Stupid Tumbler question
- Thread starter martinbns
- Start date
I personally deprime with a dedicated depriming die and then chuck the cases in the tumbler. After getting the grime off I then lube any cases that are to be FL or partial FL sized. Cases that are to be neck-sized I lubricate inside the necks with graphite and then proceed to trim, prime and load. The lubed cases get chucked back into the tumbler for a half-hour or so to remove the lube.
I tumble mine before I work the brass with the dies. If I am feeling particularily "cheecky", I tumble them once more after sizing to get any lube off of them. Not neccesary, but it does put a really nice finish on them.
Point to note though, its good to have a fresh supply of media on hand. The stuff can reach END OF LIFE quite quickly - even with the lotions and potions designed to be added to renew the media.
Merry Xmas
Hakx
Point to note though, its good to have a fresh supply of media on hand. The stuff can reach END OF LIFE quite quickly - even with the lotions and potions designed to be added to renew the media.
Merry Xmas
Hakx
I tumble after depriming, then use the RCBS media separator to remove the media. I also check every flashhole and pick out stuck media with a toothpick. The kaytee bird litter I use (along with some optional lyman brass cleaning solution) seems to leave the brass a little dusty, so I rinse with water in a strainer setup (only for the brass!) that I bought at the dollar store and lay out to dry on a towel for two days. I'm a patient sort of fellow.
If I FL resize I use lee lube (water soluble) so to remove it I just do the rinse cycle with some hot soapy water, then hot water, lay out to dry again.
If I FL resize I use lee lube (water soluble) so to remove it I just do the rinse cycle with some hot soapy water, then hot water, lay out to dry again.
Your local pet shop should have cheap corn cob media (sold as pet bedding). I use a Lee deprime die to remove the spent primer before I clean my cases. Lyman makes a wood handled tool to poke media out of flash holes. I use coarse media for pistol cases, fine for .223 Remington and other small rifle rounds.
ditto................
And I use pet store walnut "reptile bedding" for it.
$5 for a 5lb bag, lasts long time..Like a year.
One of the reasons for cleaning is to keep your dies from scratches, so cleaning first makes sense to me. Cleaning to remove lube also makes sense, so we can be lazy.
- Location
- The Conservative part of Ontario
Before and after sizing for me. Nice and clean.
You can also get Walnut media there, sold as Reptile Litter or Reptile Bedding. Much cheaper than buying the name brand ones (Lyman, RCBS etc..) or you can get it from building supply stores that carry sandblasting materials even cheaper. I think our local price is $25 for 20KG bags but it's special order.
Exactly how I do it (except I use Imp. sizing wax instead of graphite)
beretta boy
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Orillia, Ontario
Before resizing/depriming ... green corncob. Re-size, trim & deburr/chamfer ... and give the cases a quick wipe with a damp cloth ( RCBS case lube is water soluble) then tumble once more with plain untreated walnut "lizard litter". I use a pin punch to poke-out the primer flash holes.
