use the whole 5 lbs of pins to do a great job, get a magnet pickup also.