Media separators?

[Axis II]

Right now I'm soaking in Lemi shine and soap and drying outside then deprime and then tumble the lube off and then rinse and dry again. I'm using a spaghetti strainer to sift the media and it's really dusty so I'm thinking of getting one of those media separators but they all look junky.

What do you guys use?

 

[JO JO]

I'm thinking of getting one of those media separators but they all look junky.

many of them have a lid that closes so dust stays inside as you turn the crank and yes they do feel junky , I have the rcbs one works good but I am careful
when turning it so far it has lasted close to 2 years and has not broken yet, it feels very cheaply made and would probably break easy if not careful

 

[Nature Boy]

Whatever you do, don't get the RCBS separator.

It is pure, concentrated, crap

 

[Reloadron]

I have what must be a 25 year old one similar to this which has a Midway label but who knows who actually made it. Anyway for a pretty basic rotary type tumbler it gets the job done. I also have an old basket but gravitate to the old rotary one. It's simple and it works. For the most part they all get the job done, removing corn cob or walnut cleaning media from cleaned cases. There isn't much to break and dust has never been an issue.

Ron

 

[2bfree]

I "love" my Dillon. https://www.dillonprecision.com/cm-500-case-media-separator_8_111_23663.html

 

[bcurry]

I have a small round wire deep fryer basket that fits in the top of a pool chemical bucket (2gal I think) to pour the tumbler media through. I then lift the basket, hold the tumbler lid over the brass in the basket, hold the basket on its side, turn it like a ferris wheel and shake a few times (the basket, not me). Works like a charm! Also recently started putting sorted brass in orange produce bags and tying knots to separate the different brass (range scrounge vs. new...223 doesn't end up neck down in the 45, etc.) and I'm not pouring the media out of the tumbler every time this way. Don't forget the dryer sheet for dust control.

 

[cfullgraf]

I'm currently using the Berry Mfg separator. Works fine.

Add a little polish like Nu Finish or something similar to you tumbling media. Cuts the dust down greatly and helps polish the cases. I think some folks add a little mineral spirits instead but I've slept since I read that so I may be not remembering correctly.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I have the RCBS. It works just fine.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

Right now I'm soaking in Lemi shine and soap and drying outside then deprime and then tumble the lube off and then rinse and dry again. I'm using a spaghetti strainer to sift the media and it's really dusty so I'm thinking of getting one of those media separators but they all look junky.

What do you guys use?

That seems like a lot of work.

 

[FROGO207]

I also have the Dillon CM 500 and use it often. It also works well with SS media, I add water to the tub about 1/2 way up and turn it slowly. Gets all the SS media out in a short time.

 

[Jack B.]

I have one from Lyman. I've used it for years and it's still works just fine.

 

[GBExpat]

What do you guys use?

I just use my green RCBS rotary media separator that I already had for dry media.

It is not of the most robust construction, but I just take it easy and it does an excellent job.

 

[jmorris]

I use the Dillon one, I fill the tub with water so it gives them a rinse as the media falls out.

They come with the grey tub on the right.

I also built a really heavy duty one.

 

[higgite]

Right now I'm soaking in Lemi shine and soap and drying outside then deprime and then tumble the lube off and then rinse and dry again. I'm using a spaghetti strainer to sift the media and it's really dusty so I'm thinking of getting one of those media separators but they all look junky.

What do you guys use?

They look junky, but they work. My RCBS has been going strong for 7 years now. Don't treat them like a cement mixer and they'll last.

 

[Axis II]

That seems like a lot of work.

it is but i shoot bolt guns and have a lot of brass for them so down time isn't a concern. I soak overnight and rinse and then dry outside while at work and then size them and tumble lube off and rinse and dry. Last night i processed about 400pc of LC 223 brass right from the tumbler so i wore light blue nitrile gloves and the fingers of the gloves were black within 10min.

Soaking and rinsing first ensures they are clean before going into my die
corn tumble gets lube off
rinse the dust off from the last corn tumble and let dry.

The brass is still shiny and i don't have to touch the particles left over from the dry tumble.

 

[hdwhit]

ohihunter2014 wrote:
What do you guys use?

I use a plastic colander. It has larger holes than the metal ones and the media falls through quite nicely. It and the matching collection bowl was $1.67 at Wal-Mart when I bought it back in the 1990's.

I dump the media and cases out of the tumbling container, shake colander with a rotating motion (like you would do with pasta) and the cases are left in the colander and the media ends up in the bowl. If the cases are bottleneck, I pick them up by the case head in case there is any errant media still in the case and I'm done.

 

[hdwhit]

ohihunter2014 wrote:
I'm soaking in Lemi shine and soap and drying outside then deprime and then tumble the lube off

I deprime my brass before soaking in the weak acid and detergent solution.

After drying, I inspect and measure critical dimensions on the brass before arranging them by headstamp in the relaoding block. I then lubricate and resize and then tumble the lube off in walnut media. I then separate the brass from the media as described in post #16 and then trim (if necessary), chamfer and debur the case before priming.

 

[Kaldor]

I "love" my Dillon. https://www.dillonprecision.com/cm-500-case-media-separator_8_111_23663.html

I have the same thing. Its tough enough my grandkids will use it some day.

 

[Tilos]

Quality/cheap enough, works with a Homer bucket:
https://www.amazon.com/Frankford-Ar...87483&sr=8-2&keywords=tumbler+media+separator

 

[Nature Boy]

I use the Dillon for dry media. It works fantastic. I may just buy a 2nd one for wet media. They are built like a tank. Thought I'd save a little money when I bought the RCBS. Used it one time and the hinge snapped off. A common complaint if you read the Amazon reviews.

 

[eo1bart]

Whatever you do, don't get the RCBS separator.

It is pure, concentrated, crap

Same goes for the purple one that Graf & Sons sells under their own name. It looks identical to the green RCBS one..... P.O.S.

 

[someguy2800]

I use this one. I set it in a 5 gallon pail and shake it back and forth and a little up and down to flip the brass around.

https://www.amazon.com/Frankford-Ar...87483&sr=8-2&keywords=tumbler+media+separator

 

[Kaldor]

I use this one. I set it in a 5 gallon pail and shake it back and forth and a little up and down to flip the brass around.

https://www.amazon.com/Frankford-Ar...87483&sr=8-2&keywords=tumbler+media+separator

I have one of those, and it just works OK to be honest.

I have a couple of these and they work alot better:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008B0T5Z2/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[RainDodger]

I've had different ones over the years. The RCBS one didn't even make it out of the box. One look and Amazon got it back. Dillon all the way! Great quality and you can't beat their guarantee. The guy at Dillon told me that people sometimes break the latch - nobody can figure out how they do, but they do. So he said they occasionally ship out a new replacement. That's the only thing I've ever heard that's not perfect. I think the Dillon could last generations... !

 

[Bang!]

Nu-Finish, mineral spirits, used dryer sheets=little to no dust.

Cut the used dryer sheets into one inch squares.

If media is really dusty you can use slight breeze to separate out dust. Pour from one container to another. Heavier media will fall to second container while wind blows away dust. Of course; don't breath in dust or use hurricane winds.

Can't stand dust on my brass.