How long do you tumble your brass?

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Keeperfaith

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I was wondering whats the average amount of time any of you experienced reloaders tumble your brass?

Im using crushed walnut, a cap full of Nu-Finish and a couple of used dryer sheets.

I've left my brass tumbling for 24hrs and it comes out nice and shiney. However I've not checked on my brass every hour on the hour to find out if it only needs 2, 3, 4 or 10 hrs in the tumbler.


Thanks in advance,

Steve

PS: Im new to reloading, I had a bunch of brass I tumbled about a year ago, its been stored in plastic bags and the bags in ammo cans. This brass has a bright almost golden color to it. The brass I tumbled today is nice and shiny but more pale than the older brass I have. Is that somthing that happens over time or do I need to tumble my latest batch of brass longer (than 24 hrs) to get the shiny golden yellow look?
 
walnut cleans and leaves a dull finish check on it after 3hrs and then corn cob will shine it up in less than an hour .. I also use corn cob to remove the lube on the finished rounds for 15 mins
 
Overnight.

When I am finished for the evening, I turn the tumbler on. I shut it off in the morning after I rise. I at least dump the tumbler to separate the brass from he media. Then process it at another time if I do not have time first thing.
 
One hour, the brass has been fired but clean, just how dirty does brass get when fired?

Again, when I want to show off I use a case spinner.


F. Guffey
 
I normally tumble it in corn cob media for about 24 hours give or take and it comes out clean and shiny.
 
I tumble mine until it's clean.

The more it's fired the more time it needs.
The older the media the more time it needs...
Different media types clean faster than others.
 
I bought my crushed walnut at Harbor Frieght tools.

Where can i get crushed corn cob?

I've heard petstores sell lizard bedding cheap and its crushed walnut if im not mistaken. Do yall know if they sell the corncob as well?

Thanks
 
Using crushed walnut shells with rouge, I can't see any difference in shininess by tumbling any more than an hour or two. Using stainless steel media, I tumble for 2 hours, change the water and tumble again for another 2 hours.
 
I use a timer set for 6 hrs corn cobb media NU finish car polish comes out clean and shining. If I pick up brass that is real dirty I use walnut media. 3 hrs in walnut and 3 hrs in the corn cobb media. Works for me
 
An hour or two. My Lyman has lasted over 20yrs now. Reading the times that some guys tumble, I finally understand the posts about replacing tumblers every couple of years.
 
"Where can i get crushed corn cob?"

Your local Grainger's is a good source.

Ask for Grade 2040 corncob 'blast media'; it's too small to lodge in the case flash hole.

You'll find the Grainger people very nice to deal with. They never know whether a walk-in customer is going to but $10,000 of industrial supplies or a $5 can of solvent, so they treat everyone the same. When I ordered my corn cob, they were out of stock & had to order it; they called me three days later to tell me it had arrived. :)
 
A couple hours before decapping, and a couple more hours afterwords. I use reptile bedding walnut media.
 
Does tumbling work harden brass? I can take new Lapua or Hornady brass and tumbler it for several hours and the color that was there from annealing is either gone or hardly visible.
 
I tumble smokeless cases 4 hours in walnut blasting media without polish.
Brass is clean but not shiny.

I tumble black powder cases 4 hours in wet ceramic.
Brass is bright as new.

I have some of the steel pin media but have seen peculiar results. The media itself is so nasty from the mill that it is leaving a gray film on cases, even after being run alone the first cycle. It appears to be cleaning up, I ran a couple of rusty magazines through it and they came out bright with only a light film.
 
Till I remember the tumbler is running
Click to expand...


That's me. A lot of times I'll turn the tumbler on when I go to bed and back off before going to work. I have forgotten before and not turned it off until the next night, almost 24 hours later. It doesn't hurt anything.
 
"Where can i get crushed corn cob?"

Your local Grainger's is a good source.

Ask for Grade 2040 corncob 'blast media'; it's too small to lodge in the case flash hole.

You'll find the Grainger people very nice to deal with. They never know whether a walk-in customer is going to but $10,000 of industrial supplies or a $5 can of solvent, so they treat everyone the same. When I ordered my corn cob, they were out of stock & had to order it; they called me three days later to tell me it had arrived.
Click to expand...

Or call Drill Spot

http://www.drillspot.com/products/521055/econoline_526040g-40_40_lbs_blast_media

I think its a subsidiary of Graingers. Shipping is encluded in the price. No driving to go get it. At close to $4.00 per gal. I'm sure that makes a difference.

Oh Ya, How long do I tumble? Overnight.
 
ArchAngelCD said:
I tumble mine until it's clean.

The more it's fired the more time it needs.
The older the media the more time it needs...
Different media types clean faster than others.
Click to expand...

This. There is no set amount of time. Run it until it meets your requirements.


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