Reloading (brass cleaning) question

Moby · January 13, 2013, 11:17 AM

I'm just starting to reload and have gathered all the equipment I need for the task.

I have a question on tumbling brass. I've a new Lyman 1200 tumbler. I've read on these forums that Kaytee Bird walnut shells are good for tumbling media. I also read addin a capful of Nu-finish car polish to the walnut media works well.

My question is does the car polish make the media useable for a shot time or does it (as I assume) dry out well and mis well in the media and the media is useable many times over?

Sorry for the noob question....but I'm a noob.

Misssissippi Dave · January 13, 2013, 11:50 AM

NuFinish is a polymer type of car polish. The reason many people use it is to impove cleaning in less time and to keep the brass brand new looking for a fairly long time. Is it needed? No. Does it help? Yes. I also like to use it with corncob media. You do need to put it in the media and run the tumbler for several minutes to get it to mix well before adding brass. You probably could skip one or two batches of brass before adding more. You do need to let it mix before adding brass.

Brian Pfleuger · January 13, 2013, 12:01 PM

I use Lizard Litter and a shot of Flitz polish. Works as good as you can expect without going to wet, stainless pins or ultrasonic.

You add the polish and let it run until it mixes well. Add the brass and run a few hours. Doesn't clean innards or primer pockets.

Adding pieces of used fabric softener sheets picks up the dirt and helps keep the media useable longer.

cw308 · January 13, 2013, 03:31 PM

Don't forget to debur the flash hole,once is enough, also uniform primer pockets. I also clean the necks with 0000 steel wool,Clean inside necks with nylon brush same as caliber & your good to go. Be Safe Chris

mkl · January 13, 2013, 04:37 PM

Walnut shell is a coarser polishing medium than corn cob. Think 100 grit sandpaper versus 220 grit. Your polish will be better with corn cob, but walnut will take off crud faster. Some people use both.

In my Lyman 1200, I find a 50/50 mix of corncob/walnut with a tablespoon of Flitz paste polish does a very good job. I've used Nufinish and like the Flitz better, although both work well. Flitz just seems to give my cases a brighter finish.

Only problem with Flitz paste is that it tends to "ball up" if added directly to your tumbler. To prevent this tendency, mix one tablespoon of Flitz paste with about one cup of tumbling media. Use a spoon to mash and mix the paste into the one cup of media until there are no balls or clumps left. Then add that cup of treated media to the rest of your media in the tumbler. The treated media will migrate the Flitz to all the other media as your tumbler operates. This is a little more trouble than Nufinish, but I consider the results worth it.

Finally, Flitz does make a liquid that should easily blend in just like Nufinish. However, according to the Flitz web site, the liquid does not contain a tarnish inhibitor while the paste does.

Treated media can be reused many times. Just depends on how dirty your cases were. You can refresh the old media with Nufinish or Flitz several times when the cleaning action slows. When it really slows down, it's time to replace the media.

For your reference, I find two hours in my Lyman 1200 gives the clean and polished results I'm looking for. I also clean with the primers left in the case so I don't have to worry about media in the flash hole (depriming punch removes when you knock out the primer). You will find many opinions on whether to leave primers in or out while tumbling; good luck on finding the correct answer

Moby · January 13, 2013, 04:50 PM

Thanks for the great info guys.
The wife just got back from Petco and
brought my walnut media.

I'm off to tumble!!!!!
Appreciate ya'll

January 13, 2013, 11:17 AM	#1
Moby Member Join Date: November 11, 2012 Posts: 91	Reloading (brass cleaning) question I'm just starting to reload and have gathered all the equipment I need for the task. I have a question on tumbling brass. I've a new Lyman 1200 tumbler. I've read on these forums that Kaytee Bird walnut shells are good for tumbling media. I also read addin a capful of Nu-finish car polish to the walnut media works well. My question is does the car polish make the media useable for a shot time or does it (as I assume) dry out well and mis well in the media and the media is useable many times over? Sorry for the noob question....but I'm a noob. __________________ “A free people ought not only to be armed and disciplined, but they should have sufficient arms and ammunition to maintain a status of independence from any who might attempt to abuse them, which would include their own government.” ~George Washington US Coast Guard 76-86 Semper Paratus

January 13, 2013, 04:37 PM	#5
mkl Senior Member Join Date: April 25, 2008 Location: DFW area, Texas Posts: 494	Walnut shell is a coarser polishing medium than corn cob. Think 100 grit sandpaper versus 220 grit. Your polish will be better with corn cob, but walnut will take off crud faster. Some people use both. In my Lyman 1200, I find a 50/50 mix of corncob/walnut with a tablespoon of Flitz paste polish does a very good job. I've used Nufinish and like the Flitz better, although both work well. Flitz just seems to give my cases a brighter finish. Only problem with Flitz paste is that it tends to "ball up" if added directly to your tumbler. To prevent this tendency, mix one tablespoon of Flitz paste with about one cup of tumbling media. Use a spoon to mash and mix the paste into the one cup of media until there are no balls or clumps left. Then add that cup of treated media to the rest of your media in the tumbler. The treated media will migrate the Flitz to all the other media as your tumbler operates. This is a little more trouble than Nufinish, but I consider the results worth it. Finally, Flitz does make a liquid that should easily blend in just like Nufinish. However, according to the Flitz web site, the liquid does not contain a tarnish inhibitor while the paste does. Treated media can be reused many times. Just depends on how dirty your cases were. You can refresh the old media with Nufinish or Flitz several times when the cleaning action slows. When it really slows down, it's time to replace the media. For your reference, I find two hours in my Lyman 1200 gives the clean and polished results I'm looking for. I also clean with the primers left in the case so I don't have to worry about media in the flash hole (depriming punch removes when you knock out the primer). You will find many opinions on whether to leave primers in or out while tumbling; good luck on finding the correct answer Last edited by mkl; January 13, 2013 at 04:47 PM.

January 13, 2013, 04:50 PM	#6
Moby Member Join Date: November 11, 2012 Posts: 91	Thanks for the great info guys. The wife just got back from Petco and brought my walnut media. I'm off to tumble!!!!! Appreciate ya'll __________________ “A free people ought not only to be armed and disciplined, but they should have sufficient arms and ammunition to maintain a status of independence from any who might attempt to abuse them, which would include their own government.” ~George Washington US Coast Guard 76-86 Semper Paratus

January 13, 2013, 11:50 AM	#2
Misssissippi Dave Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2009 Posts: 1,411	NuFinish is a polymer type of car polish. The reason many people use it is to impove cleaning in less time and to keep the brass brand new looking for a fairly long time. Is it needed? No. Does it help? Yes. I also like to use it with corncob media. You do need to put it in the media and run the tumbler for several minutes to get it to mix well before adding brass. You probably could skip one or two batches of brass before adding more. You do need to let it mix before adding brass.

January 13, 2013, 12:01 PM	#3
Brian Pfleuger Moderator Emeritus Join Date: June 25, 2008 Location: Austin, CO Posts: 19,578	I use Lizard Litter and a shot of Flitz polish. Works as good as you can expect without going to wet, stainless pins or ultrasonic. You add the polish and let it run until it mixes well. Add the brass and run a few hours. Doesn't clean innards or primer pockets. Adding pieces of used fabric softener sheets picks up the dirt and helps keep the media useable longer.

January 13, 2013, 03:31 PM	#4
cw308 Senior Member Join Date: September 2, 2010 Location: Plainview , Long Island NY Posts: 3,863	Don't forget to debur the flash hole,once is enough, also uniform primer pockets. I also clean the necks with 0000 steel wool,Clean inside necks with nylon brush same as caliber & your good to go. Be Safe Chris