jack44
Member
I'm getting a tumbler next week and want to know what media will get the brass cleaner?.
corn cob or walnut hulls?
- Thread starter jack44
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Walnut (bird or lizard litter) is more abrasive and will clean dirty cases better, but corncob with some NuFinish car polish in it will polish them better and make them shinier. I use both, I tumble first with dry walnut litter to clean them, then use corncob w/polish to make 'em shiny. Walnut only will certainly make them usable, but I like 'em purty too.
This is what I use, get it at PetSmart. Works good for cleaning but it will clog up the primer flash holes. For corncob I use the fine ground 20/40 grit stuff available from Grainger's or Drillspot. A 40# bag of the 20/40 corncob is about $25 and will last you for years, maybe until you retire from reloading.
Oh, don't even bother with the corncob litter from WalMart or other pet stores, it's way too big and won't work worth a hoot. I tried it once, the stuff was as big as Grape Nuts cereal nuggets and wouldn't move in the tumbler, plus it clogged up in the cases.
This is what I use, get it at PetSmart. Works good for cleaning but it will clog up the primer flash holes. For corncob I use the fine ground 20/40 grit stuff available from Grainger's or Drillspot. A 40# bag of the 20/40 corncob is about $25 and will last you for years, maybe until you retire from reloading.
Oh, don't even bother with the corncob litter from WalMart or other pet stores, it's way too big and won't work worth a hoot. I tried it once, the stuff was as big as Grape Nuts cereal nuggets and wouldn't move in the tumbler, plus it clogged up in the cases.
jcwit
member
Pretty much sayes it all.
Myself I use mostly corn cob as I purchased a 40 lb. bag of it, 40 lbs is alot of media.
Myself I use mostly corn cob as I purchased a 40 lb. bag of it, 40 lbs is alot of media.
Corn cob with some polish is all thats needed. A couple hours, maybe 3 for really dirty case and you are good to go. Corn cob has a lot less dust then walnut and won't pack the case or primer pocket. I have 3 bowls for my tumbler so I could do the walnut then corn cob deal and an extra bowl for used up media to be used as a very dirty case cleaner. In the end I use one bowl with corn cob until the media starts sticking together, there are black fines in the bottom and it takes over 3 hours to make them shinny. I then throw the old away and start with new.
I use 50:50 with Nu Finish. I bought the Big Drill Spot Bag of Corn and a equal size walnut from Harbor Freight.
I change my media often so it still has sharp edges and no full of toxic crud.
It's so cheap there is no sense in using it when it's filthy.
I change my media often so it still has sharp edges and no full of toxic crud.
It's so cheap there is no sense in using it when it's filthy.
jack44
Member
Thanks alot guys! there a pet smart not to far from me.
gamestalker
member
Walnut is the ticket! When I first started reloading I bought a big giant box of corn cobb and I still have most of it left. It's not worth using for anything other than to do a quick tumble just before resizing, but that's more of a hassle than it's worth.
Everyone tells me that just about any nut shell works great, but I've only used walnut for the last several decades.
Everyone tells me that just about any nut shell works great, but I've only used walnut for the last several decades.
OldmanFCSA
Member
www.stainlesssteelmedia.com
If you are getting a TUMBLER, I highly recommend you try this.
A wet and messy process, but MUCH BETTER results.
If you are getting a TUMBLER, I highly recommend you try this.
A wet and messy process, but MUCH BETTER results.
Hondo 60
Member
Corncob will leave the brass shinier than Walnut.
Supposedly walnut will clean better, but I haven't found that to be the case.
Maybe my brass is cleaner to begin with?
Just my 2¢
Supposedly walnut will clean better, but I haven't found that to be the case.
Maybe my brass is cleaner to begin with?
Just my 2¢
I tried the Lyman treated (green) corn cob and it did not shine the cases as well as walnut with a little rouge in it. The treated walnut had the cases looking like gold in less than an hour and the Lyman corn ran for almost three hours with results not nearly as good. I imagine the rouge mixed with corn would probably do better though since most claim it to be superior.
orionengnr
Member
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I have been using a 50/50 mix of corn cob and walnut for a good while.
1KPerDay
Member
Me too. BTW walnut alone polishes pretty well if you leave it in long enough.
50/50 mix of corncob (bought a bag with my tumbler from Midway over 2 years ago, still have plenty left) and Lizard Litter, a little liquid car polish now and then and always several cut up used dryer sheets to catch the dust (discard after a tumbling session.)
Stop at the nearest megamart and get a cheapo lamp timer too. Plug your tumbler into that, set the number of hours you want to tumble the brass and let 'er rip.
Stop at the nearest megamart and get a cheapo lamp timer too. Plug your tumbler into that, set the number of hours you want to tumble the brass and let 'er rip.
AABEN
Member
corn cob with pecan hauls does a faster job.
LiveLife
Member
You cannot use wet tumbling media like stainless steel rods in vibratory tumblers meant for dry media.
+1 for walnut media for cleaning and corn cob for polishing. I also use NuFinish liquid polish with both media with good results. +1 on using cut up used dryer sheets to extend the life of media (I replace whenever pieces get dark).
Another +1 for fine walnut media as it seems to clean/polish faster and better than coarse media. I am currently using up fine walnut blasting media (24 grit) from Harbor Freight ($23 for 25 lb box), but if you are going to PetSmart, they carry the Zilla crushed walnut.
+1 for walnut media for cleaning and corn cob for polishing. I also use NuFinish liquid polish with both media with good results. +1 on using cut up used dryer sheets to extend the life of media (I replace whenever pieces get dark).
Another +1 for fine walnut media as it seems to clean/polish faster and better than coarse media. I am currently using up fine walnut blasting media (24 grit) from Harbor Freight ($23 for 25 lb box), but if you are going to PetSmart, they carry the Zilla crushed walnut.
jack44
Member
I'l go today and price both corn walnut I have a pet smart and harbor friight in the area
Maximumbob54
Member
I'm using the Drillspot 14/20 corn cob blast media, the used dryer sheets trick, and add a small squirt of NuFinish to fresh media. I use a universal decapper to pop out primers before cleaning them. A soak in a citric acid solution before dropping them into the media helps with bad corrosion and gets the primer pockets that much more cleaned by the media. The NuFinish helps keep the brass from tarnishing during handling from the rest of the reloading.
This is what I use and it works very fast and produces an acceptable shine. I've also tried the pet store corn cobs and found them to work slower and dull the cases.
Walnut (bird or lizard litter)
This is what I use, get it at PetSmart. Works good for cleaning but it will clog up the primer flash holes.
Oh, don't even bother with the corncob litter from WalMart or other pet stores, it's way too big and won't work worth a hoot.
max it
Member
hi, ditto on the walnut bird litter. mine from dedicated bird store. around $3.75 for 10#.
what is corn cob good for? it is too big and i find myself having to shake it out as i load. a little of whatever metal polish is around goes a long way too. Why polish at all? it doesnt make a diff to the load as far as I can see.
what is corn cob good for? it is too big and i find myself having to shake it out as i load. a little of whatever metal polish is around goes a long way too. Why polish at all? it doesnt make a diff to the load as far as I can see.
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