Sheriff Dill Posted January 2 Posted January 2 (edited) How long do you dry tumble brass for? Best media ? Best polish additive ? SD Edited January 2 by Sheriff Dill Quote
Boggus Deal #64218 Posted January 2 Posted January 2 I use crushed walnut hull and Lucas Metal Polish. And it all depends on how long I let it tumble. Usually not very long but sometimes I get busy and forget it. 1 Quote
Cholla Posted January 2 Posted January 2 When I used that dusty dry media, I let it run for hours or days until the brass shined like the sun. 1 Quote
Rip Snorter Posted January 2 Posted January 2 No dust with Thumlers Tumbler - had one since I did product photos for them a very long time ago. Corncob and a dash of Brasso - as new. 2 1 Quote
Eyesa Horg Posted January 2 Posted January 2 About 2 hours in corncob with a couple cap fulls Turtle Wax car polish. Add a used dryer sheet cut in quarters to absorb dirt and dust. Let the tumbler run empty for a bit to mix in the polish. I stir the clumps with a stick to help break it up. Been using a wet tumbler for the past year however. 3 1 Quote
Dacotua Posted January 2 Posted January 2 (edited) 1 hour ago, Sheriff Dill said: How long do you dry tumble brass for? Best media ? Best polish additive ? SD Depends on what I'm reloading for. For CAS - I'll be honest, if I'm shooting smokeless, use crushed walnut for about 1 hour. I generally use Nu Finish for the polishing liquid. (I don't really care if its super shinny) (If I shoot black powder, wet tumbling is the only way to go.) If I want my brass to look brand new, I put the brass in before I go to work and remove it after I get home from work. Makes the brass look new. (For Media, if you goto a pet store and buy lizard bedding, its crushed walnut and cheap.) Not sure if it's against the forum rules or not, so I won't post a link, go search for example "Petco" for Zilla Ground English Walnut Shells Reptile Bedding. It's usually under 15 dollars for a 10QT bag. (They have a larger bag, but I've never bought it as it was more coarse). Edited January 2 by Dacotua 1 Quote
Wild Eagle Posted January 2 Posted January 2 I use crushed walnut shells with a cap full of mineral spirits and a little NuFinish car wax. Takes about 2 to 3 hours to get them shiny. I get the walnut shell at Harbor Freight. Get the coarse ground and it won't stick inside the primer pockets if you deprime before tumbling. 1 1 Quote
watab kid Posted January 2 Posted January 2 i use the walnut shells and used dryer sheets to kill the dust , for a couple hours , i dont add any polish stuff - dont need real shiny brass , long as its clean and dry its ready to load 1 Quote
Sheriff Dill Posted January 2 Author Posted January 2 The .45 was already in tumbler and media when I got it. The .38 was after a few hours. Is this what they should look like or go longer ? I know most of it’s a personal preference media is fine sand like walnut husks. Like Cholla said very dusty. 1 Quote
Anvil Al #59168 Posted January 2 Posted January 2 Corn Cob. Little car polish. About 4 hours. 1 Quote
Cholla Posted January 2 Posted January 2 3 hours ago, Sheriff Dill said: The .45 was already in tumbler and media when I got it. The .38 was after a few hours. Is this what they should look like or go longer ? I know most of it’s a personal preference media is fine sand like walnut husks. Like Cholla said very dusty. Those look fine. For me, the two reasons I clean are to keep dirt out of my dies and to help spotters to find them in the gravel 4 1 Quote
Hud McCoy Posted January 2 Posted January 2 I use the walnut media on new Starline brass, it helps with loading the first time, after that, it's wet tumbling for me. I feel that wet tumbling reduces health risk. 1 1 Quote
Cypress Sun Posted January 2 Posted January 2 I use Frankeford Arsenal Brass Polish with crushed walnut media. I use the recommended amount, may just a tad more. I use a Thumler's Tumbler (vibratory) and run it about 24 hours. Brass comes out new looking. Don't try to use too much polish/cleaner of any kind or you'll wish you hadn't...trust me on this. I use Lizard Litter as described in Dacotua's post as it is far cheaper than mail order media. There are three Pet Smart type stores within one mile of my house so that factors in also. It also makes changing media a lot less expensive also. Special note - Always, and I mean always do media separation from the brass outside. If you can, set up a fan to push the air away from you as you separate, it'll help with the dust. Some people cut up laundry dryer sheet and use a piece in the tumbler to keep the dust down. I don't know if that works or not as I'm highly allergic to the chemicals in them. Always wear disposable gloves and a respirator when doing this part of the process. Wash your hands and arms thoroughly afterward. All of this will help keep your lead levels in check. 1 Quote
Go West Posted January 2 Posted January 2 Walnut with paint thinner and Nufinish and run for about 2 hours. Dryer sheets are optional for me. Clean enough and saves multiple steps over wet tumbling. I deprime while operating my press. 2 1 Quote
Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971 Posted January 2 Posted January 2 Tumbler media sold for handloading is too expensive, so I switched to Zilla Lizard Litter. However, Harbor Freight crushed walnut blasting media is even cheaper so that is what I now use. (For me what is best is the least expensive media that works). I tumble brass shot with smokeless powder for two hours and brass shot with black powder or a BP sub for eight hours. Automotive polishes are cheaper than those sold for handloading, so I use Turtle Wax polishing compound. 1 1 Quote
Colorado Coffinmaker Posted January 2 Posted January 2 As the "Poster Child" for APP, I first do a half hour soak in warm water with 45% White Vinegar, rinse and dry then 30 minutes in a DILLON vibratory tumbler with Walnut media. Don't care if the cases are "New Shiny" just clean. 2 1 Quote
Sheriff Dill Posted January 2 Author Posted January 2 Just chatted with my son @Giraffe Pepper who likes his brass a certain way lol. And what we have tumbled meet his standards 👍. 3 Quote
Dutch Wheeler Posted January 2 Posted January 2 Crushed walnut shells (lizard litter), with one tablespoon of new finish car wax which has been slightly diluted in the original bottle with mineral spirits, along with three squirts of mineral spirits, for 4 hours on a timer, comes out looking like jewelry. 1 Quote
Marauder SASS #13056 Posted January 2 Posted January 2 Walnut shells (lizard Litter) clean better faster and last longer. Corn cobs polish better. So I use walnut with a little car wax (cheap as I find) works very well with a nice shine. Cut up some dryer sheets and put in 3 or 4 1 inch squares. They help reduce any dust and keep the media clean for a long time. 1 Quote
Griff Posted January 2 Posted January 2 When i dry tumbled, I just used a cut paper towel (no harsh chemicals to control dust, also cheaper than dryer sheets), along with a splash of whatever car wax I had on hand. 15 hours ago, Dacotua said: (For Media, if you goto a pet store and buy lizard bedding, its crushed walnut and cheap.) Not sure if it's against the forum rules or not, so I won't post a link, go search for example "Petco" for Zilla Ground English Walnut Shells Reptile Bedding. It's usually under 15 dollars for a 10QT bag. (They have a larger bag, but I've never bought it as it was more coarse). It ain't. And appreciated by those challenged by a lack of Google-foo! 😁 1 Quote
Rance - SASS # 54090 Posted January 2 Posted January 2 I use a half and half mixture of corncob and walnut media.. Don’t use polish much.. Throw in a used dryer and let it run fer about 3-4 hours.. 2 Quote
Cypress Sun Posted January 2 Posted January 2 51 minutes ago, Griff said: When i dry tumbled, I just used a cut paper towel (no harsh chemicals to control dust, also cheaper than dryer sheets), along with a splash of whatever car wax I had on hand. It ain't. And appreciated by those challenged by a lack of Google-foo! 😁 https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/zilla-ground-english-walnut-shells-reptile-bedding-1038982?cm_mmc=PSH|BNG|CAL|SBU05|PM|0|qi1HUoMVELCbsRn6sA9iF4|||0|0|pla-2331445687806204|1274335627166269|415826437&gclid=aa3fbcced5641ed51f75dbb83a7d185c&gclsrc=3p.ds&&adlclid=aa3fbcced5641ed51f75dbb83a7d185c&msclkid=aa3fbcced5641ed51f75dbb83a7d185c&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=ADL_PM_BNG_FY24_SBU05_PM_0_0_ACQ_PLA_PMAX_0_0&utm_term=2331445687806204&utm_content=Ad group 1 Quote
Dacotua Posted January 2 Posted January 2 16 hours ago, Dacotua said: Depends on what I'm reloading for. For CAS - I'll be honest, if I'm shooting smokeless, use crushed walnut for about 1 hour. I generally use Nu Finish for the polishing liquid. (For Media, if you goto a pet store and buy lizard bedding, its crushed walnut and cheap.) This is just for INFORMATION PURPOSE ONLY. I personally have not done this but a buddy of mine swears using RICE works well (He doesn't use any polishing liquids in his tumbler). He says it cleans his brass fine and does not create dust. Again, I do NOT know if this actually works, but my buddy swears by it. 1 Quote
Sheriff Dill Posted January 2 Author Posted January 2 29 minutes ago, Dacotua said: This is just for INFORMATION PURPOSE ONLY. I personally have not done this but a buddy of mine swears using RICE works well (He doesn't use any polishing liquids in his tumbler). He says it cleans his brass fine and does not create dust. Again, I do NOT know if this actually works, but my buddy swears by it. Hmm I might have to try it with a batch and let you know. Quote
The Original Lumpy Gritz Posted January 2 Posted January 2 18 hours ago, Sheriff Dill said: How long do you dry tumble brass for? Best media ? Best polish additive ? SD Start out with 2 hours. 2 Quote
Sheriff Dill Posted January 2 Author Posted January 2 Got a batch with rice going right now. Will update as we go thanks for everyone’s help and wealth of information and experience 1 Quote
Sheriff Dill Posted January 2 Author Posted January 2 Here is with 4 lbs brown rice in tumbler. Rice is noticeably dirtier that first in. Only downfalls found so far is the static electricity from tumbler and transfer bucket make rice stick and fly around and that the rice is harder to get out of the sifter into transfer bucket. But overall look good. Thoughts ?? Quote
Rip Snorter Posted January 2 Posted January 2 Brown Rice! Now I've heard it all! Not any kind of greeniac, but why would you waste food when there are so many other options? 1 Quote
Sheriff Dill Posted January 2 Author Posted January 2 4 minutes ago, Rip Snorter said: Brown Rice! Now I've heard it all! Not any kind of greeniac, but why would you waste food when there are so many other options? It was expired. I use it for the bottom of my Dutch ovens when making bread. Quote
Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971 Posted January 2 Posted January 2 Thoughts? Crushed walnut husks are $1.12/lb at Harbour Freight while brown rice is 82-cents a pound at Wal*Mart. The crushed walnut husks have none of the problems mentioned so I'll keep using them. 1 1 Quote
Rip Snorter Posted January 2 Posted January 2 Interesting! The most I use in my Dutch oven for bread is parchment paper or a bit of cornmeal. Recycling, but the tumbling outcome sounds fussy. I just tip the brass onto a hardware cloth screen over an old plastic dishpan. Shake and done. Quote
Sheriff Dill Posted January 3 Author Posted January 3 13 minutes ago, Rip Snorter said: Interesting! The most I use in my Dutch oven for bread is parchment paper or a bit of cornmeal. Recycling, but the tumbling outcome sounds fussy. I just tip the brass onto a hardware cloth screen over an old plastic dishpan. Shake and done. That’s a good idea the sifter I got is one that came with the tumbler that came with the press. It’s over a bucket and tricky to use even with husks. I put the rice in bottom of Dutch over to help the bottoms of the bread to not get so dark. 16 minutes ago, Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971 said: Thoughts? Crushed walnut husks are $1.12/lb at Harbour Freight while brown rice is 82-cents a pound at Wal*Mart. The crushed walnut husks have none of the problems mentioned so I'll keep using them. I think most of the issues I was having with the husks is it’s like sand not the courser kind. Gotta get some of the courser stuff to try. Quote
Rip Snorter Posted January 3 Posted January 3 7 minutes ago, Sheriff Dill said: That’s a good idea the sifter I got is one that came with the tumbler that came with the press. It’s over a bucket and tricky to use even with husks. I put the rice in bottom of Dutch over to help the bottoms of the bread to not get so dark. I think most of the issues I was having with the husks is it’s like sand not the courser kind. Gotta get some of the courser stuff to try. You might need to adjust time and temp on the bread - never had a problem with dark bottom crust. 450° 30 minutes covered, 425° 25 or 30 uncovered for a Boule. By accident, (interrupted) did 20 minutes uncovered at 450°. Crumb and crust were maybe a little better. Will try that again. I made the hardware cloth screen many years back - cut with tinsnips and fold, just a bit larger than the dishpan with a one inch rim all around. 1 Quote
G W Wade Posted January 3 Posted January 3 When buying lizard bedding be sure to get plain, not colored. Someone posted pictures of his brass will a strange green haze, not clean GW Quote
Dacotua Posted January 3 Posted January 3 1 hour ago, Sheriff Dill said: It was expired. I use it for the bottom of my Dutch ovens when making bread. How was the dust? Do you think its worth it? Like I said a buddy of mine swears by rice, but I still use walnut. Quote
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