# Firearms and Shooting > Projects and Home Builds >  A Heath Robinson Tumbler for under $30

## P38

My latest shed project.

I've been wanting a wet tumbler for some time now to get my brass super shiny and clean,
but being a bloody confirmed tight arse I just could not bring myself to part with any serious cash to purchase one.

Having acquired some barely mediocre engineering skills during my lifetime and finding myself with a bit of spare time in the shed I designed, built and commissioned this modern marvel of engineering .......... 

The Heath Robinson Wet Tumbler  :Have A Nice Day: 

...... total project costs, slightly over budget at  < $30  :Thumbsup: 

The components consist of
Plastic spaghetti container out of Mums pantry (free)
Off cut of pvc drainage pipe (free)
4x2 block of wood from the wood shed (free)
Castor wheels x2 $8
12v windscreen wiper motor $20

Results priceless

Dirty dull 9mm range brass magically turned into as new shining gleaming cases before my eyes with the help of the Heath Robinson Tumbler

https://youtu.be/DAkmfc2MkYU




 Now how difficult was that!

Cheers
Pete

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## rupert

would you like to put up some photos of the device?

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## P38

> would you like to put up some photos of the device?


 @rupert

Click on the video link 

Cheers
Pete

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## sometimes

awesome love home made stuff :Cool:

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## septic

Awesome, wanna do some brass for your neighbor? 

PS- any tasty morsels lurching past yours on the way to the races?

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## P38

> Awesome, wanna do some brass for your neighbor? 
> 
> PS- any tasty morsels lurching past yours on the way to the races?


Hahaha

Always plenty of tasty morsels cruising past here on the way in  :Have A Nice Day: 

However they're not usually so tasty heading back out again.  :Sick: 

  @septic Happy to clean some brass for you if you like, bring it down.

Cheers
Pete

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## septic

I was a litre short and Roosters was calling my name, so down the road topping up my fluid levels. Will need your services after the big shoot. Maybe you could give me a lesson on my stupid lee neck sizing die if you have time?

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## clickbang

What are you using as cleaning media?

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## P38

> What are you using as cleaning media?


 @clickbang

I'm using stainless steel pins, hot water, a squirt of what ever dishwashing liquid is in the cupboard and a teaspoon of citric acid.

Cheers
Pete

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## P38

> I was a litre short and Roosters was calling my name, so down the road topping up my fluid levels. Will need your services after the big shoot. Maybe you could give me a lesson on my stupid lee neck sizing die if you have time?


 @septic

Yep I'm sure we can sort out your Lee die no worries.

And yes I 'm expecting to give the tumbler a run or two after the shoot as well.

Shit haven't been to Roosters since I moved out of Flaxmere 18 years ago.

Cheers
Pete

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## Nick-D

Very cool man, I want one but considering they are asking about $600 for a reloading branded number I might have to have a crack at building one myself

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## P38

> Very cool man, I want one but considering they are asking about $600 for a reloading branded number I might have to have a crack at building one myself


Give it a crack @Nick-D

Get your self a windscreen wiper motor from the wreckers and your away.

Cheers
Pete

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## kimjon

Fantastic! Love it.

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## stug

How do you power the windscreen wiper? 12v battery or an inverter thingy?

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## P38

> How do you power the windscreen wiper? 12v battery or an inverter thingy?


12v car battery

Cheers
Pete

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## MassiveAttack

Your approaching this the wrong way.  This is what I did.

Shot for stainless steel in tumbler.  See that the one from re loaders is $499.  I don't buy that one cos I am too smart.  I order the same model for Cabelas for $380.  Congratulate myself on how smart I am.  I can't tell from the photos if it's a switching power supply and will work on NZ voltage but it's the same model right?  Must be ok.

Tumbler arrives.  No switching power supply.  Look on the Jaycar web site.  A transformer is $50 so go buy that.  Get home.  Won't work cos no ground plug.  Look at the amps, it's too small.  Go back to Jaycar, swap it for a bigger one thats $159.

Total cost $539...

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## P38

> Your approaching this the wrong way.  This is what I did.
> 
> Shot for stainless steel in tumbler.  See that the one from re loaders is $499.  I don't buy that one cos I am too smart.  I order the same model for Cabelas for $380.  Congratulate myself on how smart I am.  I can't tell from the photos if it's a switching power supply and will work on NZ voltage but it's the same model right?  Must be ok.
> 
> Tumbler arrives.  No switching power supply.  Look on the Jaycar web site.  A transformer is $50 so go buy that.  Get home.  Won't work cos no ground plug.  Look at the amps, it's too small.  Go back to Jaycar, swap it for a bigger one thats $159.
> 
> Total cost $539...



Yep

That's why I built my own.

Cheers
Pete

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## P38

Heath Robinson wet tumbler mk2

Tumbling some of @<u><a href="http://www.nzhuntingandshooting.co.nz/member.php?u=5617" target="_blank">septic</a></u> poo seventy brass.

https://youtu.be/_aDg2aa-dFc

Cheers
Pete

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## P38

And after two hours of tumbling hey presto

Shiney shiney poo seventy brass already to fill back up and get down and dirty with once again.  :Have A Nice Day: 



All yours now @septic

Cheers
Pete

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## septic

Thanks P38, looking good!

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## P38

115 clean as a clean thing and shiney as a shiney thing Poo Seventy cases tumbled in one bucket full.

Not too fly blown! 

Batch number 2 in the tumbler as we speak. 

Must be Beer o'clock .... Time for a cold one  :Have A Nice Day: 

Cheers
Pete

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## P38

Batch number 2 also shiney as.

Gotta be happy with that result.  :Thumbsup: 



Cheers
Pete

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## 308

For those who have not heard of Heath Robinson




Third Pic is something like - "Occasions a gentleman is not required to give up his seat to a lady" or some such..

The americans refer to such things as a Rube Goldberg device IIRC?

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## P38

It has became apparent over time that there is a couple of minor design flaws in the Heath Robinson S/S Tumbler Mkll.

So I did what any good "Near" would do ...... I redesigned it and came up with the Heath Robinson S/S Tumbler Mklll  :Have A Nice Day: 

Out went the caster wheels ....... And in came the skateboard trucks ($15 courtesy of a kids skateboard from the warehouse).

Also added was a stiffening board on the base of the bucket.

Once redesigned I have been able to tumble heavier loads while reducing the load on the wiper motor.

The Heath Robinson S/S Tumbler Mklll can take about 4kgs of the dirtiest of dirty and filthiest filthy range find brass.


And in a very short time turn it into the shiniest of shiny brass ready to be filled once again.


Total build costs $50
$25 wiper motor
$15 skateboard 
$10 2x buckets and lid

https://youtu.be/vP0Bt-2xXN8

Cheers
Pete

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## marky123

> It has became apparent over time that there is a couple of minor design flaws in the Heath Robinson S/S Tumbler Mkll.
> 
> So I did what any good "Near" would do ...... I redesigned it and came up with the Heath Robinson S/S Tumbler Mklll 
> 
> Out went the caster wheels ....... And in came the skateboard trucks ($15 courtesy of a kids skateboard from the warehouse).
> 
> Also added was a stiffening board on the base of the bucket.
> 
> Once redesigned I have been able to tumble heavier loads while reducing the load on the wiper motor.
> ...


Peter,its so amazing it turns .223 brass into a real calibre.

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## Chur Bay

That is waaay cool. Might have to try and make one myself.

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## P38

> Peter,its so amazing it turns .223 brass into a real calibre.


  @marky123

Hahaha only you would spot that mate.  :Thumbsup: 

But believe me when I say, My Tumbler *"IS"* that good.  :Have A Nice Day:   :Psmiley: 

Cheers
Pete

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## Oli1102

I would love to try and build one of these. Would you be able to PM me some detailed instructions on how you have built it and how it works and also what you have done to make the tumbling compound. Do you find it more effective than a media polish? Completely fine if you want to hold onto it as a personal secret...  :Psmiley:

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## Kudu

Awesome. I think I like Mk.I the best. Did you just make a metal gizmo attachment thingamy-bob to attach the plastic container to the washer motor?

I get over that some water and dish washing stuff and citric acid gets those results!!

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## Kudu

Oh...and when you say you use stainless steel pins for the media do you mean like drawing pins??

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## 7mmsaum

> Oh...and when you say you use stainless steel pins for the media do you mean like drawing pins??


Stainlessmedia.com

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## Kudu

I can't seem to find that site. Would engineering shops have that stuff?

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## 7mmsaum

Oops sorry

Stainlesstumblingmedia.com

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## P38

> Awesome. I think I like Mk.I the best. Did you just make a metal gizmo attachment thingamy-bob to attach the plastic container to the washer motor?
> 
> I get over that some water and dish washing stuff and citric acid gets those results!!


 @Kudu

The mk1 model was not big enough, hence mk2 & mk3.

Yes I made an adapter to join the plastic bucket to the wiper motor. 

The media used is 304 grade stainless steel pins about 1mm in diameter and about 11mm long.

Agitation in this media, along with the washing liquid, water and citric acid is what cleans the cases.

Cheers
Pete

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## Kudu

> @Kudu
> 
> The mk1 model was not big enough, hence mk2 & mk3.
> 
> Yes I made an adapter to join the plastic bucket to the wiper motor. 
> 
> The media used is 304 grade stainless steel pins about 1mm in diameter and about 11mm long.
> 
> Agitation in this media, along with the washing liquid, water and citric acid is what cleans the cases.
> ...


Cheers. I'd only ever be cleaning no more than 50 cases at a time so thats why I thought the smaller one was good. Where did you get your media from??

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## Kudu

> @Kudu
> 
> The mk1 model was not big enough, hence mk2 & mk3.
> 
> Yes I made an adapter to join the plastic bucket to the wiper motor. 
> 
> The media used is 304 grade stainless steel pins about 1mm in diameter and about 11mm long.
> 
> Agitation in this media, along with the washing liquid, water and citric acid is what cleans the cases.
> ...


Cheers. I'd only ever be cleaning no more than 50 cases at a time so thats why I thought the smaller one was good. Where did you get your media from??

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## P38

Reloaders suppliers in Auckland.

Cheers
Pete

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## stumpy

@P38   pete , you want this , 200mm capped sealed with screw on top ... free , of course , or if you dont want it , .... someone else chime in .

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## stretch

> Attachment 60013
>  @P38   pete , you want this , 200mm capped sealed with screw on top ... free , of course , or if you dont want it , .... someone else chime in .


I'll grab it if Pete doesn't want it!

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## septic

If Pete dosent Ill take it. What are you up tp in the great white north?

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## stumpy

moving to live nearer my wifes family ... and to shoot a bear ...and a moose ....and a wolf .....

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## 7mmsaum

> moving to live nearer my wifes family ... and to shoot a bear ...and a moose ....and a wolf .....


A wolf pup would make a cool hunting companion, and a Tahr, yes I'd like to train a Tahr to carry my pack  :Have A Nice Day:

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## Sideshow

Thanks guys for posting you just saved me from going down the £400.00 route :O O: 
Got to love this website  :Thumbsup: 
Stumpy good luck with the move. Watch out for big foot the taxidermy cost on that one are huge  :Wtfsmilie:

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## P38

> Attachment 60013
>  @P38   pete , you want this , 200mm capped sealed with screw on top ... free , of course , or if you dont want it , .... someone else chime in .


 @stumpy 

Thanks for the offer mate but I don't have a use for it at the moment

I'm sure one of the other guys will put it to far better use.

Cheers
Pete

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## P38

> A wolf pup would make a cool hunting companion, and a Tahr, yes I'd like to train a Tahr to carry my pack


A wolf pup and a bear cub as pets would be way cool.  :Have A Nice Day: 

Cheers
Pete

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## Sideshow

I always wanted and African wild dog they are the top predator http://phenomena.nationalgeographic....-2-660x440.jpg

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## Wildman

> A wolf pup would make a cool hunting companion, and a Tahr, yes I'd like to train a Tahr to carry my pack


Im not sure @Tahr is quite back fit from surgery for that sort of caper yet but you never know...

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## P38

> Thanks guys for posting you just saved me from going down the £400.00 route
> Got to love this website 
> Stumpy good luck with the move. Watch out for big foot the taxidermy cost on that one are huge


 @Sideshow

I find making stuff for yourself is far more satisfying than buy stuff someone else made.

Give it a go building one for yourself, it will work out great  :Thumbsup: 

Cheers
Pete

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## Sideshow

Yep just on eBay picking up a motor.
Just finished making my biltong machines :Thumbsup:  which is going into action in the next couple of days...
The neighbors daughter TAed a fallow hind last night, got the call to go and put it out of its misery. So once that was down put it in the back of the truck. :Thumbsup: 
Strange rules here for street pizza the highways agency own it as soon as its hit :Wtfsmilie:  so I guess that makes me a poacher  :Omg:

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## stumpy

> I'll grab it if Pete doesn't want it!


 @stretch   you were first ... all yours

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