Rebel 17 Rock Tumbler - Stainless Steel Drum, Powder Coated Heavy Duty

I currently have 5 rock tumblers, and this is the best one. It is large, quiet and made from quality parts. It is clearly a copy of a Thumler's Tumbler Model B (not a bad thing) with some quality upgrades, offered at a lower price. I had never heard of this brand and neither had anyone in my rockhounding club. Similar to Thumler's, you cannot buy from them directly and must utilize a 3rd party, but they appear to be a legit if not low-key company. On this Rebel model made by Xtreme, the nuts used to secure the lid were upgraded from pressed wing nuts and washers (used on a Model B) to single nuts encased in plastic that are easier to finger tighten. The axles and bearings also appear to be higher grade steel and are more robust. There does not appear to be many other differences. In fact, this Rebel model and the Model B are so similar they even use the same drive belts. FYI assembly is required for the Rebel. You will need to mount the motor to the tumbler base. Oddly, the motor only uses 3 mounting points but has four threaded posts and the written instructions do not mention the four posts at all. I am guessing Xtreme just bought generic Chinese motors that were not made specifically for their tumbler but fit their purpose. I don't see many other ways the motor can be mounted so I do not think it was to provide more mounting options. Good tumbler overall will probably buy another one.

My new Rebel17 arrived yesterday and I have not yet started filling it for my next run. Before doing so I want to comment on the mistaken idea several reviewers have that this machine tumbles too slow. Au contraire, the slower speed is why I acquired it as the slow speed gives rocks some protection from bruising, fractures, and unwanted chipping as they bang up against each other throughout the tumbling process. Fast tumbled rocks are more likely to crack or break as they hit each other than those going through a slower and gentler sliding grind. We want to polish them, not punish them. I've only been tumbling rocks for 7 years and don't have the experience of some of the veterans who post videos filled with instructive information on sites like YouTube, but have tumbled enough rocks through the 5 tumblers I own to know what works better and best and what can be improved. My first 2 tumblers purchased were / are National Geo. They have functioned reliably and have produced some beautiful specimens, but even in their smaller capacity there have been rocks damaged in the process from time to time. Always a disappointment to find damaged rocks in your barrel when they've been tumbling a week. I also have a Lortone that gives satisfaction but it too tumbles on the fast side. The 3 tumblers hold 1.5, 2 to 3 pounds of rocks but I find many larger rocks showing hints of color and patterns too big for a smaller barrel. The desire to find and polish rocks can drive a budding rock hound to spend more and more time hunting, collecting, and polishing them. Most especially when one is retired, has the time, and lives in Colorado where intriguing rocks can be found even in one's own back yard. So many rocks! To process them more quickly I acquired a Thumler Model B with a large capacity barrel that has room for larger rocks. It too rotates fast but other than breaking 2 drive belts in 3 years of use it has been reliable. Two years ago I acquired the 5th tumbler, a Tumble Vibe vibrating tumbler that holds 10 pounds of rock. It is not - I repeat - not intended or designed to run or shape rocks through stage 1. Doing so risks damaging your barrel. Vibratory tumblers do process rocks faster in stages 2 through 4. A load of rocks properly and well prepared in a rotating tumbler in stage 1 will go through stages 2, 3, and 4 in a vibratory tumbler in less than 2 weeks. However there are design issues complicating the use of a vibrating system, so be aware of possible complications if you are thinking of acquiring one. For ease of use and the advertised slower speed I decided to purchase the Rebel 17 and look forward to seeing the inner beauty revealed in the larger rocks that found their way home with me. You know how that is ... And as an aside, a final thought on the question ''can God make a rock too heavy for God to lift?'' Apart from the absurdity of the question, consider God is not limited to being the singular lifter of said rock, but the lifting action that moves it. If God were a part of speech, God is more Verb than Noun.

Quite good. So much quieter than most tumblers on the market. Things to know: unit is fairly large so consider the quantity of rocks you intend to tumble and buy accordingly. You will likely need ceramic tumbling media to fill excess space. After 4 months of use, I am seeing some wear on one of the rubber rollers. Replacement parts are available from the manufacturer.

Been using this for well over a year now. Good quality seems like it will stand up for a long time.

We've been using an entry-level tumbler from National Geographic (purchased on Amazon.) The National Geographic tumbler set up quickly, no leaks, and is very quiet. This tumbler offers substantially more capacity for more, and larger, rocks. The assembly was straightforward but the unit immediately began leaking. The lid & gasket both look flat, but the seal on the barrel itself appeared to be a bit "lumpy." I was reluctant to over-tighten the thumb nuts, as some reviewers have reported broken studs. However, I put external pressure on the lid with a clamp, to compress the barrel gasket. Once compressed, I was able to hand-tighten the thumb nuts enough to stop the leaking. A thicker lid and a thicker, more compressible gasket would be a big improvement. Now that the leaking is resolved, it seems to be working fine. It is, however, a bit noisy. (Think: someone put rocks in the washing machine.) Probably best to set it up in the garage or shed.

Received the tumbler on time and well packaged. Setup was very easy and tumbler is very well constructed. I have it running next to a competitors tumbler and it is quieter and seems to run smoother. It will be 2 -4 weeks before I will see the results of the first tumbler grit, but I don’t expect to see any disappointment. For the capacity and price I think it is well worth it.

This thing is a beast. Very well made. It holds a lot of material. Makes fast work. I would definitely buy this again if I ever wear it out, but not sure it’s possible. It is pretty quiet as far as Rock tumblers go.

Been running many months 24/7 with a 10 to12 lb load includes water, without issues. Be sure to clean the gasket, and were it seats. Tighten the lid evenly, grind some big rocks.