Seeking Case Tumbler Advice

HankB · May 31, 2001, 09:29 AM

Well, my old "Thumler's Tumbler" has finally bitten the dust after some 25 years of use, so it looks like I'll be buying one of the vibrating-bowl tumblers to replace it. Seems there are lot of makes on the market - Dillon, Midway, Lyman, even saw one labeled Frankford Arsenal (!) and I'd
just like to know what experiences people on this forum have had with various brands. Dillon looks good, but is pricey, and only comes with a 1 year warranty on the motor, unlike the lifetime warranty on their presses. Midway's 1292 seems to be OK (though they had a motor recall a year or two back) and the price is right. Haven't heard much about the others.

Also, what media is recommended? I tried Midway's walnut, but it was too fine - seemed to have a lot of talcum-powder-like dust that coated the cases. Any recommendations?

Poodleshooter · May 31, 2001, 09:32 AM

I've been using a 1292 Midway for about 3 months. It has seen about 5000 cases so far, and has operated for up to 8 hours at a time. It works great. I use walnut media from the pet store (ask for lizard litter, the finest grade they have). Use a wetting agent such as Midway's case cleaner or car polish to both polish the cases and keep the dust down. Also, used dryer sheets will help keep the dust down and prolong the cleanliness of the media.

Southla1 · May 31, 2001, 01:50 PM

Hank, I have a Lyman Turbo Twin and used to use the Lyman treated corncob. I now use that corncob pet bedding from Wal-Mart (biggg bag for $2.97) and use Armorall car wax (no ammonia) for a treatment. Works very well, I am pleased with it.

maxwayne · May 31, 2001, 04:15 PM

This got discussed at length not too long ago. If I can summarize, I believe that the consensus was that the Midway was the cheapest and that several of the others were made by the same company, but cast in different colors. The Dillon was the most expensive. I have a Midway and cant complain. It gets a great deal of work. Can you hear it running now?

Trigger Jerk · May 31, 2001, 07:09 PM

I have a Thumblers vibrating cleaner that is 15 years old (about) and lieterally operated 24 hours a day from October to April with half of the time under heavy load FMJ bullets, rather than brass and it still is going strong. From Oct to April was approximately 50,000 308 cases, 30,000 30 Carbine cases, 10,000 223 cases, 50,000 223 fmj bullets, 100,000 30 cal fmj bullets, 20,000 30 carbine bullets, 2000 50 cal fmj bullets, and on and on, but that's the bulk of it.

If it dies tomorrow, it doesn't owe me a thing.

bdhawk · May 31, 2001, 11:35 PM

midway's tumbler is an excellent product. they did have a recall, but the tumbler i sent back was several years old and worked just fine. the midway tumbler is a bit over $40.00 so you will not have to pay the small order fine of $4.00. Now due to larry potterfield's greed, you will have to pay shipping and a generous handling fee, too. i use lyman walnut media. it has a jewelers rouge in it that sometimes leaves a residue. in the future i will use only straight walnut.

Coolray · June 1, 2001, 09:22 AM

We all have our favorites and mine is Berrys http://www.berrysmfg.com I bought mine for under $50 delivered it is larger than the Midway 1292 and has a extra large knob and clear lid included. Well made and lifetime warranty!
I use Corncob media with a little berry's polish. i tried the ground corn from wal-mart,cheaper but to coarse ground plugged up to many cases,so i went back to the finer ground media.

Hip's Ax · June 1, 2001, 02:57 PM

When I was first in the market for a tumbler, price was the main concern. I called Midway but they were out of stock, I found a Berry's tumbler at Graf's and the price was right so I ordered it. The Berry's tumbler is excellent, it is really big and does a great job, but as in all vibratory tumblers, it is very noisey. I have to have my tumbler in the celler right under the living room, it makes watching TV or any other activity really unenjoyable. After a few months, I bought a small used Thumler's and was immediatly in love. It is dead quiet and cleans inside the case as well as outside. I liked it so much, I bought a Model B. Since I got the first Thumler's my Berry's has been idle. Buy another Thumler's, I think you'll be happier.

Contender · June 1, 2001, 04:53 PM

Hank,

If the motor died and the rest of the unit is in good shape, see if an electric or industrial supply in your area stocks motors for them. I'm guessing it's an open type shaded pole motor. Pull it out and take it with you. They are quite common and are used in bathroom fans, blowers and the like. Get a price on one, usually 15 bucks or so.

Just a thought.

Use the rest of your dough to buy more components.

Regards

banjobart · June 1, 2001, 06:55 PM

Get the big Dillon tumbler and the big media separator and never look back.

I fill mine up with a new jug of Lyman green treated corncob media every year and it's good for 30,000 rounds of cleaning.

Steve Smith · June 1, 2001, 07:54 PM

I have a Lyman Turbo something or other (lot of help, huh?) It works great, but I wish I'd shopped around more...I'd have gotten a Midway for half the cost.

KeithL · June 2, 2001, 07:28 AM

I've got a thumler's tumbler of the same vintage & the belt broke. You can get parts list with prices from:
Tru-Square Metal Products
PO Box 585
640 First St S.W.
Auburn, Washington 98001

Nope, I never could find them on the web....

Charmedlyfe · June 2, 2001, 09:59 AM

I've got a Midway and an RCBS. The RCBS is a LOT quieter than the Midway, and seems to be much more efficient. Of course, it cost more. The Midway bowl is a lot thinner than most of the others on the market, which contributes a lot to noise. Also, the cord and switch aren't as sturdy as on the RCBS. Both have worked without a hitch...and both get used.

HankB · June 3, 2001, 10:36 AM

Thanks for all the feedback. I also did a "search" and saw this topic had already been covered in some depth.

Things I learned

from this and other tumbler threads:

1. Midway's tumblers are a great value and hold up well. Ditto Lyman.
2. Midway's tumblers "die" frequently. Ditto Lyman.
3. Berry's tumblers are quiet.
4. Berry's tumblers noisy.
5. Dillon is well made and a good value.
6. Dillon missed the boat on their tumblers by charging twice what they're worth.

Decisions, decisions . . .

Actually, I was satisfied with my Thumler's though it's patched together - the rubber barrel is held together with strapping tape, and now the motor is running so hot it's "untouchable" after 10 minutes. Coupled with the rust and the worn drive rollers, it's not really worth repairing.

But thanks for the hints about alternate sources of media and polish - it's off the Wally Mart for me!

BTW, I probably have one of the cheapest brass separators. I bought a 1-gallon Rubbermaid "Roughneck" tote container on sale for $1.50 and drilled a LOT of 1/4" holes in the bottom. Put the cover on, hold it over a grocery bag and shake - presto, brass and media separated in about 15 seconds. The rotary separators from Dillon and Midway are some of the most over engineered, over priced "solutions" I've seen offered to reloaders, who tend to be a frugal sort.

mcshot · June 3, 2001, 05:34 PM

I use a Thumblers. The belt broke and I found the right match at Menards - a big hardware chain. The belt in question is also for a garbage disposal gasket but it has worked long and hard so far. Got a couple for less than the price of the real thing.
mac

dick w. holliday · June 3, 2001, 06:55 PM

Bought the big midway (Too big) lasted a day or two and something broke....sent back got fixed--lasted a few more days and broke again....sent back for refund....got the small dillon and it's still ticking (by the way same motor as their big one)....Dick

Take a kid shooting

Contender · June 3, 2001, 08:08 PM

Have a Vibra-Shine Vortex machine. On the order of the Lyman type but a bit more reliable.

One thing I will say is to stay away from the Lyman Auto Flo models. The rouge or polishing grit tends to settle out of the media, falls through the bowl slots and congregates in the bottom chamber where it does absolutely nothing to shine/clean the brass. In effect the media tends to act like it's worn out at times.

Regards

May 31, 2001, 11:35 PM	#6
bdhawk Junior member Join Date: December 22, 2000 Posts: 114	tumbler midway's tumbler is an excellent product. they did have a recall, but the tumbler i sent back was several years old and worked just fine. the midway tumbler is a bit over $40.00 so you will not have to pay the small order fine of $4.00. Now due to larry potterfield's greed, you will have to pay shipping and a generous handling fee, too. i use lyman walnut media. it has a jewelers rouge in it that sometimes leaves a residue. in the future i will use only straight walnut.

June 2, 2001, 07:28 AM	#12
KeithL Member Join Date: October 21, 2000 Posts: 24	Thumler's parts I've got a thumler's tumbler of the same vintage & the belt broke. You can get parts list with prices from: Tru-Square Metal Products PO Box 585 640 First St S.W. Auburn, Washington 98001 Nope, I never could find them on the web....

June 3, 2001, 05:34 PM	#15
mcshot Senior Member Join Date: October 24, 1999 Location: Over da bridge, Mi Posts: 754	I use a Thumblers. The belt broke and I found the right match at Menards - a big hardware chain. The belt in question is also for a garbage disposal gasket but it has worked long and hard so far. Got a couple for less than the price of the real thing. mac __________________ "In my opinion, anyone pushing through anti-gun legislation is a bloody traitor and should be sent up for treason" N.H. Stuart

May 31, 2001, 09:29 AM	#1
HankB Senior Member Join Date: March 30, 2000 Location: Central Texas, outside of Austin Posts: 1,698	Well, my old "Thumler's Tumbler" has finally bitten the dust after some 25 years of use, so it looks like I'll be buying one of the vibrating-bowl tumblers to replace it. Seems there are lot of makes on the market - Dillon, Midway, Lyman, even saw one labeled Frankford Arsenal (!) and I'd just like to know what experiences people on this forum have had with various brands. Dillon looks good, but is pricey, and only comes with a 1 year warranty on the motor, unlike the lifetime warranty on their presses. Midway's 1292 seems to be OK (though they had a motor recall a year or two back) and the price is right. Haven't heard much about the others. Also, what media is recommended? I tried Midway's walnut, but it was too fine - seemed to have a lot of talcum-powder-like dust that coated the cases. Any recommendations?

May 31, 2001, 09:32 AM	#2
Poodleshooter Senior Member Join Date: August 7, 2000 Location: Floating down the James River in VA Posts: 2,599	I've been using a 1292 Midway for about 3 months. It has seen about 5000 cases so far, and has operated for up to 8 hours at a time. It works great. I use walnut media from the pet store (ask for lizard litter, the finest grade they have). Use a wetting agent such as Midway's case cleaner or car polish to both polish the cases and keep the dust down. Also, used dryer sheets will help keep the dust down and prolong the cleanliness of the media.

May 31, 2001, 01:50 PM	#3
Southla1 Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 19, 2000 Location: Jeanerette, La. Near the Posts: 1,999	Hank, I have a Lyman Turbo Twin and used to use the Lyman treated corncob. I now use that corncob pet bedding from Wal-Mart (biggg bag for $2.97) and use Armorall car wax (no ammonia) for a treatment. Works very well, I am pleased with it.

May 31, 2001, 04:15 PM	#4
maxwayne Senior Member Join Date: March 10, 2001 Posts: 402	This got discussed at length not too long ago. If I can summarize, I believe that the consensus was that the Midway was the cheapest and that several of the others were made by the same company, but cast in different colors. The Dillon was the most expensive. I have a Midway and cant complain. It gets a great deal of work. Can you hear it running now?

May 31, 2001, 07:09 PM	#5
Trigger Jerk Senior Member Join Date: November 22, 1999 Location: Eastern WA Posts: 136	I have a Thumblers vibrating cleaner that is 15 years old (about) and lieterally operated 24 hours a day from October to April with half of the time under heavy load FMJ bullets, rather than brass and it still is going strong. From Oct to April was approximately 50,000 308 cases, 30,000 30 Carbine cases, 10,000 223 cases, 50,000 223 fmj bullets, 100,000 30 cal fmj bullets, 20,000 30 carbine bullets, 2000 50 cal fmj bullets, and on and on, but that's the bulk of it. If it dies tomorrow, it doesn't owe me a thing.

June 1, 2001, 09:22 AM	#7
Coolray Senior Member Join Date: August 10, 2000 Location: Spokane ,wa Posts: 290	We all have our favorites and mine is Berrys http://www.berrysmfg.com I bought mine for under $50 delivered it is larger than the Midway 1292 and has a extra large knob and clear lid included. Well made and lifetime warranty! I use Corncob media with a little berry's polish. i tried the ground corn from wal-mart,cheaper but to coarse ground plugged up to many cases,so i went back to the finer ground media.

June 1, 2001, 02:57 PM	#8
Hip's Ax Junior Member Join Date: September 17, 2000 Posts: 10	When I was first in the market for a tumbler, price was the main concern. I called Midway but they were out of stock, I found a Berry's tumbler at Graf's and the price was right so I ordered it. The Berry's tumbler is excellent, it is really big and does a great job, but as in all vibratory tumblers, it is very noisey. I have to have my tumbler in the celler right under the living room, it makes watching TV or any other activity really unenjoyable. After a few months, I bought a small used Thumler's and was immediatly in love. It is dead quiet and cleans inside the case as well as outside. I liked it so much, I bought a Model B. Since I got the first Thumler's my Berry's has been idle. Buy another Thumler's, I think you'll be happier.

June 1, 2001, 04:53 PM	#9
Contender Senior Member Join Date: December 10, 1998 Location: NY Posts: 680	Hank, If the motor died and the rest of the unit is in good shape, see if an electric or industrial supply in your area stocks motors for them. I'm guessing it's an open type shaded pole motor. Pull it out and take it with you. They are quite common and are used in bathroom fans, blowers and the like. Get a price on one, usually 15 bucks or so. Just a thought. Use the rest of your dough to buy more components. Regards

June 1, 2001, 06:55 PM	#10
banjobart Senior Member Join Date: February 17, 2001 Location: Michigan Posts: 188	Get the big Dillon tumbler and the big media separator and never look back. I fill mine up with a new jug of Lyman green treated corncob media every year and it's good for 30,000 rounds of cleaning.

June 1, 2001, 07:54 PM	#11
Steve Smith Senior Member Join Date: December 9, 1999 Posts: 4,131	I have a Lyman Turbo something or other (lot of help, huh?) It works great, but I wish I'd shopped around more...I'd have gotten a Midway for half the cost.

June 2, 2001, 09:59 AM	#13
Charmedlyfe Junior member Join Date: October 11, 2000 Location: SC Posts: 799	I've got a Midway and an RCBS. The RCBS is a LOT quieter than the Midway, and seems to be much more efficient. Of course, it cost more. The Midway bowl is a lot thinner than most of the others on the market, which contributes a lot to noise. Also, the cord and switch aren't as sturdy as on the RCBS. Both have worked without a hitch...and both get used.

June 3, 2001, 10:36 AM	#14
HankB Senior Member Join Date: March 30, 2000 Location: Central Texas, outside of Austin Posts: 1,698	Thanks for all the feedback. I also did a "search" and saw this topic had already been covered in some depth. Things I learned from this and other tumbler threads: 1. Midway's tumblers are a great value and hold up well. Ditto Lyman. 2. Midway's tumblers "die" frequently. Ditto Lyman. 3. Berry's tumblers are quiet. 4. Berry's tumblers noisy. 5. Dillon is well made and a good value. 6. Dillon missed the boat on their tumblers by charging twice what they're worth. Decisions, decisions . . . Actually, I was satisfied with my Thumler's though it's patched together - the rubber barrel is held together with strapping tape, and now the motor is running so hot it's "untouchable" after 10 minutes. Coupled with the rust and the worn drive rollers, it's not really worth repairing. But thanks for the hints about alternate sources of media and polish - it's off the Wally Mart for me! BTW, I probably have one of the cheapest brass separators. I bought a 1-gallon Rubbermaid "Roughneck" tote container on sale for $1.50 and drilled a LOT of 1/4" holes in the bottom. Put the cover on, hold it over a grocery bag and shake - presto, brass and media separated in about 15 seconds. The rotary separators from Dillon and Midway are some of the most over engineered, over priced "solutions" I've seen offered to reloaders, who tend to be a frugal sort.

June 3, 2001, 06:55 PM	#16
dick w. holliday Senior Member Join Date: January 13, 2001 Location: NC Posts: 589	Bought the big midway (Too big) lasted a day or two and something broke....sent back got fixed--lasted a few more days and broke again....sent back for refund....got the small dillon and it's still ticking (by the way same motor as their big one)....Dick Take a kid shooting

June 3, 2001, 08:08 PM	#17
Contender Senior Member Join Date: December 10, 1998 Location: NY Posts: 680	Have a Vibra-Shine Vortex machine. On the order of the Lyman type but a bit more reliable. One thing I will say is to stay away from the Lyman Auto Flo models. The rouge or polishing grit tends to settle out of the media, falls through the bowl slots and congregates in the bottom chamber where it does absolutely nothing to shine/clean the brass. In effect the media tends to act like it's worn out at times. Regards