I just got back to finding my re-loading bench! What a mess! Anyway, a dumped a bunch of .45's in and came back in the morning expecting to see gold. Yuck! I saw where you guys advised a dryer sheet for dust and thought I'd see how much dust there was. So I dumped the batch into the separator bin and couldn't see or breath. I was way past the dryer sheet. Then I realized I has always just guessed at all this. Help please. Does one media do better or last longer? Do the additives work as directed? How long does the stuff last? How do you know when it time to dump it? how much brass do you add to the stuff? How long should you leave it in? Well, thanks.
Polishig media - What and why
- Thread starter CANNONMAN
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nettlle
Contributing Member
I use Zilla Lizard litter. It's ground walnut hulls. I run the tumbler about 3 hours every weekend and the media usually lasts about 6-8 months. When it starts turning dark I change it or when the brass takes too long to clean. Whichever comes first. I put a dollop of Nu-Finish in for every session. The walnut media is dusty when new but after several shots of Nu-Finish the dust settles down. A dryer sheet or paper towel helps control dust.
The amount of cases depends on the size of the tumbler. Too many cases and it will slow the tumbler down and the cleaning takes longer. I tumble 200 45acp cases at a time for three hours.
The amount of cases depends on the size of the tumbler. Too many cases and it will slow the tumbler down and the cleaning takes longer. I tumble 200 45acp cases at a time for three hours.
I've always taken a roll of Saran-Wrap/Glad-Wrap out of the kitchen drawer, and torn off a sheet that's large enough to cover the opening/top of the tumber after throwing your brass inside.
Then, poke a small hole in the center, and place the Glad-Wrap over the tumbler's opening. Finally, place the tumber top over the plastic, replace the nut that holds the tumbler top in its place, and start the tumbler.
Then, poke a small hole in the center, and place the Glad-Wrap over the tumbler's opening. Finally, place the tumber top over the plastic, replace the nut that holds the tumbler top in its place, and start the tumbler.
Comrade Mike
Member
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- Apr 16, 2013
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- 997
Start wet tumbling with stainless steel pins, dawn, and lemishine and I promise you will never look back.
Blue68f100
Member
A lot of it depends on the media. Good quality blast media is not nearly as dusty as the scrap used for pet bedding. Adding polish to the media will help settle the dust. The best way to get rid of most of it is pour it from your container outside with a light breeze and let the wind get rid of the dust. Adding used drier sheets, gun cleaning patches or paper towels all will help control the dust and collect the dirt.
lightman
Member
I add some type of car polish and a splash of mineral spirits to mine. Then I run it long enough to mix it well. I get very little dust this way.
Here are my answers to your questions. Corn cob makes for shinier brass. Walnut media is more aggressive cleans better but does not polish as well. The additives seem to work ok but car polish is cheaper. I usually run my Dillons over night, but half that long should do the job. Change it out when it gets dark or when you can tell that it takes noticeably longer to clean. I buy corncob blasting media from Granger. Its a lot cheaper buying by the 40-50# sack. The instructions that came with your tumbler should list the capacity. Hope this helps!
Here are my answers to your questions. Corn cob makes for shinier brass. Walnut media is more aggressive cleans better but does not polish as well. The additives seem to work ok but car polish is cheaper. I usually run my Dillons over night, but half that long should do the job. Change it out when it gets dark or when you can tell that it takes noticeably longer to clean. I buy corncob blasting media from Granger. Its a lot cheaper buying by the 40-50# sack. The instructions that came with your tumbler should list the capacity. Hope this helps!
I use crushed walnut shells bought from the pet store or ground corn cob. Since it is untreated media I always add liquid brass polish to either media refreshing as necessary. I have used Dillons and Frankfort Arsenal polish bought from Midway. The Frankfort is much less expensive when found on sale in the large container and works well. The polish keeps the dust tied up and makes the cases clean with a slight waxy coating. Some people recommend NuFinish car wax but I find it to be too expensive to use for case polish compared to the polish made to work on cases and it doesn't contain a cleaning component like the commercial case polish.
The walnut shell will do the best in cleaning dirty brass but the finish will not be as bright and shiny as the corn cob.
The walnut shell will do the best in cleaning dirty brass but the finish will not be as bright and shiny as the corn cob.
I use ground walnut shells with no additives. I keep track of the amount of time the media is used. After about 40 hours, I discard it and start with a fresh batch.
To help control dust, I cut used dryer sheets into roughly 1 inch squares and add a few of them to the media. If you don't keep track of how long you use your media, you can judge how beat down the media has become from how much dust the dryer sheets pick up.
To help control dust, I cut used dryer sheets into roughly 1 inch squares and add a few of them to the media. If you don't keep track of how long you use your media, you can judge how beat down the media has become from how much dust the dryer sheets pick up.
doctorjohn
Member
I use a two-step process. First use walnut to clean. Then, empty tumbler of walnut, wash it out if need be, dry it, and add corn cob. Add a touch of Frankford Arsenal polish to the corn cob. This polishes the brass after it has been cleaned.
I plan to experiment with citric acid in water to shine brass. We'll see how that works.
I plan to experiment with citric acid in water to shine brass. We'll see how that works.
Average Joe
Member
Don't you have a lid on your tumbler ?
spanky1968
Member
- Joined
- Aug 7, 2010
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Like a lot of the others I use lizard/reptile litter from the pet store. It cleans really nice for what I need. I kind of double dip. If I have brass that is really dirty, I will wet tumble them with ss pins, dish soap and lemi-shine. After washed off most of the crud, I toss them in the dry tumbler for a polish. They come out smooth and shiny.
Like others, I add a cap of car wax every other batch. Helps coat the cases and they stay bright a little longer if you have to store them.
I replace the lizard bedding when it gets dark.
Like others, I add a cap of car wax every other batch. Helps coat the cases and they stay bright a little longer if you have to store them.
I replace the lizard bedding when it gets dark.
Bula
Member
I run small blasting media corn and new finish car polish. I also bow tie a used drier sheet, actually 2. I run for 4 hours overnight on a timer, MOST of the time the brass is as shiny as I need (like new). By bow tie I mean I put a single overhand knot in a dryer sheet to keep it moving in the tumbler. They come out very dark, almost black. I know they're working.
High Plains Drifter
Member
Wet Tumbling
Like has been said above, wet tumbling and you will never look at dry again. Cases come out clean, primer pockets and inside case brand spanking new looking.
Check out: http://www.stainlesstumblingmedia.com/
Like has been said above, wet tumbling and you will never look at dry again. Cases come out clean, primer pockets and inside case brand spanking new looking.
Check out: http://www.stainlesstumblingmedia.com/
blarby
Member
Best method I've found :
Two "batches":
One newer corncob only with nufinish for polish, one more aggressive batch mixed cc and walnut with mineral spirits for "tough stuff.
A little tweak on my old method, since I polish a ton of brass at the shop.
Rough stuff lasts about 50 batches, new mineral spirits added each time.
Polish stuff lasts about the same, but starts taking about doubletime at 30 or so batches, adding about 5ml of nufinish each time. Big syringes are really handy for measuring media additives uniformly.
I don't bother with dryer sheets anymore.
Two "batches":
One newer corncob only with nufinish for polish, one more aggressive batch mixed cc and walnut with mineral spirits for "tough stuff.
A little tweak on my old method, since I polish a ton of brass at the shop.
Rough stuff lasts about 50 batches, new mineral spirits added each time.
Polish stuff lasts about the same, but starts taking about doubletime at 30 or so batches, adding about 5ml of nufinish each time. Big syringes are really handy for measuring media additives uniformly.
I don't bother with dryer sheets anymore.
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