tumbling question

[greyling22]

I've used walnut for years, the frankford arsenal branded stuff from midway. But I always wind up with dust all over my cases. I know you can toss sryer sheets in with the media and that helps, but my wife doesn't use dryer sheets.

So i went to the pet store and bought some corn cob litter, dropped some nufinish on it and that works great....unless you are tumbling anything smaller than 40 cal, then it gets all clogged up inside and won't come out. (the corn bits are about the size of those little green peas you are supposed to eat but probably don't) Bottle necked 30 cal cases are a nightmare. (only did that once)

So I was going to get some finer grit corn media. I hear zorro is the place to get it, but what size does one need? 14-20 or 20-40? http://www.zoro.com/g/Blast Media/00054305/

Also, other than stainless tumbling, does anybody have any super duper recommendations to improve my materials or techniques? I'm always game to learn a new trick. I have 1 tumbler, 2 bowls, and a rotary sifter to play with.

 

[mdi]

Sound like your cob media may be too large for easy tumbling. This is the perfect size; http://www.drillspot.com/products/499763/econoline_526020g-40_40_lbs_blast_media And, one bag will last a looooong time...

 

[Schwing]

I still use walnut but add a cap full of mineral spirits each load. It cuts down on the dust and gets your brass shinier than any of the waxes or polishes you see advertised.

 

[cfullgraf]

I know you can toss sryer sheets in with the media and that helps, but my wife doesn't use dryer sheets.

A box of private label dryer sheets is a couple bucks and sheets can be re-used in the tumbler for a few times.

Also, they are great to put in your powder measure hoppers when not in use to minimize/eliminate static.

 

[Blue68f100]

I use the 20/40 corncob, it's the finer of the 2. It's small enough to go through primer holes. When you add polish you need to let the tumbler run without any brass for 15min to allow it to get distributed through the media. Commercial blast media is low dust, where pet bedding is what is left after all the good stuff is used.

 

[Walkalong]

If you are getting excessive dust, add some water and tumble to distribute it. Polish also helps.

 

[greyling22]

If you are getting excessive dust, add some water and tumble to distribute it. Polish also helps.

I'm just a little perplexed as to how that works. does it just make a film on the bowl? I've taken the walnut out and fluffed it in the wind before to help get rid of some of the dust.

 

[arspeukinen]

Add some car wax. Turtle wax works fine.

 

[arspeukinen]

and for pistol rounds, short rice works extremely well as a tumbling media. With rifle rounds (lube) do not even try.

 

[Walkalong]

I'm just a little perplexed as to how that works. does it just make a film on the bowl? I've taken the walnut out and fluffed it in the wind before to help get rid of some of the dust.

It's too dry, so it's dusty, just like dirt. No, it doesn't make a film on the bowl. I have had build up from too much polish before.

 

[vaalpens]

I have just been using the Lyman treated corn cob that came with my Lyman tumbler. The tumbler is used in my study/loading area and I don't experience any dust when it is running. The tumbler does not have the sifter lid, so that maybe explains why I don't see any dust.