Updated brass tumbler ...

wquiles

Well-Known Member
Back in 2014 I built this brass tumbler, in which I "didn't" followed the original design:
IMG_20141124_174535.jpg

IMG_20141124_174550.jpg


It worked "ok", as the skate wheels didn't have enough friction to turn it well, specially as they got a little worned out. After a couple years of not "quite working as good as I hoped", I went back and modified it per the original design - not yet shown in this picture, the steel shafts (5/8" dia) get a press-fit garden house to improve traction:
20191208_121640.jpg

20191208_121655.jpg


It is meant to work with an 8" or 10" diameter pvc tube, but I can't find a small piece locally, but it "kind of works" with the 5gal bucket:
Updated tumbler - large bucket


You have to have something inside the container to force movement (think washing machine), so this plastic spike (end grind off) is almost press-fit and provides the necessary agitation:
20191227_173549.jpg



I tried with the recycled 8" diameter container shown above, and it is awesome, as expected:
Updated tumbler - small bucket


My only problem at the moment is that they small container is rather flimsy, thin walled, etc., and it leaks a little. Any idea where I can get a cheap piece of about 1 foot or 2 foot in length, and about 8" or 10" diameter piece of pvc to make a more sturdy container?

Will
 
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Rick

Moderator
Staff member
Plumbing supply place would have that. They might even save ya a cut-off from a job site.
 

wquiles

Well-Known Member
Thanks Rick. I will check tomorrow Monday to see if I can find a piece/section of PVC for this project :)
 

KeithB

Resident Half Fast Machinist
I built something similar. I use metal coffee cans and just tape the lids on with cheap duct tape. Mine uses an old washing machine motor driving a couple of 1/2" diameter steel shafts covered with surgical tubing. I can put up to three cans on mine at a time, so its easy to keep calibers separated. A couple little sheet metal paddles pop riveted inside the can gets things turning over. Never tried wet tumbling with this rig.
 

wquiles

Well-Known Member
OK, I wanted something more in the 6-8" diameter range, but found a free piece of 4" PVC yesterday in a local plumbing supply store (per Rick's advice):
20191230_123854.jpg


It was long enough for me to make two "containers"
20191230_125721.jpg


Latest video showed new container:
small container
 
F

freebullet

Guest
Really nice!

I have a motor, have some angle, time to make one..aint found that yet. The angle is already rusty, maybe waco can help.;)

Was going to use 1 1/8 for the shafts & pillow blocks so I could repurpose them as needed to check run out on roots 59 blower lobes.
 

Ian

Notorious member
I bought the SSTM system a few years afo before I had a lathe. If I had to do it over again, even with the lathe, I'd look really hard at the Frankford Arsenal tumbler. I love to engineer stuff like this myself but sometimes, time = money. Thing about DIY like Will has here is it can be rebuilt almost indefinitely with cheap parts, unlike the commercial units.
 

wquiles

Well-Known Member
LOL, I "do" use some of the SMT stuff:
20200103_123315.jpg


This was a small batch of 300BLK brass to test the new bucket - brass came out pretty darn nice:
20200103_122946.jpg


The primer pockets are not "perfectly" clean, but decent:
20200103_122926.jpg
 
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Ian

Notorious member
It takes my unit about two hours to get 98% of the crust out of the PPs. If I'm making "HAVE to work" ammunition, I uniform the primer pockets with a Redding tool anyway so it makes no difference and an hour rolling in the soup is enough.
 

popper

Well-Known Member
Liking the STM unit, good design, pillow block rollers, etc. Last batch was > 400 BO - another big batch later. IMHO the larger dia lets the pins work on the PP - else cases always on axis with the tube. Pus correct amount of soap gets the PP clean. Pins loosen but soap disolves. Looking at a ~4$ cheap french fry basket as separator. So far just pour off most water then onto a large towel. Pick out the cases then fold towel & dump back into tumbler. After cases dried I flared and found 4-5 pins in the pan I used to dry. I dry on the hot plate set to low, wait an hour - no need to turn on the big kitchen oven. I've only run an hour tumbling. Moving processed intothe cabinet, still got ~ 1500 once fired 308W never touched. Another bucket of 40sw not processed. And another bucket of 30/30, some new. Guess I don't shoot enough. Tumbling will be a once a year task now.
 
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Spindrift

Well-Known Member
Nice project!
If you have two of those PVC- containers now, you could consider trying the other container as a PC-applicator. Someone tried this already