Wet or dry tumble

[Elliott]

Been looking online and spotted some relatively cheap rock tumblers available on flebay delivered from the USA for around £40.

It seems these rock tumblers when added with metal tumbling media and dish soap do a fantastic job of brass cases at a fraction of what one would normally pay for a 'brass wet tumbler'. From the searches I've done on YouTube they seem to do a fairly good job.

This leaves me with two options:

1. Try a rock tumbler out and if it works sell the ultrasonic cleaner on here
2. Buy a dry tumbler for the same price delivered and use it in conjunction with the ultrasonic cleaner.

Before I take the plunge has anyone on here tried the rock tumblers for cleaning brass?

[bullbarrel]

I have both. They both clean to a similar standard, but the rock tumbler makes them extra shiny.

The rock tumbler is a lot of faff for a few cases. So if doing around 20 I use the ultra sonic. If I've built up a batch I then use the tumbler.

I think I read if you get a rock tumbler you should change the gearing to make the drum turn faster. Think all you have to so is add a bit of fatter tubing to the drive spindle.

[angrybear]

I have no idea if there is any truth in it, but I heard someone in the RFD's say that ultra-sonic cleaners can cause brass cases to "work harden" prematurely.

[223AI]

Been looking online and spotted some relatively cheap rock tumblers available on flebay delivered from the USA for around £40.

It seems these rock tumblers when added with metal tumbling media and dish soap do a fantastic job of brass cases at a fraction of what one would normally pay for a 'brass wet tumbler'. From the searches I've done on YouTube they seem to do a fairly good job.

This leaves me with two options:

1. Try a rock tumbler out and if it works sell the ultrasonic cleaner on here
2. Buy a dry tumbler for the same price delivered and use it in conjunction with the ultrasonic cleaner.

Before I take the plunge has anyone on here tried the rock tumblers for cleaning brass?

If you go for a rock tumbler I'm after one so we could see if they'd combine postage

If not can I have the item number save me searching please.


Jury's still out on the puller........

[enfield2band]

A firm I worked for used rock tumblers to clean small components. Anything tumbled in them needs to be washed thoroughly and dried off. Sometimes a piece of the rock would jam inside a component. You might find it is more trouble than it is worth for a few cases.

[grim_reaper]

I have no idea if there is any truth in it, but I heard someone in the RFD's say that ultra-sonic cleaners can cause brass cases to "work harden" prematurely.

Not as far as I know. Some chemical concoctions I have seen used will cause the brass to harden but I can't imagine the machine it's self will.

Elliott, don't forget you might need a transformer if your tumbler is US spec, they use 110v usually.

[1066]

I clean my brass with stainless steel pins in a rock tumbler - I've used all methods over the years but been using SS media for the last 5 years or so and wouldn't use anything else now.
Here's my rock tumbler in action.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcyAkj-LzA8

[airgunnut]

I have no idea if there is any truth in it, but I heard someone in the RFD's say that ultra-sonic cleaners can cause brass cases to "work harden" prematurely.

It stands to reason that it would, the ultra sonic cleaners rely on what is basically vibrations to dislodge dirt, any metal that vibrates is flexing slightly and will work harden, the steel used in the ultra sonic tanks will have a resonance frequency that's not any way near the frequency of the ultra sonic vibrations, the brass however could be a different matter

[223AI]

A firm I worked for used rock tumblers to clean small components. Anything tumbled in them needs to be washed thoroughly and dried off. Sometimes a piece of the rock would jam inside a component. You might find it is more trouble than it is worth for a few cases.

I think they are called rock tumblers as people tumble rocks in them to polish them for jewellery making and the like, generally for cleaning brass stainless steel media is used as you would with a wet tumbler, that's my plane when i get around to buying / making one anyway.

[Elliott]

If you go for a rock tumbler I'm after one so we could see if they'd combine postage

If not can I have the item number save me searching please.


Jury's still out on the puller........

Hi Scott, hope your well pal. If you type rock tumbler into The Bay you'll see the red and black double barrel type. That's what I was considering having a punt on. When I get back from Certe this week I might give one a try


I'm not electrically minded at all. Could someone please explain why I'd need a transformer and what one is?!

[223AI]

Hi Scott, hope your well pal. If you type rock tumbler into The Bay you'll see the red and black double barrel type. That's what I was considering having a punt on. When I get back from Certe this week I might give one a try


I'm not electrically minded at all. Could someone please explain why I'd need a transformer and what one is?!

Randomly when I opened my emails this morning sent me a notification of a re-listed item, it was the very rock tumbler in question, only down side is the one i was looking at at least said they would not do international shipping.

In terms of voltage UK domestic electric supplies run at 240 volts, US supplies are 110 volt (Saftey feature, but then its ampage not voltage that kills) so the supply needs to be run through a transformer to reduce the voltage to 110V or you run the risk of it not working or breaking!

Anyway, get back to the misses, you shouldn't be on here you're on honeymoon!!

[223AI]

http://www.inta-audio.com/cables-con...FevpwgodmDECng

You'd have to check the wattage for the motor wasn't above 45W though

[Elliott]

Randomly when I opened my emails this morning sent me a notification of a re-listed item, it was the very rock tumbler in question, only down side is the one i was looking at at least said they would not do international shipping.

In terms of voltage UK domestic electric supplies run at 240 volts, US supplies are 110 volt (Saftey feature, but then its ampage not voltage that kills) so the supply needs to be run through a transformer to reduce the voltage to 110V or you run the risk of it not working or breaking!

Anyway, get back to the misses, you shouldn't be on here you're on honeymoon!!

http://www.inta-audio.com/cables-con...FevpwgodmDECng

You'd have to check the wattage for the motor wasn't above 45W though

Of course, that makes sense. Looks a relatively cheap part at just over £7.00. I'll properly check it all out when I get back. Thinking of giving it a go

There's tonnes of them available on The Bay, quite a few do international shipping for an extra £20 which is pretty reasonable

[Adamant]

I have a Rebel 17 SSM tumbler and wouldn't bother with any other cleaning method these days - the most important part of case cleaning (and clearly a massive contributor to accuracy, as any damn fool knows) is the 'shininess quotient' and SSM tumbling increases shininess by a minimum shininess quotient of 408% over dry media and 972% over ultrasonic cleaning.

Mmmmm, shiny!

[Elliott]

I have a Rebel 17 SSM tumbler and wouldn't bother with any other cleaning method these days - the most important part of case cleaning (and clearly a massive contributor to accuracy, as any damn fool knows) is the 'shininess quotient' and SSM tumbling increases shininess by a minimum shininess quotient of 408% over dry media and 972% over ultrasonic cleaning.

Mmmmm, shiny!

I want shiny shiny!