Case tumbler

[Poisontail 0]

Another two words. Dryer sheet. Torn into strips collects dust. Wet tumbling while nice, is a long process. Half corncob and walnut shells by volume, with 2 caps of NuFinish liquid car polish and a dryer sheet, produces acceptable results.

Lol that old trick doesn't work that well input 5 or 6 and I still gag while doing mine

[mikeyjones 88]

I'm a bit of a health freak so when I started tumbling brass. I was really worried about the lead dust. Remember that its airborne tiny particles that settle on your clothes.

 

Yes wet tumbling takes longer but the results are better and cleaner. Vibratory tumblers still have uses such as lubing or removing lube. I just won't put dirty brass in one.

[TOMMY R 24]

Lizzard Litter http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2752164&f=PAD%2FpsNotAvailInUS%2FNo New finish liquid car wax

[Heavyopp 167]

 I found the extra work wasn't worth it.  I sold my wet tumbler, bought a vibratory tumbler, and never looked back.    

 

 

Another two words.  Dryer sheet.  Torn into strips collects dust.  Wet tumbling while nice, is a long process.  

 

I really curious what your process was to be so much more work for the both of you --

 

 I've played this game for 2 decades and been cleaning with walnut or corncob for most of it --  dryer sheets, nu finish, brass cleaner, I've tried a lot of different additives

 

Nothing even comes close to the results from wet tumbling -- and I can run double or triple the amount of brass in 1 load easily -- no way I could clean over 1000 .45 acp cases at once in the dustmaker

 

So I ask,  What was it you guys where doing that took so long and with so much more work? 

[10X 3,296]

Drying.   I've got no time to sit around waiting for water to evaporate.   Even loading/unloading the tumbler took longer.  Messier, slower...   

 

The cases may have been slightly shinier.   I don't care about that at all.

[Heavyopp 167]

It's not the shiny that I care about...  It's the clean primer pockets.  I always used a brush on my primer pockets,  now with the wet I actually save time.

 

There are ways to speed up the drying -- but it doesn't bother me  --  really no big deal to lay a load of wet cases on a towel in front of the dehumidifier for a day

 

No work,  just time

[JonF 79]

Lol that old trick doesn't work that well input 5 or 6 and I still gag while doing mine

Same here. It collects some, but never enough. And the longer you use the media, the duster it gets as it breaks down.

 

The most dust-free product that i've tried for dry tumbling that is STILL actually an effective media is the Lyman treated corn cob granules. Coarse enough not to be dusty and fine enough to get shells perfectly clean. I dont decap pistol brass before tumbling but its still finer than a SP primer so it should clean those pockets well enough.

[raz-0 1,259]

Lol that old trick doesn't work that well input 5 or 6 and I still gag while doing mine

I use the cheapest white rice in giant bags at Costco.

 

It's only good for a few cleanings, but it is very low dust and cleans stuff up nicely. As for the folks debating volume, vibratory tumblers come in different sizes just like wet tumblers. Mine will do 1000 .223 cases just fine.

[Heavyopp 167]

As for the folks debating volume, vibratory tumblers come in different sizes just like wet tumblers. Mine will do 1000 .223 cases just fine.

 

Curious as to what machine your running and what is your run time...

 

I never did try rice

[carl_g 568]

For those of you who wet tumble, do you de-prime using your press or use some other method? What are the option?Is dirty brass in the press an issue?

Thanks

[Kingsoverqueens 10]

Pretty much what Nick said.

 

When I got my Dillon 650 I ordered an extra die plate that is dedicated for my depriming die and a bullet puller for my spaz rounds.

 

I attached a cut up milk jug underneath the "scupper" holes (lack of a better term) of the case feeder to catch any dirt or debris in the brass.  Otherwise if falls on the work bench and can be vacuumed up anyway, but I hate to vacuum. 

 

One pull, one piece of deprimed brass. 

 

I purchased a wet tumbler from heavyopp and couldn't be happier.

[Heavyopp 167]

I use a universal decapping die  no fuss no muss  dont use your resizing die for that step..

 

 

I use a hornday LNL - AP with the case feeder...........so the depriming step is SOOOOOOOOOOOO easy... every pull of the handle is a deprimed case.......

 

I use the same setup except that I hand feed my brass --  Easy to pop 1000 primers in an hour or so

[AverageJoe 95]

Wet tumbling is the only way to go.. IMHO....

 

Those who don't care about lead dust from vibratory tumbling

Are being foolish imo

 

Hey Nick...curious as to what "dust" you guys are referring to. My Dillon case cleaner uses rubber seal/gasket around the lid and rubber lined washers where the lid screws down. There is nothing getting out of that when its in use. The only dust I can maybe see is when I'm using the media separator.

[raz-0 1,259]

Curious as to what machine your running and what is your run time...

 

I never did try rice

I snagged the giant harbor freight vibratory tumbler on sale. Got it for like $135. It does 18.5lb of payload. 1000 rounds of .233 plus rice comes out at about 16. I give it 3-4 hours. 2 hours is functional, 4 cleans it up nice.

[DeerSlayer 241]

Wet tumbling is the only way to go.. IMHO....

 

Those who don't care about lead dust from vibratory tumbling

Are being foolish imo

I'm a plumber the word itself is Latin meaning "one who works with Lead". Not that I work with it as much these days as we used to. A little bit of lead dust while tumbling spent cartridges is the least thing I'm worried about. Considering we used to hang a crucible of it over an open flame, feeding bar after bar and scoping ladle after ladle. All the while inhaling in the vapors. I'm more worried about breathing in PVC glue and primer 12 hours a day. Better get yourself a bubble to spend life inside of. You live in NJ you think the air your breathing now isn't polluted? Most of the items in your home & work place are leaching toxins into your life all day long.

 

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[Heavyopp 167]

PVC glue -  I work with it everyday -- barely even notice the smell anymore -- I can't imagine that's a good thing

 

As for tumbling,  My main reason...  Is the clean primer pockets.  I started reloading for precision rifle and clean pockets where part of the procedure.

 

That carried over to pistol brass --  I know it's not necessary for the most part but I just couldn't get used to loading a primer into that buggered up primer pocket.

 

I used to brush every primer pocket -- that took a ton of time --- the wet, and stainless took that painstaking step away.

 

No dust is a welcome bonus. 

[mikeyjones 88]

I'm a plumber the word itself is Latin meaning "one who works with Lead". Not that I work with it as much these days as we used to. A little bit of lead dust while tumbling spent cartridges is the least thing I'm worried about. Considering we used to hang a crucible of it over an open flame, feeding bar after bar and scoping ladle after ladle. All the while inhaling in the vapors. I'm more worried about breathing in PVC glue and primer 12 hours a day. Better get yourself a bubble to spend life inside of. You live in NJ you think the air your breathing now isn't polluted? Most of the items in your home & work place are leaching toxins into your life all day long. Sent using Tapatalk 2 NOW FREE!!!

Unless you're going near 850* or higher, lead doesn't vaporize. There are no lead fumes from melting it. But the dust from primers is indeed very real.

[Spartiati 63]

As of late have been running pistol brass through my wet tumbler with primers left in. Previously I was depriming first which I felt was tedious. Takes brass longer to dry fully, but I've loaded about 2000 rounds of 45acp and 10mm with no issues. Saves a lot of time and havent had any issues with primers corroding.