Vibratory case cleaner

MarkCO said:
I was there. I made a dryer out of a 5 gallon bucket, a duct fan and a 10" hydroponics basket. I just dump it in and let it run overnight...dry brass. Took about 20 minutes to make, no heater, none of the other time consuming stuff. Converted me for rifle cases.
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Great idea. I made my wet tumbler out of things I had lying around….always satisfying.

For now I just lie my cases out by a heater vent, or in the sun in the summer. If I’m in a rush the oven works fine. Main thing is just not to be in a hurry to load them.

Not sure if mentioned already but decapping prior is key to wet tumbling. Otherwise the cases are practically air locked and won’t dry.
 
30 minutes won't dry brass, not even in Texas in July. I have to wash brass sometimes due to a wet match and have muddy brass, it don't dry in 30 minutes. I would prolly get a toaster over to dry it in if I was gonna use a wet tumbler. I'd rather be loading or shooting.
 
Drying brass is easy, as long as you do it when SWMBO isn’t home. I just set the oven at 175 deg for an hour. I use a dedicated cookie sheet for this. I wet tumble in Dawn and Lemishine, no pins and it’s just the easiest thing in the world. I do rifle brass a second time in just Dawn to remove the lanolin case lube. If I want them to stay shiny I also do an hour in the VT with crushed walnut shells and Nufinish.
 
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Been using a Thumbler Tumbler for about 10 years, the only complaint I have with it is the bowl size and that is my fault…should have gotten the larger bowl. Works great and is very quite.
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+1
If you want one that will last get a Thumbler.
 
I started out in 1982, with a Harbor Freight rolling drum and 25# box each, of walnut and corn Cobb.

It did a fairly good job, but didn't hold much.

Bought a large bowl vibratory from Midway. Have put 150-200 rifle brass in it, at one time.
(.30-06, 7Mag) mixed walnut and corn, with a squirt of Nu-Finish car polish.
Let it 2-3 hours. Range pickup brass, I may leave it 6 hours or more. I have forgot and let it run 24 hours.

Midway is 10+ years old. Still using the original HF walnut and corn cob.

I have considered "wet". I have looked into the set up.
At this time, I have no need or desire to change. When replacement time comes, it is a toss up, but most likely, will not change.

That old HF drum still works. Gave it to grandson for his .38Spc brass
 
dry media in rotary tumbler . . . .

Dry media in rotary tumbler works too. I use dry media in my FART far more often than wet. When you switch to wet you gotta make sure to open both ends and get the dregs of the dry stuff out. And the wet is more detail and messy to clean up unless you have a sink near a works space. But the wet with steel pins really makes em shine. Anyway the rotary tumblers may be a touch more versatile as they can do dry and wet.

Lifeisgood

Prof Young
 
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