Where do you tumble?

[Squeaky Wheel]

I'm still acquiring gear and components to soon begin handloading. I've read in a couple of different places about the hazards of lead poisoning, specifically related to tumbling. Do you tumble your brass? If so, where do you run the tumbler (indoors or outside)? Do you take any safety precautions to prevent lead poisoning?

If you don't tumble, how do you clean your brass -- especially inside the case?

Many thanks in advance for your comments and suggestions!

 

[crracer_712]

Mine has a lid and appears to me that it works pretty well considering there is media dust that clings to the lid, but none on the surrounding surfaces where I tumble.

I tumble in doors, location depends on what I am doing. My loading bench is near the living room and most often it is done there if the minor noise isn't going to bother anyone. If it is, I move it elsewhere, maybe the utilitiy room, maybe the kitchen.

 

[jcwit]

Indoors, and like the post above mine has a lid that seals all the dust inside. Only time I get any dust is when I dump the media & cases into the colander to seperate.

 

[GRUMPA]

I did the vibratory cleaning method for years indoors without a problem with the lid always on. I have recently (8mo ago) gone to the rotary tumbling method using stainless steel media, everything goes down the drain without so much as a speck of dust flying around. Not only that but it cleans the brass much better than using some sort of dry media and polish.

 

[Fatelvis]

Tumble anywhere you want with the lid on, and don't eat the bullets. The lead poison scare is waaaay overblown.

 

[James2]

If you don't tumble, how do you clean your brass -- especially inside the case?

Cleaning and polishing brass is way overplayed. I loaded for 50 years with no tumbler or vibrator. I simply rubbed the smoke off them with a cotton rag. Sometimes not even that was needed. Just lube and size, then wipe the lube off. Nothing inside the brass ever made any difference. Yes, the brass got dark over time, but the gun doesn't know or care about that. What I am saying is that polishing brass is for show.

 

[jef2015]

I posted a similar question when starting reloading.No matter how overblown the lead dangers are, I would rather my kid not be exposed. I settled on the Harbor Freight Ultra Sonic cleaner and it has performed well so far.

 

[41wheelgun]

I do my brass cleaning in my garage for two reasons, first the noise factor and second the media makes a mess do not want it in the house, cleans up better in the garage.

 

[AABEN]

I'm still acquiring gear and components to soon begin handloading. I've read in a couple of different places about the hazards of lead poisoning, specifically related to tumbling. Do you tumble your brass? If so, where do you run the tumbler (indoors or outside)? Do you take any safety precautions to prevent lead poisoning?

If you don't tumble, how do you clean your brass -- especially inside the case?

Many thanks in advance for your comments and suggestions!

There is not much lead on the brass! I have cleaned all my brass in my gun room for over 30 years and I am 72 and still shooting 2 & 3 times a week when the weather will let me. I jot the Ultrasonic cleaner. That is the best way to go NO dust and 100 times faster and a better job in side out.

 

[dagger dog]

I dry tumble,upstairs,indoors,lid on. I use a particulate mask when seperating brass from media,used dryer fabric softener sheets to keep dust down and wash my hands when finished.

I usually deprime first with a universal decapper, if not then the brass is returned to the tumbler to clean primer pockets. If I use a sizing lubricant they get another trip through the tumbler.

If I'm trying for best accuracy in rifle, I brush all case necks inside with powder mica, to help clean and insure minimum bullet runout.

Recently I have used my 2 lb rock tumbler with a stainless steel media designed for lapadairy material (not the smalll rods) , with water and detergent, it cleans the insides as well as the external surafaces, and primer pockets to like new condition.

I think I will remain using the vibratory method because of the price to set up a wet stainless process able to produce the same quanity.

 

[blarby]

Usually next to my cornflakes.

There's so much lead in the paint in this house, what little that comes out of my tumbler doesn't concern me.

When its really dusty, I'll run it outside on my porch. Otherwise, I don't much care. I had a lead test incorporated into my normal bloodwork two months ago, and its not shown to be abnormal.

Most of the lead fears tend to show up in those who fire indoors in poor ventilation, far too frequently, or for some reason are sucking their primers out ....literally.... thats the only way I could imagine getting the lead levels some of these guys are getting.

 

[jwrowland77]

In the garage where my reloading bench is.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

Our bench is set up in the 10x20 man cave that is deticated to handloading and all things shooting and hunting. The tumbler is right on the bench by the trimmer and other case prep stuff. Tear up an old dryer sheet and put it in and you'll eliminate a lot of the dust issues.

 

[ranger335v]

"Do you take any safety precautions to prevent lead poisoning?"

Yeah; I never lick my fingers clean.

The fear of lead from primers is vastly over rated. There's precious little lead in a primer, little of it gets left in a fired case and no more than tiny traces of lead can get into tumber media.

The 'tumbler dust' that seems to terrify some folk is mostly harmless dried excess metal polish they put in the media to obtain glittery cases, not lead. A few 3" squares of used drier sheets or toilet tissue or tee-shirt fabric, etc, dropped in when you tumble will trap the media dust in the loose material and then you can toss it out.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

Been crimping lead sinkers with my teeth for decades and I'm not dead, yet...LOL.

 

[cfullgraf]

My tumbler(s) have always been used in the reloading area. Depending on the house, that may have been upstairs in a spare room or in the basement. It is currently in the basement.

I always run the tumbler with the top on and see no accumulation of dust around the tumbler.

Now, separating the brass from the media is a different matter. A little media always spills due to static electricity when transferring the media between the separator and the tumbler. I just sweep it up periodically.

Like others, I wash up after handling the tumbler before doing anything else.

 

[REL1203]

I recently moved my tumbler from a spare bedroom, outside to my Shed. I always had the top on, but got tired of always spilling some dirty media on the carpet there, and hated hearing it run for hours. Now, I walk the 30yards to my shed, throw it in, let it run for a few hours, and go get it when i remember to and its nice and shiney. I feel better with it being outside now.

 

[oldreloader]

Another + for the dryer sheets. They work well for me. I tumble in the reloading room by the bench.
When I was getting my last bloodwork done I told the Doc to add the lead test. He asked why and I told him I reloaded and shot lots of lead bullets. His answer was he'd test for lead JIC because of other possible exposure, but unless I cast my own and sniffed the pot, just wash my hands, don't eat the bullets, and I shouldn't have anything to worry about. Then he told me that he reloads everything he shoots too. FTR my lead levels were fine.

 

[Joe_556]

Outside the garage under the covered walk. Pour a little NuFinish car polish and in couple of hours shiney as new.

For my precision bolt gun I use a small ultra sonic cleaner. Inside next to utility sink. Cleans 20 cases in 12 minutes.

 

[chrome_austex]

My tumbler is in the garage, away from pets, roommates, indoor air circulation, etc.

 

[Furncliff]

In the garage. Recently I started using "used" dryer sheets in with the brass and media. I'm impressed by how much dust one sheet cut into 1 or 2 inch squares will pick up. I've noticed that my corn cob media is cleaner than when I started. Encouraged by the results I've taken to changing out the dusty sheet for a new one half way through the cleaning cycle.

 

[brow_tines]

I tumble in my bathroom, seriously

 

[dragon813gt]

In my basement. Only dust that I come across is when dumping the tumbler contents into the separator. I have an enclosed separator so the dust is very minimal. I'm not worried.


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[wally]

I do it in a corner of the garage. A few small pieces of of "shop towels" and a cap full of mineral spirits in with the media and brass does a great job of keeping the dust down.

 

[Sniper66]

Worrying asbout lead poisoning from tumbling is a bit like worrying about flooding after you relieve yourself in the ocean.