Home made tumbler

M

mrdaputer

New member
I have the HF Dual Drum Rotary Rock Tumbler which is fine just too small and need to do a lot of loads. I am thinking of picking up a tread mill for free and using like 5 gallon buckets as a tumbler. That way I could do 10 lbs of casings at a time. Has anyone else used a treadmill or what did you come up with. Also is there a good 5 gallon container with a locking lead so it won't leak?
 
A friend of mine built a stout tumber by using an old motor and a a big (~10") peice of steel pipe. He used flat plate with a hole in the middle as caps, long peice of all thread to hold them on. Works great!
 
I built this one using two 12.7 gallon chlorine (100lb) buckets. One mounted permanent and the other, with the agitators nest inside it.

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Not only are they much larger they are also much stronger than your average 5 gallon bucket and have screw on lids as well.

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I built 3 of these for a local business, 15 gallons of brass per barrel but your going to want an overhead crane to go with it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlZOYjmAnO0
 
Goodle "home made rock tumblers", "home made brass tumblers", and "home made ball mills". You'll get a lot of ideas...
 
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15 gallons of brass per barrel but your going to want an overhead crane
That sure looks heavy duty but will be tumbling in my lab cave so I can't use a crane.

Code: 
 Goodle "home made rock tumblers", "home made brass tumblers", and "home made ball mills". You'll get a lot of ideas
I did Google it but I like this forum. I can come up with a idea post pictures and get advise and feed back on how to perfect it to fit my needs. Right now searching for leak proof buckets.
 
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"...used a treadmill..." A what? snicker.
Brass doesn't come by the gallon. snicker. Mind you, 15 pounds of brass will need a strong connector to any motor. 15 pounds of empty .308 cases is about 555 cases. Plus the weight of whatever media you're using(don't think it'd be advisable to use SS pins). Usually 3ish pounds of crushed corn cobs in a regular tumbler. Like a Frankford Arsenal tumbler that holds 350 .223 cases.
A 5 gallon container with a locking lid comes from a restaurant. Usually for the asking. Doesn't matter if the thing is food grade plastic if it's free.
 
Jerry mculek uses one of those like 5 gallon cement mixers... I'd look at that too... but hey, the treadmill is a good idea.

https://youtu.be/O5y_dsP3dsM

You plan on selling the Hf tumbler... I've been looking at one, I only do about 100-150 6.5 creed Max

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk
 
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Or you could be satisfied with cleaning your brass and forget the tumbling altogether.
It's just going to get dirty again and lost in the weeds, anyway.
Sometimes being cheap and lazy greatly simplifies life.
Just a thought. :)
 
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