Stainless steel media wet tumbling

[cornmastah]

Anybody gotten into wet tumbling with stainless steel media?  It appears to be a bit expensive to get into, but cheaper in the long run--and makes cases absolutely beautiful.

[Jim Fleming]

What I've heard is exactly what you've said, Corn.

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[Kevin]

Never heard of it. I'm using corn cob media right now, and I've used walnut in the past. The walnut, after some usage, left the cases shinier (prettier?) than the cob, which is leaving my cases with a matte finish right now. Wondering if it will eventually work itself in...
Do you use the wet/stainless media in the same tumblers as the dry media?

[Teamklr2bar]

Kevin, do a YouTube search for cleaning brass with stainless.  Or some iteration like that.

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[Kevin]

Thanks! Not seeing anybody using the vibrating tumblers... Love how clean that comes out, but if it requires buying another tumbler, I'm sticking with what I've got.

[Charlie Foxtrot]

  
Well, I'm no fan of the Shiny-Shiny brass fetish.  

Clean 'em good enough, load 'em, empty 'em, repeat.  

If your brass looks Springtime Fresh, you ain't shottin' enough.  

 

[Kevin]

I'm guilty of not even cleaning it sometimes... just shoot, reload, shoot... but when I'm shooting rifle, I like to say, "Oooooh, shiney" as I feed the round. Makes me feel like the bullet is a little happier as it goes down range.

[Jim Fleming]

It requires buying a rotating/rolling tumbler, like a Thumbler's Tumbler...

Thanks! Not seeing anybody using the vibrating tumblers... Love how clean that comes out, but if it requires buying another tumbler, I'm sticking with what I've got.

[Kevin]

It requires buying a rotating/rolling tumbler, like a Thumbler's Tumbler...

Thanks Jim, that's what I was thinking. I'm going to stick with the old cob technique for now.... clean enough for government work, and I would know...
-Kevin, working for Uncle Barry, but missing Uncle Ronnie...

[cornmastah]

I actually found a guy on the ar15.com forums who has been making some large capacity stainless steel tumbling tumblers as well as the large capacity drums.  I bought one and just got it delivered yesterday.  MUCH higher capacity than the Thumblers tumblers and built like a tank.  I'm thinking that this might solve my "corncob media all over the garage floor" dilemma.  Gotta buy the stainless steel media still, and then I will see how it all turns out.

[Teamklr2bar]

I use ultrasonic.  Cleans inside and out, and really gets the primer pockets well.

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[cornmastah]

how long do you usually leave your cases in the ultrasonic?  I do very small batches in mine, but it seems like it doesn't always get it as clean as i would like.

[Devereaux]

Corn -

?Does your guy have a website. ?Share.

?What's the cost. ?How large a tumbler did you get. ?How much media did it take. ?Any cheap sites for the media.

It would seem that the media NEVER gets old, so your only reason to get "new" would be if you lose enough old to have to make additions. ?Yes.

Some details would be hugely appreciated.

[Teamklr2bar]

For now I have been using a mild vinegar, soap, and  water solution. Depending on how dirty, anywhere from 5-20min.  After I remove them from the ultrasonic vinegar solution I dip them in a mild water and baking soda solution, then rinse twice.  I put the wet brass into a baking dish and into the oven at 170until they are dry, say 10-15min.  Any higher temp and the brass will discolor.  I do still get some spotting from the vinegar. I am going to try Lyman or Hornady's ultrasonic solution.

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[cornmastah]

Corn -

?Does your guy have a website. ?Share.

?What's the cost. ?How large a tumbler did you get. ?How much media did it take. ?Any cheap sites for the media.

It would seem that the media NEVER gets old, so your only reason to get "new" would be if you lose enough old to have to make additions. ?Yes.

Some details would be hugely appreciated.

Yes he has a website: http://biggdawgtumblers.com/5601.html

Cost is a bit expensive but the equipment is lifetime type equipment--should last as long as i am alive:

The tumbler with the small drum is $279.00 plus shipping
The tumbler with the medium drum is $299 plus shipping
The tumbler with medium drum and small drum is $329 plus shipping.
The tumbler with the large drum is 339.00 plus shipping

Instructions and recipes for the brass/media/lemishine/dawn ratios: http://biggdawgtumblers.com/18822.html

Bulk buying of media (cheaper than midway) here: http://pelletsllc.com/ ask for SS tumbling media (this is the size: #41x.255)

My SS media has just shipped, so I am waiting for that before I test it out.

[Devereaux]

Thanks, Corn!

?Which size tumbler did you get.

[cornmastah]

I bought the tumbler with the small and medium sized drums.  I will probably end up tumbling with the small size drum most of the time.  The medium one is quite large.  They are both MUCH bigger than the Thumler tumbler.

[cornmastah]

Wife called to let me know my SS tumbling media just arrived.  Just in time for the weekend!  Forecast calls for rain, so it will probably end up being a reloading weekend instead of a shooting weekend.

[cornmastah]

Finished my first batch last night of wet SS tumbing.  I am VERY pleased with the results and will probably tumble this way from now on.  No messy dust or anything and the brass looks amazing.  I posted some pictures on the reloading room on FB, if people want to see some pics, I can post them here too.

[Jim Fleming]

Thanks Corn... I appreciate the help.

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