How to build a wet media tumbler

[cephas]

OP, nice job! I like shiny brass only for the fact it's easier to find. My range is located in the woods with leaves, pine needles and grass. I easily find my fired brass. Advise when choosing steel media to study what size will serve your purpose best. Some can hang up in the primer pockets or want to stay in bottle neck cases. When using corn cob or walnut media I've found a dab of nufinish car polish and a dryer sheet cut up into several pieces holds the dust down.

[RaggedEdge]

Very nice job. I thought about building my own but just chose to buy a thulmer. I like to do it myself as much as i can but didn't feel like hunting down all the components and getting the speed right etc.
Cost me $233 with media from Brownsville.

The brackish water that comes out is disgusting. The only weird thing I've had happen is when i "over tumbled" and it ran all night on some 9mm brass. It came out looking dull for some reason.

Again good job!

[Plain Old Bill]

Sorry, have to comment on the benefits of clean shiny brass- it is not just aesthetically more pleasurable, sometimes there are splits and flaws that are noticeable only when the brass is good and clean....and you shouldn't reload it...especially when you're reloading older military brass. Something to think about.

[arjohnson]

Why not just get a sonic cleaner? They work pretty well.

[titanse05]

Sorry, have to comment on the benefits of clean shiny brass- it is not just aesthetically more pleasurable, sometimes there are splits and flaws that are noticeable only when the brass is good and clean....and you shouldn't reload it...especially when you're reloading older military brass. Something to think about.

Excellent point that I neglected to mention.

[howiepa]

For drying brass, get an inexpensive food dehydrator and load it up with tumbled brass. Mine takes about 30 minutes to get the brass completely dry.

[ungawa]

Can you put an amp clamp on that thing and give us an amperage reading? I'm curious how much the electricity costs to run that thing for 2 hours for 200 pieces of brass.

[titanse05]

Bump this up to those that may have missed it. Once you tumble wet with SS pins, you won't ever go back to dry media!

[Hawk]

I wanted to go to wet tumbling, but after watching a video of the process from start to finish I was dismayed. Way to much time and trouble.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIpNcj5f9s4

[joeyj]

I would to build one, but I can't seem to get a motor. Can't seem to locate a used one and a new one's are really dear.