how do you separate your STAINLESS STEEL media from the clean brass ?

sendmorebrains

sendmorebrains

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Still sorting this cleaning the brass/nickle thing.

At first I used a stainless strainer, I dump the whole load onto the strainer in the kitchen sink and separate the brass from the media with the water tap running gently.

The other method is opening the lid off the bucket and tilt it on its side so the dirty water leaks out. I then open the lid run warm water thru and pick out the brass shaking out the media ...

Both methods are a PITA.

What other ways is there ?
 
I use very hot water, and rinse the brass and media well in the tub then I pour it all into a strainer and rinse again with hot water, some of the media falls out, not all, then I dump it into a towel, and grab all four corners rolling the brass around a bit, then I do that again in a dry towel let sit for overnight, brass is dry in the AM, roll the brass around and the media falls out, pick up brass, and then fold towel in half shaking media to the fold and dump onto a tray or into a bowel Most of this is about cleaning and drying the brass, I don't take any extra steps to get the media out, it just falls out during the drying process.
 
I'm still picking them out one by one, I find that if I pick the brass out before rinsing the pins dump out of the brass easily (still soapy).

Then I just rinse the brass in a strainer under running water and rinse the pins still in the tumbler.

I'm doing small batches in a Thumblers B tho.
 
I use the same general method as IornCanadian.

I rinse the cartridges and pins until the water is clean and then refill the tumbler to about 3/4's full and holding the brass upside down and the pins fall out.

I rinse the brass again and air dry on paper towels.
 
I rinse the drum first with cold water until its clear, then dump it all into a rotary media seperator. Then I put the pins back in the drum and put the brass into a pillow case that I lay on the rack in the dryer until dry.
 
I use the the media separator below that was designed for dry media, there are now better separators being made now and far less pins are being lost.

basket_zps713203ef.jpg


Please notice these newer separators at the link below now have lids and contain the pins better.
(note, I have seen no name brand separators (Chinese) for under $20.00 U.S.) ;)

http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=media+seperator&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=7365673284&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=824905226161298820&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&ref=pd_sl_9iqqujpozl_b
 
I have the separator as pictured above
I drain all the dirty soapy water out the I fill the bucket to the top, then I place the opened separator on top of
The bucket and slowly pour the pins and brass into it,
Then I move them around with my fingers until most of the pins fall
Into the bucket then I close up the separator and gently roll it over a few times,
The key is keeping the water level to the top of the bucket so the brass in under water,

Works for me and no lost pins
 
I have used all the methods listed above but as one person stated they are all a PITA to some degree. I think the answer is to incorperate some sort of seperator with a few strong magnets in it so that the pins just stick to the magnets. I can not see why it would not work, just have to take the time to figure it out.

Graydog
 
Hi Again and Im back !!!!

Great advice so far - thank you for all of them !

I checked the separator bucket thingy and I wasnt sure if I should go for it .. in fact I didnt cause Im trying another method - that might be better ?? worse ???

Idea came up since I have two dry media vibrators : a large one and a medium one NOT being using at all.

Turns out the medium one has a double bowl system the top bowl having slots so it can drain whatever you put in it.

Anyhow my epithany came to this....

A "Thumbler" bucket on the left just finished spinning 3hrs of .308 (150pcs.) Excess dirty water was poured out into a large pail.

There was about 1/3 water left in the thumbler which I poured into the vibrator bowl. The brass and the media also slid out as well.

DSC00154_zpsd7d715c7.jpg


Since it has a double bowl system the water & media drained through the holes.

There is a rubber plug btw on the bottom bowl which I pulled out to drain the dirty water.

When I did this the @#$% media also started pouring out ! Opps. Lesson learned.

I re plugged the bowl and then screwed the bowl cover on top & vibrated for 10 mins.

The end result was the photo below.

DSC00156_zps855e6889.jpg


98% of the media passed thru the slots in the upper bowl and settled in the bottom bowl.

Where s the other 2% you ask ? Well Im embarrassed to say that there was still some inside the 308 brass ..... Arrrrg.

So instead of just dumping the bowl into a dry towel - I had to tap them out and make sure they were clear of the #$%^& media. ( Such a waste of my freaking time)

I think I may have overloaded the vibrator bowl OR not vibrated long enuff. Time will tell as I iron out the kinks.

It appears this method didnt seem to save me alot of time BUT in my defense it was my first pass at it.

BUT the good news is that all my .308 is now ready for the next stage. Now onto the 9mm then the 40cal, 22-250, 357, .38 etc etc....

DSC00157_zps89228d40.jpg
 
Mmmm. Doesn't that look nice?

I love clean brass. I have some on my counter air driving right now. I stop once awhile to hold it up to the light....

Is something wrong with me? haha.
 
Shibby! said:
Mmmm. Doesn't that look nice?

I love clean brass. I have some on my counter air driving right now. I stop once awhile to hold it up to the light....

Is something wrong with me? haha.
Click to expand...


Haha, everyone that comes over gets a tour of my room and its contents, and I just have to show them the tumbled brass, most people are shocked how it looks as good or better than new.
 
graydog said:
I have used all the methods listed above but as one person stated they are all a PITA to some degree. I think the answer is to incorperate some sort of seperator with a few strong magnets in it so that the pins just stick to the magnets. I can not see why it would not work, just have to take the time to figure it out.

Graydog
Click to expand...


Pssst.............stainless steel is non magnetic.
 
True, some stainless IS magnetic, I use a large speaker magnet in a large Baggie to pick up my pins in the drum or separator. They stick to the bag, I can then turn the bag inside out and remove the magnet with no hassle. The pins end up in the Baggie without the water or brass. Usually takes 2 or three dips to get every last pin, but it is quick, easy, and simple.
 
i pour most of the water out, dump into an rcbs media seperator (has a lid so no chance of losing pins), rinse in hot water, spread onto towel. Done
 
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