Tumbling Brass

[HTSmith]

Well I just scored a nearly free Lyman vibrating tumbler and bought a box of walnut shell media from Harbor Freight. Anything else I need? Will it take the resizing lube off the brass? Thanks for any advice.

 

[Rsadams]

Yes it will remove lube , you can get some brass polish and add to it.... One thing I like to do is , on a windy day take that media and dump it from one bucket into another to remove the dust then dump it into the tumbler....

 

[riflewoman]

Your media will last longer if you go back to HF and get a small rock tumbler. Wash the brass in sudsy warm water dry them off with a towel then vibrate them.

 

[HTSmith]

Thanks much. Any particular brand or kind of brass polish?

 

[HTSmith]

Your media will last longer if you go back to HF and get a small rock tumbler. Wash the brass in sudsy warm water dry them off with a towel then vibrate them.

Always looking for a reason to go to Harbor Freight. I've been shooting dirty brass for 40 years. This should be a treat.

 

[riflewoman]

Yes it will remove lube , you can get some brass polish and add to it.... One thing I like to do is , on a windy day take that media and dump it from one bucket into another to remove the dust then dump it into the tumbler....

When you do this use a NIOSH respirator. There’s lead dust in that. Which is why I switched to wet tumbling.

 

[Rsadams]

I do it before I use it so it's just Walnut dust... At $25 for 25 pounds at harbor freight I chunk it when it doesn't clean well...

 

[D-4297]

Got one of the Two Drum rock tumblers from HF after reading some other posts , and I'm very pleased with the results . 45 - 50 .308 cases in each drum , and warm water , and a couple shots of Lemme-shine ....Good to go . It runs , I load ...Ain't multi-taskin wonderful ?

 

[Walt Krafft]

IMO your tumbling life will be nicer if you use fine corn cob and not walnut. It is not dusty and toxic like walnut. If you get a fine grade it won't stick in flash holes. Add some Dillon shine and your brass will come out clean and shiney. I tumble straight from the range to remove any crap that was picked up and then after sizing to remove the lube.

 

[F Class John]

I’ve been white rice tumbling for a while now. When it starts getting grey I change it out. Cheap at Costco and best is there’s virtually no dust at all and hardly even plugs a primer pocket or flash hole.

 

[10XSHOOTER]

After sizing, run your cases thru your dish washer. cleans off the lube inside and out. Heat cycle dries the cases without getting too hot. place in tumbler, corn cob with any brass polish and make shiny!!!!
I use walnut shell in plastic barrel cement mixer to pre clean prior to sizing. Use outside only!

 

[Straightshooter1]

I’ve been white rice tumbling for a while now. When it starts getting grey I change it out. Cheap at Costco and best is there’s virtually no dust at all and hardly even plugs a primer pocket or flash hole.

Same here. I really like the results I get with white rice. It gets the primer pockets cleaned out pretty well and does a good job on the outside of the case while still leaving some carbon coating on the inside. Initially, I used long grain rice, but way to many flash holes of my .308 cases get plugged (long grain probably works ok with smaller flash holes). Switched to medium grain white rice and problem solved where hardly any flash holes get a part of a grain of rice stuck in it and just a few more might get stuck in the primer pocket, but easily and quickly removed.

I'm a little surprised more people don't use rice, but maybe it's just not as available in a lot of places ???

 

[HTSmith]

IMO your tumbling life will be nicer if you use fine corn cob and not walnut. It is not dusty and toxic like walnut. If you get a fine grade it won't stick in flash holes. Add some Dillon shine and your brass will come out clean and shiney. I tumble straight from the range to remove any crap that was picked up and then after sizing to remove the lube.

I wasn't aware that the walnut shells were toxic. Please elaborate. Thanks much.

 

[Rsadams]

+1 please explain how Walnut dust is toxic...

 

[riflewoman]

ANY dust can be toxic. Or at least harmful if inhaled. But dry tumbling brings lead dust. Even if you wash your brass beforehand. Regardless of media. Which is why a NIOSH respirator is recommended. A dust mask isn’t good enough.

 

[Oso]

I would be hesitant to use any equipment (oven, toaster oven, dishwasher, etc) in the brass cleaning process that you will also be using for food related purposes. The residue/contaminants can be toxic ... no Bueno!!! If you don't feel comfortable putting your hand in your mouth after handling dirty brass then don't then definitely don't use your household appliances. Go buy a cheap toaster oven and or food dehydrator and do this in the garage so no toxic fumes or funky pizza.

 

[Fotheringill]

Other than possible toxicity, I don't like the rust colored rouge coming off the walnut media.

 

[PatMiles]

Thanks much. Any particular brand or kind of brass polish?

NuFinish car wax

 

[divingin]

Other than possible toxicity, I don't like the rust colored rouge coming off the walnut media.

You only get that with media treated with jewelers rouge.

Plain walnut shell looks about like pine sawdust. You can treat the media with stuff other than rouge; any kind of cream or thick liquid polishing compound should work. Auto polishing waxes and creams work very well, as does Brasso and similar.

 

[Capt45]

Anybody, ANYBODY that dry tumbles should have a blood test to determine how much Lead is in their system. It could explain why you're still dry tumbling.