Tumblers

rodmkr

Temecula California
Mine bit the dust last night.
Am looking at all of the options for a new one
The Thumblers model B high speed seems like the best choise.
My question is Can it be used with dry media?
Have read the posts here about tumblers but do not seem to get a definitive answer.
I like the dry media but would like this tumbler to be the last one I will ever buy and the Thumblers seems to fill that bill
If I can use dry media.

Jim
 

Wasalmonslayer

Well-Known Member
Yes sir you can.
I have been using dry media in my Thumlers for two years with no ill effect.
The brass comes out very clean and shiny!
If I get really grungy brass I use it with water and stainless pins.
For my reloads I use dry media.
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
yes you can.
I switch off to dry media in mine for a few things, and have even used the stainless pins dry on occasion.
[like for those super black cases we all find on the range from time to time]

I keep any kind of lube out of the wet system, especially lanolin based, that stuff will make a mess and it's hard to clean back out when you want to use it wet.
 

rodmkr

Temecula California
Thanks everyone!
Now to find someone that has them in stock
Most places are backloged.
Thanks again

Jim
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
I see frankford arsenal stuff in the local shops and they seem to have a pretty good review.
I went with the Rebel 17 which is pretty close in design to the Thumblers.
but it would be pretty hard to beat the rock rollers for longevity and time in the business.
 

358156 hp

At large, whereabouts unknown.
Midway has some Model Bs in stock. Have they really gotten that expensive? I guess that's one of the more reasonable prices out there.
 

dromia

Active Member
You don't need a spare drum to change 'tween wet and dry, just another liner and rubber seal for the top plate.

I you do go with the Thumlers, I have two and they have given decades of service, then spray the inside of the drum with the liner removed with a good paint like Hammerite to stop the chance of ant rusting.
 

dale2242

Well-Known Member
I like my Lyman Cyclone.
It comes with 5# SS media and 2 separator baskets.
I use it for my really dirty pickup in large batches for wet tumble.
I use my double drum Harbor Freight for small loads.
Once the grunge and stain is removed, I use my Lyman Turbo 1200 with walnut shells between loadings.
 

CZ93X62

Official forum enigma
Thumler's. I have two--one is slow-speed, the other is fast speed. Every part on them is easily replaceable. Both are at least 30 years old, and have run for thousands of hours. Both are on their second set of axles and liners & gaskets and probably their tenth+ drive belts. All I have ever used is dry media, either corn cob or walnut hulls. Marie uses the slow machine for her rocks and gems, the fast machine is better for cartridge brass IME. Along with the RCBS Rockchucker press and first-series casting furnace, the Thumlers are among my best and most reliable loading tools.
 

358156 hp

At large, whereabouts unknown.
My Model B is the slow speed model. I bought it used for $50.00, and had to replace the axles & the belt. I only use it for wet tumbling since I have four or five dry tumblers. I normally run mine for 2-3 hours with ArmorAll car wash & a dab of Lemishine. I'll be replacing the Lemishine with plain old citric acid when my current supply is used up. It does a great job with my brass and I couldn't be happier with it. I keep thinking about replacing the motor with the high-speed version but will probably wait until it burns out so I can exercise my crisis management skills a bit.
 

JonB

Halcyon member
My first tumbler was a Lyman Pro Turbo 1200 got a lot of years of use...and some abuse. One day it quit working. Shortly after that, I'm at the LGS and they had one exactly like my old one, in a "open box" ...for half price...they told me is was used, but it didn't look like it.

Now the rest of the story:
Once I got the new one home and started using it, I decided to take the old one apart, the only problem I found was that the cord, where it goes through the chassis with the plastic clamp...the vibrations broke the wire strands but the outside of the wire's insulation still looked good. I replaced that cord, and now it works great.

Moral of the story, check out your cord, maybe your tumbler isn't dead.
 

Pistolero

Well-Known Member
I have a Lyman 1200 that has worked fine for about 25 yrs so far. No problems.

Replaced a 600 that lasted about 20 years, was going strong when I sold it and got
the bigger one.

Bill
 

358156 hp

At large, whereabouts unknown.
I also have an old Lyman 1200, and a 600. My 1200 is seriously ancient, I think I got it used in the late 1980s, then I bought a new 600 a couple of years later. The 1200 is getting weak, but I think I'll just figure out a replacement motor for it and keep going forward. The 600 has been used so much that I had to replace the bowl. The original didn't break, I honestly wore a hole through it a few years back and it continues on with a new bowl without a hitch. Then there's the used Thumlers vibratory tumbler I bought last year for $50.00, and it came with a free Vibratech tumbler, the biggest one I've ever seen. The old Lymans have been very good to me...
 

Cherokee

Medina, Ohio
I have two vibratory cleaners from Midway. One is 30+ years old and going strong. The other is only a few years old but works great. Tried the rock tumbler back in the 70's and did not like it, don't remember why.
 

Pistolero

Well-Known Member
I started with a small Thumblers, two 6" or so tubs. Just way too small, and slower
than the vibrators. I saw an open tube vibrator at the NRA show in 1980 and was amazed
at how clean the brass got, had to get one right away. Had the 600 and 1200 for a while, I
think (IIRC) I won the 1200 in an IPSC match, kept both for a while then sold the 600.

Bill
 

waco

Springfield, Oregon
I guy at work gave me a Lortone tumbler. A little rough around the edges but works great with the SS pins. We have a Thumblers as well but the wife uses it for polishing rocks and won’t let me use it....:embarrassed:
 

rodmkr

Temecula California
OK,
Bought the Thumblers Tumbler model B.
Any tricks or special info on using it?
IE: rubber feet , rubber pad under it , bricks to hold it down,
If anyone has any please let me know as I do not have annother10 years left for a new learning curve.

Jim
 

Wasalmonslayer

Well-Known Member
I just fold a towel up and put under it so it does not vibrate on my bench top.
I also use light oil on each bearing just enough to wet them.
Look closely your electrical motor may have oil spots as well. If it is like mine and it does and I give each one a drop at every use.
You will love using it my vibratory ones just sit now!
 

358156 hp

At large, whereabouts unknown.
Mine hasn't gone walking on me yet, but I guess I have been setting it on an old rubber door mat since I first got it, so it really hasn't had much of a chance to wander, even if it wanted to. I oil mine with every use too, the oil ports are directly above the shaft, and are simple a "V" shaped opening in the metal shroud. The infos probably in your owners manual.
 
Last edited: