Lee Loader

After tumbling using dry media, what do you guys do next? Water rinse? I'm noticing some fine powder on the cases. How do you handle getting it off. just bought tumbler and started to learn ho.

Thanks!!
Ken

Everyone has an opinion but your question is the reason I started wet tumbling with HOT water and a drop of dish soap and a sprinkle of LemiShine. Dry tumbling didn't get my brass clean enough and I was still left with the dust and pieces of media stuck in the flash holes. I don't even use stainless pins so there's only the hassle of drying the cases which I do by letting them ride in the black spray in bedliner lined bed of my truck in the Texas sun (in bins).

kerrek wrote:After tumbling using dry media, what do you guys do next? Water rinse? I'm noticing some fine powder on the cases. How do you handle getting it off. just bought tumbler and started to learn ho.

Could it be time to change your media? What you might do is make your run with a paper towel in the bin, it will collect most of the dust. If it doesn't, it probably is time to change it or use an additive.

I went back to dry media, Lyman Corncob Plus and couldn't be happier. Much quicker and less hassle.

Whenever I had a "dust problem" I just soaked a small piece of paper towel with mineral spirits and dropped it into the media when I tumbled. Some fellers will recommend "used" dryer sheets. I occasionally will use a bit of auto cleaner/polish to leave a very light film of wax on my brass. But most of the time if there was any "dust" on my brass I'd just wipe it off or blow it off as I handled each case several times during the process...

One thing to remember; tumbling brass for reloading is prolly the most talked about but least important aspect of reloading...

mikld wrote:One thing to remember; tumbling brass for reloading is prolly the most talked about but least important aspect of reloading...

Great point mikld!

Ranch Dog wrote:

mikld wrote:One thing to remember; tumbling brass for reloading is prolly the most talked about but least important aspect of reloading...

Great point mikld!

although I do like the looks of nice shiny brass, I have to give a big
" I second that " to RD's comment. Super over rated

Media and tumbler are brand new! Maiden voyage for both. Just had some dirty.223 cases wanted to try and clean up some. Will try the paper towel idea and see what happens! Thanks guys!

Ken

I have a coffee can of 7.62X39 and one of .45C sliding around yet unspilled right now. I spent $0.09 and 12 minutes on this round.

Let's face it guys some dry media is just dusty. For dry I prefer Lyman Tuff Nut in my vibratory, I ignore the dust until it gets heavy and that tells me it's time to recharge or replace.

I got into wet with pins due to the black powder in the 40-65 WCF, the brass is just danged expensive to be allowed to "rot" and pins, water and a little turtle wax wash-n-wax get the job done. De-capped first I get cases clean inside and out and clean primer pockets.

Speaking of dry media, Horrible Freight has a walnut media that price wise at the time wasn't a bad deal. IMO it's way to fine for use in either tumbler or vibrator. It will really pack up in small bottle neck cases like 223. I think it's intended as a blasting media.

Make smoke,

Here's my experience. I sonic clean my brass first. Oven dry. Then into my Frankford tumbler with walnut. Every 2-4th time I add some Frankford or Hornady One Shot polish. The polish must keep my dust down because I really haven't noticed enough to be concerned.
And yep some media gets caught in the flash holes. But I see this as a positive as I must handle the brass multiple times I examine it multiple times.