Lucky
Member
I'm wondering what people add to their tumbling media, I've heard of car wax and case polish, any general rules?
Best agents to add to tumbling media?
- Thread starter Lucky
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GunNut
Member
I just use the basic media, but i'd love to hear what others use.
mc223
Member
Read the stickies. There are alot of tumbling tips.
Mark whiz
Member
Normally I just use a tumbler media polish like MidwayUSA's (Frankfort Arsenel) or Flitz, which ever is closer at the time of need.
I haven't tried Kerosine, but I have used mineral spirits to help clean and rejunenate a batch of walnut media - just let it tumble for a couple hours with a couple ozs of spirits, leaving the lid off of the tumbler. This actually worked pretty good.
The used dryer sheets are the BOMB!!!
I just cut a sheet up into about 2" squares and toss about 6 into the bowl with each load of brass - they absorb much of the dust and dirt from the bowl, keeping the media fresher, longer.
I haven't tried Kerosine, but I have used mineral spirits to help clean and rejunenate a batch of walnut media - just let it tumble for a couple hours with a couple ozs of spirits, leaving the lid off of the tumbler. This actually worked pretty good.
The used dryer sheets are the BOMB!!!
I just cut a sheet up into about 2" squares and toss about 6 into the bowl with each load of brass - they absorb much of the dust and dirt from the bowl, keeping the media fresher, longer.USSR
Member
Have been liberally spraying the brass and walnut media while in the tumbler with non-ammonia Glass Plus glass cleaner. Works like a charm.
Don
Don
nitesite
Member
Used dryer sheets cut into 1.5" squares and Nu-Finish in Lyman green corncob.
donttellthewife
Member
When I had some extremly dirty range brass I added some chrome polish to walnut media. The chrome polish was in the form of a stick to be used on a cloth wheel, I ran it over a cheese grater to get a powder form then added about two tablespoons full to a large tumbler, this worked well for me.
When I had a couple thousand pulled bullets that needed to have the sealent tar cleaned off them I used corncob and acetone. Do this outside, have the tumbler runing before adding acetone, leave the lid off. This only took about 15 min on a sunny warm day and the bullets came out looking new. As an added bonus the inside of the tumbler got spotless as well.
General rules-------- nothing with ammonia
When I had a couple thousand pulled bullets that needed to have the sealent tar cleaned off them I used corncob and acetone. Do this outside, have the tumbler runing before adding acetone, leave the lid off. This only took about 15 min on a sunny warm day and the bullets came out looking new. As an added bonus the inside of the tumbler got spotless as well.
General rules-------- nothing with ammonia
Lucky
Member
Why don't people add reszing lube to the tumbling media? Does the NuFinish take it's place?
Rod B
Member
I have had excellent results with adding NuFinish to the tumbling media.
Rod.
Rod.
garrett1955
Member
Some kind of metal polish, no ammonia. and sometimes some mineral spirits. I built a rotating tumbler (big) and those combos work well for me.
Cloudpeak
Member
I quit using Nu Finish as it made the brass a tad bit greasy (and I didn't use a lot) and turned the bowl of the tumbler black. The media (Lizard Litter) seems to last much longer without anything added. I do use the dryer sheets.
Cloudpeak
Cloudpeak
Nufinish note - a tad bit greasy yes, but it seems to make the brass pretty tarnish resistant in my experience and it is a lot cheaper than Flitz.
I live in the PNW where tarnishing will occur just from fingerprints on the case in winter months.
I live in the PNW where tarnishing will occur just from fingerprints on the case in winter months.
ranger335v
Member
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- Dec 3, 2006
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- 3,797
Lucky, "best" polish is sort of relitive and many work as well as any other.
The "dryer" sheets aren't magic, any tuff but loose fiber paper will work as well to clean your media. I usually use bits of common paper towels cut into 3-4" squares and drop two or three in each load. The dirty, gritty case "fouling" and media dust is caught in the paper fibers and then tossed out after use.
The "dryer" sheets aren't magic, any tuff but loose fiber paper will work as well to clean your media. I usually use bits of common paper towels cut into 3-4" squares and drop two or three in each load. The dirty, gritty case "fouling" and media dust is caught in the paper fibers and then tossed out after use.
BillMcCall
Member
- Joined
- Mar 4, 2007
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- 20
Agents in the Media
Try this, after each firing soak those cases in some turpentine for a while to dissolve all the powder residue. Go down to the paint store and buy some large size filters for the solvent soaking. You can make a rinse with the other half gallon of turpentine too. Keep them in the filter, dip in the rinse a few times, like flee dip to rinse out the dirty solvent. Shake out as much of the solvent as you can shake out. I keep the dirty solvent in those big peanut cans when not in use and then just take off the plastic lid when I need it. Dump them in the first tumbler filled with finely ground walnut media to remove any residual solvent drops. Next to the second tumbler to dry them off with corn cob media. After this into the third tumbler to polish them up with some clean walnut media. Case polish can be added to the polish portion of this operation if you want, but they usually look pretty good about this time and it’s not necessary. Drill some holes in the tumbler tops to vent the solvent fumes out. If the fumes are too strong maybe take it out of the front room to the outside for this part. I use turpentine cause I don’t mind the smell of turpentine and I can tell if any is leaking out when I’m not using it. Before doing any of this I chuck up a barrel brush in a drill motor and run the cases in and out a couple of times to get the necks clean. I do it this way so after full length resizing the cases have the same interior volume each time. I like the necks smooth and spotless since it’s the mating surface to the bullet. All this takes about an hour not counting the soaking time. You can salvage solvent slowly pouring through a couple paper coffee filters in a plastic holder. I don’t fool with the media it’s just too inexpensive.
Try this, after each firing soak those cases in some turpentine for a while to dissolve all the powder residue. Go down to the paint store and buy some large size filters for the solvent soaking. You can make a rinse with the other half gallon of turpentine too. Keep them in the filter, dip in the rinse a few times, like flee dip to rinse out the dirty solvent. Shake out as much of the solvent as you can shake out. I keep the dirty solvent in those big peanut cans when not in use and then just take off the plastic lid when I need it. Dump them in the first tumbler filled with finely ground walnut media to remove any residual solvent drops. Next to the second tumbler to dry them off with corn cob media. After this into the third tumbler to polish them up with some clean walnut media. Case polish can be added to the polish portion of this operation if you want, but they usually look pretty good about this time and it’s not necessary. Drill some holes in the tumbler tops to vent the solvent fumes out. If the fumes are too strong maybe take it out of the front room to the outside for this part. I use turpentine cause I don’t mind the smell of turpentine and I can tell if any is leaking out when I’m not using it. Before doing any of this I chuck up a barrel brush in a drill motor and run the cases in and out a couple of times to get the necks clean. I do it this way so after full length resizing the cases have the same interior volume each time. I like the necks smooth and spotless since it’s the mating surface to the bullet. All this takes about an hour not counting the soaking time. You can salvage solvent slowly pouring through a couple paper coffee filters in a plastic holder. I don’t fool with the media it’s just too inexpensive.
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~z
Member
All I can say is WOW. You sir have developed the Rube Goldberg brass cleaner! I thought I was anal about this stuff. I have tried a wide variety of methods and have settled on walnut media with mineral spirits for very dirty brass followed by walnut with Nufinish. If it aint too dirty just the Nufinish. Pistol brass gets the corncob media, usually. I don’t use corn for rifle brass after spending an afternoon with a bent paperclip rooting corncobs out of .222 cases.
~z
~z
I doubt it but I'm kinda curious, just dont want to try it on my dies if someone already has, I have noticed that my Nu Finish polished brass is pretty slick...would it be slick enough to resize that way without additional lube? If not, has anyone tried one of those RCBS lube dies?
~z
Member
With the Nufinish, I only lube about every 4th or 5th case, I dont go by the # but by the feel.
~z
~z
+1..
I also just take about 25% of the cases fresh from tumbling, and One Shot them in a plastic baggie, so every 4th one I just reach in and grab one. After the 3rd case goes through the die, I start to notice a bit of sticky so the One Shot helps. No stuck cases .... yet!
KHawk
Member
Where do you find brass so dirty that it requires all those potions?
I put my brass and range brass together in corn cob media with a cap full of brasso. One hour later = bright, shinny brass.
I put my brass and range brass together in corn cob media with a cap full of brasso. One hour later = bright, shinny brass.
RustyFN
Member
Pistol brass, 50/50 corn cob and walnut. One cap full of Nufinish and a cut up used dryer sheet. Two hours and take out.
Rifle brass, walnut, Nufinish and used dryer sheet. Two hours and take out.
Rusty
Rifle brass, walnut, Nufinish and used dryer sheet. Two hours and take out.
Rusty
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