Corn cob media lifespan

[dennyo]

My recent project to clean a bunch of pistol brass has been showing a black carbon like substance. Could this mean the useful life of media could be finished?

Any thoughts?
Thanks

 

[Uncle Ed]

Time to change the media and clean the bowl.

 

[Ranger007]

Time to change the media and clean the bowl.

+1

 

[dennyo]

Time to change the media and clean the bowl.

That is what I thought. Thanks!

 

[LCazador]

Not necessarily. If your pic is accurate that not corn cob media, it's walnut media and the soot or black junk is carbon. Take the media out clean the bowl redeposit the media and reenergize with Flitz or Rooster Brite compound. Understand that this cleaning process only accomplishes one thing! Pretty brass! LOL!

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Looks like it cleaned the carbon out like it was supposed to

 

[searcher]

I haven't tried this on corn cob media - as I use walnut media. When my media is black and acting worn-out, I dump it into a 5-gallon bucket and dump in some liquid laundry soap and hot water. I slosh it around for 30 seconds - then let it sit for about 1/2 hour. Come back, slosh around again for another 30 seconds, then stretch old t-shirt over opening and drain water. Re-fill bucket 1/2 way with hot water again, slosh 30 seconds, drain and repeat about four times. After final drain, I spread it out on a piece of old cardboard on the floor of my garage. Let it dry a few days. Put in tumbler and recharge with polish. Takes about 10 minutes of effort total. It actually works better than new walnut media. I first did this when I really needed some clean media the coming weekend and had no time to drive to the store and didn't want to pay FEDEX on a 40-lb. box of media. I never thought I'd keep re-cleaning the same media.

 

[Pwc]

After you get it clean or use new, put 2 dryer sheets cut into quarters....they will catch the dust and most of the black. Use new sheets each time.

 

[dolek]

After you get it clean or use new, put 2 dryer sheets cut into quarters....they will catch the dust and most of the black. Use new sheets each time.

Great idea,I will have to give it a try. Thanks

 

[centershot]

I haven't tried this on corn cob media - as I use walnut media. When my media is black and acting worn-out, I dump it into a 5-gallon bucket and dump in some liquid laundry soap and hot water. I slosh it around for 30 seconds - then let it sit for about 1/2 hour. Come back, slosh around again for another 30 seconds, then stretch old t-shirt over opening and drain water. Re-fill bucket 1/2 way with hot water again, slosh 30 seconds, drain and repeat about four times. After final drain, I spread it out on a piece of old cardboard on the floor of my garage. Let it dry a few days. Put in tumbler and recharge with polish. Takes about 10 minutes of effort total. It actually works better than new walnut media. I first did this when I really needed some clean media the coming weekend and had no time to drive to the store and didn't want to pay FEDEX on a 40-lb. box of media. I never thought I'd keep re-cleaning the same media.

Put the media in panty hose and do the same thing.

 

[gary0529]

Just remember to at least wash your hands and/or put a fan at your back when sifting the old media as the lead styphenate from the primers is a good way to raise your blood lead levels if you are not careful.
The walnut lizard litter is sooo cheap at PetsMart I don't even consider re-using the stuff-when it is dirty I pitch it. As previously mentioned, a couple of dryer sheets does seem to extend the life of the litter.

Gary

 

[ToddKS]

Corn cob media is a consumable product. Treat it as such.

I have experimented with many different ideas to extend its life from dryer sheets to washing the actual media. I no longer do any of those things. The dust is not just dirt from the cases, it is also the edges wearing off the media. As it dulls it becomes less and less effective.

I add polish to the raw media and run for an hour. When it starts to look dry (usually 6-8 uses) I add some odorless mineral spirits. This will buy me another 4-6 uses then it gets changed. Our time is to valuable and corn cob media is too cheap to even think about doing any more than this.

If you have a local operation that sells blasting media you can get a 50lb bag of Grit o' Cobs 1420 for around $.50 per lb. If you don't have that locally, Home Depot and Northern Tool both offer this product, just do in store pickup to avoid shipping. That bag will last most shooters many years if not a lifetime. Split it up and give some to your buddies if you don't want to store that much.

I go through 1000-1200 pounds of media a year so I have a fair bit of experience with this product.

 

[DirtySteve]

I just dump some of the Rapid Polish from Dillon on the media and keep on trucking. Every couple years I toss the old and replace... Spending time on cleaning the media seems to me to be a waste of time. My time is worth some thing. Not much but more than media...

Edit: That does look like Walnut media to me.

 

[Pwc]

A

 

[powderbrake]

Buy corncob in 50 pound bags, realize it is a consumable item like powder or bullets.

Only use Ammonia Free polish, as ammonia causes intergranular corrosion in brass .

Polishing brass accomplishes more than just pretty brass, it means your dies are less likely to get grit and scratches in them.

 

[JMayo]

I use lizard media with used drier sheets.
It's cheap and easy to get. I donot mind throwing it out and using fresh.

 

[rsmithsr50]

yes corn cob media WEARS out and will become dirty.
nufinish car POLISH does wonders to brass.
todd covered it well. I have never done mineral spirits just add more polish

 

[ToddKS]

yes corn cob media WEARS out and will become dirty.
nufinish car POLISH does wonders to brass.
todd covered it well. I have never done mineral spirits just add more polish

I tried the mineral spirits because I was going through a lot of polish and the cost was starting to add up. I found that I could use less polish if I used the mineral spirits to recharge the mix. Adding more polish will work as well.

 

[moondog]

Corn cob media is a consumable product. Treat it as such.

I have experimented with many different ideas to extend its life from dryer sheets to washing the actual media. I no longer do any of those things. The dust is not just dirt from the cases, it is also the edges wearing off the media. As it dulls it becomes less and less effective.

I add polish to the raw media and run for an hour. When it starts to look dry (usually 6-8 uses) I add some odorless mineral spirits. This will buy me another 4-6 uses then it gets changed. Our time is to valuable and corn cob media is too cheap to even think about doing any more than this.

If you have a local operation that sells blasting media you can get a 50lb bag of Grit o' Cobs 1420 for around $.50 per lb. If you don't have that locally, Home Depot and Northern Tool both offer this product, just do in store pickup to avoid shipping. That bag will last most shooters many years if not a lifetime. Split it up and give some to your buddies if you don't want to store that much.

I go through 1000-1200 pounds of media a year so I have a fair bit of experience with this product.

What him say! Just picked up another bag today at my welding supply store. $24

 

[Al Lu]

"Only use Ammonia Free polish," Can you gents give me some names? Thanks.