tumbling help

[Axis II]

I am barrowing a harbor freight tumbler and picked up hornady corn cob media. I have no direction how to do this. dump it in with cases and turn on and wait?

I also was thinking I have an old leatherman that was found in the woods that looks a bit beat up and tarnished. I was thinking about tossing that in there with the media to maybe clean it up a bit. would this be a good idea or will it not work or break the tumbler?

 

[Reefinmike]

Fill with media up to the "step" in the bowl where the threaded rod comes out of. Turn it on, add some nufinish car polish(2ish caps worth for new media) and let it run for 5 minutes before adding brass. Make sure you get the lid on nice and tight or the wing nut will walk loose and destroy the threads on the rod.

 

[tcoz]

If you're tumbling different caliber pistol cases together, put the largest caliber in, tumble just to fill the cases with media then add the next smaller size and do the same until you have all of them in. This prevents the smaller cases from getting stuck in the larger ones.

 

[Axis II]

how long do you tumble for?

 

[CZ9shooter]

Depends on how shiny you want them. An hour or so will get them clean enough to load. But several hours will polish them up nice. Exactly how long depends on a number of factors. Media type and condition, polish added, amount of brass added.... You may have to check on it periodically.

 

[CZ9shooter]

If you're tumbling different caliber pistol cases together, put the largest caliber in, tumble just to fill the cases with media then add the next smaller size and do the same until you have all of them in. This prevents the smaller cases from getting stuck in the larger ones.

Hmmm, I'll have to try that. I have been pre-sorting my random assortments by size before tumbling. Then again by headstamp afterward.

Man is it a pain when they get stuck together! I usually just toss them at that point. Unless it is some rare brass that I need.

 

[tcoz]

I tumble all cases four hours before they come into the house. Rifle cases get tumbled for one hour after sizing and decapping but I don't tumble pistol cases again. When tumbling different size pistol cases as I mentioned in my post above, it only takes 30 seconds or so to fill each size with media before adding the next size.

 

[Harvey Manfrenjensenden]

I do things a little differently, the first and foremost is that I wet tumble so that may make a difference. I go about things in this manner:

1. Tumble my range brass for 1.5 hours with SS media to get the brunt of the residue/carbon out
2. Lube, Decap and re-size my brass
3. Re-tumble for 3 hours in SS media

I do it this way to help keep my dies from becoming too dirty which means I have to clean them a little less often, and it saves me some time after step 2 from having to put as much effort into cleaning primer pockets. It makes my total reloading process a bit longer, but in the end it works for me and I've had good results doing it this way.

 

[LiveLife]

OP is dry tumbling.

barrowing a harbor freight tumbler and picked up hornady corn cob media.

I also was thinking I have an old leatherman that was found in the woods that looks a bit beat up and tarnished. I was thinking about tossing that in there with the media to maybe clean it up a bit. would this be a good idea or will it not work or break the tumbler?

Commercial manufacturers/fabricators use vibratory tumblers to remove sharp edges/rust from metal surfaces to finish their products.

I have used my tumblers to remove rust and clean/polish the surfaces of dies but since tumbler is not yours, I would get owner's permission before tumbling things other than brass cases - http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=586563

Before and after pictures of rusty dies cleaned and tumbled with walnut media/NuFinish

I have no direction how to do this ... dump it in with cases and turn on and wait?

Here are some directions:

- Fill the bowl with media til 1"-1.5" to the top.
- For smaller capacity tumbler like FA, I use 300-500 9mm cases and for larger capacity tumbler like Berry's, I use 600-800 9mm cases (HF sells small/large tumblers so check size).
- Adding too many cases will slow down the tumbling action and will extend cleaning/polishing time. Watch the tumbling speed while adding brass and stop adding once tumbling starts to slow down.
- If tumbling different size cases, adding larger cases first then adding smaller cases will prevent small cases from sliding inside larger cases.
- Media comes in coarse grit (12-14) and fine grit (20-24). I use fine grit walnut media from HF (24) as it won't plug up in the flash hole and increased surface area of smaller media seems to clean/polish faster than coarse grit media.
- Walnut media tends to clean faster while corn cob media polishes better and some use 50/50 mix.
- You can tumble using dry media and many will add polish for faster cleaning/shine. I use NuFinish liquid car polish and initially treat the media by adding 2-3 capfuls and running the tumbler until clumps are gone. Adding brass before clumps are gone will add spots to the brass as dry friction action by media is what cleans/polishes the brass surface.
- I have found using NuFinish polish will put residual polymer coating on brass surface for easier resizing of brass and keep brass shiny/tarnish free for months (and years stored in air tight containers).
- I tend to run my media on the dry side and will add 1-2 capfuls of NuFinish every 2-3 batches as adding too much polish will wet the media and decrease cleaning/polishing action.
- Using strips/pieces of used dryer sheet/paper towel will collect dirt from media and extend the life of media.

how long do you tumble for?

Depends on the condition of brass and tumbler/media used. For brass with light fouling (jacketed/plated loads with cleaner powder loads), Berry's tumbler with walnut media/NuFinish and 600-800 9mm cases will clean/polish enough in 20-30 minutes to reload while FA tumbler and 300-500 9mm cases will take about 45 minutes-1 hour. Brass with heavy fouling (lead bullets with lube and dirtier powder loads) will take longer (up to twice the time) to get the same level of clean/shine. Really dirty and tarnished/brown cases can take several hours.

 

[Shaq]

I tumble with corncob & a capful of "Berry's Brass Bright." 1.5 - 2 hrs. cases look like new gold.

 

[Wildfire]

Dry tumbling is OK. It is what do you want. If I am loading to store rounds or do not know how long it will be til I get to them I do an added step. 1qt hot water, 1 cup vinegar, 1 spoon salt, and 1 spoon a dawn dish soap. Soak for 15 minutes and rinse and rinse and rinse. I then add on spoon of baking soda to kill anything left on the cases. The insides come out looking new. Best I was told this will not harm the brass. Then I tumble and I get cases cleaner than new ones. I can be weird when it comes to that. It works and works well.

 

[LiveLife]

1qt hot water, 1 cup vinegar, 1 spoon salt, and 1 spoon a dawn dish soap. Soak for 15 minutes and rinse and rinse and rinse. I then add on spoon of baking soda to kill anything left on the cases

OP is dry tumbling and wants to know how to do it.

Talking about wet tumbling won't help the OP and I don't think the owner of the tumbler would appreciate OP putting liquid in the dry vibratory tumbler.

barrowing a harbor freight tumbler and picked up hornady corn cob media ... I have no direction how to do this

 

[Tusker10mm]

Tumbling

For me, it starts with a good cleaning of DEPRIMED cases. when airdried, in to a tumbler with red rouge 'Lyman Tufnut' then put away until ready to reload. Then, green treated corncob for a nice finish, and a turn through crushed Walnut (lizard litter) from the pet store, which will remove all traces of anything. Lube etc. A bit of a wipe down with a terry cloth bar towel and you are ready to go. I should mention as well, these days I use a Lyman sonic cleaner with besides their cleaner I add PLAIN orange kool-aid. Say what you will, it works if you follow instructions. Don't use heat when doing brass. I did quite a bit of research before picking the Lyman. I use mine when doing something else and it does fine with a couple cycles of a days shooting. A very small fan blowing on the tray with the brass laying on a 'puppy pad' or bar towel and it is tumbler ready.

 

[Axis II]

well as I stated before I was barrowing the tumbler. I asked him how much was it as I want to buy my own and he said buy that one.

this is a harbor freight $50 model. is this okay to use or get a actual reloading brand one like lyman?

 

[LiveLife]

For $50, I would highly recommend the $49 Berry's tumbler with large capacity (1000 9mm cases) which has powerful/quieter motor, clear top and made in the USA (except for motor) - http://www.eabco.net/Berrys-Model-400-Tumbler-_p_14144.html

For $35, I would recommend FA tumbler with 600 9mm capacity and clear top - http://www.midwayusa.com/product/58...nal-_-587176&gclid=CMTEqJuJjssCFQwxaQodQ8UPhA

Berry's tumbler is quieter than FA tumbler yet has more powerful motor and will get more brass cleaner/shiny in less time.

Harbor Freight tumbler sells for $49.99 and capacity is similar to FA tumbler but very loud and does not come with clear top (which is very helpful monitoring how shiny the brass is getting without having to open the top) - http://www.harborfreight.com/5-lb-metal-vibrator-tumbler-67617.html

 

[Reloadron]

well as I stated before I was barrowing the tumbler. I asked him how much was it as I want to buy my own and he said buy that one.

this is a harbor freight $50 model. is this okay to use or get a actual reloading brand one like lyman?

Harbor Freight offers up a few flavors. They offer the traditional Vibratory Tumbler Bowl Design and they also offer the Dual Drum Rotary Rock Tumbler Design. I figure what you have is the vibratory bowl type and they work just fine. Media can be had from most pet supply stores in the form of Lizzard Litter. just make sure you don't get it too coarse. Harbor Freight also sells media such as walnut shell media.

this is a harbor freight $50 model. is this okay to use or get a actual reloading brand one like lyman?

Yes, it will work just fine. Truth be known they are likely all made in the same factory in China and OEM branded before they ship. Take a magic marker and write Lyman on it if you would like. Seriously, you will do fine. Maybe a little trial and error but you will do fine. When my brass starts looking clean I add a little (a few teaspoons) of NuFinish car treatment. Everyone develops their own pet methods.

Ron

 

[Axis II]

I got hornady corn cob media and has a 1 gallon freezer bag full of 9mm so I filled up the hopper about 2 inches from top and dumped half the bag in there. that brass was nasty and left it for 3-4hrs and its nice looking now.

ill try the new finish. Ill give him $50 for it payday and if he needs to ever use it he can. sometimes he buys stuff thinking he needs it and never uses it so it goes to me.

 

[Reloadron]

I got hornady corn cob media and has a 1 gallon freezer bag full of 9mm so I filled up the hopper about 2 inches from top and dumped half the bag in there. that brass was nasty and left it for 3-4hrs and its nice looking now.

ill try the new finish. Ill give him $50 for it payday and if he needs to ever use it he can. sometimes he buys stuff thinking he needs it and never uses it so it goes to me.

Life is good when you are on the receiving end.

Ron

 

[mdi]

No need to over complicate this. You didn't say what tumbler you're using; a wobbler/vibrator or rotary. So with my HF rotary, I'll fill the drum about 1/3 of the way with brass and another 1/3 with media (pet bedding, either walnut or cob will work OK). You'll need a little room for the contents to "tumble". Turn it on and check it after a period of time, mebbe 1 hour. If the brass ain't what you want, put the top back on and tumble some more. For a wobbler it's much the same but for beginners, dump an equivalent of 200 45 ACP cases in it and fill up to a little over half with media and turn it on. Watch the media/brass flow and add enough media so it will "vibrate/flow" up to just under the top edge. Put the top on and run it for a while and check, and if it isn't up to your standards, tumble some more. After a while you'll get the hang of how much brass and how much media and you'll prolly try some of the recommended additives (Nufinish, paper towels, dryer sheets, rouge, etc.) but I don't use much other than plain corn cob blast media. If I'm cleaning my 45 ACP or 30-06 brass I'll put a shine on them because my guns fling these hither and yon and shiny is easier to find in the dirt, rocks, trash of the "range" where I shoot...

 

[Wildfire]

I will be way more exact in the future. I do not recall stating that I ran any liquid in my tumbler. And I guess I should have said I dry them before tumbling also. I do most of this in bulk. I buy my corn cob in 50lb bags and spend less than most 10 lbs cost. But then I have dealt with 100s of thousands or rounds rather than a tumbler with a few in it. Sorry about the lack of information on that. The liquid does get them very clean inside. Then tumbling adds to the shine. They come out looking better than new. Then I load them. I am assuming he gets it by now.