tumbling,tumbles,and media???

View · by **benny** on Sat Mar 02, 2013 6:17 pm

I like shinney brass so I have decided to buy a tumbler, now I just have to learn some ins and outs of this process.

I have been told that you can weaken the brass if tumbled wrong or with the wrong media, so what do I need to learn here?

How large of a tumbler do I really need if I am just a casual reloader?

What media do I use?

What type of clensor or soap do I use if any?

What brand would you recemend to start with?

Thanks, Benny

View · by **rugersol** on Sat Mar 02, 2013 6:24 pm

http://www.midwayusa.com/Product/514805/
http://www.midwayusa.com/Product/176956/
http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/ECONOLINE-Blast-Media-2MVR4
http://www.midwayusa.com/Product/888439/

View · by **Eric Marleau** on Sat Mar 02, 2013 6:55 pm

The items that Ruger Man posted are spot on.
I do most of my ordering from Midway USA, however, Wolf's Den has everything that you need but without paying the shipping fees. Gary just received a shipment of Iosso last week also.

My mixture to get the best looking brass is about 2/3 corn cob media to 1/3 walnut media.

Eric

View · by **Retread1911** on Sat Mar 02, 2013 8:34 pm

http://www.drillspot.com/products/49976 ... last_media

I have used 3 bags of this with some mineral spirits and it works very well and is cheap.

I have agree a little walnut helps polish but not enough for me to justify the cost so I only use the corncob above.

View · by **Retread1911** on Sat Mar 02, 2013 8:40 pm

I have an older hornaday tumbler that still works and a sample of that media I will give you if you come get it.

I am in Burnsville

Retread

View · by **bpacman** on Sat Mar 02, 2013 8:52 pm

Eric Marleau wrote:The items that Ruger Man posted are spot on.
I do most of my ordering from Midway USA, however, Wolf's Den has everything that you need but without paying the shipping fees. Gary just received a shipment of Iosso last week also.

My mixture to get the best looking brass is about 2/3 corn cob media to 1/3 walnut media.

Eric

^^
+1 on this. I do the same thing and basically add 1 oz of the iosso every other tumble to keep the brass shiny. Only thing better is using the SS pins in a rolling tumbler with water, soap and Lemonshine. I visited OldmanFCSA who showed me how clean this process gets the brass. Amazing, but not so much that I am going to throw out my vibrating tumbler. My Thumler's Tumbler is an eye on to 20 years old now. Kind of hoping it dies so I will have to switch over.

Bp

View · by **Hoot** on Sat Mar 02, 2013 9:15 pm

I like them shiny also. Many years ago, I took a chance and bought a 25lb box of fine Walnut Blasting Media from Harbor Freight. ~2500 reloads later and the box looks like it will outlast me. I do put it in a women's stocking and wash out the dust that the dryer sheets don't get, once a year. It's still sharp. I'm on my second vibratory tumbler. No telling how many more that box will last through. IIRC, back when I bought that 25 lb box, it was $19.99, but given how well it endures, I feel it was one of my better gambles.

Hoot

View · by **wrench** on Sat Mar 02, 2013 9:38 pm

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/ECONOL ... Pid=search

I use the stuff from Grainger as well, a 40lb bag will last a loooooooong time.
I've got some 3M polish, used to machine buff cars, I put in a little squirt in every batch of media. Pretty shiny! 8-)

View · by **Retread1911** on Sat Mar 02, 2013 9:41 pm

wrench wrote:http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/ECONOLINE-Blast-Media-2MVR5?Pid=search

I use the stuff from Grainger as well, a 40lb bag will last a loooooooong time.
I've got some 3M polish, used to machine buff cars, I put in a little squirt in every batch of media. Pretty shiny!

The stuff from drill spot is exactly the same as the grainger bag and free shipping. My last one was drop shipped from grainger with a drillspot sticker.

I picked my first one up at a grainger facility to avoid their shipping.

View · by **BigDog58** on Sat Mar 02, 2013 10:22 pm

I have a Franklin Tumbler $39.00 a Cabelas Media Separator $29.99 on sale (no dust as it has a lid on it while spinning the media out) and I use Lizard Bedding which is crushed Walnut Shell that I got from Petco for $13 for 10 qts. One bag fills my tumbler three times. I then put some Nu Finish Auto polish in it and except for cleaning the primer pockets (Oldman's SS pins in avThumlers Tumbler cleans brass like new) my brass comes out extremely clean and very shiny. I like the Walnut because it's ground so fine that it has Never clogged up a Flash hole.
I plan to someday in the future, to switch to wet tumbling with SS pins like OldmanFCSA does, but I have to justify the $170 outlay, plus pins.

BD

View · by **Sprouticus** on Sat Mar 02, 2013 11:16 pm

+1 on the walnut lizard bedding

Several guys at the range swear by it.

Try Amazon you can get a 25 qt. bag for 18.69.

If you by two bags the shipping is free.

http://www.amazon.com/Zilla-11763-Ground-English-25-Quart/dp/B001GGTWTC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1362287343&sr=8-1&keywords=lizard+walnut+bedding

View · by **Hoot** on Sat Mar 02, 2013 11:22 pm

Sprouticus wrote:+1 on the walnut lizard bedding

Several guys at the range swear by it.

Try Amazon you can get a 25 qt. bag for 18.69.

If you by two bags the shipping is free.

http://www.amazon.com/Zilla-11763-Ground-English-25-Quart/dp/B001GGTWTC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1362287343&sr=8-1&keywords=lizard+walnut+bedding

That's a great deal. Once I tried walnut, I threw away the remainder of the corn cob media that came with my first tumbler kit. Actually, some mice got into it and rather than try and pick out the turds, I put it into my flower bed. Same thing with old powder from pull-downs. I never reuse powder, but that's just me.

Hoot

View · by **Sprouticus** on Sat Mar 02, 2013 11:55 pm

What’s funny is that most of the reviews for it on Amazon are for guys using as tumbling media,
instead of its intended purpose as bedding for lizards.

View · by **OldmanFCSA** on Sun Mar 03, 2013 3:54 pm

http://www.stainlesstumblingmedia.com

Your choice after that.

Everyone has their own methods and reasons, as I have mine. I rely on SS Pins for cleaning everything. I polish loaded ammo in corncob media prior to bag&tag.

View · by **rugersol** on Sun Mar 03, 2013 9:02 pm

no big deal... jest happened to be tumbling brass tonite... snapped a ****ty cell phone pic...

... I'm sure walnut, lemon juice, stainless steel, and probly countless other stuff gets brass amazingly shiny!

I've purchased brand new brass fer this n that... I'd say what I get outta my tumbler is at least as shiny!
...again, no big deal!... jest figured the new folks might be interested to see that corncob don't necessarily leave it lookin like dog turds, neither!