What's the real advantages of different cleaning methods/media???

[Ledd Slinger]

Wondering why you never hear about people just using plain old corn cob media in a vibratory case cleaner anymore??? I've tried ultrasonic cleaning with all kinds of different solvents, vibratory tumbling with all kinds of different media.....Im sorry, but I just can't find anything that does much of a better job than good old fashioned corn cob media. Maybe I'm missing something, but I honestly don't see an advantage to other types of brass cleaning.

I have cleaned over 2000 cases with the same corn cob media in the photo below, it just keeps getting darker, but the cases always come out squeeky clean. Didn't even add a single drop of brass polish!
I will finally be changing this media out now, but I have no reason to change my method of cleaning. If it ain't broke, dont fix it


This media used to be completely light yellow in color. But look how clean the brass keeps coming out! These were VERY dirty and discolored once fired Lake City 223 cases I bought online to make 20 TAC brass. How do you beat that?

 

[Someoldguy]

Well . . . . I admit I've never tried corn cob media and a vibratory cleaner. I started out using a tumbler, citric acid, degreaser dishwashing soap, some car wax rinse and SS pins. I don't know how cases could be any cleaner.

Now, a bunch of guys wanna preserve the soot in the neck and this ain't for them, I'm talkin' about LC brass and 1x stuff to be used for resizing and such.

Perhaps I'm off topic.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

Back when I first looked into cleaning my cases, guys were buying crushed corn cob in plastic bags and using vibratory/rotary tumblers intended for rock polishing. RCBS may have had a vibratory cleaner out at the time (can't remember), but they were probably the only reloading equipment manufacturer making one.

The beauty of the corn cob is that it doesn't require drying and it doesn't leave any residue behind. No problem if you want to leave a little carbon in the necks. Just stop the machine a little early. Outside will still be shiny.

I suppose some of the other methods are faster, but I just run it as needed and maybe leave it on at night before I go to bed, then take the brass out in the morning. Actually cleans the brass fully in about 3 to 5 hours depending on condition.

 

[chop house]

i have corn cob and walnut... had them so long i can't remember which/why to use one over the other. just been throwing cases in the corn, but never have gotten results like you show.

there also was/is a product that is treated corn cob... don't recall what they put in that, but it was more a polisher than a cleaner, i think.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

i have corn cob and walnut... had them so long i can't remember which/why to use one over the other. just been throwing cases in the corn, but never have gotten results like you show.

there also was/is a product that is treated corn cob... don't recall what they put in that, but it was more a polisher than a cleaner, i think.

This is the Lyman brand corn cob media. They may add something to it. Not sure.

I hate the walnut media because it takes twice as long to do half as good a job as corn cob. I personally will never use walnut again.

 

[hoz53]

This is the Lyman brand corn cob media. They may add something to it. Not sure.

I hate the walnut media because it takes twice as long to do half as good a job as corn cob. I personally will never use walnut again.

i still use my thumlers vibratory cleaner i got in early 80s. i use the lyman corncob to.i i dont need any better job than it does. and why mess around with all the messy liquid and have to dry cases. I have mine in the shop so i leave and dont have to listen to it. some of my cases come out as good as the ones you show if i let them in long enough. sometimes i let them in all night. i just use a wood frame with hardware cloth to seperate media from cases. The only fly in the soup for me is the media that gets stuck in the flash holes so you have to check every one and poke the ones out that have it in. if youve found a solution to that please let me know. in 223 i get some stuck media you have to make sure and get out. i tried larger corncob used for pet bedding but it didnt work to good. cant remember why. Something ive never seen addressed with the steel pins but i wonder if it happens is the steel being harder than brass and actually removing some of the brass from your cases. i dont see how this couldnt be happening at least a little.

 

[Martin52]

......The only fly in the soup for me is the media that gets stuck in the flash holes so you have to check every one and poke the ones out that have it in. if youve found a solution to that please let me know.

I leave the fired primers in place until after tumbling, then decap.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

i still use my thumlers vibratory cleaner i got in early 80s. i use the lyman corncob to.i i dont need any better job than it does. and why mess around with all the messy liquid and have to dry cases. I have mine in the shop so i leave and dont have to listen to it. some of my cases come out as good as the ones you show if i let them in long enough. sometimes i let them in all night. i just use a wood frame with hardware cloth to seperate media from cases. The only fly in the soup for me is the media that gets stuck in the flash holes so you have to check every one and poke the ones out that have it in. if youve found a solution to that please let me know. in 223 i get some stuck media you have to make sure and get out. i tried larger corncob used for pet bedding but it didnt work to good. cant remember why. Something ive never seen addressed with the steel pins but i wonder if it happens is the steel being harder than brass and actually removing some of the brass from your cases. i dont see how this couldnt be happening at least a little.

I usually try to clean with fired primers still in the cases. Then when I deprime, any media that may be in a flash hole gets knocked out with the primer. Of course then I have to clean the primer pockets separately.

If I tumble without the primers in, I will just install the decapping pin on my FL sizer stem and knock the media out while sizing the cases.

 

[hoz53]

I usually try to clean with fired primers still in the cases. Then when I deprime, any media that may be in a flash hole gets knocked out with the primer. Of course then I have to clean the primer pockets separately.

If I tumble without the primers in, I will just install the decapping pin on my FL sizer stem and knock the media out while sizing the cases.

ok but dont you have a little trouble in 223 size cases of the media jamming inside them and is hard to get out?

 

[hoz53]

I leave the fired primers in place until after tumbling, then decap.

i could do that and put a cleaning head on a motor to clean the pockets after tumbling thanks

 

[Ledd Slinger]

ok but dont you have a little trouble in 223 size cases of the media jamming inside them and is hard to get out?

Not really. Nothing a decapping pin can't push out.

 

[hoz53]

Not really. Nothing a decapping pin can't push out.

ok ill try it thanks

 

[NorCalMikie]

Remember, every time you put your hands on that case is just another time to inspect it for defects. Better to see a problem now than when it's time to pull the trigger.
Untreated corn cob.

 

[teele1]

I started out with a hand me down dual small drum rock tumbler, then smoked a motor on a Lyman vibratory tumbler and for the past about 10 years with a Frankfort vibratory tumbler. Corn cob media as well. Thought about the wet SS pins but...like its been said "if it ain't broke don't fix it". Spend money on bullets and powder and shoot more. JMO

 

[spaniel]

With all due respect, if you've seen cases cleaned with SS pins, you wouldn't say corn cob media does "just as good a job". It does a fine and sufficient job, but you just can't clean brass as immaculately as pins do. In fact some people thinks it does too good a job by removing every trace of carbon from the inside of the neck.

I switched to pins because I got tired of digging media out of small cases with a paper clip. I may go back to corn cob for straight wall pistol cases.

 

[jepp2]

Didn't even add a single drop of brass polish!

The Lyman media comes pretreated with an abrasive/polishing agent applied. That is why it has the color it does.

I used Lyman initially, but now use 20/40 sieve size plain corn cob media. It is small enough it doesn't get caught in the flash hole. I just add a small amount of whatever car polish I have on hand.

My experience is the "dirtier" the media gets, the faster it polishes. It is using the residue from previous cases as a polishing agent.

I do all my initial case cleaning in SS wet tumbling. But I still use my vibrating tumblers. I use them to remove case lube and I use them to dry my cases after coming out of the wet tumbling.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

I have not cleaned a case in years, just wipe them down if they are dirty.

 

[spclark]

My experience is the "dirtier" the media gets, the faster it polishes. It is using the residue from previous cases as a polishing agent.

[Agreed!]

I do all my initial case cleaning in SS wet tumbling. But I still use my vibrating tumblers. I use them to remove case lube and I use them to dry my cases after coming out of the wet tumbling.

Same here.

Used walnut & corn media for years. Took too long to get decently cleaned cases, and the walnut breaks down to dust that got everywhere so I quit using it.

Several years ago when I learned of SS pin method (here, most likely!) I tried it, never to return. I’m not bothered by clean case neck insides. I much appreciate being able to identify case defects early on. Clean cases in a couple hours instead of overnight is the biggest advantage.

 

[hogpatrol]

I have not cleaned a case in years, just wipe them down if they are dirty.

Yes, but that reduces case capacity by .002 CCs, something our OCD brethren just can't abide by.

Unless really bad like AR stuff which goes in the walnut, I use ultra fine scotchbrite and chuck them up in my neck turning shell holder. I can knock them out fairly fast using this method.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074JN66MD/?tag=accuratescom-20

 

[retired]

no.
please note i said blasting media from grainger.
and
that i clearly said no pet shop pet litter...that stuff is the wrong
format for cleaning and will stuff itself in cases.

ok but dont you have a little trouble in 223 size cases of the media jamming inside them and is hard to get out?

ok but dont you have a little trouble in 223 size cases of the media jamming inside them and is hard to get out?