Getting the media out of brass.....

Hidalgo

Hidalgo

Well-known member
I've got about 2000 cases to tumble & clean up. After they come out of the tumbler (I use corn cob media) I have to take each individual case and tap-tap-tap it upside down to get all of the media out.

THERE HAS TO BE A BETTER WAY!!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif

I just KNOW one of my ingenious friends on here had figured out how to do this easier? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif
 
Two words for ya... AIR COMPRESSOR!

I use a lyman tumbler with the plug on the side to drain the media into a bowl. MOST of the cases are empty if I let them vibrate for an extra minute or two after the media has sifted out of the tumbler. Then I just hit the cases with the air compressor to blow the dust out of them and dislodge any bits of media that might be stuck in the flash hole.

Good Luck!

-BANDIT
 
Quote:
I've got about 2000 cases to tumble & clean up. After they come out of the tumbler (I use corn cob media) I have to take each individual case and tap-tap-tap it upside down to get all of the media out.

THERE HAS TO BE A BETTER WAY!!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif

I just KNOW one of my ingenious friends on here had figured out how to do this easier? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif



hil - I know its not what you want to hear but these days I have pretty much quit tumbling cases. As the necks get smaller (.17-.20 cal) and/or the shoulder angles sharper the problem gets much worse. I have tried the tumbling basket, the screen sifter, tapping and compressed air and finally decided it just easier to wipe the cases down and be done with it. I do have an excellent Thumlers Tumbler that I'd sell you for a good price.
 
I use the rcbs Media seperator. It takes all but a few pieces out of the primer pockets. I tumble once when dirty, deprime, re-tumble then size and prep the case mouth.

I usually tumble around 3-400 at a time and prep/prime all of that brass then load it with the rock chucker. Once that's done I start the process over. I suppose I could do it all at once one stage at a time and leave them all primed but I feel like I'm actually getting somewhere this way.
 
Quote:
I've got about 2000 cases to tumble & clean up. After they come out of the tumbler (I use corn cob media) I have to take each individual case and tap-tap-tap it upside down to get all of the media out.

THERE HAS TO BE A BETTER WAY!!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif

I just KNOW one of my ingenious friends on here had figured out how to do this easier? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif



Do you use a media seperator after the tumble? I had used the lyman turbo w/ autoflow and gave up on the auto flow part and bought a dillon media seperator. The cases bounce around enough I only get a few pieces of cob stuck in a flash hole. When I'm ready to load I have either a universal decap die or a size die that is screwed out a little (so it doesn't size again) and adjust the decap pin to push out the cob from the flash hole.
 
So........

Are you guys telling me that a Media Separator will get the media out of the cases? DANG! I thought it was just an easy way to get all of your brass out of the media instead of doing it with your hands!? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif

Call me stupid! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

Guess I'll have to run to town tomorrow and purchase me one of them little fellers. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

SKB, I feel your pain. I have thought about just wiping them and being done with it. 5.56 cases aren't too bad, but .204s are even worse. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
I've never tumbled my brass. I wipe them down but don't really see a benefit other than keeping your chamber clean. I'd rather spend my time shooting than adding another step to the reloading process. Just my .02
 
I have a 2 step process that seems to work for me - but the smallest caliber I load for is .223

Step 1 - RCBS media seperator. I hooked mine up to a small pulley, big O-ring, and a windshield wiper motor. I cut one of the handles off and epoxied the pulley on it. I just dump from the tumbler into the sperator, plug it in, and leave the room. Come back an hour or two later and I'm 99.999% done.

Step 2 - I use a Lee case length gauge to poke any media out of the primer pocket. I have a collet attached the bench next to my RCBS prep mate. I just run the cases on the length gauge as part of my chamfer/debur/clean the primer pocket routine.
 
Remember that cleaning the brass keeps the inside of your dies clean which is very important for the precise loading we all do!
 
I, too, use the Dillon media separator. It has enough room that even when doing 600+ .223 Rem cases, I've never encountered a problem with media staying in the case.

I tumble my brass before I deprime it, and call it good.

The only time I've experienced a problem with media sticking in my cases is once, in my early reloading days, I used too much of the liquid polishing agent in the media, which made it sticky.

Mike
 
OK guys, I just got back from taking the wife out to eat and then to the movies, with a quick in-n-out at Sportsmans Whse. I now own a media separator, so I guess that gets me out of the "Larry The Cable Guy" fraternity. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif Can't believe that I didn't realize it would get the media out of the cases as well as separate them from the media. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

BTW....we saw "I Am Legend" with Will Smith. He was great, as usual, but the movie was a little disappointing. Not bad, but not typical Will Smith deserving. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif
 
dental picks and a lot of time and paitence one by one no other easier way that i know of any other and easier way suggestions will be greatly considered and taken into consideration
 
I also use a seperator, though mines just a screnn type that fits in a 5 gallon bucket.

Quote:
I don't de-prime until after I tumble.


/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif
Thats how I have done it for years, Its the most sure fire way to keep the media out of the flash holes.
 
Hidalgo,
Now that you've got a separator(I've got the Dillon), I'd suggest you use walnut for cleaning. It's heavier, usually smaller in particle size, and comes out of the cases a little better. It's also more agressive in cleaning than corncob. You just need the cases clean, they don't have to shine like jewels! A couple spoonfuls of Dillon or Midway polish will speed up the process and add a little shine, if you're into shine /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif You can also save money on walnut media by buying it at Petsmart in the bird litter section. Kaytee brand walnut litter is way cheaper than buying from Midway, etc. As others have mentioned, tumble, then deprime.
Good luck!
F1
 
Quote:
I don't de-prime until after I tumble.
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif



Quote:
Thats how I have done it for years, Its the most sure fire way to keep the media out of the flash holes.



Me too. I tumble with the spent primers still in. No problems with that, just the cases being full of media. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
Dump all the media and the brass out into the sifter get most of the media out and put it back into the tumbler for like 30 seconds it has worked well for me to get a lot of it out. I repeat that a coupke of times and it takes far less time than attending to each individual case. Air compressor wounds promising though.
 


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