Tumbler media

[Roland Thunder]

I've read on this board that lizard litter is a good media to use for cleaning brass. So, i bought some at the Pet Smart store. On the bag, it says Lizard Litter Alfalfa Meal, ultra absorbent bedding, 100% natural, easily digestible. It looks more like some thing you would feed an animal. Is this the right stuff or is there another type of lizard litter?

[hooligan1]

heheheh ahhhhhhhhehehehehehe hhehehhee,,,,, what the??? heehheheheheh are you for real?

[4runnerman]

you got the wrong stuff. The stuff you are looking for is Crushed Walnut. It says lizzard bedding also. Sorry

[BDS-THR]

You want "ground walnut" bedding like this (you can find them at PetSmart/Petco and other feed/pet stores) - http://www.petco.com/product/102881/...e-Bedding.aspx

[Gerry]

The lizard bedding walnut around pet stores here is too fine. It's made to resemble sand, and is nearly as small as sand grains. I tried it, and the good thing is that is wont clog your flash holes. The bad part is I didn't find it very effective in that you need to run it a long time (like over 24 hours).

They sell a better grade of walnut that is courser at the large automotive/hardware store here that is meant for sandblasting. They also sell it by huge amounts in like 50 pound bags for just 20 bucks or so.

Currently I'm using corncob from a pet supply store here called Petsmart which is a perfect size - too large to plug flash holes, and too small to plug up 9mm cases. Of course, this is Canada, your experience might differ! But just some things to consider when shopping for media.

[Dfariswheel]

The traditional "best" polishing media is crushed walnut hulls mixed with a little jewelers red rouge polishing media.

A buddy tells me there's a new media that supposed to be the best of all. It's very small stainless steel pins.
Polishes very well, and once really dirty, you simply wash it and dry.

http://www.stainlesstumblingmedia.com/

[4runnerman]

The lizard bedding walnut around pet stores here is too fine. It's made to resemble sand, and is nearly as small as sand grains. I tried it, and the good thing is that is wont clog your flash holes. The bad part is I didn't find it very effective in that you need to run it a long time (like over 24 hours).

Hey Gerry Never found that to be a issue, In fact i think it cuts your cleaning time in half. It seems to work twice as fast,plus like you said it won't clock flash holes. I add a little Nu-Finish to mine and in about 1 hr it is done.

[wncchester]

I've tried both cob and nut, find no material difference; guess that's why both are sold and bought.

I'm now using a bag of 20/40 grit blasting cob, that's 'sand' fine, and love it. I get no clogged flash holes, easy to seperate. I got passed the search for glittery cases long ago, now I just want 'em clean enough to use and that's not very demanding, an hour or so does fine.

[m&p45acp10+1]

I still have 3/4 of a 25 pound bag I purchased at Horbor Freight after 2 years. I used it a lot. And still use it when I run my tubler. (Bought a sonic cleaner) I know it was well under $30. It is walnut blasing media I drop in a used dryer sheet torn into pieces, with a couple of patches dabbed with NuFinish. An hour of so and cases are clean. Most are towards the shiny side.

[mrawesome22]

"Zilla" and nufinish equals purty brass

[Orochimaru]

I use Zilla and NuFinish and it works like a champ.

[Misssissippi Dave]

I got a large bag of corncob media (20/40) from Granger that should last years. The corn cob media cleans pistol fine by itself. I also tried Dillon's brass polish with it. The results were very shinny brass. Looks like new brass. You don't need to add more of the Dillon stuff until you change the media. The Dillon vib. machines will do a lot of brass at a time as well. I only change the media when it doesn't seem to be working very well or gets rather dark in color. This happens after cleaning a few thousand cases.

Walnut should clean faster then corn cob does. Corn cob media makes the brass feel almost like it is lubricated. The corn cob from Walmart is way too big and some of the large pieces tend to get stuck in 9 mm cases. A stuck piece can bend the extractor bin when you try to remove the old primer if you don't see it.

[OkieGentleman]

Harbor Freight has coarse and fine crushed walnut shell $25 for 25# box. The coarse WILL clog the primer holes, but cleans in about 4 hours with a little Nu Finish added. By the way how much Nu Finish do you guys put into a vibrator tumbler?

Also Harbor Freight has a heavy butcher block style table on sale right now for anyone looking for a good work bench. Heavy decent drawers and what look like good drawer slides. $159.99, but shipping might be a bit high at a 115 lb


http://www.harborfreight.com/60-inch...nch-93454.html

[oldmanFCSA]

I've been using this process for over a year now and HIGHLY reccommend the use of Stainless Steel Pins for cleaning of cases.
I realize I am new here, and this is my 1st posting on the site, but I am a very firm believer in this cleaning process!
The following pictures explain more than my 1 finger typing ever could:









Any questions about pictures, feel free to contact me.

[oilcan72]

Hello All,

What is the purpose of putting in a used dryer sheet? Does it absorb the dust or something? I have used corn cob media with no problems, I just put in walnut media and it is dusty cases come out with a dust coating. How do you get that out?

Thanks,

oilcan72

[wncchester]

"...used dryer sheet? Does it absorb the dust or something?"

Yes. Nothing magic about dryer sheet but the loose, non-woven fabic can easily collect 'dust' and get tossed out. Other stuff will work to, just not quite as well - old, worn out tee shirt fabric.

[oilcan72]

Thanks I'll give it a try

oilcan72

[redleg1013]

Good to know about the dryer sheet; I don't know about NuFinish but good ol GI Brasso has done well, about two cap-fulls in the crushed walnut.

[wingman]

I use lizard litter + 2 caps of nu Finish,run 5-10mins then add brass with dryer sheets cut in small squares,run until clean normally 2-4 hours depending on how dirty brass is. This is the combination that seems to work for me.

[JACK308]

ZILLA! get my 45/70 so so clean but it really shines 9mm!

[oilcan72]

That dryer sheet trick worked great, I cut it in half and set it in there and a couple hours later they were loaded with dust and the brass is nice and clean.

Thank You for the tip,

oilcan72