tumbler media
- Thread starter 1977kaw
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I get both the corn and walnut media from the pet store (sold as bedding for small animals). It is also cheaper than buying it from the gun store. You will need to add some brass cleaner to the media (about 2-4 table spoons). As for how long it will last before you need to swap out the media is dependent on how dirty your brass is and how long you tumble per session. I clean about 300 mixed brass a week and I change the media about once every 2-3 months. Basically, when I noticed that if it takes longer to clean the brass as it did prior, it is time to either add more brass cleaner or change out the media.
At PetsMart the crushed walnut product you are looking for is Lizard Litter
I am a rookie reloader and bought a 7# bag of corncob media from Midway USA along with my tumbler and before I saw the same sized stuff at Petsmart.
I use a 3 part walnut to 1 part cob mix in my tumbler and pre-tumble in a tablespoon of liquid car polish before adding the brass.
I recover the media into a 5 gallon bucket using a blue plastic brass media strainer. I expect this one batch to last a VERY long time and I have more than enough to keep making fresh batches, pehaps for a couple years to come.
I am a rookie reloader and bought a 7# bag of corncob media from Midway USA along with my tumbler and before I saw the same sized stuff at Petsmart.
I use a 3 part walnut to 1 part cob mix in my tumbler and pre-tumble in a tablespoon of liquid car polish before adding the brass.
I recover the media into a 5 gallon bucket using a blue plastic brass media strainer. I expect this one batch to last a VERY long time and I have more than enough to keep making fresh batches, pehaps for a couple years to come.
Smokey Joe
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NO! Bad boy! Dirty! Put it down!
1977 KAW--You do NOT want to use kitty litter as a tumbling medium for cleaning brass.
It is basically clay, which is composed of VERY fine particles of soft mineral. Probably it would clean and polish brass, but quite slowly. The problem with kitty litter has been documented several times: It leaves a fine layer of dust on all the cases tumbled, which has to be wiped off inside and out, by hand.
Not something you want to do if you're tumbling, say, 350 cases of .357 Magnum. Unless you have lots more spare time than most folks, and lots more patience.
Usually, we tumble brass specifically so we do NOT have to handle and clean each piece.
Kitty litter's highest and best use is in the cat litter-box. I like the super-clumping litter for that. The cheapest, non-clumping, kitty litter is good for putting on oil spills in the garage--as kitty litter it is much cheaper than branded "Oil-Dry," but they are the same thing. But keep it out of your cartridge case tumbler.
1977 KAW--You do NOT want to use kitty litter as a tumbling medium for cleaning brass.
It is basically clay, which is composed of VERY fine particles of soft mineral. Probably it would clean and polish brass, but quite slowly. The problem with kitty litter has been documented several times: It leaves a fine layer of dust on all the cases tumbled, which has to be wiped off inside and out, by hand.
Not something you want to do if you're tumbling, say, 350 cases of .357 Magnum. Unless you have lots more spare time than most folks, and lots more patience.
Usually, we tumble brass specifically so we do NOT have to handle and clean each piece.
Kitty litter's highest and best use is in the cat litter-box. I like the super-clumping litter for that. The cheapest, non-clumping, kitty litter is good for putting on oil spills in the garage--as kitty litter it is much cheaper than branded "Oil-Dry," but they are the same thing. But keep it out of your cartridge case tumbler.
jcwit
member
One more time if you want to save even more money buy your media from an industrial supply house like Graingers, call your local one up and give them a few days to get it in if they don't carry it in house. Free shipping if you pick it up.
Runs $25 for 40 lb bag. If you order 20/40 grit it won't clog up in the flash holes. And 40 lbs lasts a long time.
Another plus you don't have to show your face in the chinese capital store AKA walmart. You can actually save money by buying from an American Company.
Runs $25 for 40 lb bag. If you order 20/40 grit it won't clog up in the flash holes. And 40 lbs lasts a long time.
Another plus you don't have to show your face in the chinese capital store AKA walmart. You can actually save money by buying from an American Company.
I called my local Grainger's, and was told they didn't have it anymore. Corncob, that is.
I get my walnut from PetSmart, Kaytee brand in a 25lb. bag for ~$20. Everybody says it's lizard litter, but I think it's actually for birds. http://www.kaytee.com/products/walnut-litter.php I use the walnut dry, it's great for cleaning cases, scrubs 'em good.
For polishing, I use corncob, but I get that at the local reloading store, I haven't yet found a place to get it cheaper. You can get corncob at WalMart or Petsmart, but the stuff I tried was much too large, didn't work at all. It was bigger than Grape Nuts cereal.
Then get a bottle of NuFinish Car Polish, and add a capful of that to your corncob, and it'll shine the brass real nice. Let it mix in with the media first for 15-20 minutes, or it'll clump up inside your cases.
And no to the cat litter idea.
I get my walnut from PetSmart, Kaytee brand in a 25lb. bag for ~$20. Everybody says it's lizard litter, but I think it's actually for birds. http://www.kaytee.com/products/walnut-litter.php I use the walnut dry, it's great for cleaning cases, scrubs 'em good.
For polishing, I use corncob, but I get that at the local reloading store, I haven't yet found a place to get it cheaper. You can get corncob at WalMart or Petsmart, but the stuff I tried was much too large, didn't work at all. It was bigger than Grape Nuts cereal.
Then get a bottle of NuFinish Car Polish, and add a capful of that to your corncob, and it'll shine the brass real nice. Let it mix in with the media first for 15-20 minutes, or it'll clump up inside your cases.
And no to the cat litter idea.
jcwit
member
rondog I just got off the phone with our local Graingers here in No. Indiana and its available for $23.60 for a 40 lb bag. They do not have it at our local store but if ordered would be there in 5 business days.
Google Graingers Industrial Supply and search under blasting compound, its near the end on page 2. The number is 526040G-40.
This number is for the 20/40 grit size.
Google Graingers Industrial Supply and search under blasting compound, its near the end on page 2. The number is 526040G-40.
This number is for the 20/40 grit size.
ThomasT
Member
+1 on not using cat litter for tumbling media. If you do use kitty litter for your media don't leave the lid off your tumbler if the cat is around. You may find a few extra "cases" in there.
Sweet! Thanks man!
I'd actually had that bookmarked, but never ordered it. I just jumped through all the hoops to order it online, and set it up to ship to my office, then discovered the shipping was almost $20!
So, I called my local Grainger's, and the nice lady modded my order to a Will Call, to save me the shipping, and set it up for them to call me when it's in. Schweet! The only reason I ordered it online is because they don't have it locally.
dave from mesa
Member
Ok I didn't chime in cuz I got my butt chewed out for recommending this but if you have a local feed store (not Petsmart or the like) You can order crushed walnut for about $15 for 50 lbs. Put it in 5 gal containers and use it for a loooong time.
By the way media does lose it's polishing ability to polish when the sharp edges round off. Putting more liquid polish helps but it does wear out.
Remember not to use ammonia based polish (Brasso) I know some do but it will eventually hurt the brass.
By the way media does lose it's polishing ability to polish when the sharp edges round off. Putting more liquid polish helps but it does wear out.
Remember not to use ammonia based polish (Brasso) I know some do but it will eventually hurt the brass.
SciFiJim
Member
Has anyone tried other things as tumbling media. Here in California (lots of olive trees) a guy is making ground olive pits for industrial tumblers. (can't find the link right now). Also, a friend suggested adding a cup of dried used coffee grounds to the media. He said that it helped put a shine on the brass.
dave from mesa
Member
Am thinking ground olive pits might work, got to be as hard as walnut. Will it be any cheaper tho?
Coffee I'm not to sure about. Try it and let us know.
Coffee I'm not to sure about. Try it and let us know.
indiandave
Member
Coffee is for drinking not shooting.
ChuckB
Member
A friend uses ground pecan shells, I believe. He says they're a bit softer than walnut, and shine a bit better. I can't ask him where to find it, though, since he's out of the country for seven weeks. Any thoughts?
Chuck
Chuck
jcwit
member
Rice works but have fun with the grains in the flash holes. Been their done that.
Is .60 cents a lb. for corn cob to expensive? Corn cob and walnut is available most everywhere in 40/50 lb bags. It what they use to clean a log cabin before staining.
Is .60 cents a lb. for corn cob to expensive? Corn cob and walnut is available most everywhere in 40/50 lb bags. It what they use to clean a log cabin before staining.
jcwit
member
LOL Ever is an AWFUL long time LOL
You must not tumble nowhere near as much brass as I do.
You must not tumble nowhere near as much brass as I do.
Polar Express
Member
what grit for a vibratory cleaner?
perhaps this is a silly question to you experienced loaders, but I'm entering this world. I just picked up a 25lb box of walnut shells from Harbor freight (figured it's a consumable, so it's safe to use the cheaper source) but it's 12 grit. Haven't opened the box, so I can still return it, is 12 grit for walnut shells ok for a vibratory cleaner, or should I go with a different grit?
perhaps this is a silly question to you experienced loaders, but I'm entering this world. I just picked up a 25lb box of walnut shells from Harbor freight (figured it's a consumable, so it's safe to use the cheaper source) but it's 12 grit. Haven't opened the box, so I can still return it, is 12 grit for walnut shells ok for a vibratory cleaner, or should I go with a different grit?
jcwit
member
I think thats a little coarse or big pieces to me. Finest I would use is 16/20 size.
Try googling Grainger Industrial Supply to find a location near you, but they don't have walnut, they do have corn cob tho.
Try googling Grainger Industrial Supply to find a location near you, but they don't have walnut, they do have corn cob tho.
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