Lizard bedding for polish media

[BGD]

I have read where people are using walnut hulls used for lizard cages for polishing media. I figured I would give it a try. It polishes the cases but it leaves lots of fines on the cases. Is that normal? Should I just hit them win some compressed air to clean them off or is there a better way. I bought the walnut hulls from petsmart.
Thanks.

 

[Bush Pilot]

"Fines"?

 

[LeftyTSGC]

I also use the Lizard bedding Walnut shells for cleaning. Yes, it will have dust and particles unless you add a dryer sheet to the mix to pick up the loose material. Also I put in a drop or two of mineral spirits, it helps to keep the dust down also.

Overall it works great, I put in a few drops of my Rooster Bright, but any product will work. Once in a while I pour the contents back and forth between two containers outside and let the wind separate the dust out.

 

[SlowFuse]

I had the same problem. I started running it with nufinish and used dryer sheets. This greatly reduced the "fines" and dust. I have since added cob media back to it and have settled on a blend that both cleans and polishes well.

 

[Schwing]

I have used this for a long time. One way to get around the dust issue is to run the tumbler (outside) with the lid off for about 30 minutes right after you put fresh media into it. Then, add 1 tablespoon of mineral spirits before each tumbling session. Your shells will look better than ever.

I had the same issue using crushed walnut media marked as polishing media anyway. The only difference I could tell was that it cost 3-4x as much.

 

[sauer1911]

I also use the walnut shells as tumbling media. I add some sort of fine car polish, whatever I find in the garage to the mix and it does a very, very nice job.

As I use the shells, they get dirty from polishing, adding dryer sheets, and small squares of damp old towels (2"x2") seem to keep down the dust. BUT when it gets zoo dirty, I dump the shells in an old pillow case, slide the pillow case in a 5 gal bucket, add water and a little detergent. Stir it up and drain the water by lifting the pillow case out of the bucket, dump the water, and rinse again.

Same bag of walnut shells, going on 2 years now. they just dont wear out, I lose some on the ground but they are awesome.

be safe.

 

[WelshShooter]

I ordered some crushed walnut shell which was reptile bedding, however when it turned up it was ground and more like sand. Will this do the job or should I return it and get crushed walnut shells rather than ground?

 

[Schwing]

I ordered some crushed walnut shell which was reptile bedding, however when it turned up it was ground and more like sand. Will this do the job or should I return it and get crushed walnut shells rather than ground?

It should still work but it will be very dusty. I don't think the cost of returning it will be worth it though. I would probably try it.

As I use the shells, they get dirty from polishing, adding dryer sheets, and small squares of damp old towels (2"x2") seem to keep down the dust. BUT when it gets zoo dirty, I dump the shells in an old pillow case, slide the pillow case in a 5 gal bucket, add water and a little detergent. Stir it up and drain the water by lifting the pillow case out of the bucket, dump the water, and rinse again.

I used to do a lot of this stuff too. Over time, I have come to realize that media is so cheap that I just toss it every couple of dozen loads. I have a 20 lb bag of lizard bedding that I bought more than a year ago and still have about 80% of it left.

 

[Potatohead]

Wonder if washing the media before using it would help? Ive had good luck with the lizard stuff, and yes mine was really fine.

 

[cfullgraf]

I use the pet store ground/ crushed media adding a little Nufinish once in a while. Keeps the dust and fines under control.

I run a top on the tumbler and it keeps everything inside of the tunbler. No dust though when I dump the tumbler.

I run my media until it does not clean very well which is usually upwards to a year for shooting 5k rounds per year. It is so inexpensive, even the good stuff, it is not worth my time to fool with cleaning it.

Mineral spirits, wet cloth, dryer sheets and the lot will also help with dust control.

 

[WelshShooter]

It should still work but it will be very dusty. I don't think the cost of returning it will be worth it though. I would probably try it.



I used to do a lot of this stuff too. Over time, I have come to realize that media is so cheap that I just toss it every couple of dozen loads. I have a 20 lb bag of lizard bedding that I bought more than a year ago and still have about 80% of it left.

OK thanks, I'll give it a try with a tumble dry sheet and condition with some car polish. Can't wait till my tumbler comes, I'll report back with results.

 

[rcmodel]

This is what I have been using for several years.
Very happy with it, small enough not to clog flash holes, and no dust hardly at all.

Zilla brand ground walnut lizard bedding.
http://www.petco.com/product/102881/Zilla-Ground-English-Walnut-Shells-Reptile-Bedding.aspx

I haven't bought any recently so maybe it isn't as good as it used to be now?

I tried a bag of a different brand from Wal-Mart once and it was nothing like the Zilla brand.
Dusty, fluffy, and unusable for tumbling.
I don't even think it was really walnut shells.

rc

 

[Rule3]

Go here and get 40 pounds shipped to your door for free. It will last you a long time rather than buying expensive pet store Zilla bedding. It's the same media that the other place sold but they stopped the free shipping. It drop ships from Grainger. Corn or Walnut. I have both. Never have to find it again!

http://www.zoro.com/g/Blast Media/00054305/?category=9129

Harbor freight has Walnut blast media in large boxes.

 

[LeftyTSGC]

Go here and get 40 pounds shipped to your door for free. It will last you a long time rather than buying expensive pet store Zilla bedding. It's the same media that the other place sold but they stopped the free shipping. It drop ships from Grainger. Corn or Walnut. I have both. Never have to find it again!

http://www.zoro.com/g/Blast Media/00054305/?category=9129

Harbor freight has Walnut blast media in large boxes.

Which grit is better for tumbling? 14-20 or 20-40