HFT Cement Mixer VS Thumler Model B

[call-in]

Still looking at getting a rotary tumbler. With little difference between prices, why should I go with one over the other?

• HFT Cement Mixer
  
• Thumler Model B

Any opinions?

[joelogic]

Size and need, mostly. I use a large cement mixer with corn cob. DarkSoul uses a mixer and stainless steel media maybe he will chime in.

[Lead Waster]

Space? You can store a Thumbler in the house easier than a cement mixer!

[J-cat]

You have to be careful with wet tumbling in a cement mixer. If the brass sees air while being tumbled, it will turn dull brown and rough in texture. Then it will be difficult to size. I learned that the hard way when I decided to do a "half batch" in my tumbler and only filled it up half way with water. Ruined 100 cases.

[DarkSoul]

I have that exact cement mixer and it works great. If you go that route, just be sure to take your time assembling it, and use some silicone sealer on all the nuts and bolts to be sure it's water tight, and then fashion some form of a lid for it.

As for the brass coming into contact with air and being ruined.......... Never had that happen. I use about 20 pounds of SS media and about 2 gallons of water with around 1-2k of brass depending on the caliber, throw in a few squirts of liquid dish soap, a splash of Simple Green and a few table spoons of LemiShine Shine, when I pour out the dirty water and suds, I continue to pour in clean water, and keep changing the water until its clean and clear, and on the last "rinse" I throw a few more tablespoons of LemiShine in, let it mix for just a few more minutes, drain, and pull as much of the brass and little of the SS pins into one of the large Dillon media seperator, spin it until all the pins are out, then pour the brass into a large mortar mixing tray that I got at Home Depot (about $10), and set it out on the sun. I also have a large rare earth magnet to pick up the SS media that gets spilled here and there.

[call-in]

I have that exact cement mixer and it works great. If you go that route, just be sure to take your time assembling it, and use some silicone sealer on all the nuts and bolts to be sure it's water tight, and then fashion some form of a lid for it.

As for the brass coming into contact with air and being ruined.......... Never had that happen. I use about 20 pounds of SS media and about 2 gallons of water with around 1-2k of brass depending on the caliber, throw in a few squirts of liquid dish soap, a splash of Simple Green and a few table spoons of LemiShine Shine, when I pour out the dirty water and suds, I continue to pour in clean water, and keep changing the water until its clean and clear, and on the last "rinse" I throw a few more tablespoons of LemiShine in, let it mix for just a few more minutes, drain, and pull as much of the brass and little of the SS pins into one of the large Dillon media seperator, spin it until all the pins are out, then pour the brass into a large mortar mixing tray that I got at Home Depot (about $10), and set it out on the sun. I also have a large rare earth magnet to pick up the SS media that gets spilled here and there.

Why do you need a lid? Just tilting the drum up is not enough?

how much does 20 lbs of ss media cost?

[Revoman]

Where do you dump the dirty water? Down the storm drain? That's illegal and unethical. Bad Ju-ju.

With the Thumbler you can easily dump the water down the sewer (via a sink or the toilet) without issue.

[call-in]

Where do you dump the dirty water? Down the storm drain? That's illegal and unethical. Bad Ju-ju.

With the Thumbler you can easily dump the water down the sewer (via a sink or the toilet) without issue.

I would guess down the sewer, like sink or toilette.

[WoodrowShootist]

I process lots of brass at a time. I passed on the thumbler cause its too small. For the same price I got a 4gal capacity rock tumbler on eBay. It did a great job and it came out cleaner than it needs to be. Dealing with the water and drying the brass got old really fast. Using chemistry to dry just got too expensive.

I ended up with a kobalt cement mixer and 25lb of walnut. I clean by the 5gal bucket full for 30-45mins. Does what 3hours in a vibrating bowl does.

[LexLuther]

If you shoot much, definately go with the cement mixer. Even if you decide to use corn or walnut, you can do it in the cement mixer. I have the thumler, and all the small batches bite.