I am looking at the big one looks like a good deal right now 18lb what do you guys think? http://www.harborfreight.com/18-lb-v...ose-96923.html Can I use any media in this?

No experience w/the HF tumbler, but had good results with a Lyman turbo tumbler which lasted 8 years or so under quite heavy use (I shot competition and reloaded at least 100 30-06 rounds/wk.) I had the small tumbler which would run at least 48 hours continuously/week.

FWIW, I see they now make a large tumbler which is considerably cheaper ($79.99 but unfortunately currently out of stock) than the HF model. Here is a good assortment of tumblers you might find useful in making your choice:

http://www.midwayusa.com/find?userSearchQuery=tumbler

The HF tumbler may be great, but doesn't hurt to do a little comparative shopping.

Regards,
hm

Any tool from Harbor Freight is a "one time use" throw away tool IMHO. My buddy just bought a cherry picker for his garage, and true to form we had to fix it before we used it.

Like anything else....you get what you pay for. You don't get a Cadillac at VW prices.

quote:

but had good results with a Lyman turbo tumbler which lasted 8 years or so under quite heavy use

10 years on my Lyman and it's still going strong.

I buy alot of tools from Harbor Freight, but only those I expect to lightly use on occasion.

Interseting since Lyman is rebadging the Harbor Freight Ultra Sonic cleaner.

When I buy at Harbor Freight I check everything before I go to the register. About the only thing you can't try is welders and compressors.

As far as the tumbler, a friend uses one in his garage to clean hardware.

I bought one three years ago(the small model) and used it exclusively for cleaning brass. I had to rebuild it after three months or so (had to replace the all thread in the center and the bolts that hold it together- they had all stripped out). At around a year, the motor burned out. I took it back and swapped it out with the warranty plan and my second one has been going well for two years now.

When this one dies, I'll try something else.

Bought two of the small tumblers to test them out. They' OK for small quantities but that's about it.THE LARGE $149.00 ONE IS A MYSTERY. But if you got the money and THE NEED have at it. roger

i bought the smaller one also and went through and tightened all the bolts before i used it.
it works quite well, and can be used wet if desired.
i am going on a second year with mine.
got about 5 out of the lyman i had before.

Believe it or not, I have a 5-6 year old el-cheapo Frankford Arsenal tumbler. I've beat the crap out of this thing for years and it won't die!

No , but everything they sell is Chinese junk ! I doubt their tumbler would be any different

Virtually ALL of the vibratory tumblers on the market are Chinese and made to approximately the same quality standard. It is a flip of the coin whether the one you buy will last forever or be a 24-hour lemon.

I owned one of the old Midways, the ones which were recalled for fire hazzard. I used it for years (without doing anything about the recall -- after all, if it hasn't burned up yet it's not likely to.) Then I came by another, updated one that had barely been used at all in a trade for a bunch of reloading equipment. Thinking that I had likely gotten most of the "good" out of the older one, I traded it off, still running just fine. Less than a year later, under light use, the "updated" one cratered.

Luck of the draw. I'd just as soon trust the one with the cheapest price over the one with the oldest name.

I think I have you all beat.. I have a Thumler's Tumbler model B that I bought new in 1976 for $45 and it's still going strong! Had to replace the motor last year. (HVAC continuous duty motor)It seized up because I was lax in lubing it, but hey it lasted 35 years of heavy use, and I expect it will be running till I croak!

I would agree that Harbor Freight should be avoided. As someone else said, their product line makes Sears Craftsman tools look like high end stuff.