Wet tumbler

New Avon Arms
P

Pete_Cambs

Well-Known Member
Looking to move from dry vibratory to wet tumbling, not doing cheapo eBay tumblers as read to many stories of them breaking after a few uses so looks like it’ll be a Franklin Arsenal lite.

What else aside from SS pins do I need? Do I need a separator? A magnet? Figuring dehumidifier mode on the oven will work for drying after tumbling?
 
I’ve a classic Thumbler Tumbler, but then I did buy it 15 years ago and still going strong.. I’d be shocked at the current prices given inflation if I were to buy one now..

You won’t need a separator or magnet. In so far a drying, I roll mine around on a large blanket, then using an old freezer drawer, I put the blanket in the drawer (has vented slots in the bottom), then put them in my airing cupboard to naturally dry out over a few days..
 
Tumbler of your choice (I have a thumblers), I use the Frankford arsenal media separator, works well. Used to hang the brass to dry in mesh bags but have had some 3D printed drying blocks (similar to loading blocks but open at the bottom) made and put them on top of a radiator. Low heat oven on a baking tray works just fine. Just don’t be in a rush.
 
I used an old Lee depth case cutter to ensure flash holes are clear of media, ( I was using the tiny ball bearing shaped media, to very, very good effect).
 
Thumbler user here.

A magnet is useful to pick up the little buggers when they fall on the floor.

To dry I used to place them on a tray after towel drying, and put them in the oven after cooking a roast. Let it cool down a bit first though.

On sunny days I just leave them outside spread on a tray facing the sun. Does the job.

Then ebay had a food desicator on sale for about £12 and it can take several hundred 223 or 308 sized cases and drys them in no time at all

ETA: here you go, this is the one, cheap enough to take punt I thought.
food dehydrator
 
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I've been using a Franklin Arsenal lite purchased from the US over Amazon with a small step-down transformer for years without issue.

After tumbling, I run the hot water tap into the open container several times and pour out carefully, using the included sieve screen for the final empty. To get the pins out of the cases, I find a sharp shake inside the container is all that's needed before placing the cases on an old baking tray that then sits in the oven on the "meringue" setting for about 30 minutes before being turned off and left overnight. I use a couple of drops of washing up liquid and a dash of lemon juice. So no additions necessary in my view. I do have the Frankford separator but I've never used it and I found that tipping the entire contents out into a big sieve just added to the work/hassle/mess. My pins stay in the tumbler throughout uses.
 
Just a cautionary tale, When I used a little soap liqiud in the mix, I used to get odd pins, when I used pins, sticking inside on the case wall, a stout rinse was always needed to shift them.
 
finnbear270 said:
Just a cautionary tale, When I used a little soap liqiud in the mix, I used to get odd pins, when I used pins, sticking inside on the case wall, a stout rinse was always needed to shift them.
Click to expand...
If related to my post above, this is where the rinsing the cases/media in the tub several times helps on a number of fronts: the water in the chamber post tumbling is pretty black and cruddy so it rinses the crud out/off the cases; I use very hot water as that helps the drying process once on the sheet; and it obviates any soap/lemon juice residue remaining on the cases. I don't have any issues with pins remaining in cases or for that matter, getting stuck in primer holes.
 
I use the Franklin Arsenal lite, separate the pins and cases into a bucket first. Then rinse the case to remove the pins.
To dry them I use the oven’s residual heat (normally after some cake baking) leaving them to dry overnight. Rinse the pins and depending on weather I may just leave them out on a tray over night or pop them in the ones as well.

A learning point, don’t make the error of: Buying pins that you magnet can’t/wont pick up. I bought 1lb of 2 different sized pins, without checking first 🤦‍♂️
 
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