I am building a rotary wet brass tumbler and I have assembled ~ 70% of the parts I will need. I'm having difficulty deciding on a container to use for the brass. Originally, I purchased a length of 4" Schedule 40 PVC with a cap at one end and a 4" to 3" reducer with a rubber Quick Cap for the other - maybe 4" is not big enough? Then the water utility decided to dig up the street and replace the water lines with Schedule 80 8" & 6" PVC. After asking, I pilfered a length, but I think the Schedule 80 is WAY too heavy-duty. So I started looking around for 6" or 8" Schedule 40 and I cannot find any for a reasonable price.

So, if I end up using the 4" Schedule 40 I already have (or 6" if I can find it), what can I use for an agitator inside the PVC pipe? I thought of using lengths of 1" - 1.5" PVC split lengthwise, but would PVC cement be adequate to hold it in place? I'd also rather the agitator be a helix, but I'm not sure how to accomplish that. Any other ideas for either an agitator or a container? I found a MJR Tumblers' 1 gallon container, which would be perfect, but at $120.00, I need to figure out a cheaper solution.

Thanks.

I have NO experience with this, but I have seen on You Tube a home made wet tumbler system that the fellow glued strips of small diameter split PVC pipe to the inside of the drum. He used regular PVC pipe cement to glue it into place. I do not know how well it held up, but I would guess it would hold quite well if given plenty of time to cure before use. Try it and see. It won't cost you too much if it doesn't work. I wet tumble with a Harbor Freight twin drum tumbler. The drums are rubber lined and therefore catch and spin the SS pins and brass as opposed to slick PVC pipe. I don't know, but just a thought: Maybe you could add a thin coat of Flex-Seal to the inside of your drum?

Please follow up with a report of what works and doesn't work. Thanks.

Henryseale: Thanks for the reply. I believe 2 rows of ~ 3" pieces of split 1" PVC, cemented in a helix pattern would work well.

Might try 6" or 8" black ABS riser pipe usually comes in 2' lengths for about $12. Its thinner wall and doesn't weigh as much.

Phil

Thanks Greyghost, I'll take a look. Could PVC caps be used on riser pipe?

Should be able to, use ABS glue.

Phil

Maybe I'll contact Lyman and see if they sell their Cyclone Tumbler case separately.

link for tumbler drum

If you're going to build the drum use the 8", 4 will be way to small.

I just don't see the draw for squeaky clean brass.
I've run some large batches of new .45acp brass before and it was aggravating as hell, sticking on the powder through expander and more force into the sizer, after just a hundred or so I started using Hornady spray lube. Also loaded some new WW .223 brass when I was shooting high power, found out about the M dies, much easier than a ball expander.
Just looks like a lot of time spent just getting pretty brass and I read about folks not getting it dry causing miss fires or loading with a pin still in the case.
I could be wrong, I married evil wife #2.

I have experienced 0 of those problems.

The picture of the pins I posted has the right size to use.
I dry my brass for 2 or 3 days.
I have sold a fugking pickup truck load of the stuff and have had 0 complaints.

Didn't say it won't work, just not for me.
I know a guy that uses a cement mixer without the pins, lets them dry on a old screen door.

I have a Thumblers model B

Works great

gutthooked: Thanks for the link. I like the hexagon shape, which eliminates the need for an agitator. Price is a bit high, but at this point it would be cheaper than purchasing a length of 8” Schedule 40 PVC and the associated end caps, reducers and quick caps and PVC cement since mine is all dried out..

12344mag: I agree that 4” is too small, hence my quandary. The problem is finding a length of 8” Schedule 40 for a decent price. Thanks.

local_dirt: That looks suspiciously like the Horror Freight rock tumbler. I am sourcing all USA made components. I have also already purchased a bag of stainless pins. Thanks.

blindshooter: Thanks for the heads-up, I will look into that.

hanco: That’s what I’m shootin’ for, though my unit will be rather heavy-duty once it’s completed. Thanks.

Why do you think you need sch 40?

I use gallon pickle jars. I have not have one wear out yet when using media.

For my DRY tumbler, I used a 12 inch piece of 2 inch PVC. I put 4 fins inside made from 1 inch aluminum angle. Bolted in with machine screws. I have the 12 inch pipe mounted to the inside of an old clothes' dryer. Works real good. Been using it for about 15 years now--problem free. One day I will make a wet drum to try out. Plan to use something like nylon cutting boards cut round for end caps. I have another piece of the same 12inch PVC pipe to use. Will change up to steel fins(maybe). I always used to hide the vibrating tumbler outside because it was noisy. The clothes dryer model is actually quieter than drying clothes.

For my DRY tumbler, I used a 12 inch piece of 12 inch PVC. I put 4 fins inside made from 1 inch aluminum angle. Bolted in with machine screws. I have the 12 inch pipe mounted to the inside of an old clothes' dryer. Works real good. Been using it for about 15 years now--problem free. One day I will make a wet drum to try out. Plan to use something like nylon cutting boards cut round for end caps. I have another piece of the same 12inch PVC pipe to use. Will change up to steel fins(maybe). I always used to hide the vibrating tumbler outside because it was noisy. The clothes dryer model is actually quieter than drying clothes.

mtnmickey: Where did you find 12" PVC?

ipopum: I don't necessarily need Schedule 40, just depends on what I can find around here.

I constructed a tumbler out of 4"pcv to turn between lathe centers at 28 rpm.

I saw some short pieces laying on the shoulder of the road, scrap where a new line was going in. Stopped and asked one of the guys on the crew if I could take a couple of the short pieces, he said take anything I wanted off the scrap pile. Used it to make a underground valve box for water lines. Maybe ask around at the supply houses, maybe they can put you on some free stuff?

Take a look at one of these, the inside is lined with rubber and it makes it pretty quite. I have the FA Platinum Tumbler and I really like it, I also dry my brass in an old Dehydrator I have, cases dry overnight.

Drum.

Also get yourself one of these.

Here.



And one of these.

Here.

And one of these.

Here.

Support equipment makes life a lot easier.

12344mag: Thanks for the links. That drum is certainly nice, but for the price I think I like the Extreme Rebel 17 barrel gutthooked recommended better since it’s rubber-lined, powder-coated and has stainless steel construction.
Extreme Rebel 17

I have already purchased a rotary Frankford Arsenal media separator. The “transfer magnet” looks like it would be rather helpful, but I thought stainless steel was not magnetic?

blindshooter: I thought the same when I saw the water utility working on the street out front the other day. They gave me a 4’ length of Schedule 80 6”, they didn’t have any scraps of 8” or 10" as they were all full length pieces, but Schedule 80 is way too heavy duty for this usage. Not to mention that the associated caps and reducers aren’t cheap to source. I’ll keep my eye out, however.

What do you need an agitator for?

I would not worry about the weight of heavier pipe if your motor has plenty of oomph. I would think sealing the unit will be your big challenge.

OregonCoot: I was thinking that the agitator would help knock around both the SS pins and the brass; otherwise, I'd imagine that the brass would just gently roll around and not get properly cleaned. No?

I believe the motor I found is a 1/3 HP, but I'd have to check to confirm that.

Friends Dad was a skilled trades worker for GM. He was huge into the antique bottle scene. I have no idea what his tumbler cost GM but it was an amazing unit. we tumbled at least a ton of brass in that thing back in the day haha. Buddy still has it and its absolutely the strongest and most expensive home brass tumbler ever built I nearly guarantee it. No doubt 4 or 5 departments were involved in it.

Some stainless steels are magnetic, it depends on it's alloy structure.

Found a 8"x18" piece of Schedule 80 today. I believe it is way too stout and heavy: