My Homemade tumbler

[doubled]

I still have lots to do but I was anxious to get a proof of concept up and running today once the new pulley wheel arrived.

In the video this is my Thumblers barrel which is smaller than the barrel I will be using so it's spinning a little faster (about 66 RPM) that I want.

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That got me thinking; what is the best RPM for the barrel to spin at? How fast is to fast? will to fast beat the cases up or is it a non issue? Does anyone have the "high speed Thumblers" and if so can you tell me what your barrel RPM is?

Next step is to get some 1" inner diameter rubber hose and slide that over the aluminum bars for grip. I used duct tape tonight just to test it and the barrel was chewing it up pretty bad.

 

[nashlaw]

Re: My Homemade tumbler

I have heard you can dent case mouths. But, on the other hand, along with other fingers I have a friend that has used one for years with no complaints.

 

[doubled]

Re: My Homemade tumbler

I have no issues with dented cases on my thumbler, i'm asking what the optimal barrel RPM is and can spinning it to fast have negative effects.

 

[Tripwire]

Re: My Homemade tumbler

I suggest just fast enough to get the brass to gently roll/fall through the media. Spinning too fast will impart centrigugial force on everything in the barrel, which will limit the action of the media on the brass.

That said I made one like that years ago, and soon after went to a vibratory tumbler. I now run two of them with no regrets.

 

[doubled]

Re: My Homemade tumbler

The Thumblers runs at 15RPM (and 30 RPM for the "high speed version") so tonight I will try mine w/ the actual barrel that I will use (diameter of a 5gallon pail) and see where i am at.

I don't think any more than 30 would be beneficial but it's going to have to be trial and error i guess. I'll grab a few more pulley's incrementally increasing the OD and see where it goes.

 

[Fred_C_Dobbs]

Re: My Homemade tumbler

Thumler's literature says the HD Model B version turns at 50 rpm. I just tested mine and 50 revolutions took 1:15, which works out to 40 rpm. Maybe it was slow because it's only 40ºF in my loading room right now, or maybe I got gipped out og 10 rpm, I dunno.

But I don't think it matters.

I think the greatest force a casing experiences when being tumbled is when it falls off the side and to the bottom of the drum. That force is controlled by acceleration due to gravity, which will always be the same, regardless of the speed of the drum. If the drum spins so fast that it imparts a force equal to or greater than acceleration due to gravity to the casings, centripetal force will keep the brass pinned to the wall of the drum. It will no longer tumble but just go 'round in circles.

So I do not think the speed of rotation plays any role in brass damage, but you <span style="text-decoration: underline">can</span> spin it so fast that the force and frequency of the "clashing" falls off and cleaning along with it. I'd recommend you throw a handful of casings in it and adjust the speed until it's making the most racket. That should be the speed causing the most "clashing," which should be your best cleaning speed.

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[Suasponte]

Re: My Homemade tumbler

Dobbs, your a sick man! LOL!

Terry

 

[htuong95]

Re: My Homemade tumbler

Nice! Where did you get the parts and how much were they? I would like to make one too.

 

[doubled]

Re: My Homemade tumbler

$13.00 - 5.25 O.D. 1 BORE 1 GROOVE PULLEY
$3.50 - Belt
$125.00 - Motor
$5.00 - 2.45 O.D. 5/8 BORE 1 GROOVE PULLEY
$40.00 - (4) 1" Pillow Block Bearings
$0.00 - Aluminum 1" Stock
$6.00 - 1" I.D Hose to put over the Aluminum for grip

Surplus Center for the motor, belt and pulleys; Ebay for the bearings and Aluminum was given to me by a friend.

 

[Jumper]

Re: My Homemade tumbler

What barrel do you plan on using?

Your setup cost more than my Thumlers high speed but its built 100 times better! You could get a motor speed control and fine tune it or, just right size the pulley's and be done with it. Nice job.

 

[Wireman134]

Re: My Homemade tumbler

Nice but a little expensive isn't it. Maybe if you get that monster motor to run a 55 gal. barrel filled with cases. That would be most efficient.

 

[doubled]

Re: My Homemade tumbler

A new thumblers is on average $200 with free shipping off amazon; I'm at just about the same price so I don't see it as more expensive. In addition the motor is a half horse motor which can handle significantly more weight than the Thumblers.

The barrel that i am going to use is came from the pet store - I just need to finish the collars for it. It should slow things down to a better speed since it's bigger than the thumblers barrel. I'm thinking of using polypropylene or polyethylene for the collars since they are both good hard plastics with low density; it's finding sheets that are think enough that is a challenge.

i did run 180 308 cases in the thumblers barrel at the high speed and they came out spotless in 60 minutes flat. The necks were no more peened than the usual coming out of the thumblers.

12" L X 12" W X 13.25" H

This will handle up to 7.5 gallons of water; tumbling i will use about 5 gallons and 15lbs of media, plus cases.

 

[SpeedyR]

Re: My Homemade tumbler

what are the specs of the motor? I'm thinking I may get a buddy to weld up a frame for me, I can put together the rest (thinking 6" PVC for the body of the tumbler). seems most of the electric motors I have seen around around 1725rpm? what gears did you find worked best?

 

[doubled]

Re: My Homemade tumbler

Gearing is going to depend on your barrel O.D; what i thought was to fast is working perfect for me. I can clean 200 308 cases in just under 2 hours using the Thumblers barrel on my rig.

I use about 10lbs of media to increase the surface area contact and to reduce crashing due to the high speed. With my large barrel I spin at about 40 RPM and I don't have enough brass to tell you what it's max capacity is but I did do about 900 .308's in it and there was room to spare.

 

[DBohn]

Re: My Homemade tumbler

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Fred_C_Dobbs</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I just tested mine and 50 revolutions took 1:15, which works out to 40 rpm.
</div></div>

This is what mine was doing when I timed it. I started off with the slow speed motor and timed it at about 18 rpm if I remember right. Way too slow. Even if I left the brass in there for double the time it takes at 40 rpm the primer pockets would never get as clean.

 

[Ranger70]

Re: My Homemade tumbler

Sounds good..... the picture you put up shows a square \barrel for the brass, how does the go around?????

 

[doubled]

Re: My Homemade tumbler

it required modification. Decide on your material, cut out a circle that is just larger than the square container and cut the center out to fit the container like a keyhole. 2 surfaces with about 2" of contact for the roll wheels works well.

 

[keith jones]

Re: My Homemade tumbler

My buddy built one like that of an old belt driven motor off a washer or dryer it beat the hell out of the brass. so he took some spray insulation took it apart and sprayed an even base all the way around then shave off high partsl it worked for a year or to then he upgraded (he was just piddlin around)

 

[EWP]

Re: My Homemade tumbler

I found a round barrel works better than a hex shaped barrel but it has to be rubber inside which is kinds sticky when wet so the brass tumbles instead of just sliding around like it would in a plastic barrel.

The round barrel does tumble the brass but not a much as the hex barrels but that keeps the brass in contact with the media more and reduces the time it takes to actually clean the brass, and it also gives a smoother overall finish.

Try a round barrel if you can find a rubber lined one.

 

[300sniper]

Re: My Homemade tumbler

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: EWP</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I found a round barrel works better than a hex shaped barrel but it has to be rubber inside which is kinds sticky when wet so the brass tumbles instead of just sliding around like it would in a plastic barrel.

The round barrel does tumble the brass but not a much as the hex barrels but that keeps the brass in contact with the media more and reduces the time it takes to actually clean the brass, and it also gives a smoother overall finish.

Try a round barrel if you can find a rubber lined one.

</div></div>

or glue in some plastic agitators.

 

[Busby.]

Re: My Homemade tumbler

I am considering getting one of these barrels-

http://www.candmtopline.com/tumbling_barrels.html

 

[doubled]

Re: My Homemade tumbler

I have been playing with this new tumbler for a while now and I have opted to keep the RPM's fast. I can tumble cases in 90 minutes and they are as clean as a standard 4-hour tumble in my normal tumblers.

I am also using 10-lbs of media vs. 5 as well to increase the surface area of the pins.

so far I have done (25) .50's and (250) .308's in the normal thumblers barrel without any issues.

 

[doubled]

Re: My Homemade tumbler

Got it down to about 40 RPM with the bucket, and surprisingly enough it tumbles the pieces very well without any baffle system inside. I still may add some agitators but first results show no real need to.

 

[crasher]

Re: My Homemade tumbler

Looks good from here. A couple questions, if you don't mind.

1.) How much brass/media/water are you spinning in the 5 gallon bucket? I'm asking for your recipe. How full are you running the bucket?
2.) What's your favorite speed with the the 5 gallon bucket?
3.) How are you keeping the spin-on lid from leaking? Mine dribble slightly through the threads.

Many thanks for any answers you can give.

 

[doubled]

Re: My Homemade tumbler

Today was the first run with the gamma seal lid so I have some tinkering to do.

I ran that with 3 gallons of water and a ton of 45 pistol brass... I just got back from home depot with a 3 gallon bucket so I can try that as well.

IT struggled a little but not from weight, the rollers were not grabbing the bucket well so I am also going to drive the second roller with a pulley, and put a 2-belt pulley on the first roller.

I leaked a little around the snap-on lid but not the threaded cap. I am going to fix that with some epoxy and make the thread-on adapter a permanent fixture.

The bucket spins at around 45 RPM.

 

[doubled]

Re: My Homemade tumbler

ok so I was just out in the garage and here is what i ended up with.

3 gallon with the gamma seal lid, epoxy along the seam to prevent any water leaking (the lid doesn't leak)

I put the top half of a bucket on the bottom half of my 3 lb bucket to get it level, and to use the "lip" as the roller contact point.

Once the epoxy dries I will give it a test run but I think this is the final drum (until it gets painted)

 

[crasher]

Re: My Homemade tumbler

I'm waiting on SS pins to be delivered, and getting a load of used brass I have ordered, so I don't have any empty brass right now for results to share yet. I'm gathering the stuff, and today was the first time I had the Gamma's in hand to test. I don't know about the epoxy, I think the buckets may be more disposable than that. I was thinking more along the lines of a silicone caulk between the bucket and the hammer-on-flange, and then some plumbers grease on the O-ring on the screw-lid at the flange.

ETA: That's a pretty slick looking machine you've got there. I'm jealous of your stuffs.
I'm still working mine out in my head, and paper before I commit to cut/welded materials.