Tumbling media?

Bag of crushed walnut from a Princess Auto. Bag of lizard bedding (corn cob) from the pet store. Mix 50/50, add a squirt of NuFinish and a handful of 1”x1” squares of cotton (old t-shirts or sheets). Very good results for little $.
 
I'm still using the corn cob that came with my FA tumbler. I just run as many thin strips of cheap dryer sheets through it as it will take when cases start coming out dusty. Then add some more FA polish and it's back in business. I have no interest in drying brass or over cleaning necks, could give a #### about shiny primer pockets or inside the case. I tumble with the spent primers in, decapping rod clears the flash hole when sizing. No need to add steps. Dust is next to 0 with the polish and occasional dryer sheets, brass comes out brightly polished. Works for me.
 
Soo...backing up a bit for a newbie here... Would this tumbler be suitable? I never would have guessed that Canadian Tire had tumblers. Can any tumbler be used wet or dry?

And...is tumbling necessary or just nice to do?... Don't get me wrong. I would think almost necessary....but just asking to set the priority list for a new reloader....

Shawn

https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/...tUwJTEYFJhoCo6sQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds#store=34
 
I tried rice a few years ago and was not impressed, didn't do as good a job cleaning the inside soot and primer pockets IMHO. I have both wet and dry now and for dry I use the lizard litter crushed walnut with a cut up dryer sheet and a healthy squirt of NuFinish polish as others have mentioned. I change the media out every few years or when it stops doing its thing.
 
Unless you are scrounging brass from the range, tumbling is a nice to do, otherwise totally unnecessary step. A quick wipe with a micro-fiber clothe, or even an old tea towel, will get the grit off the case, thus preventing embedding said grit inside your sizing die, which will in turn, engrave scratches in your brass. But, modern handloaders are getting quite soviet- form before function. Pretty is as pretty does. If pretty turns your crank, and you would rather spend time making pretty than making good loads, or heck, in today's covid climate, maybe spend time making good loads pretty!

I tumble, but I know I don't need to.
 
ykkid said:
Unless you are scrounging brass from the range, tumbling is a nice to do, otherwise totally unnecessary step. A quick wipe with a micro-fiber clothe, or even an old tea towel, will get the grit off the case, thus preventing embedding said grit inside your sizing die, which will in turn, engrave scratches in your brass. But, modern handloaders are getting quite soviet- form before function. Pretty is as pretty does. If pretty turns your crank, and you would rather spend time making pretty than making good loads, or heck, in today's covid climate, maybe spend time making good loads pretty!

I tumble, but I know I don't need to.
Click to expand...

I don't tumble to make them all shiny, though some do and that's fine, their choice. I tumble to get rid of all grit/dirt, inside and out as well as the primer pockets.
 
Started reloading in the 70's and only started running a tumbler in the last few years. Mainly due to i have lots of time on my hands, if cases are just dirty i wash them in the sink. Shiny doesn't make them work any better just looks nicer.
 
Go on the internet and Google Thumblers Tumbler and buy one. Then get 10lbs of stainless steel pins also can be found with a google search. This combo when used with a product called lemashine and liquid dish soap with the rest water cleans your brass to unfired sparkling condition inside and out with immaculate primer holes. I have been using this method for 15 years and it is da bomb.
 
I've been using crushed walnut bedding from the pet store. Mostly because I don't have a place to put a 50lbs bag. I'm finding the bedding is small enough I haven't had any issues with needing to clear my flash holes or primer pockets. I still check but so far I've never had a problem.
 
So, after i de-cap and re-size , I use an ultrasonic cleaner with boiling water and Simple Green, for an hour , then i rinse them off good and dry them off in food dehydrator.They stay in there for another hour , then finally the FA Tumbler with Corn cob overnight. Cases turn out better than new
MAC in PG
 
Madmac74 said:
So, after i de-cap and re-size , I use an ultrasonic cleaner with boiling water and Simple Green, for an hour , then i rinse them off good and dry them off in food dehydrator.They stay in there for another hour , then finally the FA Tumbler with Corn cob overnight. Cases turn out better than new
MAC in PG
Click to expand...

Where did you get your ultrasonic cleaner ?
 
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