Tumbling Media Question

[GoneBallistic]

I've been tumbling my brass with walnut shell media just because that's what I could find. It does put a very nice shine on the brass but it also leaves a lot of dust inside the case. What is the best way to clean this out or can you just leave it in there?

[MarkInNashville]

You could blow it out if you really wanted to but it won't hurt anything to leave it.

 

I tumble with (primarily) corn-cob media with a handful of crushed walnut tossed in for good measure. If you put a cut up dryer sheet or even paper towel in it will keep the media cleaner and cut down on the dust.

Edited March 30, 2013 by MarkInNashville

[Dolomite_supafly]

Cut up 2-3 dryer sheets into 1" squares and put it in with the media. Something else that seems to help as well is add about a tablespoon of liquid car wax. Some people use NuFinish or TurleWax.

[GoneBallistic]

Wow! I had never heard that. Thanks guys! The only reason I really had a problem with it is that the dust would accumulate in the case holder on my press and the primer seat would catch as the ram was on it's way back up.

 

Also, what are the pros/cons of walnut vs. corncob?

[Guest K7Sparky]

I switched to the finest grind walnut I could find over 20 years ago.

Don't worry about the dust.

When the shells gets dirty I wash em in any combination degreaser, laundry deturgent you around.  Dusty = dirty

Summer I dry it in the sun, winter on the wood stove.

The last 5 or so years retreat clean walnut with Frankford from Midway.  Instructions say to run for some short time before adding brass, BS.  Run it till it's dry depends on humidity maybe an hour maybe 3.  Otherwise you get a coating on the brass.  When dry it cleans great and fast.

Corn cob doesn't wash you gotta toss it out when it gets dirty.

Only walnut can be washed and reinse it well after washing.  Will last for years.  Rinsing is slow and letting it settle then pouring off the water.  If it doesn't look clean wash again before drying.

The amount of degreaser depends on what you have been cleaning off the cases.  Gooy resizing lube needs LOTS, powder residue just a bit.

Don't forget to ckeck the flash hole for grains after polishing,  Why do you think I went from med to fine grind, I'm lazy of course!

[GoneBallistic]

What kind of degreaser do you use?

[MarkInNashville]

I had bought a jug of corn cob media before I knew any of the pros or cons. When I was using a single stage press I would tumble, decap and then tumble again to clean out the primer pocket but had so much media plugging the flash hole that it was frustrating. I read someone saying that there was no point in cleaning the primer pocket. I tried the same thing with crushed walnut shells from Petco. Then I decided to leave the used primer in place, tumble and decap latter.  I added the walnut because it seems to speed the time needed. I usually let the tumber run for 1 or 2 hours. After I learned about the dryer sheets it really made things better for me. I was using Lyman brand green corn cob and it absolutely coated the inside of my tumbler. I scrubbed at it with Ajax, no less... still green.

[Dolomite_supafly]

Something else. Do not add too much media. Add the cases to the tumbler and turn it on. Slowly add the media until the cases just begin to roll.

Too much media shields the cases from each other. The cases themselves do a lot of cleaning as they rub against each other.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

Something else. Do not add too much media. Add the cases to the tumbler and turn it on. Slowly add the media until the cases just begin to roll.

Too much media shields the cases from each other. The cases themselves do a lot of cleaning as they rub against each other.

That's what I have been doing wrong. Thanks, Gordon.

 

Of course, using that "green" stuff I got from Midsouth, which was the only thing in stock, could have something

to do with my mess. It was cheap and available, about it.

[runco]

After reading posts like this one many months ago, I went the way of the stainless steel media route, no dust, very shiny and reusable over and over again.  However, I do have moisture drying problems.  It takes awhile for the casings to dry, especially in the winter months.  I figure in the long run I will save money over the dry media method.

[BigK]

Something else. Do not add too much media. Add the cases to the tumbler and turn it on. Slowly add the media until the cases just begin to roll.
Too much media shields the cases from each other. The cases themselves do a lot of cleaning as they rub against each other.

I tried this suggestion and I switched from corn cob to walnut about the same time. It cut down my tumbling time by half or more.

The dryer sheets soak up almost all the dust, especially if you have a little car polish in the mix as well. The polish seems to help the dust stick to the dryer sheets even better.

[Guest K7Sparky]

By washing the shells I was referring to the walnut shells.

 

I tossed out a few loads of medium grind walnut shells many years ago and the guy I was buying from asked why I was using so much media and I told him.  That was when I got the lesson on washing and using fine grind so it wouldn't plug the flash holes.

 

Degreaser: I use what I have around among others I have used Simple Green, Grease Lightning, Castrol super cleaner, Sam's Club Proforce.  Also a bit of laundry detergent.  The walnut shells look like new.  You will see a few brass chips as the years go by.

 

I use a big square tub like the Dillon large case separator tub for washing and rinsing.  Summer dry on news papers laying on concrete, in winter metal oil change pan, metal cake pans, etc on top of wood stove.

 

It does take some patience rinsing the soap out and maybe doesn't really matter that much.  Too much water flow rinsing you blow the media out of the wash tub.  I stir the media with a ventilated metal paddle from a stir fry set, I would guess anything with holes in it would work fine

 

As soon as I see any sign of goo on the brass in the polisher I change media.

 

I usually wash 3 to 5 loads at a time, it takes the same time to wash 1 tumbler full as many.

 

The Frankford Arsenal polish in quart size is a good buy.  I have used it for the last 5 to 10 years, since I ran out of what ever it was I had been using and it works well.  I think the orange cleaner in it help also.  More polish per pound that the label says is a waste.  As I said before, make sure it is DRY and the lumps are broken up before you dump in brass.  Don't care what the label says, if it isn't dry and broken up you will be digging lumps of it out of a few cases with a dental pick.

 

If  I use the old gooey case lube (like RCBS on the roll pad) I run the brass through a sonic cleaner with automotive solvent and let dry before polishing.  I have changed almost entirely to the water base stuff so I can just wash off and dry the brass before final polish.

 

[GoneBallistic]

After reading posts like this one many months ago, I went the way of the stainless steel media route, no dust, very shiny and reusable over and over again.  However, I do have moisture drying problems.  It takes awhile for the casings to dry, especially in the winter months.  I figure in the long run I will save money over the dry media method.

Can you still use the same tumbler? I have a Lyman 1200

 

If  I use the old gooey case lube (like RCBS on the roll pad) I run the brass through a sonic cleaner with automotive solvent and let dry before polishing.  I have changed almost entirely to the water base stuff so I can just wash off and dry the brass before final polish.

Do you use a water-based spray lube? I have been using the Lee stuff and it works great but it takes FOREVER to apply. It says you can thin it with water so I'm going to try that and putting it in a spray bottle and seeing how that works. Has anyone done that?

[GoneBallistic]

Something else. Do not add too much media. Add the cases to the tumbler and turn it on. Slowly add the media until the cases just begin to roll.

Too much media shields the cases from each other. The cases themselves do a lot of cleaning as they rub against each other.

Yeah I've also had way too much media then.

[Grunt67]

After reading posts like this one many months ago, I went the way of the stainless steel media route, no dust, very shiny and reusable over and over again.  However, I do have moisture drying problems.  It takes awhile for the casings to dry, especially in the winter months.  I figure in the long run I will save money over the dry media method.

 

Runco, I use a hair dryer for mine. Put 'em in a casserole dish or pan, and run the dryer over them

on high. Also, put them in a towel first to get rid of most of the water. Dryer only takes a few

minutes. Works great for me, and doesn't depend on the weather. Do it all on the counter top

or bench.

[chances R]

Best way to dry is in a wire basket in the clothes dryer . Just set it on the shoe rack

[runco]

Runco, I use a hair dryer for mine. Put 'em in a casserole dish or pan, and run the dryer over them

on high. Also, put them in a towel first to get rid of most of the water. Dryer only takes a few

minutes. Works great for me, and doesn't depend on the weather. Do it all on the counter top

or bench.

Thanks, I didn't think about that.

[Guest samoanbob]

A little off subject - I used to clean walnut shells after they got real dusty/dirty. Not an indoor winter project though (the wife unit wasn't real thrilled about me using the kitchen sink). Then I found out that ground walnut shells are also used for lizard litter. I found a product on Amazon called Zilla ground English walnuts. The grain size is a little smaller so the primer holes don't get plugged and the stuff is practically dirt cheap compared to the ground walnut shells packaged for reloaders. I paid something like $22 for a 25 quart bag (33lb). I don't clean media anymore.

[Guest K7Sparky]

GoneBallistic

Water soluble / water clean up

 

Isso Products Sizing Lubricant and Cleaner - not sticky, biodegradable

 

E-Z size Chaney Inc out of FL smells like alcohol - size now or wait weeks is a goodie

 

Latest is Midway Spray 'N Size also smells like alcohol.  I start sizing as soon as I finish spraying

 

Those are the only ones I have bottles sitting around.  Others I tried were fine, but don't remember what they were.

 

Really BAD dirty / discolored brass the Isso case cleaner (separate product that lasts a good while after mixing up) does wonders B4 I start.  Dirty brass is not good for your sizer.  I always get a good polish B4 it ever gets close to a sizer.

 

For any spray (I just use pump spray), put the brass in a pan spray a little (A LITTLE) on shake around a bit and start sizing.  Same warning as the old gooey stuff and a pad, too much and you get case shoulder dents when sizing.  I try to stand most cases up so a little gets into the neck.

 

I have gone to mostly carbide neck expander buttons by Redding.  Most all sizers (not Lee) have the same threads for neck buttons.  I wish I could get the long tapered buttons like were in the RCBS 7MM TCU sets.

 

[GoneBallistic]

I have gone to mostly carbide neck expander buttons by Redding.  Most all sizers (not Lee) have the same threads for neck buttons.  I wish I could get the long tapered buttons like were in the RCBS 7MM TCU sets.

I have been looking at those. I use Lee dies though.

[Guest warhwkbb]

I also recently started using Lizard litter from Walmart, it is cheap enough that I just throw it out when it gets gooey or dusty, and is fine enough that it cleans primer pockets without clogging the primer holes.  I have never attempted to wash walnut media, but a little bit of brass polish keeps the dust down until the media is too saturated.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

Thanks. I didn't want to break my record of not going to the mall in years. :D Good to know Wally World has it.

Right down the road from me.

[R1100R]

I just went to Petsmart And picked up some lizard litter
It was the desert blend and around 14 dollars

[Guest K7Sparky]

GoneBallistic

I just poped the decapper / neck expanders out of LEE 3.63 X 39 Russian and a 7MM Rem Mag for a quick look.

Richard did his normal great job.  Nice gentle angle to and from expand diameter.  The Russiian has a longer surface than I would prefer, but like it better than the something like 45 degree on the buttons that other mfg use.

 

I have dies from most of the current and many long gone mfg.  Lots of different little things one or the other have done over the years.

 

Thanks to Samonebob for the tip on the Lizard litter.  That's a WINNER!