Dry tumbling with stainless media

[plunge]

Everything i find about tumbling cases with stainless media is a wet process. I'm just wondering if it is possible to tumble brass with stainless without water. It seems like it would work, but I am new to this stuff and could easily be wrong.

 

[Fleet]

See this.
http://www.stainlesstumblingmedia.com/

 

[jmorris]

The water comes out pretty dirty, so I would guess it would just stay in/on/around the cases in dust or grit form. The soap and lemishine components some claim "are key" would also be out of the equation.

 

[Naterater]

I have no experience with stainless steel, but the water and soap would seem to "wash away" the grit and dirt. With tumblers, the corncob/walnut absorbs most of the dirt I believe. That's why you have to replace walnut and corncob.

 

[plunge]

Ok thanks. I really didnt understand the process. That website helped out a lot.

 

[jakk280rem]

That's why you have to replace walnut and corncob.

how often do you replace yours? i asked that question to a fellow who owns a local gun shop. he sells new and used brass as well as other components. all his used brass is tumbled in a vibratory tumbler using corncob. he took me into the back where he showed me his setup. all his media is grey and the newest was put in in 1996.

 

[918v]

If you are worried about drying the brass, it is easy: just spread it out on a towel and move it around with your hands. Then leave the insides to dry overnight or put it out in the sun for a couple of hours.

 

[jmorris]

I have a little forced air heater that drys them in 15 min this time of the year. In the TX sun during the summer would be faster.

 

[Jim Watson]

I clean black powder brass in wet ceramic.
It does a wonderful job but is labor intensive.
I dry in a low oven.
The steel pins may be better, especially on bottlenecks.
I doubt it would work as well dry.

 

[GT1]

My Lyman twin tumbler comes with a snap on lid for wet tumbling(So it says in the intructions), does anyone have any experience using a vibratory tumbler with SS media or other wet media(?) in one?

 

[Striker Fired]

I use the pins in my older Lyman and it work good.It actually cleans the brass way faster than the tumbler(about 20 to 30 min)as appossed to 2 to 3 hrs,but you are restricted to the amount of brass you can do at once.For 9 mm its between 120 and 150pcs, for 45ACP it is about 100.I find that if you keep an eye on it,you can do high volumes,it just requires you to change out batches more frequently.

 

[kelbro]

I think that it would get pretty warm. Not hot enough to damage the brass but pretty warm to the touch.

 

[old_haidouk]

I think the biggest benefit of wet media is providing a much cleaner case to handle afterwards

 

[cf_coder]

The cases are super clean, and they also tarnish quickly as well. Fingerprints show up like crazy. After I run my cases through the steel, I will let them dry and then run them through some corn cob with Flitz polish in it. No more tarnish and the cases stay bright and shiny.

first post!!! Woohooo!

_coder

 

[LBEE]

I was using the SS media to clean my Brass & also had the Brass to Tarnish Quickly until I Put a Tablespoon of Simple Green in The Mixture. The Brass comes out looking great & not Fast to Tarnish, Works for me give it a try.