[Smithiac]

is anyone grinding their own walnut media. If so what is the best tool?

Thanks

[rcmodel]

I wouldn't think so.

Fresh walnut hulls are nasty stuff that stain everything they touch.

You can buy it all bleached & clean & ground & filtered to size, ready to go, at a pet or feed store for very little.

rc

[Smokey Joe]

R. C. Model's comments. There really is a limit to how far you can take the "do it yourself" thing.

Making your own primers. Making your own black gunpowder. I think grinding your own walnut hulls fits right in there.

At some point, the question becomes, "How much of your limited entertainment time, do you want to spend, NOT shooting?"

[Mr. Creosote]

Ummm... I use a coffee grinder...

[jcwit]

I suppose it would be POSSIBLE with the thin skined English Walnut shells. But even tho I'm retired my time is worth more than that.

[ReloaderFred]

I've tried grinding both Corn Cob and Walnut Hulls, without success. I've tried both a modern and antique coffee grinder and several different food processors. Just go buy it in bulk and don't waste your time.

I currently buy a 40 pound bag of 1/8" ground corn cob for $15.50 a bag. For that price, I won't even mess with trying to grind my own, since it's so difficult to do without the proper equipment.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[Vacek]

The point is, no we don't want to make our own powder, primers, etc ... but its a nice to know because well, you never know.

Knowledge and its practice is the key to self-reliance. Hopefully you will never need it, but if you do................... I still know how to can my own food, including meat. I still have the necessary items to do that. In the meantime, I still go to the supermarket. But if I need to can ... its comforting to know I can.

[Sport45]

If I ever find I can't buy ground walnut I'll give rice a try. We'll always have to eat so I suppose rice will always be available. The real problem I see with rice is that mice like the stuff and I wouldn't be able to leave it in my 1200.

[depoloni]

Sounds crazy but I tried a few things in college... reloading things... point being I had more time than responsibilities and although that's changed I learned something interesting.

If we hit "oh my god" territory and the world falls apart, relegating walnut media unavailable (since it's used to polish so many NON-guns things) I'd have to suspect highly the power grid would be in question, in which case you'd need to find an alternate to tumbling anyhow.

That being said, in a power-grid supplied media-unavailable society...

1) Steel wool, if luckily still available, is the fastest way to clean brass but requires effort. Don't forget about that one post-apocalypto.
2) Kitty litter works fast, although it's dusty as hell and it breaks down eventually, as tumbler media.
3) Pistachio shells, preferably white (not red, heh) actually work pretty well in a tumbler as-is, or mashed down to smaller bits with a mallet in a ziplok. That process isn't worth the trouble, trust me. You find yourself desperate just use the whole half-shells - took overnight but worked.
4) You'd be amazed to find that anything will work provided it's not way too hard our rough, should you find yourself with a drum/thumler type tumbler. One of my favorites still today is adding some cotton-ball sized wads of steel wool (I use 000) to my walnut media in the Thumler Model B. Speeds it up when I'm in a hurry, which is rare. The wads tend to "float" in a vibratory though.

Anyhow, here's hoping desperation doesn't find us but I'd imagine, heck or high water, you'll make do with something if you have to!

[ranger335v]

"2) Kitty litter works fast, although it's dusty as hell and it breaks down eventually, as tumbler media."

Most, if not all, Kitty Litters are clay based. Ain't no way I'm gonna shoot any clay dust down my bores if I can help it.

[jcwit]

Rice does work well but gets stuck in the flash holes.

[Smithiac]

For me this falls in the same catagory as cracking you own walnuts and I found time for that. I don't know if I will make this a common practice but I still would like to know. And not to mention that is one reason our country is in the crapper right now. There to many people not willing to work for a small but enough return.

Not that I'm going to save America one walnut hull at a time either

Bottom line is I just want to know how to do it and if I never do it again then so be it.

[jcwit]

I say go for it.

Man have I got a bunch of smart axx replies but I'll keep quiet as I've done many things like this myself.

I mix my own bullet lube and would probably be ahead just buying it but hey, what I cobbled together works well for me and fills alittle time during the winter being as I'm retired.

So CRUSH those walnut shells.

[CSA 357]

I got mine at the pet store, its been working for mr about 5 years, if you want to make your own more power to you! Let us know how it goes csa

[jcwit]

5 years man I change my media at least twice a year course I tumble alot of brass.

[dave from mesa]

If the stuff hits the fan and you can't get walnut media just wash the cases in soapy water and rinse. They don't need to be shiny just clean.
Didn't rcmodel say in another thread about using vinegar and soap to clean cases?

[IThunter]

what about this http://www.willitblend.com/ it is a beast and will chop/blend anything...