Case polisher for use in an apartment?

[briannmilewis]

I have no experience with the noise level of case polishers - tumblers or vibrators.

Could I use either one in an apartment without having the neighbors beating on my door?

Are there sound enclosures for polishers, like those heavy duty wood boxes with plastic lids for dot matrix printers in the old days?

THX

[PowPow]

The $30 rock tumbler from Harbor Freight would be quiet enough. Used it underneath my kids' bedrooms. Ran it overnight.
Held about 40 223s or 30 '06 size cases

Now I just swish them around in vinegar and wash them in the sink. That's real quiet.

[Dang]

I have both types of polishers and I don't think either would be a problem in an apartment. Neither make a great amount of noise with the vibrator being the quietest of the two.

[Lloyd Smale]

either way make sure you have a top for your unit as old tumbling media can put out alot of dust and that dust contains lead.

[Hairtrigger]

Consider a Lyman, the auto flow feature makes seperating the media easy!

[necchi]

I'm an apartment dweller, and being a good neigbhor is a concern,,,, noisy niegbhors  !

 I use a Thumlers Tumbler, a drum rock polisher. And like the vibratory, it's NOT the operation of the unit itself that's noisy, it's the contact with the table or desk you put it on, "BVVVVVVVVVVVV!!",, Can you hear when the upstairs people run the vacuum?
 I fabricated with some rubber feet and felt furniture pads from the hardware store a support for the unit that virtually elimitates the vibration at the contact points, I can't hear this thing in the next room at all. It takes a little imagination and experiment.
 As mentioned, there is dust involved, the sealed drum of a rock polisher eliminates that, they are made to contain a liquid slurry.

[Siskiyou]

I have tumblers-tumbler on the end of my reloading bench in the garage.  It does not bother anybody in the house which sets on top of the garage.  If I am working at the bench I just take my hearing aids out.

[DannoBoone]

I've gone to an ultrasonic cleaning unit, very much like that sold by Hornady, but for less
money, sold at Harbor Freight (and made in the same country). These make no noise at
all. There is not dust to contend with, and ya have no need to dig the media out of the
flash holes.

A great cleaning solution can be made at home much, much cheaper than what ya buy,
and works better for brass:

A solution of 1 quart of water, 1 cup white vinegar, 1/2 cup lemon juice, 1/4 cup laundry or
dishwashing detergent, 1/8 cup salt. I use distilled water, and sans the salt, but it may take
less time to use it. After the cases are clean inside and out, I place them in warm tap water
with a little dish detergent to remove acidic compounds, rinse, and either air dry or oven
dry if I'm in a hurry. "0000" steel wool can then be used to make them shinier than brand
new (I use the Lee attachment in a drill to do this).

My poor Lyman tumbler feels neglected. 

[Dang]

 I have seen the ultrasonic cleaners at Harbor Freight and wondered how they would work. Do they get the primer pockets clean?

[KansasPaul]

I have a Lyman that I am very happy with.  The top has some open slots in it and I have gotten into the habit of using paper plates centered under the top nut to keep dust down.  I have also learned that it is pretty load in the garage and that placing it on a piece of scrap carpet helps to bring down the sound level.  If you find that the unit you purchase makes too much noise in the apartment find a box large enough to fit upside down over the top of the unit and line the inside of the box with foam, an old comforter or even used egg boxes - any of these items would keep the sound waves from bouncing around.  An alternative to a tumbler would be to use a chemical cleaning system - I have seen them at Cabellas but I'm afraid that I didn't pay too much attention to them.

Good Luck!!

Paul