[Jesse17]

I decided to get a tumbler. Has anyone used the Cabelas 400? Does the motor last on them or should I look for something a little more $pendy?

Also, how long does it take to just clean brass? Are we talking 20 min.? 2 hrs.? 12 hrs.?

[lonyaeger]

I have that tumbler. I'm happy with it so far. Tumbling time depends on how dirty the brass is to begin with.

[Jesse17]

Thanks Lon.

How long have you had the tumbler? I'm just worried about getting something that the motor is going to burn out on.

As far as time frame on cleaning, I figured I'd get that answer, but what I'm looking for is just a ball park. Is it something I will want to turn on and baby sit, or is it more like a turn on before I leave for work type of thing?

[lonyaeger]

I've had it for about a year, but I shoot a lot and it would be safe to say that I've tumbled thousands of cases in that amount of time. I have an ultrasonic cleaner too, and I haven't figured out which one I'm going to use more yet. They both have their merits and their downsides. I get tired of the mess from the corncob media, but you have to dry the cases after using the ultrasonic, so that probably washes out (no pun).

I've tumbled for as little as thirty minutes and as long as a few hours. Probably wouldn't hurt to leave it going while you go to work, but probably overkill and certainly more wear and tear. I would think that four hours would probably be the longest you would need to go, but there are others on the forum who have been doing it longer than me and, hopefully, they'll give you some input too.

Oh, and no baby-sitting required!

[ktmboyz]

I went the ultrasonic cleaner and have been very happy. plus you can clean gun parts in it

As far as drying after cleaning, I run em through the tank, rinse them with hot water, then I keep a large container filled with prob 20 or so oz of isopropyl alcohol. I pour the alcohol over the cases and swish em around the drain it back off. It works kind of like dry gas, it takes all the water with it then dries very fast and leaves no film at all. Placed in front of a blower for a few min or a hair dryer and they are ready to load in minutes.

After the alcohol sits for a while the water and dirt sinks to the bottom and the more pure and clean stayes on top, so I pour the clean off the top then suck the rest out with a baster and pour out the dirt and water mix from the bottom. Seems to be working very well so far.

[Jesse17]

Originally Posted by ktmboyz

I went the ultrasonic cleaner and have been very happy. plus you can clean gun parts in it

As far as drying after cleaning, I run em through the tank, rinse them with hot water, then I keep a large container filled with prob 20 or so oz of isopropyl alcohol. I pour the alcohol over the cases and swish em around the drain it back off. It works kind of like dry gas, it takes all the water with it then dries very fast and leaves no film at all. Placed in front of a blower for a few min or a hair dryer and they are ready to load in minutes.

After the alcohol sits for a while the water and dirt sinks to the bottom and the more pure and clean stayes on top, so I pour the clean off the top then suck the rest out with a baster and pour out the dirt and water mix from the bottom. Seems to be working very well so far.

Wow. I saw the ultrasonic cleaners, but figured they were a "sounds good but never works" type of thing. How long do they take to clean up brass? And which one do you use?

[lonyaeger]

Mine is a Lyman. Does a very good job. Does wonders on primer pockets. Much less cleaning time. The downside is the after-cleaning process, but if I blow out the cases with my compressor, it greatly reduces the time for that. You can clean de-primed brass without getting corncob or other media stuck in the flash holes, which is a major PIA in my opinion.

[Txhillbilly]

Jesse,I have a Frankford Arsenal Tumbler.Actually,I bought the whole kit that they offer,Natchez Shooters Supply has them on sale for $70.
The motors on most tumblers will last for several years,I have been known to leave them on for 1-2 days by accident.All my reloading stuff,is out in my shop,and I have forgotten that I turned the tumbler on and then go back into the shop a day or two later.Talk about some shiny brass.

Just about every mfg makes a good tumbler,so I wouldn't worry about it not lasting a good long while.I think this is the 4th or 5th one that I have owned in the last 30yrs.

[TXnorton]

I bught my first Lyman Turbo 1200 tumbler back in 1983 or 1984. It has seen countless hours of operation, and has a batch of .45-70 cases in it right now. I do not think there is much difference in brands. I'll dump a batch of cases in one (I have two tumblers now) and let it run all day long if I am not in a hurry to reload the brass.

[ktmboyz]

I purchased this one because I was kind also kind of skeptical. I will say I have been very impressed, the only down side to this unit is you can only turn it on for 480 sec cycles at a time but after to or three times they are done. I am not sure how long some of the others stay on. Important part is a heating element.

If you have brass that's not really dirty then they come out looking like new, I had found some that sat outside all winter and those are clean but look kind of dirty. I guess the only downside is you dont get the high polished look of the tumbler on really dirty brass. Again they are squeaky clean just look kind of dirty on the outside, that doesnt really matter to me as long as they are clean and function 100%

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