Rebel 17 Rotary Tumbler

Over the years that I’ve been reloading, I’ve followed a very typical path as regards cleaning brass: starting with a vibratory tumbler, moving on to an ultrasonic bath, and now to my latest acquisition – a rotary tumbler.

Each of the latter options represents a stepup both in sophistication and in cost from vibratory tumbling; though I’m sure some will still prefer to put their cases in a bag and throw them in the washing machine, choosing domestic negotiation/conflict over direct monetary outlay. I respect their courage. Before looking at the Extreme Rebel 17 itself, let’s start with the basics.

Why Clean Cases? Three Reasons:

Safety: it’s much easier to spot damage and impending head separation in well used brass if it’s clean. Consistency: clean brass reduces variation in case volume, primer-pocket depth and neck tension. Gratification: producing finished rounds that look as good as factory ammunition makes ‘rolling your own’ even more satisfying.

Vibratory vs. Rotary

Both types use the friction between the cases and the tumbling media to rub off fouling and polish the cases. However, Vibratory tumblers use chopped corncob or nut shells and run dry, whereas rotary tumblers use stainless steel pins and run wet.

Running wet complements the mechanical action of the media with chemical reagents, in this case citric acid powder and biological washing liquid. The steel pins, meanwhile, have more momentum than the lighter dry media, making for a more vigorous cleaning action; and the cut ends of the pins do a better job of scouring fouling out of primer pockets.

Vibratory vs. Ultrasonic

Both are wet processes that use identical reagents to help remove fouling and tarnish, but in an ultrasonic cleaner it is vibration/cavitation, that supplies the kinetic energy to shift fouling. This can be very effective in itself but, as the cases remain static, in places where fouling settles as sediments and cases touch each other, discolouration can occur.

Choices, Vhoices!

There’s no perfect solution. Cases may come out of a vibratory tumbler plugged up with media particles, but they don’t require drying; and though your brass probably won’t emerge from an ultrasonic bath as clean as they will from a rotary tumbler, at least you won’t have to separate them from any media before you can dry them.

Having pondered the pros and cons, I decided to give it a go, prompted by approving noises on the grapevine about a new model, the Rebel 17 from Extreme Tumblers, which was apparently about to upset the dominance of the Thumler brand in the UK market. I purchased my example from Jon Dellar (JD Reloading), who offers the tumbler on its own or as part of a kit that includes 2.2kg of stainless steel-pins made by Utah based Stainless Tumbling Media, a bag of citric acid crystals, a bottle of Ariel biological washing liquid, and a handy telescopic rod with a pen clip on one end and a magnet on the other for picking up errant pins.

N.B. The Rebel 17 is available from other retailers, but JD Reloading’s was the best deal out there, and the ancillary items work out cheaper than if bought separately too.

Setting Up

Before setting up the tumbler it’s worth reading the manufacturer’s instructions and the helpful supplement supplied by Jon, who also has an excellent explanatory video on his website.

Though American-made, the Rebel 17s Jon sells run at 230V, so needs no converter. However, they do come fitted with a US plug, so you need to cut this off and fit a UK replacement (also supplied) before you can go any further. You then mount the motor in the cradle using the grip nuts supplied (you’ll need a small spanner for this); fit the small pulley to the shaft of the motor and align it with the larger wheel on the base; fit the drive belt (a sturdy orange o-ring); fine tune the alignment and lock the small wheel in place by tightening its grub screw with the Allen key supplied). Now the motor will drive the belt, turning the large wheel, and with it one of two rollers mounted to the base (the other merely helps support the drum). Rubber collars at the front and rear of this drive roller align the drum, which sits on top, its weight providing the grip needed to keep it turning. The rollers have sturdy supports and good bearings that ensure smooth, vibration-free running. It’s important to site the tumbler on an even, level surface from which it cannot fall if vibration causes it to ‘walk’.

The drum and base are made entirely from substantial sheet steel and are powder coated on all surfaces, even inside the drum, which is also protected internally by a thick rubber liner that cushions the cases and reduces noise. The barrel and liner are warranted for five years, the base unit for three years and the motor for one year.

Filling Up

The Rebel 17 can tumble a total of up to 17lb of water, brass and pins (hence the name), which equates to as many as 300 .30 cal. cases. So tip in up to 4lb of dirty cases, add the steel pins, sprinkle on a quarter-teaspoonful of citric acid crystals, and pour in a tablespoon of bio liquid, before topping up with water to within one-inch or so of the top. The drum is then sealed by placing a rubber gasket over the six bolts mounted around its rim, followed by a steel top plate, and hand- tightening the corresponding nuts (one opposing pair at a time). At this point it’s a good idea to place a towel on a flat surface and roll the drum back and forth to check for leaks; if it leaks, just snug the nuts up a bit more (by hand).

Once filled and sealed, locate the drum on the rollers, and switch the motor on. A little push to get the drum moving is a good idea here, as it reduces strain on the motor. The drum will now turn steadily, with a low hum and a muted chinking of brass, 3-4 hours is about right. A change of water halfway through can help if the brass is really dirty, but it isn’t usually necessary.

Either way, the motor gets quite hot, so keep it clear of anything inflammable or heat-sensitive.

Once you’ve finished tumbling, switch off, lift the drum off the base and remove the lid, and peel the gasket free of the lip of the drum liner. Through the dirty water you’ll see your brass gleaming back at you like never before, probably shinier than new cases.

Separate Ways

Initially I placed a plastic colander over a bucket and poured the contents of the drum into it in stages, half a colander at a time. Shaking the colander dislodged residual pins and water, which fell into the bucket. Once nothing else shook out I dumped the brass into a plastic bowl and poured more of the drum’s contents into the colander. This was slow, however, and when sorting the brass afterwards I found quite a few pins still inside it.

The pins also had to be recovered from the bucket, of course. This involved draining as much of the water out of the bucket as possible whilst leaving the pins inside (put the plug in the sink first), topping up with clean water, and repeating the process to rinse off any residue. You can store the pins wet in the tumbler drum, but instead I put them into a roasting dish in a preheated oven to dry, alongside the cases, which also received a good rinsing first. Throughout the process I was really glad of the magnet supplied with the kit, since pins are tricky to pick up with your fingers.

I found the latter parts of the cleaning process a bit of a chore, so I got back in touch with Jon, who supplied a couple more tools: a Quick-N-EZ Rotary Media Separator, and a Media Release Magnet from Frankford Arsenal. I’ll look at these in a future review but they certainly make the process quicker, easier and more efficient. A quick search on the web for better ways of drying brass, revealed a consensus in favour of ‘repurposing’ an electric food dehydrator. As luck would have it, I already had one and it beats the oven or the airing cupboard hands down!

Conclusion

My rotary tumbling kit cost more, and takes up more space, than my vibratory tumbler or ultrasonic bath, but it produces by far the best results of any of the three methods. As for the Extreme Tumblers Rebel 17: it’s well-designed, easy to use, quiet, and clearly built to last; plus it’s priced lower than the closest Thumler equivalent.

I have to praise the service provided by JD Reloading too. Jon has been a great source of information and advice, as well as supplying all I needed to bring back the shine to my brass. My GLW, however, has commented that if I enjoy cleaning things so much, perhaps I’d like to try my hand at some housework!

PRICES:
Extreme Tumblers Rebel 17 rotary tumbler: £212 (tumbler only) or £250 (as a complete kit) [both with free UK delivery];Frankford Armory Quick-N-EZ Rotary Media Separator: £35 [not including delivery];
Frankford Armory Media Release Magnet: £14.75 [not including delivery]

CONTACT: JD Reloading 0330 223 2223; http://jdreloading.com; http://extremetumblers.com; www.stainlesstumblingmedia.com