Stainless steel tumbler recipe

hunterjoe21

PaulS wrote:

and when it takes an hour I replace the old with new and wash the old. When I start a new batch I add a tea spoon of silver polish paste. When that batch takes an hour I put in the washed media (which is well dried by then) back in and add the silver polish. I don't think I will ever use the 25 pound bag I bought for $15.

Paul,
Care to expand on washing walnut media?

I've been using crushed walnut purchased from a pet supply store (I guess its used for reptile bedding) but it's extremely dusty. It's not been a big deal, since I usually treat each piece of brass to a blast of compressed air after it comes out of the tumbler, but maybe I can eliminate the dust by washing the media.

Vince

HJ...I tear up strips of paper towel and wet them with a spray bottle and put 6 or 8 into the tumbler when cleaning cases. The dust collects on the wet strips. I've heard tell of guys putting 'dryer sheets/pads', or whatever you guys call them over there, into the tumbler and it apparently does similar.

hunterjoe21

Vince,

I've been adding pieces of paper towel to the tumbler for quite some time, but I've never wet them first. I'll try it next time. Thanks for the tip. I've only used dryer sheets when I have one left over in the garage after wiping down my powder measure with it, and again, never used a wet one.

PaulS

I don't get a lot of dust in my media because I have the fan turned on when I separate the cases and the dust gets blown outside.
I wash it in hot soapy water when it takes longer than an hour to clean the brass. I rinse it a couple of times with hot water and then I spread it in a couple of cookie sheets to dry. During the summer it only takes a short time in the sun to dry it well. I put it in a paper sack and the next time I change the media I use the washed walnut. The first time it is used it gets a teaspoon of silver polish added and it's good for another 6 months of heavy use.

Azar · Member Joined: Jan 04, 2010 Posts: 275 Location: Utah

Paul,

I've always used the Lizard Litter pet bedding. It's not particularly expensive. In fact, I'm still on my original bag... Why not just toss it when it gets filthy? I would imagine the media wears out over time regardless of how clean it is.

Not trying to be critical or anything, just wondering why you go to the bother of cleaning the media?

Thanks.

PaulS

I have found, over the years, that the washed media is as fast as the new media but leaves the brass looking more polished. It just seems silly to throw it out. I am known to be a bit on the frugal side. I doubt I will ever go through the 25 pound bag of media that I bought but my son will use it and maybe his son too.

Sparkie · Rookie Member Joined: May 19, 2016 Posts: 16

I used corncob and walnut with jewelers rouge for 20 years in my Thumlers tumbler. Then I tried 5# of stainless pins, I would never go back to corncob or walnut. What a difference no dust, no poking pieces out of primer holes, no cleaning primer pockets with a brush. Inside and outside of cases look like new brass. For cleaning agent I use ERA laundry detergent and little lime juice works better then Dawn for me. This works in my ultrasonic as well. I also use a small amount of Rain X Anti Fog in my rinse water to keep the cases from tarnishing or having water spots, as our water has a lot of calcium in it. A 1200W hair dryer works well for drying brass after cleaning. IMHO stainless pins are the best I have found after trying a lot of different media for 40 years of reloading.

Vince

Sparkie wrote:

... Then I tried 5# of stainless pins...

I wasn't sure what a Thumlers tumbler actually is until I googled it. They sell the Lyman Cyclone Rotary Tumbler here in Australia which is similar to the Thumler machine, and they both use the stainless steel media. I have the Lyman "vibrating" case cleaner, but I don't know if the stainless media will work in one of them. It would be nice if it did though.

English Mike

Stainless media won't work in a vibratory cleaner matey - too heavy & the wrong action.