Tumbling question

[Herk30]

Do any of you add anything to your tumbling media, like a powder or liquid cleaner? It seems like I remember reading somewhere about someone adding a cap full of something to their corn cob media but now I can't find it.

On a side note, does anyone use their tumbler for polishing anything other than brass? Not like rocks, but stainless, brass, copper pieces? Anything that will fit in the bowl?

 

[UKWildcats]

I add Nu-Finish Car Polish -- Maybe a capful -- to the media while the tumbler is running. Let it mix up for a few minutes till you do not see clumps.

-- If you add the brass before when you add the polish you might get a case filled with media that is hard to get out

-- Some people have reference alcohol to clean the media and reliquidfy the polish

-- I also add cut up dryer sheet (or paper towels) which catches the dirt particles in the media -- maybe 1" x 1" pieces



UK

 

[jcwit]

Nu-Finish works very well. Not only does it help polish it at leaves a light coating which vertially elimates tarnish.
Actually any liquid auto cleaner polish will work just as good, but it seems everyone is familiar with Nu-Finish so we don't get arguments over which polish to use.

 

[Hanshi]

If I add anything it's usually a bit of red polishing rouge. The dryer sheet is new to me and sounds like a fine idea.

 

[jcwit]

I also better add, I know this is America and BIGGER/MORE is better, but not in this case, use a teaspoon or tablespoon of polish. By adding more and more will gum up the media, faster than the dirt will.

 

[howlnmad]

Add another to the Nu-Finish user list.

As jcwit said, more is not better in this case.

 

[45taurus]

just bought some Nu-finish, i'm about to add a cap full to my media. How often do i need to add another cap to it?

 

[jcwit]

You'll know when it stops polishing good. It'll be quite a few tub loads down the road tho, depends on how full one makes their tub and how much brass they clean.

BTW more brass cleans better than small quanities.

 

[ranger335v]

Much more media is clogged to uselessness with polish than is 'worn-out.'

The tumbler doesn't know what we put in it, you may clean-polish anything you wish.

 

[jcwit]

Well take 2 pieces of real dirty 9mm brass and let tumble overnite.

Then take 150/200 pieces of real dirty 9mm brass and tumble overnite.

Report back. Tumbler won't know the difference but the brass will.

 

[blarby]

Dryer sheets are an excellent crud remover.

cottonballs soaked in alcohol are a great crud breaker-upper, which dryer sheets can then remove

 

[kingmt]

I have tumbled some of my steel tools in mine. Just tossed them in with the batch of brass.

 

[soloban]

I use Iosso case polish. I add about 2 Tbs every other time I run the tumbler. Brass gets nice and shiny and it seems to leave a coating on the brass that makes it really smooth to reload and subsequently chamber in the firearm. I've used dryer sheets before but Ive had issues with the fabric softner leaving gunk on the brass. Use the spent dryer sheets .

 

[bubbacrabb]

just a bit of nu finish, and USED dryer sheets. I dont know how true it is but I heard someone had something happen when cutting them to small and somehow (I cant see how) it got stuck in a case. I cut the dryer sheet in half. Seams to take a lot out, and I get a lot of brass cleaned with my media. I tumble about 1000 pieces of brass a week that I pick up in the AZ desert. Its pretty dusty out here, so I think that shortens the media life.

 

[animator]

Haven't tried the nu-finish yet, but plan to once my current supply of polish runs out.


I also throw in a couple used dryer sheets when tumbling large quantities. After a couple hours, the sheets come out almost black, and the cases don't have nearly as much dust/residue left on them.

 

[zxcvbob]

I use red rouge powder.

I've used TurtleWax Chrome Polish before, and it works pretty good. The rouge gives a higher shine.