Tumbling media recharge question
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At lee valley tools they sell a tool honing stick which is made from the identical compound(color and all) as the coating that comes on the media. You scrape about a 1/3 of a thimble full into the tumbler,mix thoroughly and you got the same stuff again. Not some wiz banged mixture
I have found that you're better off changing out your media every once in a while because if you keep recharging, your media will end up so loaded with junk that your cases will always be sort of grimy even when they're shiny. You can find media for cheap if you look around hard enough.
Mystic Precision
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Summerland, BC
I was told that you can wash your media in reg. diswashing detergent and gets back to new. This guy put it in some nylons and threw it in the washing machine. I am not that brave.
Then throw in some brass polish from Dillon, Frankford Arsenal, Lyman and good as new.
I am going to get a pail and try this out as I have a bag of really dirty media.
Jerry
Then throw in some brass polish from Dillon, Frankford Arsenal, Lyman and good as new.
I am going to get a pail and try this out as I have a bag of really dirty media.
Jerry
media
A word of caution, however. If it had some sort of treatment on it like the Lyman green corn cob it generates some smoke and a not-too-pleasant smell. Best to do this when the wife is going to be out of the house for a few hours.
I have done this and it does work. However, the media doesn't seem to air dry very well so it is best to give it a half hour or so in the oven at about 250 degrees.mysticplayer said:
A word of caution, however. If it had some sort of treatment on it like the Lyman green corn cob it generates some smoke and a not-too-pleasant smell. Best to do this when the wife is going to be out of the house for a few hours.
Mystic Precision
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Summerland, BC
COOOOLLLLL.
Time to do some 'laundry'.
Jerry
Time to do some 'laundry'.
Jerry
I just handwash mine in a 5 gallon bucket with detergent. Dry it on a screen on my deck. The media actually polishes faster if its still damp, I guess it's the universal solvent in action again. Damp media is no problem in arid Alberta, it might mildew or rot in higher humidity area's of Canada.
Flitz works fine in small amounts every 2 or 3 loads, Nevr-Dull won't work as it is some kind of impregnated cotton, not a liquid (or gel) product (good for cleaning firearms though, especially stainless ones). Nu-Finish car wax (orange bottle) works very well.
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I've been using fabric softener sheets in with my walnut media. When it gets real dirty, I cut up a sheet into small squares and put it in with the brass. You would be amazed at how black the sheets come out. It also picks up small debris that is in with the media. Makes your reloading room smell really sweet too!
I haven't been adding anything else to the media. Brass comes out like I used treated corn cob media, nice and shiny.
I haven't been adding anything else to the media. Brass comes out like I used treated corn cob media, nice and shiny.
I don't know about recharging it, but when it comes to replacing it, don't get it from a gun shop.I looked at a 7 lb container at a shop, and they wanted $26.95 + taxes.I went to the pet store and bought untreated crushed walnut shell(mine was sold as lizard litter, but some places sell it as bird litter) in a 10 lb bag for $10.49 + taxes.It works every bit as well as the stuff that came with my tumbler, brass comes out nice and shiny, for less than half the cost.
Scott
Scott
Ripstop said:
Yeah, that's a good trick, but I've stopped using new sheets and I'm using used sheets because new ones had the tendency to leave the brass with a 'greasy' film on the brass that made the chamber very dirty after a few shots. But I'm a cheap bastard, so I was using Costco fabric softener instead of brand name (may be different with other brands).
Used sheets cut in 2"X2" squares left with a full load of brass for a few hours will pick up all the fine dirt (carbon, sand, corncomb grit) from the media and leave only the bigger grains. I usually put 2 capfuls of Nu-Finish car wax after the fabric softener 'treatment'
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I tried NuFinish and couldn't get it to work very well. I just use the Lyman polish in walnut (from a pet store) and then shine the brass up in corn cob.
Sometimes I add Brasso. The ammonia evaporates and the amount of ammonia that remains is so small that it won't affet the brass.
People worry way too much about the effects of ammonia on brass. It will be different if you soak the brass in a concentrated ammonia solution for a long time, but I expect even then the work hardening from firing will have more of an effect than the ammonia. It takes quite a while for ammonia to penetrate the structure of a metal. How porus do you think brass is anyway?
Sometimes I add Brasso. The ammonia evaporates and the amount of ammonia that remains is so small that it won't affet the brass.
People worry way too much about the effects of ammonia on brass. It will be different if you soak the brass in a concentrated ammonia solution for a long time, but I expect even then the work hardening from firing will have more of an effect than the ammonia. It takes quite a while for ammonia to penetrate the structure of a metal. How porus do you think brass is anyway?
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