RCBS crapped out tried the Thumbler.... WOW

[beenjammin]

Well, decided to try out the Thumbler tumbler model B after reading here like always. I must say none of it is hype. I got it in from Midway today and tried 90 pieces of .260 lapua brass. I let it run for 2 hrs ( instead of 4) just to see and it looks bran new.

Just amazed...

Now what to do with all this leftover corncob and walnut media.

 

[eclipse57]

Re: RCBS crapped out tried the Thumbler.... WOW

Yep. Damn sure is amazing.

I have tried 3 and 4 hours and it does not look any better than 2 hours. That and two 45 acp cases of lemishine, a little palmolive gold get them looking like new.

 

[stewfish]

Re: RCBS crapped out tried the Thumbler.... WOW

Keep your other tumbler. The brass out of the Model B is so clean that it tarnishes quickly. Run them in corncob and NuFinish polish to keep them bright.

 

[Cacciatore]

Re: RCBS crapped out tried the Thumbler.... WOW

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: stewfish</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Keep your other tumbler. The brass out of the Model B is so clean that it tarnishes quickly. Run them in corncob and NuFinish polish to keep them bright. </div></div>

Does the NuFinish really work? I bought 2 large bottles for my quad plastics and it did not work as expected. I have yet to try it as an actual car polish.

 

[beenjammin]

Re: RCBS crapped out tried the Thumbler.... WOW

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: stewfish</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Keep your other tumbler. The brass out of the Model B is so clean that it tarnishes quickly. Run them in corncob and NuFinish polish to keep them bright. </div></div>


it died. I guess rcbs might fix it, but shipping it will be a pain.

 

[stewfish]

Re: RCBS crapped out tried the Thumbler.... WOW

Sorry, misread your post. I see now that it died. The NuFinish does work, and a regular tumbler is useful for tumbling off resizing lube and to keep the bling.

 

[red hawk]

Re: RCBS crapped out tried the Thumbler.... WOW

That the best way to clean your brass, and even the primer pockets are clean. After remove the brass, rinse in clean hot water and let them dry, I've had no problem with tarnishing.Good reloading!

 

[beenjammin]

Re: RCBS crapped out tried the Thumbler.... WOW

I put mine in the convection oven at 150 degrees for 10 mins and it worked great. With it only taking 2 hrs, i cant stop cleaning.

 

[eclipse57]

Re: RCBS crapped out tried the Thumbler.... WOW

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: beenjammin</div><div class="ubbcode-body">With it only taking 2 hrs, i cant stop cleaning. </div></div>

I'm with you. When you pull that cover off, it is almost like finding gold mixed in with all of the media!

 

[Hoverp]

Re: RCBS crapped out tried the Thumbler.... WOW

Ive found also that the Lemishine product (ater sofetener) really works well with the dawn dishwashing liquid and it keeps the brass from tarnishing . I like it ALOT.

now one question...I run a Giraud trimmer, and after I put my de-capped brass in the Thumblers and get it clean the top edge of the case is peened over a bit on all the cases from tumbling in the SS media. So I have to re-trim after every firing to get the inside chamfer smooth. any one else notice this on the lip of the cases?

 

[Deadshot2]

Re: RCBS crapped out tried the Thumbler.... WOW

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Cacciatore</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: stewfish</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Keep your other tumbler. The brass out of the Model B is so clean that it tarnishes quickly. Run them in corncob and NuFinish polish to keep them bright. </div></div>

Does the NuFinish really work? I bought 2 large bottles for my quad plastics and it did not work as expected. I have yet to try it as an actual car polish. </div></div>

Works excellently. I even use some in a rag to polish small amounts of brass when I'm too lazy to fill the tumbler. A bit of Nu-Finish on a shop rag, a case spun in a cordless drill using a Lee Case holder (for the trimmer) and the rag/Nu-finish will remove several shooting's worth of carbon from the neck. Looks good as new on the outside. Not as good as with the Stainless Pins but great for showing off at the range

As for brass tarnishing after sitting a while, not a problem in my world. I'm out shooting enough where the brass doesn't have time to tarnish, it gets sooty first.

 

[judgedelta]

Re: RCBS crapped out tried the Thumbler.... WOW

Regarding hoverp's question, mine does have some tiny peening on the lip of some of the cases. This will even interfere with the seating of a boat-tail bullet. A quick twist with a champher tool will get rid of the peens (?) without having to trim...

 

[TexIndian]

Re: RCBS crapped out tried the Thumbler.... WOW

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Hoverp</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
now one question...I run a Giraud trimmer, and after I put my de-capped brass in the Thumblers and get it clean the top edge of the case is peened over a bit on all the cases from tumbling in the SS media. So I have to re-trim after every firing to get the inside chamfer smooth. any one else notice this on the lip of the cases?
</div></div>

You get that in any rotary tumbler regardless of the media. It's from the cases banging into one another. Just trim the cases after cleaning them. If they don't need trimming, adjust the cutters so they just touch the lip of the case mouth. The chamfer/deburring action will get rid of that little lip.

 

[judgedelta]

Re: RCBS crapped out tried the Thumbler.... WOW

Just remember that if you are going to trim, you've got to resize first. It's a lot easier to just champher lightly if you don't need to trim. If you can see brass coming off, you are probably removing too much.

The guys up above noted that 2 hours tumbling works as well as 4. That makes for a lot less peening on your cases. JMHO

 

[vman]

Re: RCBS crapped out tried the Thumbler.... WOW

Yeh the Thumlers rocks.

To avoid tarnishing of your cases gives them a quick rinse after they are all out of the media. Drain them using a strainer and then dump them all into alcohol (i use metho). Drain those off also and pour the alcohol back into its container for reuse. Hit up the brass with a hair dryer for 5-10 mins and they remain super shiney for months.

 

[Chadwick ATX]

Re: RCBS crapped out tried the Thumbler.... WOW

I have had difficulty getting all the water removed from the media after use. When I pour the water out, some of the stainless rods want to go with it. I bought the 9.5" one of these http://www.surlatable.com/product/PRO-696898/Camford-Stainless-Steel-Mesh-Sieves-With-Wire-Handles from Sur La Table last night. It works like a champ with not a single escapee when I pour all my water and stainless media into it. Before that I was putting a t-shirt over a regular strainer. It worked, but it was kind of a pain in the rear.

 

[TexIndian]

Re: RCBS crapped out tried the Thumbler.... WOW

Yeah, I tried the T-shirt deal when I started, too. I ended up going with an old media separator from Midway that fits perfectly on top of a household plastic bucket from the grocery store. I dump the tumbler into the separator and the pins fall down into the bucket. I do have to be careful when pouring the dirty water out of the bucket, but if I slow down and keep a good watch, I can pour off the water (and later rinse waters) without losing any pins.

 

[metal2meat]

Re: RCBS crapped out tried the Thumbler.... WOW

I bought the Thumblers/SS media combo last year and agree that it cleans brass great. One thing that got me was the pins getting stuck in the flash hole. I primed a couple hundred .223's one night and just about the time I was done I noticed the stuck pins in one. I went back with a flashlight and checked the rest and found about 10 with pins wedged in the flash hole.

I don't know if a couple SS pins flying down the barrel behind the bullet would have been bad, but I'd rather not do that. Somewhere between the drying and priming process you should inspect the flash holes.

 

[Sudden Impact]

Re: RCBS crapped out tried the Thumbler.... WOW

Beenjammin, here is a site with a motor (temp. Out of Stock) but keep checking back. Or you can hopefully use the info to locate another motor. It is www.skycraftsurplus.com You'll want the C-Frame Shaded Pole Motor, 2850rpm, Item# SK3290 Price $5.95 in case you decide to repair the RCBS and it isn't covered. Hope this helps.

 

[tolnep]

Re: RCBS crapped out tried the Thumbler.... WOW

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: metal2meat</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I bought the Thumblers/SS media combo last year and agree that it cleans brass great. One thing that got me was the pins getting stuck in the flash hole. I primed a couple hundred .223's one night and just about the time I was done I noticed the stuck pins in one. I went back with a flashlight and checked the rest and found about 10 with pins wedged in the flash hole.

I don't know if a couple SS pins flying down the barrel behind the bullet would have been bad, but I'd rather not do that. Somewhere between the drying and priming process you should inspect the flash holes. </div></div>

i just started reloading and this is what i got to clean my brass. works great.

i do lots of 110. first time through i had a number of pins in flash holes. i used a small nail to push them out. (i expected to find them so i looked at every case as i removed them.). have the media separator. next 110 i happened to turn the crank a bit more vigorously and got maybe two cases with pins. so on my next group in spun it a bit longer and harder and had maybe two cases with pins.

bottom line, seems like at least for 308s if you use the separator and crank it a bit it removes almost all of the pins.

as to separating the last bit of water from the pins. i rinse the crap out of the batch before i dump it into the separator. i am also able to poor most of the water off at the end. but some water stays with the pins and its clean water. i leave the tumbler open between runs and i expect if i left it long enough the water would evaporate.