Tumbler Gurus Needed

[TatersDad81]

Ok, so I bought a tumbler kit this week. It came w/ the tumbler, a sifter pan (useless, and messy), corn cob media, and Cabela's polish. My brass is coming out "bright" but not shiny. Not that this matters when the round is in battery, but I would like to know some thoughts and combinations to come up with shiny, clean brass every time. Walnut vs. Corn Cob? Car polish vs. Brasso vs. Cabela's Polish? This is kind of trite, but I am a little OCD and want my brass to look nice and clean when I take it to the range etc...

Any Thoughts would be appreciated.

Also, how do I put the Misc info after my post? Is there a way to repeat each time, like an e-mail signature?

[lev83]

I use a 50/50 mix of corn cob/walnut media and add one tsp of Nu Finish car polish. Brass looks great after about hour and half in the tumber. If you decide you wont be using that sifter let me know I might be interested in it.

[Sevens]

For misc stuff to add to your signature line, click "user CP" in the upper left hand side of your screen. You can adjust a few options there.

For tumbler and cleaning ideas, I double dog dare you to try the search engine. You will be knocked off your feet with different ideas to try.

My routine is this-- I take the brass straight from the range to the tumbler. (I don't resize or decap or any such thing before cleaning) My method uses relatively fine corn media. The finer, the better, IMO, because less gets stuck in the brass. I've tried some of the chunkier corn media, and it was a MF'er to get out of .223 brass.

I put the brass in to the bowl, then I toss in three 3-inch by 3-inch squares of paper towel pieces. Then I pour the media on top of it, then I pour in a little bit (capful?) of NuFinish car polish, the stuff in the orange bottle.

Then I set it on a lamp timer for 3 hours. When it's done, it's pretty. It doesn't look quite as pretty as new, but it's good enough for me!

[CrustyFN]

I like walnut because it's faster. I use Nu Finish car polish and they come out bright and shiny. Or at least this is shiny enough for me.
Rusty

[KDM]

Quick question...won't car polishes like the Nu Finish leave a residue on the case? When it's applied to the car, it's the polish that shines, not the paint. I'd think that'd gum up the chamber.....?

[Sevens]

I can smell that I've used the Nu Finish, but I believe that the squares of paper towel take up any excess and I don't really use all that much in the first place.

In my observation, there's nothing left on the brass. In any case, the next step is resizing anyway.

[CrustyFN]

I haven't seen any problems like that. I was told not to use anything that is a wax, probably for the reasons you described.
Rusty

[CPTMurdoc30]

I have used Midway brass polish, nu finish, turtle wax, and Lyman green brass polish. All work good but I do believe that the Nu Finish works the best. I pour a cap full into fresh cobb media and let it run for a few hours to distribute evenly through out the media. Then once it is treated it last a bit longer than other types of brass polish. What works best for me is when I start the tumble and then get called away and forget I had it going untill the next morning (8 to 10 hours) then my brass comes out looking like a mirror.

[bigbird34]

1).Brass from range into tumbler ...

2).~3 pounds of midway treated corn media.

3).add a couple of tablespoons midway polish,(let it circulate with out brass for 5 minutes...)

4).Add Brass,too much brass takes longer !

5).Resize.

6).Wash off lube with alcohol and towels.

BTW,the media "loads up" with dirt ,the dirtier the brass the quicker your media becomes loaded.

Good luck ,Jim

[Shane Tuttle]

Not that this matters when the round is in battery, but I would like to know some thoughts and combinations to come up with shiny, clean brass every time. Walnut vs. Corn Cob?

Walnut first with some 2x2in. USED dryer sheets. Depending on the dirtyness of brass, I run it for about 1-4 hours.
Corn cob second with MidwayUSA polish. The Cabela's polish will work fine in place of Midway's. Add the polish first and let it tumble for about 10 minutes. Then, add brass. Tumble brass for 2-4 hours.

Car polish vs. Brasso vs. Cabela's Polish?

Car polish such as Nu-Finish has been praised like the dickens here. I cannot argue that the shine factor is outstanding. But, personally, I can't get over the fact it has silicone in their product and don't want any of it near my brass...especially inside of it. I don't have any proof that it isn't safe. Just old school, here. Not worth the chance for me...

Brasso is one product that I must scream STAY AWAY. There's absolutely NO reason why I need to use a product that contains ammonia in it. This is what really cleans the brass. This is also what weakens the brass and eventually makes it brittle. Do you want your brass to deteriorate to this condition? Not me. There's so many safe products out there that there's no reason to even try this garbage...

This is kind of trite, but I am a little OCD and want my brass to look nice and clean when I take it to the range etc...

Well, that makes two of us. OCD and have pride in the finished product.
I may not have the absolute best method in the world, but it works well for me and I stick to products that are designed for original intention.

Finally, these are my opinions. You know what they say about opinions and...well...you know...

[Hawg]

I've used Brasso for years. Pour in a capful and run the tumbler long enough to mix it in then let the ammonia evaporate for a day or so before tumbling brass.

[TatersDad81]

Thanks for all of the replies. I actually found out later this evening from the Midway catalog that the ammonia makes the brass more brittle. That scares me as I have already used the Brasso, (lesson learned, I won't do it again). Does this mean a potential catastrophic failure at the range and the brass I have cleaned may be junk? Or is the brittle factor caused by prolonged exposure?

I like the "dryer sheets" idea. There is definately a very fine powder on everything inside the tumbler.

I like the photos Crusty, thats about what the 30-06s I tumbled came out like.

Any thoughts on .44mag cases? I cleaned .45ACPs for ~3hrs tonight (they look great), but I can't seem to get the black residue out of the rims of the 44s. These were soaked in the Iosso liquid stuff a while back, then tumbled this week. I think I read on another thread that someone uses a pillow-case and a washing machine... I love my wife, she loves her washing machine. This is out of the question.

Does the NuFinish actually clean the cases? Or is it more for the luster? I am getting mixed thoughts on this...

Where is a good, affordable place to get crushed walnut? I would rather avoid shipping charges if possible. Does anyone know any good supply shops near Dayton, or Cincinnati, Ohio?

Thanks for the user info Sevens. I will give it a try.

[TexasSeaRay]

If I want semi-clean brass, I'll tumble it for an hour or three. Fine to inspect and reload afterwards.

If I want shiny brass, I'll tumble for five to seven hours.

If I want shiny like-new brass, I tumble for twelve hours, and in two separate stages.

Bear in mind that I use a rotary tumbler, which is somewhat slower than a vibratory tumbler.

First six-hour stage is in ground walnut. In the walnut, I add a cap-full of NuFinish, a half-capfull of mineral spirits, and then I tear up a shop paper towel (I buy them in the big roll boxes you see at Lowe's and Home Depot--made by Scott paper goods) and toss in to help with the cleaning and dust control.

Second six-hour stage, I change out the treated walnut for untreated walnut. I toss in another shop paper towel that I've torn into three or four pieces. This helps actually shine the brass to a high luster. Between the thick paper towel and the untreated walnut, any residue left from the NuFinish is taken care of.

I've also found out, through trial and error, that adding mineral spirits (about half or a fourth of a NuFinish cap-full) helps eliminate any polish residue as well.

Best place I get ground walnut from is Petsmart in their reptile section. Two brands you can get--Zilla or Reptilla. A ten pound bag runs me around ten bucks and it is very good, very clean stuff.

Jeff

[Hawg]

If you let the ammonia evaporate first you won't have any problem with brittle brass. If not you'll still get a few loadings out of it. It'll split in the shoulder when you resize it.

[TatersDad81]

Thanks Hawg. I actually let it sit over-night w/ the lid off. Hopefully I won't run into too much trouble later on.

Thanks for the input Tex, I will look into that tomorrow.

[ShootingNut]

I also use Cabella's corn media and polish. After tumbling for about 3 hours, mine comes out looking like fine gold jewelry. Nice and Shiny and bright. You will of course get a few that are "stained" so bad, I don't know if you can clean that up perfect.
I'm very happy with Cabellas's corn and polish, does me a great job and last a long time.
Good Luck!
SN

[Wibb]

I was having the same issues. The guys I goto the range with always have the shiniest brass and mine was just so-so. I asked them what they were using to polish. It was FLITZ. I have to say that the stuff is very good. It is a dollar or so more, but I personally think it does a nicer job and does it quicker. I was using Graf's brass polish and I noticed quicker tarnishing using that stuff compared to the Flitz.

[CrustyFN]

The used dryer sheet works great for keeping your media clean. If you don't have one you can do the same thing with a paper towel. I won't use anything with ammonia. there are too many good products out there to take a chance.
Rusty

[MADISON]

I have an older model of the LYMAN 1200.
[1] Find yourself a 1 gallon plastic paint bucket.
Place the bucket on top of the tumber and FLIP the tumbler and bucket 180 degrees. The contents will be in the 1 gallon bucket. Place the sifter on the tumbler and pour the contents into the sifter, while the tumbler is running.
[2] CORN COB media is not the longest lasting media. If used it is a finisher. You need walnut hulls. You can get untreated hulls at Pets Mart and add...

[TexasSeaRay]

Here's what I use in my tumbler--I've found these work BETTER than dryer sheets. They help keep the media cleaner, keep the dust down, but they also help POLISH the brass.

I keep several boxes of these around anyhow--one in my garage, one in my workshop, hangar, etc. They're durable, last longer than normal paper towels, and the box keeps them neat.



I get mine at Lowe's, sometimes at Sam's Club depending on who has the best deal at the time.

Jeff

[Shane Tuttle]

Here's what I use in my tumbler--I've found these work BETTER than dryer sheets. They help keep the media cleaner, keep the dust down, but they also help POLISH the brass.

Well, I was convinced to try used dryer sheets and was happy with the results. I don't think trying those would hurt.

Only thing is, used dryer sheets are free, those rags aren't. But, if they perform better, I'll grab a box. Besides, like you said, I can use them in my shop....

[TatersDad81]

I tried the dryer sheets the other day. Ran 6 2x2 squares ~45 min. They looked like a used solvent patch through the bore of a smoke-pole. I guess if they were that dirty, they are removing the soot etc from the media.

[BigV]

I paid $17.99 for my first 5# of RCBS ($3.60 a pound) walnut media, but quickly learned that 10 dry pounds of “Zilla” ground English walnut shells at Pet Smart sells for $10.99 a bag ($1.10 a pound). I don’t know where the walnuts come from, but there ground, processed and packaged in the USA. The media size is a bit larger, but it works just as well and soooo much cheaper!

[TexasSeaRay]

BigV,

I stumbled upon that Zilla stuff myself--and am buying it by the truckload. Great stuff with a LONG tumbler life. So far, it's the best at really cleaning and polishing the brass when you put in a capful of NuFinish and a thimble of mineral spirits. I mean, the brass comes out looking like new.

It's not unusual for once-fired brass to be just as shiny on the inside as the outside.

And you're right--at a dollar a pound . . . can't be beat.

Jeff

[stubbicatt]

You are right to use bird cage litter. The walnut hereabouts is inexpensive and works really well.