Vibratory tumbler vs rotary

Rotary tumbler or vibratory tumbler? This question is confusing for many people, but let’s be aware of the advantages and disadvantages of both to choose which is the most suitable for your needs.

How reloading tumblers work

The machine takes care of all the work. All you have to do is insert the media in along with brass cases, turn the machine on, then sit back and wait for about 2 hours for the old cases to shine and be new.

You can choose to use wet or dry media to clean your cases. The tumbler you choose to use will be a rotary or vibratory one. Both are extremely efficient in cleaning brass cases, but they operate with different methods.

Rotary Tumblers:

Vibratory Tumblers:

Tumblers do not only serve for polishing and rock tumbling. They also have other applications in the process of polishing and burnishing jewelry (gold and silver) as well as brass products like gun cartridges, and various other metal components (from cutting to polishing). The mass finishing process of various manufactured products is actually the tumbling process.

Rotary and vibratory advantages and disadvantages

Rotary advantages

Rotary disadvantages

Vibratory advantages

Vibratory disadvantages

When choosing a rock tumbler, need to consider a few things:

Tumbler capacity

Tumblers are available in a variety of capacities, which indicates the amount of material that can be tumbled in one batch. It is essential to take this in advance since hoppers or tumbler barrels should be filled correctly (usually between 1/2 to 3/4 full) to get the best outcomes. Tumblers with inadequate capacity are likely to result in over-loading and frustration.

A bigger barrel can be used to fill smaller amounts by adding a few plastic beads as a filler. The capacity of barrels is typically stated in pounds, however, it is generally better to think in terms the volume.

Certain tumblers permit the option of using two barrels simultaneously so that you can make several batches at once, this can speed up the process significantly. You can use only one barrel with these tumblers if you want, however you can choose to make your output double. In general two barrels are the best price, but many people are content with one.

Speed of action

Traditional rotary tumblers tend to be slightly slower than modern vibratory rock tumblers. Be aware that even with slightly quicker vibratory tumbling it’s still slow. The total time needed will be determined by a variety of factors, such as the smoothness/hardness of the material, the type of abrasives utilized, etc.

But, with all other factors all things being equal, you can achieve a faster result using vibratory tumblers.

Budget

The majority of the time the rotary tumblers are cheaper however, they consume more media (grit) as compared to vibratory tumblers. If speed of operation is of lower priority, a rotary tumbler may be a good choice. Vibratory tumblers work quicker and consume less media.

We receive a lot of inquiries from people who are thinking about whether they should purchase tumblers. We do not recommend the very cheap rock tumblers. They are typically not strong enough (both in terms of construction and an electric motor) and typically do not last long.

In such cases, we recommend an alternative rotary tumbler with a lower price that lasts and performs well. However, if it proves not to be of interest for a long time they are easily sold to another person.

Why use a tumbler for reloading?

Before tumblers were invented, people had to wash their bullet cases manually. For this, a mixture of citric acid and water or soap and water was made. Many people also utilized vinegar or detergent.

A few people would use the rag to clean each case one at a time. It was tedious. In addition, it was a challenge and very slow. Even after all this, the result was not pleasing and sometimes sloppy. Utilizing a tumbler could save you from all this. Also, it can create better quality and stylish cases that you can reuse.

A reloader can benefit from the tumbler’s capabilities in these ways:

In addition, it can help you save an enormous amount of time. It’s real that it helps you get the job done in a much shorter time. While creating a professional-looking result.

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