stainless media question...

[Speedster00]

Do any of you guys use stainless media in your tumbler? Like most I suppose I use corn cob and walnut but the stuff is just so dusty and needs to be changed out. I thought about investing in stainless media and it would basically last forever.. But I don't know if its cost effective, or where to get it. thoughts?

I just realized you have to use this stuff in a wet tumbler.. My mistake. I thought I could just replace the walnut with this stuff.

 

[Grumulkin]

I use stainless steel media in a Thumler's Tumbler and clean my cases with water, Dawn dishwashing soap and Lemishine. The stainless steel pins should last a lot longer than you, your children, your grandchildren or your greatgrandchildren but they're small and if you're not careful it's easy to lose a few in the processing of your cases.

As far as whether it's cost effective or not; I doubt it's cost effective but for me it's worth it since the cases come out VERY clean inside and out including primer pockets. I can't swear the very clean cases make my guns shoot better but they make me feel better.

 

[Walkalong]

Use some polish in your media, along with a few drops of water now and again when it gets dry to alleviate the dust.

 

[Potatohead]

I have to say, I never have noticed a big dust problem with my set up. I use the lizard rock stuff from the pet store and Nufinish, or whatever it's called. Anybody got the ultrasonic deal, I wonder if those work well ? the insides of my cases are still dirty ish with the tumbler. (apologies OP if that is to far off topic)

 

[lightman]

I just started to use stainless media. A few things that I noticed are that stainless will clean the inside of the case and the primer pocket. It will also clean dirty, tarnished, sun bleached range brass and make it look new. The stuff that has turned brown or black can be cleaned in a few hours. It takes corncob and polish several hours to do what the stainless can do in two hours. I usually run corncob in 12 hour shifts and the stainless will do it in 2 hours. Draining off the water, saving the pins, and drying the brass is a little bit of a pain.

I'm not sure how cost effective it is. I bought 50# of corncob for less than 5# of stainless pins, so the pay back will take some time. It is faster, and the stainless will clean stuff that corncob will never get clean. It will also last forever if you don't loose it.

There are lots of videos and other info on stainless media. Just check it out and then decide. Lightman

 

[Jcinnb]

I started with SS media. Bought a two pound replenishment bag. About $30. I filled my two tumblers up, about 1/2 a bag. Probably have tumbled 2,000 and not had to refill yet. I can't believe there is a better way than SS tumbling!

 

[rondog]

It's a labor of love, I guess, but it sure gets the brass clean & shiny! If you want it really shiny, put in the vibratory tumbler after it's dry with fine corncob and NuFinish. Hoo-wee! Slap-yo-mama-shiny!

 

[Springfield0612]

I use the SS media in a harbor freight dual drum rock tumbler. I've done ultrasonic and I've done corn cob. I love the SS media. It's fast, it's easy (for me), it works. A lot of people have issues with the brass tarnishing after the SS media tumble. If you add a little (I mean a little) bit of Shell hard wax to your tumbling solution, or use an all in one car soap that has wax in it. You won't run into that issue.