Media Separator Mod Question (SS Pins)

[USMC22]

Hi Guys,

I've read somewhere on another forum maybe (can't remember) about a modification done to a media separator for separating stainless pins and brass.

The mod was essentially a strainer that could be bolted to the bottom of the separator which controlled the draining of the water. Essentially you'd fill up the separator tub, dump the brass in the rotating bin, and pour water while rotating it. The soapy / dirty water would eventually flow out and allow you to separate pins, rinse the brass and separate it all at once. Once separated the pins could be left in the bin while the water drained.

I cannot find anything that would allow water to drain, prevent the pins from going through AND can be bolted to the separator I have. Anyone got a setup like this?

Open to other tips as well.

-Aaron

 

[Sunray]

Preventing the pins from going through is the primary concern. Water will go through any sized hole. Bolting is just an engineering thing.
I'd put a hunk of door screening inside the bin. That makes the whole bin a strainer and does cost much. Over sized screen with a hose clamp to hold it there. Mind you, you might find an actual strainer in a dollar store that's big enough. SS screws are cheap.

 

[GBExpat]

I've read somewhere on another forum maybe (can't remember) about a modification done to a media separator for separating stainless pins and brass. ...

??? This must be a case of me not understanding the question.

I use an RCBS Media Separator (see link below) and with no modification it does a dandy job of separating the SS pins from the cases. I accomplish this part of my process with the Separator in a bathtub.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/176956/rcbs-rotary-case-and-media-separator

 

[Reeferman]

??? This must be a case of me not understanding the question.

I use an RCBS Media Separator (see link below) and with no modification it does a dandy job of separating the SS pins from the cases. I accomplish this part of my process with the Separator in a bathtub.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/176956/rcbs-rotary-case-and-media-separator

Yup I use the same thing and works great except for the bathtub as the bride of 35 years has put up with a lot but I wouldn't want to push that.

 

[GBExpat]

Yup I use the same thing and works great except for the bathtub as the bride of 35 years has put up with a lot but I wouldn't want to push that.

My bathtub is clean before I start and just as clean (if not a bit cleaner) when I am finished. So long as you can say the same, why would she be upset?

 

[Reeferman]

My bathtub is clean before I start and just as clean (if not a bit cleaner) when I am finished. So long as you can say the same, why would she be upset?

Whatever works for you. I use the wash tub I have setup in the basement.

 

[Rule3]

You guys are not being Environmentally conscious. You are dumping toxic waste water into the municipal sewers. If you are on a septic tank/drain field, you are leaching contaminants in the ground water supply.

The EPA is not happy with you.

 

[USMC22]

??? This must be a case of me not understanding the question.

I use an RCBS Media Separator (see link below) and with no modification it does a dandy job of separating the SS pins from the cases. I accomplish this part of my process with the Separator in a bathtub.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/176956/rcbs-rotary-case-and-media-separator

 

[alientrainwreck]

Amazon has the Frankford arsenal magnetic media stainless pins separator for around $7.00

 

[Phlier]

Frankford Arsenal makes a media separator specifically made for SS pins. I love mine. It's really what changes wet tumbling from being a huge pain to as easy as dry tumbling. It comes with two tub halves, one of which already has a mesh covered drain in it. No fiddling around making your own. 36 bucks on Amazon right now. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01B6S8JUC/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[USMC22]

Frankford Arsenal makes a media separator specifically made for SS pins. I love mine. It's really what changes wet tumbling from being a huge pain to as easy as dry tumbling. It comes with two tub halves, one of which already has a mesh covered drain in it. No fiddling around making your own. 36 bucks on Amazon right now. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01B6S8JUC/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

In the last picture, down at the bottom if you look there is a screen. This is what I'm looking to add to a separator I already own. Sorry I have not replied... My Mac has been having a lot of issues (the message box is not present to type a reply in).

 

[USMC22]

You guys are not being Environmentally conscious. You are dumping toxic waste water into the municipal sewers. If you are on a septic tank/drain field, you are leaching contaminants in the ground water supply.

The EPA is not happy with you.

Where do you dispose of it, or recommend?

 

[grandpawj]

Anyone who has done much toxicology knows that poison is determined by the dose. How much would you have to dump on your lawn in order to contaminate the environment.

 

[USMC22]

Anyone who has done much toxicology knows that poison is determined by the dose. How much would you have to dump on your lawn in order to contaminate the environment.

Much would depend on dose, tolerance and potency if comparing drugs or other chemicals that are commonly used whether illicitly or as prescribed. It changes when the substance does not fit in either category, such as oil or cleaning agents. The threshold is also different, if tested for at all. Some state labs only test for specific categories and then subsequent tests are run thereafter to confirm. The numbers, nanograms over milliliters are not universal amongst you, I and our neighbor. I'm very familiar with toxicology and the process from my career in law enforcement and as a nationally certified drug recognition expert.

Are you implying that the levels from cleaning brass with stainless media would only include trace amounts of lead which would not be sufficient to cause harm? I've read arguments both ways and have not wet tumbled, or at all for that matter yet. I'm curious about how people dispose of it if the belief is that it would effect the surrounding watershed. In my research I have not found any sources which articulate it does OR does not have an effect.

-Aaron

 

[grandpawj]

My hat is off to you USMC22, well said.

 

[Rule3]

It was said as kinda a joke. The wet media followers seem to go through a lot of effort for "surgically clean" brass. There is long thread on it here somewhere re: the waste stream of dry cleaning media and wet media. Dry media should be bagged and sent to the contained landfill or incinerators. Rinse water from brass cleaning would be harder to dispose of unless you have a holding tank and your locality has a haz mat pick up day.
That said i well repeat that I used to work in a industry where I was responsible for all the MSDS and worker safety of highly toxic chemicals and solvents,

Rinsate water was highly regulated

There is a real problem with water quality due to improper disposal of just prescription medications. So it is not one person doing it it is multiplied by millions, same with any other form of pollution. Next time you stop at a traffic light look out the window and see how many cigarette butts and chewing gum there is at that one spot!

Let a few drops of oil come off your boat here in Florida and they nail you like it is a haz mat site! Same if you get caught with a head that discharges overboard.,

Gone are the days of changing oil in some empty field and dumping it on the ground! Everything in Florida is effecting the water supply!

Carry On!

 

[hdwhit]

Rule 3 wrote:
...You are dumping toxic waste water into the municipal sewers...

What toxins in particular are you referring to?

 

[hdwhit]

Rule 3 wrote:
Gone are the days of changing oil in some empty field and dumping it on the ground! Everything in Florida is effecting the water supply!

It's not just Flordia, it's nationwide; although some states are more acutely aware of it than others.

 

[USMC22]

It was said as kinda a joke. The wet media followers seem to go through a lot of effort for "surgically clean" brass. There is long thread on it here somewhere re: the waste stream of dry cleaning media and wet media. Dry media should be bagged and sent to the contained landfill or incinerators. Rinse water from brass cleaning would be harder to dispose of unless you have a holding tank and your locality has a haz mat pick up day.
That said i well repeat that I used to work in a industry where I was responsible for all the MSDS and worker safety of highly toxic chemicals and solvents,

Rinsate water was highly regulated

There is a real problem with water quality due to improper disposal of just prescription medications. So it is not one person doing it it is multiplied by millions, same with any other form of pollution. Next time you stop at a traffic light look out the window and see how many cigarette butts and chewing gum there is at that one spot!

Let a few drops of oil come off your boat here in Florida and they nail you like it is a haz mat site! Same if you get caught with a head that discharges overboard.,

Gone are the days of changing oil in some empty field and dumping it on the ground! Everything in Florida is effecting the water supply!

Carry On!

Hi Rule3,

I agree with the issues in reference to prescription medications in reference to improper disposal. Being familiar with that and participating in drug take back programs I'm trying to wrap my head around the waste generated from wet tumbling. Drugs consist of synthetic (man made) and naturally occurring but altered (such as pain meds from opium). Obviously anytime we create something it is changing the chemical makeup and usually bad if we just dump it. We see this with gas and oil. Wet tumbling, with dawn and lemishine - both of which you'd wash down the drain are common household products, dawn is even used to clean animals from oil spills. Brass, containing powder residue, which is cleaned and transferred to the water I could see where it might be a problem. As stated before I have not begun tumbling brass in any manner yet but am trying to do so in a responsible manner. I was going to post a subsuquent topic on this matter but seeing's how we're all here - do you have any links on disposing of the water and what if anything qualifies it as hazmat? I know if I respond to an accident and a rig is turned on it's side and a hazmat card is displayed the color and number have a meaning and I can look them up. Would like to be able to do the same if a hazard exists.

-Aaron

 

[Rule3]

Well without blowing this totally out of proportion or making it a problem that it really isn't (in the scheme of all other things out there)
No< I do not believe that the rinsate is a "Haz Mat" issue As I mentioned it was kinda of a tongue in check remark. The wet tumblers vs the dry tumblers. Dillon vs RCBS etc.
Open can, worms come out,!

No I am not gonna go hug a tree.

What happens to the sludge from septic tanks and wastewater treatment is beyond the scope of this thread/forum

The primary toxin in shooting regular ammo is lead, there are a few others (not the getting shot or the bullet) but the primers. Lead poisoning is a big topic and many threads on it. Primarily for those shooting indoors (non lead free ranges) The dust gets on your clothes, hair, breath it etc etc.

So the "stuff" in the rinsate is also what gets into the air and you can breath it, ingest it, or get in the eyes. So you wouldn't want to drink the rinsate,

There is no longer any lead smelting done in the USA. The last plant in Missouri was shut down. Now all the lead used for bullets comes from recycled lead. Smelting is a very, very toxic business.

Although lead does come from the ground, the lead in primers is not the same. Just like you will not get lead poisoning from handling lead bullets (through the skin) but if you then eat, smoke or pick you nose you could get some lead in you

Here are the MSDS for CCI Primers and ammo (other ammo is basically the same) there is now lead free ammo

http://www.cci-ammunition.com/downloads/SDS/CCI_Speer_Rifle_Pistol_Primers_SDS_NA_02042015_FINAL.pdf

http://www.cci-ammunition.com/downl...stol_Ammunition_Brass_SDS_NA-MEX_12172014.pdf

 

[jmorris]

I use the Dillon seperator and tub. Fill tub with water (right side of photo) and dump brass/pins into tub and rotate for rinse and separation.

A magnet will pick up all of the pins from the bottom of the tub.

 

[Dudedog]

I use my Frankford Arsenal Quick-n-EZ Rotary Seperator that I used for cases and dry media with pins, it works well. A magnet helps to chase down escaping pins.

 

[solman]

I am not seeing how the Franford arsenal separator is different for ss pin use?
I have the Dillon case separator but it's a hassle using the wet tumble method. I find it takes longer to get things sorted out but you can't argue with the results of wet tumbling.

 

[GBExpat]

... it's a hassle using the wet tumble method. I find it takes longer to get things sorted out but you can't argue with the results of wet tumbling.

Yes, the Wet Process is more hassle ... but ...

I have come to the realization that, for me, Wet w/pins does not involve that much more hassle than Dry.

The Reason? I can do batches several times larger with the Wet Method (F.A.R.T) as compared to with my Hornady or Berry's Mod400 Vibratory Case Cleaner.

For me, the Dry comes in very handy when I need to quickly clean small QTYs for crafting some Test Strings.

I wait until I have at least one full load (usually 2 or more) prior to setting up for a Wet run.

If I had a couple thousand cases to clean, they are going to take about the same amount of effort by either Process, the Dry being processed in a lot more & smaller batches ... and in the end the wet-processed cases will look a lot better.

I much prefer the look of the wet-processed cases.

 

[9mmepiphany]

If you aren't OCD about clean primer pockets...and you mostly shoot handguns...just wet tumble without the pins.

Using a F.A.R.T., I increase the Lemi-shine a bit (overflowing .460 case) and just give it a dollop of Armorall Wash and Wax. No need to de-prime before tumbling and no pins to separate afterwards