New case tumbler

Phxdog · February 7, 2006, 02:57 PM

Finally began reloading enough to REALLY need a faster way to clean my brass. I Picked-up a cheapie Frankfort Arsenal Tumbler and some green "corncob" stuff made by Lyman. I hate to sound ignorant, but there are a lot of choices with respect to media, additives, etc. Any recomendations?

Are their any cartridges that should not be put in the same batch (stuck inside each other)?

3 hours to remove powder residue?

Do I need to be more patient?

TimRB · February 7, 2006, 03:19 PM

"3 hours to remove powder residue? Do I need to be more patient?"

Yes. Buy a timer and start your cases tumbling when you go to bed. They'll be shiny and pretty for you in the morning.

Tim

Don H · February 7, 2006, 05:56 PM

I hate to sound ignorant, but there are a lot of choices with respect to media, additives, etc. Any recomendations?

Media (corncob and crushed walnut shell) is much cheaper at the pet store. Walnut shell cleans very well and aggressively but does not polish. Corncob polishes well and cleans very slowly.

Automotive polish that does not contain ammonia works well as an additive. Some folks like to add a bit of kerosene to the media. Add the additives to the media and turn the machine on for 10 minutes or so to distribute the additive and to break up the clumps. Then add the brass.

A clothes dryer static sheet, cut up and added to the media, help keep the dust down.

Remember that the used media contains a significant amount of lead compounds, so you might not want to be separating the brass from the media in your kitchen. Wearing a dust mask surely wouldn't hurt, either. Better yet, a cartridge-type mask with the appropriate filter.

In case you didn't notice, there is also various ceramic media that is used in a cleaning solution. It not only cleans the exterior and interior of your brass but also cleans out the primer pockets of deprimed brass. BPCR shooters are quite fond of it.

Are their any cartridges that should not be put in the same batch (stuck inside each other)?

Yes, do not load your tumbler with any brass that will fit inside one another (check before dumping them into the media).

Mr_Magoo · February 7, 2006, 08:00 PM

I use both.

Walnut shell first to scrub the brass. This cleans off any crap that can mess up my sizing die.

Then I lube, size, and deprime.

Back in the tumbler with corn media + polish to clean off any lube and make 'em purty.

ChiefPilot · February 7, 2006, 08:32 PM

I load in batches of 500 at a time, .45 ACP, .223, and .30 carbine.

I don't believe there is a faster way of cleaning the brass than using a bucket with the vinegar / water mixture for ten minutes followed by a rinse and then 20 minutes in the oven at 250 degrees. I can have 500 pieces of brass cleaned and ready for processing in about 45 minutes from start to finish.

The only thing this process doesn't do is polish the brass. Your tumbler, as others have mentioned, can do this but require six-eight hours with corncob media.

jclaude · February 8, 2006, 08:37 AM

8 hours or more to polish a batch of cases sounds terribly unreasonable to me. I have a big Dillon (Magnum, I think) which I've had for many years. I also use the corncob media and it's very rare to require more than 1 hour to run even a very large batch.

Russ5924 · February 8, 2006, 09:28 AM

I have just a inexpensive tumbler from Cabela's and a two hour run gets them very clean.I would suggest you find a different media to use,I use a combination of 50/50 walnut and corn cob and Dillon polish. Like I said two hours for me they come out just like new

Don't put any thing in with .45 most smaller case will fit very nicely inside

tjhands · February 8, 2006, 10:07 AM

Two hours is my typical running time for brass tumbling. Sometimes three. Looooove that fresh shine!

JoeHatley · February 8, 2006, 11:13 AM

Quote:

3 hours to remove powder residue? Do I need to be more patient?

If you are talking about the residue inside the case. Just forget it. Doesn't effect anything, and takes way too long to clean.

I use the same tumber with pet store walnut and some added Flitz. Outsides are clean in about an hour.

Good Luck...

Joe

BigDog(RE) · February 8, 2006, 12:37 PM

I tumble for two hours and the brass comes out clean and shiny. I use Lyman TufNut media, which is basically walnut shell with jeweller's rouge in it.

jsflagstad · February 9, 2006, 08:42 AM

So could a guy mix the two medias together (corn cob and crushed walnut shells)??

I currently use jus corn cob media treated with Dillon polish. Just thought that maybe I'd add some walnut shell to get a more aggressive clean.

JSF

Sport45 · February 9, 2006, 09:49 AM

I just use walnut (lizzard litter from the pet store). It doesn't really polish, but all I'm looking for is clean. I don't know how long it takes the brass to get clean. I start my Lyman 1200. Squirt about a dozen shots of Simple Green (no ammonia, I checked) into the media and then load it up with brass. I'll check it again anywhere from 2 to 6 hours later and find it all clean and dry.

Rivers · February 9, 2006, 09:56 AM

Pet store corn cob media is much too coarse for efficient case cleaning. Pet store crushed walnut works great. I mix finely-ground cc media with walnut and use Midway's case cleaner. Also add a little NuFinish car polish. Tumble for 8 hours? Gimme a break! I rarely tumble brass over two hours, and the brass comes out clean and shiney. The car polish makes the brass really slick and makes for a little easier pull of the handle.

22bore · February 11, 2006, 12:05 AM

I made a tumbler timer by using a double electrical box, a spring wound timer and an electrical outlet. You can buy either a 1 hour or a 12 hour timer at the hardware store in the electrical department. If you know a little wiring basics, you can figure out the rest. This works great just set the timer and forget it.

February 7, 2006, 02:57 PM	#1
Phxdog Senior Member Join Date: January 18, 2006 Location: Phoenix Posts: 236	New case tumbler Finally began reloading enough to REALLY need a faster way to clean my brass. I Picked-up a cheapie Frankfort Arsenal Tumbler and some green "corncob" stuff made by Lyman. I hate to sound ignorant, but there are a lot of choices with respect to media, additives, etc. Any recomendations? Are their any cartridges that should not be put in the same batch (stuck inside each other)? 3 hours to remove powder residue? Do I need to be more patient?

February 8, 2006, 08:37 AM	#6
jclaude Senior Member Join Date: January 3, 2006 Location: Coastal North Carolina Posts: 157	Tumbling Time 8 hours or more to polish a batch of cases sounds terribly unreasonable to me. I have a big Dillon (Magnum, I think) which I've had for many years. I also use the corncob media and it's very rare to require more than 1 hour to run even a very large batch.

February 8, 2006, 09:28 AM	#7
Russ5924 Senior Member Join Date: February 18, 2005 Posts: 1,874	I have just a inexpensive tumbler from Cabela's and a two hour run gets them very clean.I would suggest you find a different media to use,I use a combination of 50/50 walnut and corn cob and Dillon polish. Like I said two hours for me they come out just like new Don't put any thing in with .45 most smaller case will fit very nicely inside __________________ Russ5924

February 8, 2006, 10:07 AM	#8
tjhands Senior Member Join Date: January 20, 2005 Posts: 1,718	Two hours is my typical running time for brass tumbling. Sometimes three. Looooove that fresh shine! __________________ "If the sole purpose of handguns is to kill people, then mine are all defective." - Uncle Ted Nugent

February 9, 2006, 08:42 AM	#11
jsflagstad Senior Member Join Date: January 29, 2005 Location: Up Nort Posts: 419	Mix Media??? So could a guy mix the two medias together (corn cob and crushed walnut shells)?? I currently use jus corn cob media treated with Dillon polish. Just thought that maybe I'd add some walnut shell to get a more aggressive clean. JSF

February 7, 2006, 03:19 PM	#2
TimRB Senior Member Join Date: May 18, 2004 Posts: 1,049	"3 hours to remove powder residue? Do I need to be more patient?" Yes. Buy a timer and start your cases tumbling when you go to bed. They'll be shiny and pretty for you in the morning. Tim

February 7, 2006, 05:56 PM	#3
Don H Senior Member Join Date: May 8, 2000 Location: SLC,Utah Posts: 2,704	I hate to sound ignorant, but there are a lot of choices with respect to media, additives, etc. Any recomendations? Media (corncob and crushed walnut shell) is much cheaper at the pet store. Walnut shell cleans very well and aggressively but does not polish. Corncob polishes well and cleans very slowly. Automotive polish that does not contain ammonia works well as an additive. Some folks like to add a bit of kerosene to the media. Add the additives to the media and turn the machine on for 10 minutes or so to distribute the additive and to break up the clumps. Then add the brass. A clothes dryer static sheet, cut up and added to the media, help keep the dust down. Remember that the used media contains a significant amount of lead compounds, so you might not want to be separating the brass from the media in your kitchen. Wearing a dust mask surely wouldn't hurt, either. Better yet, a cartridge-type mask with the appropriate filter. In case you didn't notice, there is also various ceramic media that is used in a cleaning solution. It not only cleans the exterior and interior of your brass but also cleans out the primer pockets of deprimed brass. BPCR shooters are quite fond of it. Are their any cartridges that should not be put in the same batch (stuck inside each other)? Yes, do not load your tumbler with any brass that will fit inside one another (check before dumping them into the media).

February 7, 2006, 08:00 PM	#4
Mr_Magoo Member Join Date: January 11, 2001 Posts: 46	I use both. Walnut shell first to scrub the brass. This cleans off any crap that can mess up my sizing die. Then I lube, size, and deprime. Back in the tumbler with corn media + polish to clean off any lube and make 'em purty.

February 7, 2006, 08:32 PM	#5
ChiefPilot Member Join Date: November 15, 2005 Location: Cold, Barren Northland Posts: 17	I load in batches of 500 at a time, .45 ACP, .223, and .30 carbine. I don't believe there is a faster way of cleaning the brass than using a bucket with the vinegar / water mixture for ten minutes followed by a rinse and then 20 minutes in the oven at 250 degrees. I can have 500 pieces of brass cleaned and ready for processing in about 45 minutes from start to finish. The only thing this process doesn't do is polish the brass. Your tumbler, as others have mentioned, can do this but require six-eight hours with corncob media.

February 8, 2006, 12:37 PM	#10
BigDog(RE) Member Join Date: January 16, 2005 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 41	I tumble for two hours and the brass comes out clean and shiny. I use Lyman TufNut media, which is basically walnut shell with jeweller's rouge in it.

February 9, 2006, 09:49 AM	#12
Sport45 Senior Member Join Date: May 25, 1999 Location: Too close to Houston Posts: 4,196	I just use walnut (lizzard litter from the pet store). It doesn't really polish, but all I'm looking for is clean. I don't know how long it takes the brass to get clean. I start my Lyman 1200. Squirt about a dozen shots of Simple Green (no ammonia, I checked) into the media and then load it up with brass. I'll check it again anywhere from 2 to 6 hours later and find it all clean and dry. __________________ Proud member of the NRA and Texas State Rifle Association. Registered and active voter.

February 9, 2006, 09:56 AM	#13
Rivers Junior member Join Date: November 5, 2005 Posts: 670	Pet store corn cob media is much too coarse for efficient case cleaning. Pet store crushed walnut works great. I mix finely-ground cc media with walnut and use Midway's case cleaner. Also add a little NuFinish car polish. Tumble for 8 hours? Gimme a break! I rarely tumble brass over two hours, and the brass comes out clean and shiney. The car polish makes the brass really slick and makes for a little easier pull of the handle.

February 11, 2006, 12:05 AM	#14
22bore Junior Member Join Date: January 15, 2006 Location: VA Posts: 11	Tumbler Times I made a tumbler timer by using a double electrical box, a spring wound timer and an electrical outlet. You can buy either a 1 hour or a 12 hour timer at the hardware store in the electrical department. If you know a little wiring basics, you can figure out the rest. This works great just set the timer and forget it.