Beating a Dead Horse: Tumbler Issues

[ranger335v]

"Not quite right, polish is not polish,..."

There are few sources for the red rouge (ground rust) or white rouge (diatamaceous earth) used for polish. But, the effects of both are virtually the same on brass cases.

I have used pure polish, bought in $4 red and white rouge cakes from Lowe's, to polish brass by scrapping a small amount off with a sharp knife blade into new cob media. Each type worked as well as anything else sold for tumbling. So, polish is polish. Now, the various carriers of many comerical polishes (light oils, water or miniral spirts), plus some addititives (such as ammonia, liquid waxes or "polymers") make some of the commercial concoctions more or less suitable for our use but that doesn't change the polish.

NuFinish auto polish is inexpensive because it has few such additives. That makes it near ideal for reloaders.

It's really doubtful that polished brass, with or without automotive liquid wax additives, will "reduce" wear on a case hardened steel die and certainly not for carbide dies. But, that myth sounds so good seems it just has to be true; NOT!

 

[jcwit]

"Not quite

"Not quite right, polish is not polish,..."

There are few sources for the red rouge (ground rust) or white rouge (diatamaceous earth) used for polish. But, the effects of both are virtually the same on brass cases.

I have used pure polish, bought in $4 red and white rouge cakes from Lowe's, to polish brass by scrapping a small amount off with a sharp knife blade into new cob media. Each type worked as well as anything else sold for tumbling. So, polish is polish. Now, the various carriers of many comerical polishes (light oils, water or miniral spirts), plus some addititives (such as ammonia, liquid waxes or "polymers") make some of the commercial concoctions more or less suitable for our use but that doesn't change the polish.

NuFinish auto polish is inexpensive because it has few such additives. That makes it near ideal for reloaders.

It's really doubtful that polished brass, with or without automotive liquid wax additives, will "reduce" wear on a case hardened steel die and certainly not for carbide dies. But, that myth sounds so good seems it just has to be true; NOT!

I was speaking in the broader sense of the word. It very obvious different polishes are different. Not because of the polish but because of the carriers, waxes, polymers, or whatever added. Very good case in point is Brasso is entirely different than Turtle car wax. Granted the "polish compound" may be the same but the end product is different. At least I've never waxed my car with Brasso (joke).

In essence what I'm saying is Nu-Finish will work, as well as Turtle wax, as well as rubbing compound, as well as McGuires wax, as well as rouge cakes, ect., ect., ect. I happen to use the auto waxes as I have all these partial bottles/cans of wax/polish that all work better and last longer than any of the others. Sadly after waxing cars for 50 years since I've been 15, they all only last a few weeks, but the newer ones are easier. And the all Polish brass very well, with no additional cost.

Heck I've even got a can of the old Dupont #7 polish from back in the 1950's. It works for brass too.

 

[TX1911fan]

I found that media from the pet store was not as hard and was too big to be really effective. I used it for .223 and it got stuck in the cases. Wouldn't come out. The stuff you buy from the gun store is not that expensive, and when you consider how long it lasts, I'd rather just use that.

 

[jcwit]

I found that media from the pet store was not as hard and was too big to be really effective. I used it for .223 and it got stuck in the cases. Wouldn't come out. The stuff you buy from the gun store is not that expensive, and when you consider how long it lasts, I'd rather just use that.
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Midway price per # is $1.19 per 15 lb. bag. Blasting compound price per lb. is $ .62 per 40 lb. bag. Shipping is extra for midway. Maybe it just me but I find Midway expensive at twice the cost.

 

[fireflyfather]

I guess I get to eat crow. Turns out there's a grainger around the corner from my local gun shop. What are the odds? The one that turned up on google when I searched my zip code and surrounding ones was a good 30 minutes away. The closest one is more like 10. Go figure.

 

[evan price]

I use the fine ground walnut from PetSmart. Zilla, I think. Plus some NuFinish. I find that, despite them beng straight-wall pistol cases, the cleaner, NuFinished cases work better in my press and seem to be more slippery in the dies despite being carbide and not requiring lubrication. But that's just me.