Cleaning media

tes1900 · November 8, 2009, 07:33 PM

I have been trying to finds out if there is a way to clean up used cleaning media as I have been told there is but not told how; so I just did some experimenting. While doing that experimenting with my media and I found that by running some paper toweling through it for a few minuets the media will clean up a bit. Then if you use wet paper toweling and run it through a bit longer it will clean up even more…a definite color change. I have also heard that there are way to wash the media; but with the lead and all I am not too willing to try that.
I have also noticed that it doesn’t matter if there is or isn’t brass in the tumbler when you run the towel pieces through it. If you tear the pieces into roughly ¾ inch squares they seem to absorb the dirt faster.
Does anyone have any other ideas?
I have also heard of using ceramic? Is there such a media and wouldn’t it last forever – just clean it?

Smokey Joe · November 8, 2009, 08:24 PM

Tes 1900--You are on the right track to put paper toweling in w/yr medium to clean it--this is either walnut or corncob medium I expect. I've tried that and it helped a good deal.

The next step is to try cut-up used clothes dryer sheets--They attract & hold a truly remarkable amount of crud, keeping the medium cleaner and more effective for a longer period of time.

Where to get used clothes dryer sheets? We don't use dryer sheets @ our house, so I raided the trash cans @ a couple of local coil laundries, and came up with a years' supply of used clothes dryer sheets. Got some odd looks from some of the patrons, but no one said anything or tried to stop me.

Germs and other horrids from someone else's dryer sheets?? Who are you kidding--They were put with just-washed, clean clothes, into a coin-operated dryer, which tend to run HOTTT, as opposed to just nice and warm. And anyhow, I'm not in the habit of putting my brass, or tumbling medium, into my mouth. To me, this is a non-issue.

Anyhow, try the dryer sheets--I think you'll like the results.

orionengnr · November 8, 2009, 08:38 PM

My media lasts a pretty good while. I tear up at least one drier sheet and throw it with each batch of brass.

I change the media when it looks significantly darker than new media. It would still probably clean the brass, but honestly, media is cheap. Five or six bucks for a one-gallon milk jug worth, and I can get 6 months out of that (and at least five thousand rounds of brass). When I think of how much primers and lead cost these days, media is the least of my worries...

res45 · November 8, 2009, 09:56 PM

I don't know what your loading but if it's 30 cal. or larger bottle neck cases or straight wall pistol case like myself I just use the cheap Walmart corn cob pet bedding. A bag will fill my midway blue vib tumbler up about three time over a years time.

While I'm there I go by the auto section and pick up a bottle of Nu-Finish liquid car polish I add about 3 to 4 cap fulls to each batch of new media mix it in well before I add brass,thats all the polish I ever have to add to that batch of media till it starts to turn a greenish brown color which is usually 3 or 4 months at which point I just throw it out and start over with a new batch. The longest I have ever had to tumble brass with this combination is about 6 hours and it was about used up and dirty by then,normal 2 hours gets it done.

I always throw a couple strips of used dryer sheet in with each batch of brass to pull out any contaminates. My total cost for a years supply of media and polish about $7.50.

amamnn · November 9, 2009, 06:42 PM

YES!!! don't add all that useless crap to it. A little bit of scouring powder is all you need to add to walnut media and it will get your brass as clean as it needs to be to function. And the media will outlast 3 marriages.

SQUAREKNOT · November 9, 2009, 10:12 PM

A friend gave me a 6# jug of Lymans treated corn cob media. Best stuff I have EVER USED. In time it got really dirty so I just dumped it outside the shop in a pile. Believe it or not it rained of and on for a couple of days and the stuff looked like brand new. It must be washable. No idea if would work again but I would sure try wash it at least.

wilki713 · November 9, 2009, 11:24 PM

On a mildly windy day I will turn my tumbler on without a lid and brass inside and let the wind take some of the dust(no need to waste your time) then I will throw in a couple of dryer sheets.

if you want to try cleaning the media try putting a 5-10 pounds in an old pillow case and turning the hose on it. I have not idea if this will work. but it seems like the same idea as making coffee with the filter.

tes1900 · November 27, 2009, 07:37 AM

I’ve found a simple routine:
Tumble a load or two of brass, and then throw in 3 new sheets of dryer thingies cut into strips, four strips per sheet works best for me. If you cut them into pieces say one inch squares you will get a little better bang for your buck but it’s just a couple cents for the extra trouble or cutting and picking it out. One can also add some dryer sheets to the brass but it is rather defeating if you just treated the media.
I have tumbled around 8,000 rounds and my media still looks fresh, only gray and with no visible dust.
I was told that you could put the media in a bowel with some dawn and water; let the media soak it up a bit then rinse it out in a old stocking or cheese cloth really well. Dry it and start anew. When mine finally gets really bad and cannot be regenerated then I will try cleaning it and see how that works also.

Tom

mjm · November 27, 2009, 09:01 AM

I tried using Walmart corncob pet bedding and found it to be too coarse. I was perfect for cleaning dried mud, but left the brass in a matte finish.

Dryer sheets do a very good job of cleaning walnut media. I resently started using them and have extended the life of a batch I was ready to throw out.

November 8, 2009, 07:33 PM	#1
tes1900 Member Join Date: November 8, 2009 Location: Gardnerville Nevada...Free America Posts: 35	Cleaning media I have been trying to finds out if there is a way to clean up used cleaning media as I have been told there is but not told how; so I just did some experimenting. While doing that experimenting with my media and I found that by running some paper toweling through it for a few minuets the media will clean up a bit. Then if you use wet paper toweling and run it through a bit longer it will clean up even more…a definite color change. I have also heard that there are way to wash the media; but with the lead and all I am not too willing to try that. I have also noticed that it doesn’t matter if there is or isn’t brass in the tumbler when you run the towel pieces through it. If you tear the pieces into roughly ¾ inch squares they seem to absorb the dirt faster. Does anyone have any other ideas? I have also heard of using ceramic? Is there such a media and wouldn’t it last forever – just clean it?

November 8, 2009, 08:24 PM	#2
Smokey Joe Senior Member Join Date: July 14, 2001 Location: State of Confusion Posts: 2,106	Cleaning media... Tes 1900--You are on the right track to put paper toweling in w/yr medium to clean it--this is either walnut or corncob medium I expect. I've tried that and it helped a good deal. The next step is to try cut-up used clothes dryer sheets--They attract & hold a truly remarkable amount of crud, keeping the medium cleaner and more effective for a longer period of time. Where to get used clothes dryer sheets? We don't use dryer sheets @ our house, so I raided the trash cans @ a couple of local coil laundries, and came up with a years' supply of used clothes dryer sheets. Got some odd looks from some of the patrons, but no one said anything or tried to stop me. Germs and other horrids from someone else's dryer sheets?? Who are you kidding--They were put with just-washed, clean clothes, into a coin-operated dryer, which tend to run HOTTT, as opposed to just nice and warm. And anyhow, I'm not in the habit of putting my brass, or tumbling medium, into my mouth. To me, this is a non-issue. Anyhow, try the dryer sheets--I think you'll like the results. __________________ God Bless America --Smokey Joe

November 8, 2009, 09:56 PM	#4
res45 Senior Member Join Date: September 15, 2007 Location: NC Posts: 753	I don't know what your loading but if it's 30 cal. or larger bottle neck cases or straight wall pistol case like myself I just use the cheap Walmart corn cob pet bedding. A bag will fill my midway blue vib tumbler up about three time over a years time. While I'm there I go by the auto section and pick up a bottle of Nu-Finish liquid car polish I add about 3 to 4 cap fulls to each batch of new media mix it in well before I add brass,thats all the polish I ever have to add to that batch of media till it starts to turn a greenish brown color which is usually 3 or 4 months at which point I just throw it out and start over with a new batch. The longest I have ever had to tumble brass with this combination is about 6 hours and it was about used up and dirty by then,normal 2 hours gets it done. I always throw a couple strips of used dryer sheet in with each batch of brass to pull out any contaminates. My total cost for a years supply of media and polish about $7.50. __________________ The Reloaders Network discord Channel https://discord.gg/Nafuzht

November 9, 2009, 06:42 PM	#5
amamnn Senior Member Join Date: May 13, 2006 Location: WA, the left armpit of the USA Posts: 1,323	YES!!! don't add all that useless crap to it. A little bit of scouring powder is all you need to add to walnut media and it will get your brass as clean as it needs to be to function. And the media will outlast 3 marriages. __________________ "If the enemy is in range, so are you." - Infantry Journal

November 9, 2009, 11:24 PM	#7
wilki713 Junior Member Join Date: June 4, 2009 Posts: 2	just an idea On a mildly windy day I will turn my tumbler on without a lid and brass inside and let the wind take some of the dust(no need to waste your time) then I will throw in a couple of dryer sheets. if you want to try cleaning the media try putting a 5-10 pounds in an old pillow case and turning the hose on it. I have not idea if this will work. but it seems like the same idea as making coffee with the filter. Last edited by wilki713; November 9, 2009 at 11:25 PM. Reason: spelling

November 8, 2009, 08:38 PM	#3
orionengnr Senior Member Join Date: July 9, 2004 Posts: 5,177	My media lasts a pretty good while. I tear up at least one drier sheet and throw it with each batch of brass. I change the media when it looks significantly darker than new media. It would still probably clean the brass, but honestly, media is cheap. Five or six bucks for a one-gallon milk jug worth, and I can get 6 months out of that (and at least five thousand rounds of brass). When I think of how much primers and lead cost these days, media is the least of my worries...

November 9, 2009, 10:12 PM	#6
SQUAREKNOT Senior Member Join Date: July 16, 2008 Posts: 263	A friend gave me a 6# jug of Lymans treated corn cob media. Best stuff I have EVER USED. In time it got really dirty so I just dumped it outside the shop in a pile. Believe it or not it rained of and on for a couple of days and the stuff looked like brand new. It must be washable. No idea if would work again but I would sure try wash it at least.

November 27, 2009, 07:37 AM	#8
tes1900 Member Join Date: November 8, 2009 Location: Gardnerville Nevada...Free America Posts: 35	I'm still a looking I’ve found a simple routine: Tumble a load or two of brass, and then throw in 3 new sheets of dryer thingies cut into strips, four strips per sheet works best for me. If you cut them into pieces say one inch squares you will get a little better bang for your buck but it’s just a couple cents for the extra trouble or cutting and picking it out. One can also add some dryer sheets to the brass but it is rather defeating if you just treated the media. I have tumbled around 8,000 rounds and my media still looks fresh, only gray and with no visible dust. I was told that you could put the media in a bowel with some dawn and water; let the media soak it up a bit then rinse it out in a old stocking or cheese cloth really well. Dry it and start anew. When mine finally gets really bad and cannot be regenerated then I will try cleaning it and see how that works also. Tom

November 27, 2009, 09:01 AM	#9
mjm Member Join Date: October 14, 2009 Posts: 84	I tried using Walmart corncob pet bedding and found it to be too coarse. I was perfect for cleaning dried mud, but left the brass in a matte finish. Dryer sheets do a very good job of cleaning walnut media. I resently started using them and have extended the life of a batch I was ready to throw out.