I'm going to begin reolading soon and before i can do so, i'm gonna need to clean up some cases to reload. I feel this is an experience type of thing that will vary depending on the equipment, medium and other such items. I think it would be good to have folks reply with what your equipment and processing time is. Such things as:

 

1. Tumbler/cleaning machine type (vibratory, rotary, ultrasonic, etc)

2. media type (walnut, stainless pins, belgian blocks, etc)

3. amount of shells cleaned per batch

4. cleaning time

5. other info: i dunno, i'm the n00b here.

1. Vibratory

2. Crushed walnut. I use lizard bedding from the pet store. A used dryer sheet helps keep the dust down.

3. never managed to overload mine (I got the frankford arsenal one) a few hundred pistol cases is fine

4. I like shiney so I leave them in 3-5 hours

5. dont breath the dust! Its nice and lead-ey lol

1. Vibratory

2. Crushed walnut. I use lizard bedding from the pet store. A used dryer sheet helps keep the dust down.

3. never managed to overload mine (I got the frankford arsenal one) a few hundred pistol cases is fine

4. I like shiney so I leave them in 3-5 hours

5. dont breath the dust! Its nice and lead-ey lol

 

Same as glennp.

Use a cap of Nu-finish car polish in the walnut every now and again.

We picked up some corn cob media from Harbor Freight once for a good price and split with 3 guys. I think we got a 30 pound bag.

 

I usually mix some lizard litter (crushed walnut shell)with some corn cob and tumble about 2 hours. It takes longer to clean once the media gets dirty. A cut up dryer sheet and a cap full of polish and you're good to go.

I'm going to begin reolading soon and before i can do so, i'm gonna need to clean up some cases to reload. I feel this is an experience type of thing that will vary depending on the equipment, medium and other such items. I think it would be good to have folks reply with what your equipment and processing time is. Such things as:

 

1. Tumbler/cleaning machine type (vibratory, rotary, ultrasonic, etc)

2. media type (walnut, stainless pins, belgian blocks, etc)

3. amount of shells cleaned per batch

4. cleaning time

5. other info: i dunno, i'm the n00b here.

 

1) Dillon Vibratory

2) corn

3) As much as could fit. The more brass, the better the cleaning.

4) A few hours. As the media gets dirty, cleaning time increases.

5) A little Dillon case polish in the media.

Walnut is a more abrasive cleaner and does a better job IMO. I just use corn because that's what shipped with my Dillon. The Nu-Finish supposedly does a good job too.

Drum rotating tumbler, lemishine, stainless media (on the way) dishsoap. 250 cases in 3 hours. Dry. Reload. I have actually cheated and done it without the media and have been able to get by until my SS media gets here.

 

Drum rotating tumbler, lemishine, stainless media (on the way) dishsoap. 250 cases in 3 hours. Dry. Reload. I have actually cheated and done it without the media and have been able to get by until my SS media gets here.

 

 

Shane,

 

How much do you have invested in that setup. I want to go that route but just don't know if its cost prohibitive for me right now

Well... not much. I got the tumbler off of craigs list for 50 bucks. Even so, Id go this route anyway. For one, I hate the dust and mess that accompanies crushed walnut. Second is simply that looking at all the reviews of vibratory cleaners... they dont seem to last very long these days. Noise is another factor. So even if you have to buy everything new, 180 for the tumbler, 50 for the media. Dishsoap and lemishine are at wallmart So your in for 250.

I got the cheapo Midway/Frakford kit and its set up in my shed.. its sort of set it and forget it.. I've only done a handful of loads.. but it seems to work pretty good.. One time i forgot and let it run over night. They where really shiney.. but not so much more than only a few hours.

Tumbler: I have 3 at work and 2 at home: http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=587176

Polish: I use NuFinsh car polish cheap, and it works

Media: I use crushed corn cob and/or crushed walnut from Pet Goods about $5 for 1 bag of each

Cases per cleaning cycle: 3-400 (per tumbler)

Time: about 4 hours

Media Separator: Dillon(http://www.dillonprecision.com/#/content/p/9/pid/23662/catid/8/CM_2000_Case_Media_Separator) the larger one

I use to run the brass for about an hour in walnut then switch to corn cob. Now I run the tumblers for about 4-5 hours in corn cob only. brass comes out nice and clean.

Brass sorter: (http://www.shellsorter.com/) because sorting brass sucks, and this makes it less sucky.

I have a vibratory. I get by with only one hour. It's not "super shiny" but it's certainly more shiny than when I put it in. I think my media is corn.

1. Vibratory - Harbor Freight 39 bucks

2. Crushed walnut (lizard bedding ~$5 for 11 Quarts) with a cap of NU Finish and cut up dryer sheet.

3. Most I've run is ~350 .40 S&W

4. 5-6 hours

5. Add NuFinish to Walnut and run for an hour BEFORE adding any brass!!!!! If NOT you will get clumps of walnut and polish inside your brass.

Noise is another factor???? Im sure the noise from those tumblers with the stainless media has got to be a lot louder than a small vibratory tumbler.

 

 

Well... not much. I got the tumbler off of craigs list for 50 bucks. Even so, Id go this route anyway. For one, I hate the dust and mess that accompanies crushed walnut. Second is simply that looking at all the reviews of vibratory cleaners... they dont seem to last very long these days. Noise is another factor. So even if you have to buy everything new, 180 for the tumbler, 50 for the media. Dishsoap and lemishine are at wallmart So your in for 250.

No. The water deadens the noise.

No. The water deadens the noise.

 

Have you tried the vibratory/media method in the past?

 

I looked into this method, but with my current set up, it seems like dumping out all the water would be a bigger pain in the a** than what I have now. Now maybe when I move into a house with a garage that has a slop sink or something....

Yes. Having sold all my reloading stuff long ago, I got to start fresh so I got to do it the way I wanted. If I already had a V cleaner, I might not have opted to re-buy. I just dump the water in the toilet if Im doing it in the house. Or even the sink... its just carbon. The sink sees much worse than that, I got the 1 Italian wife that cant cook

Haha.. I'm tumbling in the shed.. so I'd have to just dump it onto my parking lot next to my truck. I guess it'd work.. but I'd have to run the hose over to it.. or carry the water out from the house.. with the way it's set up now everything is in the shed alrealdy.

Just ordered a stainless steel setup, pics to follow

Just ordered a stainless steel setup, pics to follow

 

Where and how much?

NICE!

I got the thumlers B off cabelas for 185 shipped and the media from http://stainlesstumblingmedia.com/

 

Because of the shipping the tumbler is cheaper off cabelas. You can find it even cheaper elsewhere however I know the cabelas one is the higher speed one (other unconfirmed)

I use Large Dillon vibratory, crushed walnut, Dillon polish, run it for a few hours with 400-500 rounds of .38 Super Comp. Comes out nice. 1+ for running a few minutes without the brass to distribute the polish.

 

Jan

Any thoughts on this tumbler? http://tinyurl.com/2d4qcxw

 

Does anyone use a media separator?

 

Thanks.

Any thoughts on this tumbler? http://tinyurl.com/2d4qcxw

 

Does anyone use a media separator?

 

Thanks.

 

Get the cabelas tumbler combo, comes with polish and media. And yes media separators FTW. I did about 5k cases without it, and it sucks, use to take me forever to get all the media out of the cases. With the separator a few spins and the cases are empty.

I just bought this one from Natchez. Its fully enclosed to keep the dust down while you spin it round and quite inexpensive.

 

http://www.natchezss.com/product.cfm?contentID=productDetail&brand=UY&prodID=UYVBSR00525&prodTitle=SmartReloader%20SR405%20Media%20Separator

I just bought this one from Natchez. Its fully enclosed to keep the dust down while you spin it round and quite inexpensive.

 

http://www.natchezss.com/product.cfm?contentID=productDetail&brand=UY&prodID=UYVBSR00525&prodTitle=SmartReloader%20SR405%20Media%20Separator

 

I have the same one, just the Cabela's version, so it's green. It works really well.

Thumlers model B

5 lbs stainless steel media

1 gallon hot water

2 tbs dawn dish soap

1/4 tsp. lemishine

 

let the cases swim 2-4 hours and tada, a pot 'o gold!

Thanks for the info guys.

Tumbler: I have 3 at work and 2 at home: http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=587176

Polish: I use NuFinsh car polish cheap, and it works

Media: I use crushed corn cob and/or crushed walnut from Pet Goods about $5 for 1 bag of each

Cases per cleaning cycle: 3-400 (per tumbler)

Time: about 4 hours

Media Separator: Dillon(http://www.dillonprecision.com/#/content/p/9/pid/23662/catid/8/CM_2000_Case_Media_Separator) the larger one

I use to run the brass for about an hour in walnut then switch to corn cob. Now I run the tumblers for about 4-5 hours in corn cob only. brass comes out nice and clean.

Brass sorter: (http://www.shellsorter.com/) because sorting brass sucks, and this makes it less sucky.

Stephanie,

Did you look at these items?

Stephanie,

Did you look at these items?

Not yet. Will though before I order anything. Thanks. Thanks again for letting me borrow the mag holders. I'll get them back to you.