Things that just work -- Thumler's Tumbler

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earlmck
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Things that just work -- Thumler's Tumbler

Post by earlmck »

I've become fond of the "spray-on" method of case lubing, but my home-made stuff leaves things a little juicier than I like so when I do a good wad of them I like to wash off the cases. So a few minutes ago I piled a bunch of 38/40's I just resized into the tumbler barrel and got her going.
Tumbler552.jpg
Occurs to me that I have been using this tumbler dang near as long as I've been loading shells and the only thing I've done to it is the one time I replaced the tubular "belt" that turns the drum off the motor. Don't know how old this thing is but the mfg. address doesn't have a zip code in it.
TumblAddress553.jpg
I'd have to say this old horse has given seriously good service. And doesn't show any signs of quitting.
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Oldncrusty
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Re: Things that just work -- Thumler's Tumbler

Post by Oldncrusty »

Cool. Hopefully they are still in production since I need a tumbler.
Bill in Oregon
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Re: Things that just work -- Thumler's Tumbler

Post by Bill in Oregon »

Earl, I have one too, although not for as long as you have had yours. It has given fine service and it is currently loaded with the stainless steel pins for cleaning brass, although I bought some ceramic media to try one of these days.
I am a rockhound, so I have put more hours on my Lortone rock tumblers than on the Thumler's by a good measure, but it has a sterling reputation among rockhounds, too. Funny -- Lortone is in Mukilteo, WA, and Thumler's is an hour and a half south in Auburn.
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Re: Things that just work -- Thumler's Tumbler

Post by ollogger »

Good old made in the USA pride!


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Re: Things that just work -- Thumler's Tumbler

Post by Ysabel Kid »

ollogger wrote: Mon Oct 31, 2022 6:01 pm Good old made in the USA pride!


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marlinman93
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Re: Things that just work -- Thumler's Tumbler

Post by marlinman93 »

Switching to a wet tumbler was the best move I ever made in reloading! I have a Lortone, and use ceramic media in it. I love how quickly it turns dirty brass to clean. I mix two different size of media so it gets into the small places, and the larger cleans large surfaces easy.
I recently purchased a 2nd tumbler from Midway when they had the $130 Northern brand on a big sale for $50. It's almost twice as large as my Lortone, and says it holds 1000 .223 cases. I wanted two tumblers so I could keep brass separated, and get it done twice as fast with two.
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Bronco
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Re: Things that just work -- Thumler's Tumbler

Post by Bronco »

Yeppers a great tumbler! Thumler's Tumbler
Had mine since 65 , when I went to replace the belt , about 10 years of use, the extra I had on the shelf was brittle and crumbled in my hands. Took down the size and went to Grainger's, bought a bag of O rings and am still using the first one I put on. Don't think I will be around long enough to use up the bag :lol:

Edit. Started using the stainless steel pins to wet tumble the cases. Finally the end of the journey in getting them clean, even the primer pockets look new.
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Shasta
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Re: Things that just work -- Thumler's Tumbler

Post by Shasta »

I had two of those Thumler's Model B tumblers that I used for a good many years before I lost them when I got burned out in the 2018 Carr Fire. I replaced them with a pair of Extreme Rebel 17 tumblers. Not only were the Rebels less money, they are much stronger built than the Thumler's. The Rebel has pillow block ball bearings supporting the shafts where the Thumler's just has nylon bushings. The Rebel base is also much heavier built. The rubber lined drums are exactly the same on both brands.

https://accubrass.com/products/extreme- ... blingmedia

I wet tumble with stainless steel pins and find it far superior than a dry media for getting brass super shiny inside and out.

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marlinman93
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Re: Things that just work -- Thumler's Tumbler

Post by marlinman93 »

In my reorganization of my loading room recently, I discovered my old Midway dry media tumbler, along with several bags of media stored under some storage shelves. So taking all that to the next gun show and see what I might get for it. Along with a bunch of Lee push through sizers, and old GI ammo cans. Lots of stuff I found once I began clearing out shelves.
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earlmck
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Re: Things that just work -- Thumler's Tumbler

Post by earlmck »

Remembering back through the fog of time I'm afraid I overstated my little Thumler's longevity in my care. I wrote in my first post that I'd been using the tumbler almost as long as I've been reloading. I've been reloading just shy of 60 years, and I think I've only been using the Thumler's a little over 30 of those years. So the tumbler may well be 50+ years old but I must have bought it used when I lived in Carson City, Nevada (there were some nice pawn shops in Carson City at the time plus good gun shows).

I know I used it to clean off cases I'd picked up at the Carson City range (a great place to acquire brass in those days) before running them through a size die. That was its main use for many years -- wash grit off brass that'd been picked up out of the dirt. I have never used any of the polishing stuff -- I'm just a soap 'n water sort of guy. Though I occasionally make 'em purty shiny by sprinkling in a little "Lem Shine" for the final go after getting most of the gunk off in a first go.
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Re: Things that just work -- Thumler's Tumbler

Post by Bronco »

Shasta :
If they had those Extreme Rebel 17's back in 65 I might have bought one of them! Looks like a heck of a machine ! BUT my little Model B keeps going like the wheels on the bus.... round n round.

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marlinman93
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Re: Things that just work -- Thumler's Tumbler

Post by marlinman93 »

earlmck wrote: Wed Nov 02, 2022 1:16 pm . I have never used any of the polishing stuff -- I'm just a soap 'n water sort of guy. Though I occasionally make 'em purty shiny by sprinkling in a little "Lem Shine" for the final go after getting most of the gunk off in a first go.
I too have never used any special cleaning solutions in my tumblers. Long ago we had a cleaning supplies company that came to my workplace to provide cleaning products. The salesman gave me a big jug of liquid hand soap and said they'd changed products, and I could have it. So I dump a couple tablespoons into each load, and my brass comes out looking like new!
Down to a couple pints left now, so might end up buying some cheap dishwashing soap, if I run out finally.
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marlinman93
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Re: Things that just work -- Thumler's Tumbler

Post by marlinman93 »

Deleted post duplicate.
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lthardman
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Re: Things that just work -- Thumler's Tumbler

Post by lthardman »

I loved my Thumler's Tumbler. Right up until the day I let a "friend" borrow it. The friend is gone, and so is my tumbler.
"Now it cuts like a knife, but it feels so right." - Bryan Adams
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