started cleaning realized something

UltimaSE · April 22, 2001, 01:18 AM

I started cleaning all my brass with my tumbler, but I seemed to have come up with some questions.

The buttom of the brass doesn't seem to ever get clean, is this something that I should worry about?

Also looking at the dillon press, I'm assuming that I'm supposed to deprime-prime at the first station, then etc. But am I supposed to clean the primer pocket after I deprime and before I prime? I've seen the tools to clean the pockets out, but I've heard that you do not have to clean the pockets.

Also anyone have any advice to quite down the tumbler?

Thanks in advance,
UltimaSE

[Edited by UltimaSE on 04-22-2001 at 03:06 AM]

tonyz · April 22, 2001, 08:01 AM

You don't need to deprime and clean the primmer pockets for pistol ammo at least. I never do and I have never had a problem. What type of Tumbling media are you using and also what polish? I tumble for about 4 hours with Crushed walnuts and Midwayusa's polishing cream, the bottoms of my brass are clean. 9MM and 38/357 also 45 cal.
You could deprime your cases and then run them through the tumbler, to help clean the primer pockets.

luck Shoot'en

Tony

Jorah Lavin · April 22, 2001, 08:07 AM

but when you are reloading hundreds of cases on a progressive, there really isn't any way to do so.

slo_dog · April 22, 2001, 08:33 AM

I use a mix of 2parts corn cob ,1part white rice . The bigger the load the quieter the tumble , and I also have it setting on a rubber mat . Went to wally world bought a timer , plugged the tumbler into it , set for four hours and leave the room .

UltimaSE · April 23, 2001, 12:01 AM

I've heard of the rice idea, I'm afraid to try it because I seem find a lot of bugs around my house, I'm afraid that they'll eventually work their way into the media.

Right now I'm using the corn media that came with the midway tumbling kit, and some of their polish with it.

It also seems to be that I'm not really tumbling them long enough, it seems that so far the general consciencious is 4 hours or so. I've only been tumbling for really about 2 hours or so.

The outsides are nice and clean, and some of the inside, but it looks like the bottom near the flash hole is still quite dirty.

Great ideas so far, if you can think of anything else please let me know.

Thanks,
UltimaSE

maxwayne · April 23, 2001, 06:26 PM

I use a piece of carpet pad under my Midway tumbler. Seems to quiet it down. Also the more media, the quieter

Joe Gulish · April 24, 2001, 03:34 PM

I Let mine run over night or set a timer to run while
at work. Try more media.

yankytrash · April 25, 2001, 04:06 AM

You might want to try what I did recently. I read a post here about using vinegar. Don't get me wrong - I hated the idea of drying shells too, until I tried a few in vinegar.

For the experiment, I just dropped a few shells in a coffee cup full of vinegar, stirred them for about a minute, and looked inside them with my flashlight. After only a minute the bottom of the shell was cleaner than the dry media could have ever done.

The other advantage of the vinegar is that I can cram my vibrator right to the top with shells and vinegar - more bang for the buck. I let them sit in my shell-holders upside-down for the night to dry and they're dry enough for case prep the next day.

Alex Johnson · April 25, 2001, 09:24 AM

Whats the chance that the vinegar will harm the brass? Since it is an acid I would wonder if you wouldn't have to neutralize it afterwards with something like baking soda.

Cheapo · April 25, 2001, 05:30 PM

Just use a clean water rinse and dry the cases out. Not enough of the mild acid will be left to cause a problem. It's not like ammonia nor like mercury (both cause big problems!)

Any vinegar residue left would do hardly a thing when dry anyway. It's far better at dissolving metal oxides than bare metal anyway, IIRC on the chemistry stuff.

labgrade · April 25, 2001, 09:51 PM

Had a bit of a problem with my tumbler (a vibratory type) "walking" on the table & it was a bit loud (seemed its base vibrated against the table).

I kinda fence the base in with 3X shotgun shot bags which are filled with sand (old shooting sand bags).

It keeps the thing from trying to walk all over the table + cuts way down on the sound.

VIEJO · April 29, 2001, 05:57 AM

Ultima,
Don't worry about those bugs, bro. The little bit of rice that they eat won't even impact your tumbler performance.

Viejo

April 22, 2001, 08:01 AM	#2
tonyz Senior Member Join Date: January 29, 2000 Location: Wa Posts: 922	Deprime You don't need to deprime and clean the primmer pockets for pistol ammo at least. I never do and I have never had a problem. What type of Tumbling media are you using and also what polish? I tumble for about 4 hours with Crushed walnuts and Midwayusa's polishing cream, the bottoms of my brass are clean. 9MM and 38/357 also 45 cal. You could deprime your cases and then run them through the tumbler, to help clean the primer pockets. luck Shoot'en Tony

April 22, 2001, 08:07 AM	#3
Jorah Lavin Senior Member Join Date: April 4, 1999 Location: Indian Land, SC USA Posts: 593	I know that rifle reloaders will clean the primer pocket, but when you are reloading hundreds of cases on a progressive, there really isn't any way to do so.

April 29, 2001, 05:57 AM	#12
VIEJO Senior Member Join Date: March 10, 2001 Location: MI Posts: 144	Ultima, Don't worry about those bugs, bro. The little bit of rice that they eat won't even impact your tumbler performance. Viejo __________________ NRA and JPFO member. Constitutional fanatic. "After we have arranged for our survival, we can discuss sociology." -Jeff Cooper

April 22, 2001, 01:18 AM	#1
UltimaSE Senior Member Join Date: July 12, 2000 Posts: 141	I started cleaning all my brass with my tumbler, but I seemed to have come up with some questions. The buttom of the brass doesn't seem to ever get clean, is this something that I should worry about? Also looking at the dillon press, I'm assuming that I'm supposed to deprime-prime at the first station, then etc. But am I supposed to clean the primer pocket after I deprime and before I prime? I've seen the tools to clean the pockets out, but I've heard that you do not have to clean the pockets. Also anyone have any advice to quite down the tumbler? Thanks in advance, UltimaSE [Edited by UltimaSE on 04-22-2001 at 03:06 AM]

April 22, 2001, 08:33 AM	#4
slo_dog Member Join Date: February 20, 2001 Location: Mi. Posts: 23	I use a mix of 2parts corn cob ,1part white rice . The bigger the load the quieter the tumble , and I also have it setting on a rubber mat . Went to wally world bought a timer , plugged the tumbler into it , set for four hours and leave the room .

April 23, 2001, 12:01 AM	#5
UltimaSE Senior Member Join Date: July 12, 2000 Posts: 141	I've heard of the rice idea, I'm afraid to try it because I seem find a lot of bugs around my house, I'm afraid that they'll eventually work their way into the media. Right now I'm using the corn media that came with the midway tumbling kit, and some of their polish with it. It also seems to be that I'm not really tumbling them long enough, it seems that so far the general consciencious is 4 hours or so. I've only been tumbling for really about 2 hours or so. The outsides are nice and clean, and some of the inside, but it looks like the bottom near the flash hole is still quite dirty. Great ideas so far, if you can think of anything else please let me know. Thanks, UltimaSE

April 23, 2001, 06:26 PM	#6
maxwayne Senior Member Join Date: March 10, 2001 Posts: 402	I use a piece of carpet pad under my Midway tumbler. Seems to quiet it down. Also the more media, the quieter

April 24, 2001, 03:34 PM	#7
Joe Gulish Member Join Date: March 15, 2001 Location: Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 49	I Let mine run over night or set a timer to run while at work. Try more media.

April 25, 2001, 04:06 AM	#8
yankytrash Senior Member Join Date: April 17, 2001 Location: Farnham, Va Posts: 2,183	You might want to try what I did recently. I read a post here about using vinegar. Don't get me wrong - I hated the idea of drying shells too, until I tried a few in vinegar. For the experiment, I just dropped a few shells in a coffee cup full of vinegar, stirred them for about a minute, and looked inside them with my flashlight. After only a minute the bottom of the shell was cleaner than the dry media could have ever done. The other advantage of the vinegar is that I can cram my vibrator right to the top with shells and vinegar - more bang for the buck. I let them sit in my shell-holders upside-down for the night to dry and they're dry enough for case prep the next day.

April 25, 2001, 09:24 AM	#9
Alex Johnson Senior Member Join Date: February 16, 2000 Location: Grand Forks, ND Posts: 812	Whats the chance that the vinegar will harm the brass? Since it is an acid I would wonder if you wouldn't have to neutralize it afterwards with something like baking soda.

April 25, 2001, 05:30 PM	#10
Cheapo Senior Member Join Date: November 19, 1998 Posts: 986	Just use a clean water rinse and dry the cases out. Not enough of the mild acid will be left to cause a problem. It's not like ammonia nor like mercury (both cause big problems!) Any vinegar residue left would do hardly a thing when dry anyway. It's far better at dissolving metal oxides than bare metal anyway, IIRC on the chemistry stuff.

April 25, 2001, 09:51 PM	#11
labgrade Member In Memoriam Join Date: November 29, 1999 Location: west of a small town, CO Posts: 4,346	Had a bit of a problem with my tumbler (a vibratory type) "walking" on the table & it was a bit loud (seemed its base vibrated against the table). I kinda fence the base in with 3X shotgun shot bags which are filled with sand (old shooting sand bags). It keeps the thing from trying to walk all over the table + cuts way down on the sound.