Re: Vibrating tumblers from Harbor Freight
Viberator case tumblers are a dry process, the cases are ready to use when you want to. Both Ultrasonic and Steel cleaners do a 'better job' but not meaningfully so. They are wet processes so the cases must be totally dried before use, and they are <span style="text-decoration: underline">much more costly</span> too. I have a moderately large Ultrasonic cleaner and two vib tumblers; my cases go in a tumbler! I won't be spending the money to get a wet rotary tumbler and SS media, I just don't need to make a wet mess to clean cases!
HF tumblers are totally Chinese made, so are some other much more costly brands, but they all use Chinese motors. The best current deal for quality/price are Berry's (also sold as Cabela's) which <span style="font-style: italic">is</span> American made (except the motor). Berry's price is about the same as HF but the motors have large diameter shafts and ball bearings so, on average, they should last longer than most others and do it with fewer maintanance problems.
Fine grit tumbling media (20-40) works as well as the more common grit size (12-20) and it won't clog flash holes.