Case Tumbler media?
Quote from Reloader on February 22, 2009, 6:27 amHi guys,
I am extremely new to reloading so please don't laugh me off the forum with a newbie question. I have just started cleaning alot of my brass and have been using corn cob media with a polish. I haven't even reloaded my first round yet. I have cleaned approximately 300-400 cases thus far. The media has started to turn gray. Before dumping it out and adding fresh stuff, my question is how long can I keep using it? Do I just keep going until it takes longer and longer to polish/clean the brass? Thanks for any input, I know its a dumb question, just curious......
Hi guys,
I am extremely new to reloading so please don't laugh me off the forum with a newbie question. I have just started cleaning alot of my brass and have been using corn cob media with a polish. I haven't even reloaded my first round yet. I have cleaned approximately 300-400 cases thus far. The media has started to turn gray. Before dumping it out and adding fresh stuff, my question is how long can I keep using it? Do I just keep going until it takes longer and longer to polish/clean the brass? Thanks for any input, I know its a dumb question, just curious......
Quote from Reloader on February 23, 2009, 4:33 pmKeep using it until the brass doesn't clean anymore, probably 15-17,000 cases or more.
Keep using it until the brass doesn't clean anymore, probably 15-17,000 cases or more.
Quote from Reloader on March 15, 2009, 6:57 amI have always used walnut shell media and decided to give the Lyman corn cob media a try.
I was NOT impressed at all with the corn cob. Took longer to clean and left a powdery residue on my brass.Went back to walnut and won't go back!
As for when to toss the media...if your brass is not clean after running the tumbler overnight....toss the media and get some walnut!
I have always used walnut shell media and decided to give the Lyman corn cob media a try.
I was NOT impressed at all with the corn cob. Took longer to clean and left a powdery residue on my brass.
Went back to walnut and won't go back!
As for when to toss the media...if your brass is not clean after running the tumbler overnight....toss the media and get some walnut!
Quote from Reloader on March 21, 2009, 12:18 pmHi Diver846,
Your question is far from dumb...everyone has to start somewhere, so it's all good. Here's some food for thought from my reloading experience.
Depending on what caliber you're reloading, cob is just fine. I do both, cob and walnut shells. I tumble in the walnut first because it's finer and seems to do a better job of getting out the powder inside the case. Then, I follow up with the cob media just to make sure I've gotten as much powder out of the inside of the shell. Since the cob is a bigger media, it seemed to me like it did not get all the old powder out of the bottom of the case, especially if you're reloading smaller cases like .38, .357..etc
Now...the cob media should be good for about 3-4,000 rounds. Yes, when it starts to turn yellow/grey, it's wearing out. BUT, you can recharge the media and extend it's life. Dillon has Repid Polish that does a fine job of recharging your media. I've got to my local auto parts store and used Turtle Wax buffing compound(red, not white) before too.
Last tip for me.......go to your local pet store and get your media there.........it tends to be MUCH cheaper than anwhere else and does the same job. Yes, belive it or not, I can get a 10lb bag of cob for about $8 and get an 8lb bag of walnut for $6.
Good luck on your reloading!
Toto
Hi Diver846,
Your question is far from dumb...everyone has to start somewhere, so it's all good. Here's some food for thought from my reloading experience.
Depending on what caliber you're reloading, cob is just fine. I do both, cob and walnut shells. I tumble in the walnut first because it's finer and seems to do a better job of getting out the powder inside the case. Then, I follow up with the cob media just to make sure I've gotten as much powder out of the inside of the shell. Since the cob is a bigger media, it seemed to me like it did not get all the old powder out of the bottom of the case, especially if you're reloading smaller cases like .38, .357..etc
Now...the cob media should be good for about 3-4,000 rounds. Yes, when it starts to turn yellow/grey, it's wearing out. BUT, you can recharge the media and extend it's life. Dillon has Repid Polish that does a fine job of recharging your media. I've got to my local auto parts store and used Turtle Wax buffing compound(red, not white) before too.
Last tip for me.......go to your local pet store and get your media there.........it tends to be MUCH cheaper than anwhere else and does the same job. Yes, belive it or not, I can get a 10lb bag of cob for about $8 and get an 8lb bag of walnut for $6.
Good luck on your reloading!
Toto
Quote from Reloader on April 1, 2009, 1:00 amI use strictly Walnut and it works very well. I think the grayness you are seeing is powder residue and should not affect the usefulness for a long time. I've been told that adding Mother's chrome polish from an auto parts store will really add some shine to the cases and I plan to do that soon.
I use strictly Walnut and it works very well. I think the grayness you are seeing is powder residue and should not affect the usefulness for a long time. I've been told that adding Mother's chrome polish from an auto parts store will really add some shine to the cases and I plan to do that soon.
Quote from Reloader on February 27, 2010, 9:25 pmGreat question, though my answer will differ significantly from the other good folks here. I have been using the same corn cob media for the last 25 years. I add a couple of tablespoons of brasso prior to each session. It seemed to me, in the beginning, that I was trying to 'season' the media, and I figured that dumping it just when it was getting saturated (but dry) with brass cleaner was a bad idea. The proof is my brass, which gleams and slides well within the dies (I reload only straight walled cases-.44, .44-40(slightly bottlenecked), .45colt and ACP, 9mm, .45-70, .40, .38/.357) and is residue/haze free.
I tumble for no more than 2 hrs and get great results. When I dump the shells/media into the media separator, I take care to pour slowly enough to dump out the sediment at the bottom each time. Speaking of media separator, do this just as soon as you shut off the tumbler, or else you'll get specks (which you could remove by tumbling again for a few minutes-but save the hassle).
Finally, according to my logs, (which I admit are casually maintained), I average about 7 to 8 thousand rounds per year. I suggest you hang onto the media until you are SURE that the brass no longer shines up. Bet an extra dose of brasso is all you'll really need.
Great question, though my answer will differ significantly from the other good folks here. I have been using the same corn cob media for the last 25 years. I add a couple of tablespoons of brasso prior to each session. It seemed to me, in the beginning, that I was trying to 'season' the media, and I figured that dumping it just when it was getting saturated (but dry) with brass cleaner was a bad idea. The proof is my brass, which gleams and slides well within the dies (I reload only straight walled cases-.44, .44-40(slightly bottlenecked), .45colt and ACP, 9mm, .45-70, .40, .38/.357) and is residue/haze free.
I tumble for no more than 2 hrs and get great results. When I dump the shells/media into the media separator, I take care to pour slowly enough to dump out the sediment at the bottom each time. Speaking of media separator, do this just as soon as you shut off the tumbler, or else you'll get specks (which you could remove by tumbling again for a few minutes-but save the hassle).
Finally, according to my logs, (which I admit are casually maintained), I average about 7 to 8 thousand rounds per year. I suggest you hang onto the media until you are SURE that the brass no longer shines up. Bet an extra dose of brasso is all you'll really need.
Quote from Reloader on April 29, 2010, 2:19 amgo buy some walnut media from a pet store its a lot cheaper, it will be either in the reptile or bird isle
next got to an auto parts store and get some NU-FINISH or the mentioned mothers polish.
put the media in the tumbler add a couple caps of polish and run the tumbler fora few minutes to season the polish
next add a few 1"squares of a cut up USED drier sheet to the mix it will capture an amazing amount of the crud coming from the cases and keep it cleaner for much longer.
shine away
go buy some walnut media from a pet store its a lot cheaper, it will be either in the reptile or bird isle
next got to an auto parts store and get some NU-FINISH or the mentioned mothers polish.
put the media in the tumbler add a couple caps of polish and run the tumbler fora few minutes to season the polish
next add a few 1"squares of a cut up USED drier sheet to the mix it will capture an amazing amount of the crud coming from the cases and keep it cleaner for much longer.
shine away