Tumbling Media - No mess / no clog?

I've been trying to figure out a better solution for conventional dry tumbler media.

I have issues with all the media options I've used so far:

- Tuff Nut walnut shell / rosin media - the red rosin crap just makes such a flippin mess! You have to clean it off the brass, off your hands, then it stains all the bench tops, everything. Ug!

- Corn Cob Media - Works great, but ever pickin' flash hole has one little piece of media clogging it. So each piece of brass has to be handled again to unclog it, essentially adding an entire new operation to the reloading process.

What are my other options for media that doesn't make a mess and doesn't clog flash holes? So far, my problems are not related to how the media polishes, they are all related to other issues.

Thanks.

Grouse
 
Originally Posted By: Rbreb13I use this stuff...

Still you might get a few flash holes plugged but I found that if I roll the brass around in an old bath towel most get dislodged but nothing is perfect.

Zilla Walnut Shells Lizard Litter


Thanks for the suggestion.

I can live with a few flash holes plugged. My problem with corn cob media is that about 90% of the flash holes are blocked with a tightly-wedged piece that has to be poked out.

Grouse
 
The STM stainless media. I just purchased a unit from them and all I can say is wow! Thru a process of elimination you will eliminate the pins that get stuck in flash holes. I don't think I will ever use my Lyman 3300 again. I had 1200 once fired .223 brass that was medium dirty. I cleaned them 200 at a time and they come looking new in just 2.5 hours. Really glad I got it and I give it the highest marks for quality...
 
One thing you may try that helps on the clogged flash holes is after polishing flip the lid of your machine over so the edges are up throw the brass on top and vibrate your brass and most of the clogs will shake loose.
You can actually put your brass in a bag of some sort and vibrate it.How I found this out was I had thrown a bunch in a paper sack and took it on a road trip to remove the clogs while killing time in the hotel and when I got there all the clogs were gone.
 
Originally Posted By: The Famous Grouse
Thanks for the suggestion.

I can live with a few flash holes plugged. My problem with corn cob media is that about 90% of the flash holes are blocked with a tightly-wedged piece that has to be poked out.

Grouse


I tried corn cob when I got my first tumbler. Gave it to a buddy shortly after trying it out. Haven't used cc since and that was a long time ago. Probably 30 years or so.
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Originally Posted By: stanlyThe STM stainless media. I just purchased a unit from them and all I can say is wow! Thru a process of elimination you will eliminate the pins that get stuck in flash holes. I don't think I will ever use my Lyman 3300 again. I had 1200 once fired .223 brass that was medium dirty. I cleaned them 200 at a time and they come looking new in just 2.5 hours. Really glad I got it and I give it the highest marks for quality...

Does this require a new tumbler especially set up for stainless? Is it a wet process where there's water and media in the tumbler?

Sounds interesting, but I don't want to buy a whole new tumbler.

Originally Posted By: venaticOne thing you may try that helps on the clogged flash holes is after polishing flip the lid of your machine over so the edges are up throw the brass on top and vibrate your brass and most of the clogs will shake loose.
You can actually put your brass in a bag of some sort and vibrate it.

Can't do it. I'm running one of the old-school "rock polisher" tumblers.

But I MIGHT be able to dump all the media out, put the brass back in, and tumble it. I'll try that and see if the results are the same.

Grouse
 
Originally Posted By: The Famous GrouseOriginally Posted By: stanlyThe STM stainless media. I just purchased a unit from them and all I can say is wow! Thru a process of elimination you will eliminate the pins that get stuck in flash holes. I don't think I will ever use my Lyman 3300 again. I had 1200 once fired .223 brass that was medium dirty. I cleaned them 200 at a time and they come looking new in just 2.5 hours. Really glad I got it and I give it the highest marks for quality...

Does this require a new tumbler especially set up for stainless? Is it a wet process where there's water and media in the tumbler?

Sounds interesting, but I don't want to buy a whole new tumbler.

Originally Posted By: venaticOne thing you may try that helps on the clogged flash holes is after polishing flip the lid of your machine over so the edges are up throw the brass on top and vibrate your brass and most of the clogs will shake loose.
You can actually put your brass in a bag of some sort and vibrate it.

Chan't do it. I'm running one of the old-school "rock polisher" tumblers.

But I MIGHT be able to dump all the media out, put the brass back in, and tumble it. I'll try that and see if the results are the same.

Grouse


Stainless is a wet system, and if you mean horizontally spinning rubber drum by " old school" you should be ok. Is yours an older Thumbler and do you know what the capacity is? That helps in determining how much media to mix for best results.
I use both the dry medias and the stainless, The stainless works great, better than dry media if you want your cases shiny inside and out. There are a couple of tricks to keeping the brass clean after polishing but nothing out of the ordinary.
Wash the media well before polishing any brass to remove any oil from the media, and dump the dirty water. mix up your new cleaning solution, polish your brass and rinse the brass well after polishing, lay the brass out in the sun or a warm place to dry to avoid spotting.
That's what has worked best for me,

BD
 
Originally Posted By: BlackDog1Originally Posted By: The Famous Grouse
stanly said:
The STM stainless media. I just purchased a unit from them and all I can say is wow! Thru a process of elimination you will eliminate the pins that get stuck in flash holes. I don't think I will ever use my Lyman 3300 again. I had 1200 once fired .223 brass that was medium dirty. I cleaned them 200 at a time and they come looking new in just 2.5 hours. Really glad I got it and I give it the highest marks for quality...



Stainless is a wet system, and if you mean horizontally spinning rubber drum by " old school" you should be ok. Is yours an older Thumbler and do you know what the capacity is? That helps in determining how much media to mix for best results.
I use both the dry medias and the stainless, The stainless works great, better than dry media if you want your cases shiny inside and out. There are a couple of tricks to keeping the brass clean after polishing but nothing out of the ordinary.
Wash the media well before polishing any brass to remove any oil from the media, and dump the dirty water. mix up your new cleaning solution, polish your brass and rinse the brass well after polishing, lay the brass out in the sun or a warm place to dry to avoid spotting.
That's what has worked best for me,

BD

I use the stainless pins in small cases and the ceramic media in large cases. But I find it a pain in the to seperate the media from the brass. Here is how I do it. Dump liquid media and brass in a canvas bag inside a 5 gallon pail, dump the dirty water then fill with hose dumping dirty water untill clear. then pour media and brass in lyman strainer that resembles a gold panning tray or use a dillon seperator that tumbles. Any other ideas because my method is time consumming, pins or ceramic falls and its expensive. The brass does come out nice.
 
Originally Posted By: old_sparkyOriginally Posted By: BlackDog1Originally Posted By: The Famous Grouse
stanly said:
The STM stainless media. I just purchased a unit from them and all I can say is wow! Thru a process of elimination you will eliminate the pins that get stuck in flash holes. I don't think I will ever use my Lyman 3300 again. I had 1200 once fired .223 brass that was medium dirty. I cleaned them 200 at a time and they come looking new in just 2.5 hours. Really glad I got it and I give it the highest marks for quality...



Stainless is a wet system, and if you mean horizontally spinning rubber drum by " old school" you should be ok. Is yours an older Thumbler and do you know what the capacity is? That helps in determining how much media to mix for best results.
I use both the dry medias and the stainless, The stainless works great, better than dry media if you want your cases shiny inside and out. There are a couple of tricks to keeping the brass clean after polishing but nothing out of the ordinary.
Wash the media well before polishing any brass to remove any oil from the media, and dump the dirty water. mix up your new cleaning solution, polish your brass and rinse the brass well after polishing, lay the brass out in the sun or a warm place to dry to avoid spotting.
That's what has worked best for me,

BD

I use the stainless pins in small cases and the ceramic media in large cases. But I find it a pain in the to seperate the media from the brass. Here is how I do it. Dump liquid media and brass in a canvas bag inside a 5 gallon pail, dump the dirty water then fill with hose dumping dirty water untill clear. then pour media and brass in lyman strainer that resembles a gold panning tray or use a dillon seperator that tumbles. Any other ideas because my method is time consumming, pins or ceramic falls and its expensive. The brass does come out nice.

Sparky,
I've been using a RCBS case media separator filled to nearly the top of the bottom half with water, cases are partially submerged and most but not all the pins fall through the inner basket into the main bucket below. I still have to shake some pins out of the cases but it seems quicker to do that when they are underwater.
 
I bought a bucket of Crushed Walnut Shell media from Mid Way many many years ago. I have never had a problem with the flash hole plugging up. They just don't plug up
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I do not use any additives what so ever.Mine is a little finer than most walnut shell media that I see for sale now days.

I have thought of getting some of the finest grit sandblasting material and use it. But real leery that one grain of sand would be left on the outside of a case and then it would screw up my sizing die.
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So needless to say I haven't tried it.

DAB
 
SSpins are the way to go,i use my old rcbs to seperate.then dump in a mesh strainer shake on a towel and put back in tumbler.lay brass on towel to dry or blow dry [wifes hair dryer]
 
Try throwing a dryer sheet in with the walnut media. The dryer sheet collects all the dust and it actually cleans the media as well. I use it all the time with corn cob (I never deprime until tumbled.)
 
I separate my media with a Dillon separator. Very rarely do I find any plugged flash holes. Whether it's corncob or walnut, plugged holes are the last thing I have to worry about.
 


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