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Heavyopp

Heavy Duty, Home brew Liquid brass tumbler

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I honestly don't ever see the need for brass to be that clean; great basic job!

 

I wanted to address this and say that I would have to agree -- I've been reloading for 20+ years and never had a reason to have brass this clean.

 

But I have to say -- Why not? especially when it's so easy -- I'm not hand cleaning and polishing each piece, just dumping de-primed brass into the cleaner just like I would with the lyman.

 

I'm doing nothing I wouldn't normally do except wait for brass to dry -- and that waiting is well worth the time when my primer pockets are already clean, saving me the time and hand fatigue with the primer cleaning brush

 

Also, takes away the dust, a potential poison to my son, unfortunately allergic to tree nuts. Yea, I used corn cob, but it never works as well IMO.

 

Then there's the bonus of larger quantities getting clean faster -- I just ran a load of 700 cases of .45 acp in 3 hours -- couldn't do that with the lyman -- and their clean as can be laying out by the dehumidifier to dry -- painless

 

Anyway, I put some finishing touches on the tumbler -- All wired up with a proper switch

 

And thanks for the compliments -- Jer

 

P1050425.jpg

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Necro time. First off, that's a great build, Heavyopp!  I was going to go with a longer  4" pvc pipe but I like the idea of the shorter 6" pipe for a smaller footprint. I'm surprised you were able to use that Fernco cap since it's bigger than the sewer 4" pipe. Are those 1/2" rods bending from the weight?  Thanks.

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Hey Splat the rods handle the weight just fine because all the weight is on the outside near the bearings. 

 

 

I have about 10 feet of 6 inch PVC left over from my tumbler build and your welcome to have a pice if you need it. I might be at the next 3 gun at OBRPC or USPSA at CJRPC on February 8th. 

 

If you want to save some money on fittings you can get two 6 inch end caps for about $12 a piece at Home depot, drill a 4 inch hole in one and use a 4 inch knock out plug thats about five bucks. I just posted some pictures of this on "The other Forum" on the last page. Other wise you need to buy a verry expensive reducer, a pice of 4 inch PVC and a cap with a hose clamp.

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Hey Splat the rods handle the weight just fine because all the weight is on the outside near the bearings. 

 

 

I have about 10 feet of 6 inch PVC left over from my tumbler build and your welcome to have a pice if you need it. I might be at the next 3 gun at OBRPC or USPSA at CJRPC on February 8th. 

 

If you want to save some money on fittings you can get two 6 inch end caps for about $12 a piece at Home depot, drill a 4 inch hole in one and use a 4 inch knock out plug thats about five bucks. I just posted some pictures of this on "The other Forum" on the last page. Other wise you need to buy a verry expensive reducer, a pice of 4 inch PVC and a cap with a hose clamp.

 

Hey Louu!  Yes, I hadn't thought of the weight being more towards the ends. I thank you for your offer but you're waaay south of me, brother. :)  I just put an order into Lowes at one of the local stores for the 6" SDR35 and SDR35 fittings. Only one store with them in stock! I saw your build thread. Nice job! Is that white paint or powdercoat? Either way, looks nice. How many .45acp cases can you do in one run?   Oh, is that Ibejiheads bullets?   DOH! I just saw your build and first-reloads thread is about a year old.

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Thanks bud,

Its just primer and paint. The trick to making it look that nice is properly preping the metal. First clean it with either some brake cleaner, MEK, Prep all, thinner or something. Then some light sanding. Then clean it again. Then priner and let it dry for at least 24 hours at room temperature.  Hit it with a tac cloth and paint it.

 

I only have ten pounds of media so I can do nine pounds of brass. Its alot of brass. The cheapest place to get the pins is on ebay and they are in Arizona or something. Its about $78 shipped with a pack of lemishine. I'm probably gona get another ten pounds of media and start doing 19 pounds of brass at a time.

The only problem with that is the drum will weigh alot and wont be too fun dumping it out.

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Yeah I just ordered another 5lbs of the pins via Amazon. I signed up for the Prime trial membership so I get free 2-day shipping. Nice! I'm undecided on how long to make my 6" container. If my paint comes out half as nice as yours I'll be happy. LOL! I never liked painting. Just one major PITA for me that never seems to come out as nice as the next guy's. I finally got my frame welded up. Gotta place everything and drill some holes. Why's it gotta be so darn cold whenever we decide to build something in the garage?! LOL

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Necro time. First off, that's a great build, Heavyopp!  I was going to go with a longer  4" pvc pipe but I like the idea of the shorter 6" pipe for a smaller footprint. I'm surprised you were able to use that Fernco cap since it's bigger than the sewer 4" pipe. Are those 1/2" rods bending from the weight?  Thanks.

 

1st off, Thanks --  The longer 4" drum will not work well, been tried -- If the unit isn't dead balls level you get everything going to 1 end and not enough room in the 4" tube for things to move around

 

I've run an 8"drum with 20 pounds of media and 18 pounds of brass with no issues -- The total weight filled, ready to run at around 80 pounds -- the rods don't bend at all

 

The 4" fernco cap fits the reducer fitting just right -- I know it shouldn't but it does -- the 6" cap on my 8" drum doesn't fit the reducer fitting at all

 

 

 

 

I just posted some pictures of this on "The other Forum" on the last page. 

 

Louu -- PM me the "other" forum

 

Are you taking orders on these yet?   :)

 

I have parts to build one right now -- PM me

 

  :)  I just put an order into Lowes at one of the local stores for the 6" SDR35 and SDR35 fittings. Only one store with them in stock!  How many .45acp cases can you do in one run?   

 

Lowes used to have the stuff in stock on the shelves -- They discontinued them early this year -- I'm not sure if you can order online and get them shipped to store 

 

I've done 18 pounds of .45 acp cases at 1 time in my 8" drum -- How many is that?  I don't know but it's a lot -- 6" drum works best with 10 pounds of pins and around 8 pounds of brass

 

 I'm undecided on how long to make my 6" container. If my paint comes out half as nice as yours I'll be happy. LOL! I never liked painting. 

 

I cut the pipe to 14" then add the fittings  -- Holds 2 gallons of water --  I don't paint my frames they're made from aluminum

 

at 1 time I bought pins direct from the manufacturer -- I bought 300 pounds at a time and did that 3 times -- they guy on ebay sells them so cheap that I couldn't compete 

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Wish I had seen this sooner.  A couple day after I posted I bought one off of AR15.com.  Thanks though.

 

If someone wants my Thummlers Tumbler Model B let me know.  

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Definitely gotta ensure you buy the right PVC. You want SDR35, sewer & drain (s&d), pipe and fittings. Using the regular schedule 40 fittings or pipe with s&d pipe or fittings won't work. They are different wall thicknesses, and therefore diameters. Lowes still does carry the s&d stuff. I got the 6" pipe and fittings from them. The 6" x 24" s&d pipe and fittings ain't cheap but it'll last so you buy it once, cry once. I used 1.25" steel square tubing, 3/16" thick since that's what my local metal supplier had in stock. Overkill but it'll last longer than me! LOL! If you have all the tools and ancillary things to make one of these tumblers than do it. I have friends who have dry tumbled who after seeing these on the Web now want me to build one for them. Like I already don't have enough time on my hands. ;-)   Once I get mine done I'll post pics.

 

 

Wish I had seen this sooner.  A couple day after I posted I bought one off of AR15.com.  Thanks though.

 

If someone wants my Thummlers Tumbler Model B let me know.  

 

Rob, did you buy it from Biggdawg?

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Wish I had seen this sooner.  A couple day after I posted I bought one off of AR15.com.  Thanks though.

 

If someone wants my Thummlers Tumbler Model B let me know.  

 

No worries, Big dawg makes a nice unit too -- 

 

I've had a few inquiries about these lately -- guess I have to put a few machines together to have on hand...

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No worries, Big dawg makes a nice unit too -- 

 

I've had a few inquiries about these lately -- guess I have to put a few machines together to have on hand...

Yeah, I think you'd do fine selling them.  

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