Looking to replace on old Lyman that I have. Sure seemed noisy lately. I believe the model number is 1200 or some such. Sure holds lots of large rifle cases, at any rate.

Would like to replace with something quieter, but still with pretty good capacity. Suggestions? RCBS?? A different Lyman?? Others??

Tumblers are inherently noisy but there are a couple of things that will help. I put mine on the concrete, sometimes outside if possible and make sure it has plenty of media in it. I have a Thumlers Tumbler that was comparatively expensive but runs pretty quiet on the basement floor.

noise can be a problem for apartment dwellers that have no garage to run the tumbler in....(I run mine outside in the garage all the time when I run it)

Make a box and line it with foam rubber....cheaper is better...enclose the box and the noise will dissipate dramatically. The box has to be fairly large to hold the tumbler and the foam rubber.

You didn't tell us what "noisy" means. Is it rattling like something is loose or squealing like a bearing going bad or .....?

My old Lyman 1200's motor died without warning. Fortunately I was standing beside it when it quit so I was able turn it off quickly. The motor windings had shorted, smoke poured out and would likely have caused a fire is I hadn't been there. You need to try to figger out what's causing it to make the noise! It is a pill to take a 1200 apart but it can be done.

IF it's the motor going bad you may take it to an electrical supply house, as I did, and get them to find you a new motor. It is the same type as used in small bathroom exhaust fans. If so, try to get a motor with ball bearings for longer life.

quote:

IF it's the motor going bad you may take it to an electrical supply house, as I did, and get them to find you a new motor. It is the same type as used in small bathroom exhaust fans. If so, try to get a motor with ball bearings for longer life.

Almost all those motors are made by Fasco and are available from McMaster-Carr supply.....

I put my lyman 1200 in an igloo cooler with some towels shoved around the base so it doesn't move over and touch a side and start the cooler resonating. Only thing I've noticed is when you open it after a couple hours it is quite warm inside. I have a larger cooler for the RCBS sidewinder but the noise doesn't seem to travel as far from that one.

I have a Midway tumbler that has developed some breakdowns on the Plastic Body of it...

I had arranged to send it back to Midway for replacement and did not want to be without a tumbler.. for who knows how long, and was thinking an inexpensive second tumbler wouldn't be a bad idea....

however since the Midway unit ( Frankford Arsenal is the same one) was so darn noisy, I decided on a whim to try something else and ordered a Cabelas Tumbler for like $45.00....

once I got it, I was going to send in the Midway unit for repair or replacement....

As soon as I plugged in the Cabelas tumbler, I was shocked at how low the noise was compared to the Midway unit!

the Cabelas unit also has a much wider opening on top, and I like its little handle to tighten down the lid, versus the wingnut on the Midway...

both units are like $45.00.....but I'd rate the Cabelas unit a lot better value as compared to the Midway, if the Cabelas unit was twice the price...

I have now had it for two years, and that thing runs A LOT!!!! and haven't had a bit of problems with it.. the Midway unit was forever overheating or giving me some sort of little hassle....

The Midway is still sitting on the counter broken... and the Cabelas unit has been so reliable, I still haven't gotten around to ordering another as a "Backup".....

All it gives is a hum as it runs on the counter....

I've got a Midway that went through complete submersion in muddy flood waters in 1998. Got back into the house the next day, and over the next couple of weeks, was able to use a power washer on things, and spray them down with WD-40. It's still going, but it is noisy. Should I ever need to replace it, I'll certainly try Cabelas, since they have a store only about 30 miles away.

Dustoffer...

Next time you are in the Cabelas... have them fire one of their's up for ya..... YOU will find it so quiet compared to the Midway.. I bet you pick it up on the spot and use the Midway as a backup!

cheers
seafire

seafire--will do. I just got a $10 gift certificate from them and it expires in a week or so. Maybe a new tumbler for me for Christmas? Actually could buy it for my wife as she is always "complaining" (mildly) about the noise in the garage.

Thanks, gentlemen - Cabela's it will be!

One more point H T.

I've gone to washing my brass with a RCBS Sidewinder. I de-cap with a Lee Decapping die before cleaning. I use hot tap water and Cascade and tumble for about 30 minutes. Then dry in the oven at 170 F so don't anneal brass. My brass is cleaner and doesn't have a hull dust on them.

The tumbling is loud however. I set my Sidewinder on hard foam to dampen noise. But, it's a shorter cleaning period.

Buliwyf