Cement mixer + 15lbs of stainless pins

slicknova

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sw ontario
Think that would speed up case cleaning? loads would be 3 times the size of your conventional tumblers.....

What do you guys think? will it work?

The mixer im thinking of is here..... http://www.princessauto.com/pal/product/8272270/Electric/MIXER-CONCRETE-ELECTRIC-2.25CU

Anyone done this?
 
I have the STM case tumbler (rock tumbler) with stainless steel pins, I have seen the very small Cement mixer used with walnut media and they worked well. When walnut shells are used they act as a buffer in these type cleaners and dampen the cases hitting and colliding with each other.

With just water and stainless steel pins the cases hit and strike each other, in a normal size case tumbler and with stainless steel pins you can end up with the mouth of your cases being hit by the other cases. This hitting action will peen the case mouth and pound the heck out of your cases if too few cases are added to the tumbler and let tumble for too long.

Motor speed, drum size, the amount of cases and water play a part in cleaning efficiency.

What I see with using a cement mixer and stainless steel pins is a lot of damaged cases.

Below is what happens when you put too few cases in a standard tumbler and leave them in too long.

Below case mouth peening, and remember once the case is trimmed to length only trimming shorter removes the damage.

peen-a.jpg


Below scratches on the case body.

peen-b.jpg


With the naked eye you might not see above without a magnifying glass.

And the LemiShine adds the bling to the cases and makes them shine.

I used the case tumbler because I had three five gallon buckets of once fired .223/5.56 brass to clean and prep and just washing the cases wasn't good enough.

bucketsofbrass.jpg


Google cement mixer case cleaning and then click on images and follow the photos to the related web pages, you will see a lot of people using walnut media to clean large amounts of cases with good results. BUT remember the blades or paddles are removed from these small cement mixers to prevent damaged cases.
 
As a side note I did not start using stainless steel media for the added bling and shine. I have several autoloaders and the cases end up on the ground and dirt and grit can become embedded in the brass and scratch the inside of the reloading dies. The stainless media works the best for removing the surface contaminates from the cases and keeping your dies in good shape.
 
I am looking to do the same thing. I want it for cleaning .50 cal cases and bigger. I would use a plastic drum model instead of the steel. (noise and case damage being the issue.) I have found 25 kg bags of crushed walnut media for the mixer. I am just looking for the right poly drum mixer that is that size now.
 
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