Frankford arsenal rotary tumbler

[Camelfilter]

Mine has a rubber rim seal and a rubber gasket on the nut, all I would need to seal is where the post protrudes thru the "bucket". I believe this is possible.
It's an older Dillon somewhat like this.

Case Preparation Equipment - Reloaders & Accessories

Dillon Precision: Reloaders, Reloading Equipment, Bullet Reloading, Bullet Reloaders

www.dillonprecision.com

Assuming it didn't leak, opinions on if the vibratory action would work well?

I'd figure even if it didn't leak, it wouldnt do a worthwhile job. Passable perhaps, but likely not worthwhile (mess/wear and tear on the vibratory unit).

Thinking more on it, leaks and such would probably wear it out pretty quick. Likely made to handle dust & such in the works, probably not water...

 

[bpyycpyy]

My guess would be that it would be similar cleaning to an ultrasonic cleaner.

 

[rcowan]

I tried it.... Mine didn't leak however, my tumbler died shortly after. Maybe a coincidence but I don't think so.

 

[orygun]

I tried it.... Mine didn't leak however, my tumbler died shortly after. Maybe a coincidence but I don't think so.

Did it work well? Or not?

 

[RVTECH]

Now this may be a weird question, but any reason to not run a wet solution in a vibratory cleaner instead of the corncob or walnut media?

Never done it but I cant imagine it working very well as liquid with pins requires the 'rolling' action to properly keep them moving in and out of the primer pockets, the inside of the cases to provide the friction which is what polishes and cleans the cases.

 

[RVTECH]

Do you all use pins with recipe, or no pins?

If I am cleaning range pickup or maybe one time fired after a pin cleaning I'll use spent primers - but don't use primers on de-primed brass or you'll be picking spent primers out of the primer pockets - and some get hammered in pretty heavily from the tumbling process!

 

[rcowan]

Did it work well? Or not?

I didn't answer that part because I don't know. I was cleaning rusty bolts for an automotive restoration using different media that is designed for that purpose. Both processes use the same type of tumbler though. It DID work better than dry on the bolts but it's kinda an apples to oranges comparison. I thought it was worth commenting on the fact that it didn't leak or last long though because that applied here.

An example of what I was doing: https://www.eastwood.com/eastwood-18-lb-tumbler.html

 

[Mikej]

I didn't answer that part because I don't know. I was cleaning rusty bolts for an automotive restoration using different media that is designed for that purpose. Both processes use the same type of tumbler though. It DID work better than dry on the bolts but it's kinda an apples to oranges comparison. I thought it was worth commenting on the fact that it didn't leak or last long though because that applied here.

An example of what I was doing: https://www.eastwood.com/eastwood-18-lb-tumbler.html

Not THAT'S a tumbler!
That big one is real beefy compared to what I think a lot of us use.

 

[Sundance]

Tried doing the wet tumble in my Dillon vibrating tumbler. A lot messier than using the Franklin we tumbler. I thought I sealed it good, but soap bubbles leaked out everywhere, and it's a pita to clean and dump the brass. Seemed water wanted to go everywhere, much more than the walnut media. Brass looked good, but it did take longer.
I wet tumble all my brass now and just use the vibrating tumbler for finished bullets - 15 minutes with walnut media and a dryer sheet. It does a good job of removing all the reloading residue.