Media Storage

MEATSAW · September 9, 2013, 01:49 AM

Will walnut media get moldy or decompose if left in the tumbler? I'm just wondering if y'all take it out of the tumbler and store it somewhere when not in use. I just finished getting all my brass cleaned up and if I let it sit out on my back porch for a week I don't want it to get nasty. It has been treated with NuFinish if that matters.

Jimro · September 9, 2013, 03:39 AM

A week on the back porch won't hurt anything.

Mold needs three things to grow, a food source, water, and an appropriate temperature. Your walnut media right now lacks water. The NuFinish isn't exactly fungi friendly either.

Jimro

WESHOOT2 · September 9, 2013, 07:31 AM

I keep my media in lidded buckets.

Shootest · September 9, 2013, 09:07 AM

Add a cap full of mineral spirits and keep the top on and it will be OK for years.

AllenJ · September 9, 2013, 09:53 AM

My walnut media sits in my tumbler, in the garage, and I've never had any problems.

mikld · September 9, 2013, 11:37 AM

Out of habit, I clean up my tools when I'm done using them, so, I empty my tumbler into a coffee can (which is one load) and cap it and stow it away. Most of the time I don't use polish (K.I.S.S.) and my media get mixed (walnut & cob) and I've never had any problems with damp or moldy media, and I live in rainy Oregon...

HopeandChange · September 9, 2013, 12:08 PM

I wish I could get a long enough break from Brass prep to worry about media storage!

kln4 · September 9, 2013, 12:53 PM

I buy the cheap stuff, cage litter for gerbals. It's all crushed walnut shells and a little dusty. I have one of those big plastic tumblers from HF and I add a couple of cap fulls of very fine rubbing compound. The tumbler and walnut are in the garage and have been since 2012. It looks and works fine.

September 9, 2013, 01:49 AM	#1
MEATSAW Senior Member Join Date: May 1, 2009 Location: Burnet, TX Posts: 727	Media Storage Will walnut media get moldy or decompose if left in the tumbler? I'm just wondering if y'all take it out of the tumbler and store it somewhere when not in use. I just finished getting all my brass cleaned up and if I let it sit out on my back porch for a week I don't want it to get nasty. It has been treated with NuFinish if that matters. __________________ Veteran OEF (2002) and OIF1 (2003) - US Army Member of the Burnet Gun Fighters, Inc. and of course the NRA Oregon State University alum -- Go Beavs!

September 9, 2013, 03:39 AM	#2
Jimro Senior Member Join Date: October 18, 2006 Posts: 7,097	A week on the back porch won't hurt anything. Mold needs three things to grow, a food source, water, and an appropriate temperature. Your walnut media right now lacks water. The NuFinish isn't exactly fungi friendly either. Jimro __________________ Machine guns are awesome until you have to carry one.

September 9, 2013, 07:31 AM	#3
WESHOOT2 Senior Member Join Date: February 20, 1999 Location: home on the range; Vermont (Caspian country) Posts: 14,324	I keep my media in lidded buckets. __________________ . "all my ammo is mostly retired factory ammo"

September 9, 2013, 09:07 AM	#4
Shootest Senior Member Join Date: February 9, 2011 Location: Just outside Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 722	Add a cap full of mineral spirits and keep the top on and it will be OK for years. __________________ The private ownership of firearms is an American Heritage. Anyone who disputes that is Anti-American and unpatriotic. NRA Life Member

September 9, 2013, 11:37 AM	#6
mikld Senior Member Join Date: February 7, 2009 Location: Southern Oregon! Posts: 2,891	Out of habit, I clean up my tools when I'm done using them, so, I empty my tumbler into a coffee can (which is one load) and cap it and stow it away. Most of the time I don't use polish (K.I.S.S.) and my media get mixed (walnut & cob) and I've never had any problems with damp or moldy media, and I live in rainy Oregon... __________________ My Anchor is holding fast! I've learned how to stand on my own two knees...

September 9, 2013, 09:53 AM	#5
AllenJ Senior Member Join Date: December 11, 2009 Location: Northern California Posts: 1,766	My walnut media sits in my tumbler, in the garage, and I've never had any problems.

September 9, 2013, 12:08 PM	#7
HopeandChange Member Join Date: September 4, 2013 Location: AZ Posts: 65	I wish I could get a long enough break from Brass prep to worry about media storage!

September 9, 2013, 12:53 PM	#8
kln4 Member Join Date: August 13, 2013 Posts: 82	I buy the cheap stuff, cage litter for gerbals. It's all crushed walnut shells and a little dusty. I have one of those big plastic tumblers from HF and I add a couple of cap fulls of very fine rubbing compound. The tumbler and walnut are in the garage and have been since 2012. It looks and works fine.