Cleaning Out Tumbler Residue

fishhead1 · September 12, 2011, 07:12 PM

I believe I've seen this discussed before, but can't find it again. What do you use to clean out the black residue that collects on the inside of the tumbler? Don't want to just try solvents that might be damaging to the inside tumbler surface.

dickttx · September 12, 2011, 07:29 PM

Just came up from cleaning mine out. It had lots of fine dust sticking to the tumbler after I shook the cleaned cases and media out.
I just wiped it with a paper towel and tapped it on the edge of the garbage can.
I have been trying out using a timer on my tumbler and just realized that since I had it set to run for three hours, it had been doing that every 24 hours for the last week or so.

Hence the fine dust from the Grainger 20/40 corn cob media(with a little Nufinish polish added.)

Gary Wells · September 12, 2011, 07:57 PM

I own a Dillon. I just unscrew the bolts in the bottom holding the vibrator bowl to the base. Then wash with any good liquid dishwashing gel.

studman5578 · September 12, 2011, 08:45 PM

be cautions about the tumbler dust! Wear gloves and do it outside. its got lead and the like in it. I didn't know until recently so i'm spreading the word!

wncchester · September 12, 2011, 09:05 PM

"...its got lead and the like in it. I didn't know until recently so i'm spreading the word! "

Whoever told you that was spreading more than "the word."

If it had enough lead to be a problem thousands of us would have rolled over and died long ago. By far most of the dust (and black goo) in tumblers comes from excessive use of the various polishes we pour in them; it's not pleasant but it's not toxic.

FtrPilot · September 12, 2011, 10:16 PM

I use some Hoppes #9. Then I use hot soapy water, rinse & dry.

Jim243 · September 12, 2011, 10:36 PM

I was wondering about the lead issue in using the tumbler also. I have heard this (here on the forum) and wonder really how much lead is actually in the media after polishing the cases? Since I never run bullets or cases with bullets in them in the tumbler, where is all this lead coming from, from inside the case, I don't think so since I only use jacketed bullets and all my lead goes out the barrel. I would guess it is more carbon from burnt powder rather than lead, but is there any proof that there is lead in the media????

Jim

medalguy · September 12, 2011, 10:54 PM

I work with cartridge brass which is also called yellow brass and has the ASTM specification CD 260. The lead content of CD 260 is <0.06% or less than 6 parts per 100,000 parts. Little if any of this comes out of the brass during tumbling or processing. Sanding or machining it, such as trimming, maybe a little more, but still very little. I wouldn't worry about that amount of lead in the environment from tumbling.

Hammerhead · September 12, 2011, 10:56 PM

Simple Green works great.

dickttx · September 12, 2011, 11:17 PM

be cautions about the tumbler dust! Wear gloves and do it outside. its got lead and the like in it. I didn't know until recently so i'm spreading the word!

I kind of wonder about this statement too. I clean my brass with the primers still in, so I don't know where lead would come from. I have had the media start turning black after considerable use, however, as was said above, that is just the cleaner/car polish picking up color from the brass.

Ideal Tool · September 12, 2011, 11:30 PM

Hello, everyone..don't be so sure that dust is safe..there is lead in there..from the lead Styphanate in the primer mix. anyone shooting cast bullets will have lead deposits in there..I always wear a mask when working with tumblers.

Hammerhead · September 12, 2011, 11:33 PM

The lead comes from the primer and the bullet base (most FMJ's have an open lead base) and ends up in the residue in the case. Tumbler dust will definitely have lead in it.

I don't worry too much about lead in my shooting hobbies, but the tumbler dust is easily avoided, so why not avoid it?

I empty mine into the separator outdoors, weather permitting, and wash the bowl once or twice a year with Simple Green.

kealil · September 13, 2011, 01:24 AM

i use dawn dishsoap. works great the loose stuff and really gets that caked on junk out of there

studman5578 · September 13, 2011, 03:41 AM

I never meant to say that the actual brass was releasing the lead, the quantities of lead in it (if any, few brass materials actually have lead in them) are minimal as stated in another post and the amount absorbed by the user is minimal.

I'm more concerned about the brass dust, vapors, etc. If you think about where you get your brass, I personally think of the floor of a range or something of the like. Brass vapors in the air from cast and FMJ bullets become airborne and settle into the brass. And I've also heard, but can't substantiate any claims, that there is lead in the primers, which would put a nice coat on the inside of all the cases, which is what your tumbler is designed to remove.

Like hammerhead said, why not avoid it? its really not THAT difficult is it? I personally have gotten my lead levels tested and they're much higher than I expected. I can't think of any other cause (since i had only been casting for a month since I got tested and all of it had been outdoors in open air) but the tumbler dust from the massive amounts of brass I have been cleaning and hoarding.

sorry for the long post. be safe.

oneoldsap · September 13, 2011, 11:17 AM

Dryer sheet strips help to minimize the amount of dust in the tumbler !

wncchester · September 13, 2011, 03:09 PM

"is there any proof that there is lead in the media????"

Yeah, logically, but no document I know of has it covered. Fact is, part of the priming material is a lead compound so there is obviously going to be a trace of it left after firing and that trace is going to be wiped off by the media. But all that matters is the lead concentration and that's so low as to be irrelivant; we have 'proof' of that by the absence of large government EPA/OSHA mandated warning stickers all over the tumbler bowls, lids and power cords! (And each primer itself.)

Bottom line, if we don't lick our fingers clean after tumbling and don't stick our faces over the tumbler bowls for hours at a time while they run we wll be fine.

twins · September 13, 2011, 03:47 PM

Do what oneoldsap says. Cut up old dryer sheets (apprx 2"x2" squares) and drop it in the tumble media. Depending on how dirty the brass are, I usually change out the dryer-sheet pieces every other time. Keeps the media cleaner and the dust to a minimum.

Hammerhead · September 13, 2011, 08:35 PM

Quote:

And I've also heard, but can't substantiate any claims, that there is lead in the primers

All modern primers, except for non toxic primers, contain lead styphnate. Old primers used mercuric priming, far worse.

There may not be much lead in the tumbler dust, but I'm sure it's readily absorbed in the lungs.

Since we're touching lead bullets, breathing the vapors when shooting and scrubbing the bores, I choose not to add another source of lead by breathing the tumbler dust.

wncchester · September 13, 2011, 08:40 PM

" Old primers used mercuric priming, far worse."

Yep. But they quit using those a little over 90 years ago.

September 12, 2011, 07:12 PM	#1
fishhead1 Senior Member Join Date: December 21, 2009 Location: Florida Posts: 134	Cleaning Out Tumbler Residue I believe I've seen this discussed before, but can't find it again. What do you use to clean out the black residue that collects on the inside of the tumbler? Don't want to just try solvents that might be damaging to the inside tumbler surface.

September 12, 2011, 09:05 PM	#5
wncchester Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2002 Posts: 2,832	"...its got lead and the like in it. I didn't know until recently so i'm spreading the word! " Whoever told you that was spreading more than "the word." If it had enough lead to be a problem thousands of us would have rolled over and died long ago. By far most of the dust (and black goo) in tumblers comes from excessive use of the various polishes we pour in them; it's not pleasant but it's not toxic. Last edited by wncchester; September 12, 2011 at 09:10 PM.

September 12, 2011, 07:29 PM	#2
dickttx Senior Member Join Date: May 29, 2011 Location: Fort Worth Posts: 500	Just came up from cleaning mine out. It had lots of fine dust sticking to the tumbler after I shook the cleaned cases and media out. I just wiped it with a paper towel and tapped it on the edge of the garbage can. I have been trying out using a timer on my tumbler and just realized that since I had it set to run for three hours, it had been doing that every 24 hours for the last week or so. Hence the fine dust from the Grainger 20/40 corn cob media(with a little Nufinish polish added.)

September 12, 2011, 07:57 PM	#3
Gary Wells Senior Member Join Date: August 22, 2009 Posts: 180	I own a Dillon. I just unscrew the bolts in the bottom holding the vibrator bowl to the base. Then wash with any good liquid dishwashing gel.

September 12, 2011, 08:45 PM	#4
studman5578 Senior Member Join Date: March 5, 2009 Location: Varying between 1 and 3 hours from Chicago Posts: 152	be cautions about the tumbler dust! Wear gloves and do it outside. its got lead and the like in it. I didn't know until recently so i'm spreading the word!

September 12, 2011, 10:16 PM	#6
FtrPilot Member Join Date: September 4, 2010 Location: Woodstock, GA Posts: 88	I use some Hoppes #9. Then I use hot soapy water, rinse & dry.

September 12, 2011, 10:36 PM	#7
Jim243 Senior Member Join Date: January 6, 2009 Location: Just off Route 66 Posts: 5,067	I was wondering about the lead issue in using the tumbler also. I have heard this (here on the forum) and wonder really how much lead is actually in the media after polishing the cases? Since I never run bullets or cases with bullets in them in the tumbler, where is all this lead coming from, from inside the case, I don't think so since I only use jacketed bullets and all my lead goes out the barrel. I would guess it is more carbon from burnt powder rather than lead, but is there any proof that there is lead in the media???? Jim

September 12, 2011, 10:54 PM	#8
medalguy Senior Member Join Date: August 31, 2009 Location: New Mexico Posts: 1,033	I work with cartridge brass which is also called yellow brass and has the ASTM specification CD 260. The lead content of CD 260 is <0.06% or less than 6 parts per 100,000 parts. Little if any of this comes out of the brass during tumbling or processing. Sanding or machining it, such as trimming, maybe a little more, but still very little. I wouldn't worry about that amount of lead in the environment from tumbling.

September 12, 2011, 10:56 PM	#9
Hammerhead Senior Member Join Date: June 1, 2004 Location: Minnesota Posts: 2,432	Simple Green works great.

September 12, 2011, 11:17 PM	#10
dickttx Senior Member Join Date: May 29, 2011 Location: Fort Worth Posts: 500	be cautions about the tumbler dust! Wear gloves and do it outside. its got lead and the like in it. I didn't know until recently so i'm spreading the word! I kind of wonder about this statement too. I clean my brass with the primers still in, so I don't know where lead would come from. I have had the media start turning black after considerable use, however, as was said above, that is just the cleaner/car polish picking up color from the brass.

September 12, 2011, 11:30 PM	#11
Ideal Tool Junior member Join Date: October 6, 2010 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,080	Hello, everyone..don't be so sure that dust is safe..there is lead in there..from the lead Styphanate in the primer mix. anyone shooting cast bullets will have lead deposits in there..I always wear a mask when working with tumblers.

September 12, 2011, 11:33 PM	#12
Hammerhead Senior Member Join Date: June 1, 2004 Location: Minnesota Posts: 2,432	The lead comes from the primer and the bullet base (most FMJ's have an open lead base) and ends up in the residue in the case. Tumbler dust will definitely have lead in it. I don't worry too much about lead in my shooting hobbies, but the tumbler dust is easily avoided, so why not avoid it? I empty mine into the separator outdoors, weather permitting, and wash the bowl once or twice a year with Simple Green.

September 13, 2011, 01:24 AM	#13
kealil Senior Member Join Date: July 27, 2011 Posts: 270	i use dawn dishsoap. works great the loose stuff and really gets that caked on junk out of there

September 13, 2011, 03:41 AM	#14
studman5578 Senior Member Join Date: March 5, 2009 Location: Varying between 1 and 3 hours from Chicago Posts: 152	I never meant to say that the actual brass was releasing the lead, the quantities of lead in it (if any, few brass materials actually have lead in them) are minimal as stated in another post and the amount absorbed by the user is minimal. I'm more concerned about the brass dust, vapors, etc. If you think about where you get your brass, I personally think of the floor of a range or something of the like. Brass vapors in the air from cast and FMJ bullets become airborne and settle into the brass. And I've also heard, but can't substantiate any claims, that there is lead in the primers, which would put a nice coat on the inside of all the cases, which is what your tumbler is designed to remove. Like hammerhead said, why not avoid it? its really not THAT difficult is it? I personally have gotten my lead levels tested and they're much higher than I expected. I can't think of any other cause (since i had only been casting for a month since I got tested and all of it had been outdoors in open air) but the tumbler dust from the massive amounts of brass I have been cleaning and hoarding. sorry for the long post. be safe.

September 13, 2011, 11:17 AM	#15
oneoldsap Senior Member Join Date: September 16, 2009 Location: I live in the foot of the Green Mountains of Vermont Posts: 1,602	Dryer sheet strips help to minimize the amount of dust in the tumbler !

September 13, 2011, 03:09 PM	#16
wncchester Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2002 Posts: 2,832	"is there any proof that there is lead in the media????" Yeah, logically, but no document I know of has it covered. Fact is, part of the priming material is a lead compound so there is obviously going to be a trace of it left after firing and that trace is going to be wiped off by the media. But all that matters is the lead concentration and that's so low as to be irrelivant; we have 'proof' of that by the absence of large government EPA/OSHA mandated warning stickers all over the tumbler bowls, lids and power cords! (And each primer itself.) Bottom line, if we don't lick our fingers clean after tumbling and don't stick our faces over the tumbler bowls for hours at a time while they run we wll be fine.

September 13, 2011, 03:47 PM	#17
twins Senior Member Join Date: October 1, 2010 Posts: 393	Do what oneoldsap says. Cut up old dryer sheets (apprx 2"x2" squares) and drop it in the tumble media. Depending on how dirty the brass are, I usually change out the dryer-sheet pieces every other time. Keeps the media cleaner and the dust to a minimum.

September 13, 2011, 08:40 PM	#19
wncchester Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2002 Posts: 2,832	" Old primers used mercuric priming, far worse." Yep. But they quit using those a little over 90 years ago.