RCBS Vibratory Case Cleaner

Hundy · April 19, 2013, 07:29 PM

I bought a RCBS Vibratory Case Cleaner about a month ago. Still have not been able to use it. This is due the fact I cannot find RCBS Formula 2 Corn Cob media. I have been checking my local stores about 3 times a week and I check my online sites, so far nothing.
I was curious if anyone has the RCBS Vibratory cleaner and if anyone has used other media in it and what the results were?
I am new to cleaning cases this way, I was also wondering if anyone adds any product in with the media?
I have been able to find Lyman brand media, just wanted to know if anyone has used it and results.

Thank you

Jay

Lemmon · April 19, 2013, 08:40 PM

Welcome to the Firing Life Forum.... If you have a Harbor Freight nearby then buy some of their walnut media. This will clean your brass. MidwayUSA sells Frankford Arsenal Brass Case Polish which also works great for me. The secret of using this case polish is to run your RCBS Vibratory Case Cleaner with the dry Walnut media and pour the case polish in as DIRECTED in the instruction. Let it run until the case polish has been absorbed in the Walnut Media. 20 minutes or more then place the brass in and let it cook. An hour or so later you will be happy with the results.

Lemmon from Rural South Carolina.

jag2 · April 19, 2013, 08:47 PM

It doesn't matter what you use. Walnut or corn cob (treated or untreated) or something called lizard litter that many get from a pet store or walmart. They all work so try what you want and find what works best for you and that you get easily.

Misssissippi Dave · April 19, 2013, 09:15 PM

I just go to Granger to get 20/40 corncob media in a 40 pound bag. I think it was about $25. I have cleaned a lot of brass and still have plenty left. You can add things like Dillon brass cleaner or NuFinish car polish to get corncob to clean faster or as with the car polish not tarnish very fast.

Remember to let the media run without brass if you use any additives to let them get distributed throughout the media. I find the Granger media is much finer than corncob from the pet department in stores. It works well.

under_dawg · April 20, 2013, 04:43 AM

+1 on the lizard litter. I have used the walnut litter with a cap full of nu shine carwax in orange bottle for years. 1 cap full will do several batches of bullets. The last bag of lizard litter was much finer than the first bag, it may not even clog the primer hole, but I quit decapping before tumbling and haven't tried it yet.

Hundy · April 20, 2013, 11:59 AM

Thanks for the information. I am going to look for one of those alternate media suggestions. I appreciate the directions also. I will probably get some form of wax and run prior to adding brass. Can't wait to get started.

Thanks agian for the info

Jay

SVTCobra306 · April 20, 2013, 12:08 PM

I use lyman treated walnut media, it gets everything nice and shiny. It does take a while, I just throw a hundred or so cases in and let'er run all night. Mine isn't an RCBS cleaner, but the brand of media and cleaner don't have to match.

Misssissippi Dave · April 20, 2013, 04:24 PM

One thing I have noticed when cleaning my brass is it works better if the number of cases I do at one time is some place between 50% to max the machine is rated for. They seem to clean faster that way.

Putting a dryer sheet in the bottom tends to keep dust to a minimum as well. Even some strips of cloth will help keep the dust down.

wncchester · April 20, 2013, 07:28 PM

"I will probably get some form of wax and run prior to adding brass."

Not "wax', get auto polish, any will do nicely

primerman · April 20, 2013, 08:38 PM

I found that the Lyman walnut media with the red rouge (what I call it) leaves the red stuff on my brass after cleaning and I found that annoying. I moved on to fine corn cob media and now us a mix of corn cob and walnut. I has a small amount of each so I mixed them to save on space. I think the corn cob by itself leaves the brass a little shinier but the walnut will clean just as well. You can't go wrong with either but there are other places to buy this media cheaper than the brand names and it works just as well.

buck460XVR · April 21, 2013, 10:56 AM

In a pinch, dry rice, straight from the bag/box has been known to do a fair job at cleaning brass in a vibratory case cleaner. Brass does not to be shiny as new, it just has to be clean enough not to damage your dies. The Lyman brand media works very well, but as has been stated, if it is the treated walnut, it will leave jeweler's rouge on your cases and hands.

hooligan1 · April 22, 2013, 10:29 AM

Walnut media from Harbor Freight is what's in my Thumler, mixed with fine corncobb, A splash of mineral spirits, and 1 tablespoon of Nu-Finish, it's over thirty years old and still does a wonderful job in about 2 hours, overnight if I want to see my reflection.

Hundy · April 22, 2013, 08:14 PM

I got some corn cob media today. One of the the things I that got my attention was the mention of adding wax type products. I went and looked in my garage, the only wax I currentyl have is meguiars car wax. I think it's pretty simular to Nu-Finish.
Just curious if anyone uses specific wax or will any old car wax work. If I read these correct, you add small amount and run prior to adding brass?
Any info is appreciated.

Thank you

Jay

hooligan1 · April 23, 2013, 06:33 AM

Just a tablespoon or so and mix it by hand real good, then flop your brass in there and your on the way.

Misssissippi Dave · April 23, 2013, 07:50 AM

You are looking for liquid type car polish. Turtle wax will work to a point. NuFinish is more of a polymer type and works better in my opinion.

BigV · April 23, 2013, 08:20 AM

I have been using THIS STUFF for years. Available at any Petsmart location and inexpensive. Works great as well.

April 19, 2013, 07:29 PM	#1
Hundy Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2013 Posts: 111	RCBS Vibratory Case Cleaner I bought a RCBS Vibratory Case Cleaner about a month ago. Still have not been able to use it. This is due the fact I cannot find RCBS Formula 2 Corn Cob media. I have been checking my local stores about 3 times a week and I check my online sites, so far nothing. I was curious if anyone has the RCBS Vibratory cleaner and if anyone has used other media in it and what the results were? I am new to cleaning cases this way, I was also wondering if anyone adds any product in with the media? I have been able to find Lyman brand media, just wanted to know if anyone has used it and results. Thank you Jay

April 19, 2013, 08:40 PM	#2
Lemmon Senior Member Join Date: December 25, 2009 Location: Rural South Carolina Posts: 445	Harbor Freight walnut media Welcome to the Firing Life Forum.... If you have a Harbor Freight nearby then buy some of their walnut media. This will clean your brass. MidwayUSA sells Frankford Arsenal Brass Case Polish which also works great for me. The secret of using this case polish is to run your RCBS Vibratory Case Cleaner with the dry Walnut media and pour the case polish in as DIRECTED in the instruction. Let it run until the case polish has been absorbed in the Walnut Media. 20 minutes or more then place the brass in and let it cook. An hour or so later you will be happy with the results. Lemmon from Rural South Carolina.

April 20, 2013, 11:59 AM	#6
Hundy Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2013 Posts: 111	Thank you Thanks for the information. I am going to look for one of those alternate media suggestions. I appreciate the directions also. I will probably get some form of wax and run prior to adding brass. Can't wait to get started. Thanks agian for the info Jay

April 22, 2013, 10:29 AM	#12
hooligan1 Senior Member Join Date: July 18, 2010 Location: Independence Missouri Posts: 4,585	Walnut media from Harbor Freight is what's in my Thumler, mixed with fine corncobb, A splash of mineral spirits, and 1 tablespoon of Nu-Finish, it's over thirty years old and still does a wonderful job in about 2 hours, overnight if I want to see my reflection. __________________ Keep your Axe sharp and your powder dry.

April 22, 2013, 08:14 PM	#13
Hundy Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2013 Posts: 111	Car Wax? I got some corn cob media today. One of the the things I that got my attention was the mention of adding wax type products. I went and looked in my garage, the only wax I currentyl have is meguiars car wax. I think it's pretty simular to Nu-Finish. Just curious if anyone uses specific wax or will any old car wax work. If I read these correct, you add small amount and run prior to adding brass? Any info is appreciated. Thank you Jay

April 19, 2013, 08:47 PM	#3
jag2 Senior Member Join Date: June 30, 2009 Location: dallas Posts: 773	It doesn't matter what you use. Walnut or corn cob (treated or untreated) or something called lizard litter that many get from a pet store or walmart. They all work so try what you want and find what works best for you and that you get easily.

April 19, 2013, 09:15 PM	#4
Misssissippi Dave Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2009 Posts: 1,411	I just go to Granger to get 20/40 corncob media in a 40 pound bag. I think it was about $25. I have cleaned a lot of brass and still have plenty left. You can add things like Dillon brass cleaner or NuFinish car polish to get corncob to clean faster or as with the car polish not tarnish very fast. Remember to let the media run without brass if you use any additives to let them get distributed throughout the media. I find the Granger media is much finer than corncob from the pet department in stores. It works well.

April 20, 2013, 04:43 AM	#5
under_dawg Senior Member Join Date: November 15, 2007 Location: Cayce, SC Posts: 222	+1 on the lizard litter. I have used the walnut litter with a cap full of nu shine carwax in orange bottle for years. 1 cap full will do several batches of bullets. The last bag of lizard litter was much finer than the first bag, it may not even clog the primer hole, but I quit decapping before tumbling and haven't tried it yet.

April 20, 2013, 12:08 PM	#7
SVTCobra306 Senior Member Join Date: March 18, 2013 Posts: 434	I use lyman treated walnut media, it gets everything nice and shiny. It does take a while, I just throw a hundred or so cases in and let'er run all night. Mine isn't an RCBS cleaner, but the brand of media and cleaner don't have to match.

April 20, 2013, 04:24 PM	#8
Misssissippi Dave Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2009 Posts: 1,411	One thing I have noticed when cleaning my brass is it works better if the number of cases I do at one time is some place between 50% to max the machine is rated for. They seem to clean faster that way. Putting a dryer sheet in the bottom tends to keep dust to a minimum as well. Even some strips of cloth will help keep the dust down.

April 20, 2013, 07:28 PM	#9
wncchester Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2002 Posts: 2,832	"I will probably get some form of wax and run prior to adding brass." Not "wax', get auto polish, any will do nicely

April 20, 2013, 08:38 PM	#10
primerman Senior Member Join Date: December 23, 2011 Posts: 153	I found that the Lyman walnut media with the red rouge (what I call it) leaves the red stuff on my brass after cleaning and I found that annoying. I moved on to fine corn cob media and now us a mix of corn cob and walnut. I has a small amount of each so I mixed them to save on space. I think the corn cob by itself leaves the brass a little shinier but the walnut will clean just as well. You can't go wrong with either but there are other places to buy this media cheaper than the brand names and it works just as well.

April 21, 2013, 10:56 AM	#11
buck460XVR Senior Member Join Date: December 28, 2006 Posts: 4,342	In a pinch, dry rice, straight from the bag/box has been known to do a fair job at cleaning brass in a vibratory case cleaner. Brass does not to be shiny as new, it just has to be clean enough not to damage your dies. The Lyman brand media works very well, but as has been stated, if it is the treated walnut, it will leave jeweler's rouge on your cases and hands.

April 23, 2013, 06:33 AM	#14
hooligan1 Senior Member Join Date: July 18, 2010 Location: Independence Missouri Posts: 4,585	Just a tablespoon or so and mix it by hand real good, then flop your brass in there and your on the way. __________________ Keep your Axe sharp and your powder dry.

April 23, 2013, 07:50 AM	#15
Misssissippi Dave Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2009 Posts: 1,411	You are looking for liquid type car polish. Turtle wax will work to a point. NuFinish is more of a polymer type and works better in my opinion.

April 23, 2013, 08:20 AM	#16
BigV Senior Member Join Date: October 26, 2005 Location: Akron, OH Posts: 328	I have been using THIS STUFF for years. Available at any Petsmart location and inexpensive. Works great as well.