Anyone ever try Crushed Glass Blast Media for tumbling? Saw this at Northern Tool and was curious!


http://www.northerntool.com/shop/too...BYblFmB9WytUL0

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Really? U saw it in Wikipedia?

Only if you want your brass to have a bead-blasted look instead of being bright. You could use sand and get the same effect. Don't know why anyone would want to do this.

It would also eat up the inside of the tumbler drum much faster than the conventional corn cob or groung walnut shell media.

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Gunsmithing since 1961

Like I said, just curious and thought I'd ask the experts! Ya just never know.....

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Really? U saw it in Wikipedia?

IMHO, DON'T use the glass. There WILL be glass dust created. Unless you know 'clean shop' procedures and are set up to handle your cleaned brass that way and only that way, you are handling very harmful to your health items.

It is possible with good vibratory tumblers and media from walnut shells, corn cobs or stainless steel to get as good of a cleaning job as is necessary without risking your health. ....

BTW: Glass is harder than brass and would thin your cases over time as the glass beads removed brass. JMHO, that's why I'm not fond of steel media, too.

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Randy
Provenance nerd

I haven't heard of this being used ....yet.
It's an abrasive and I don't know how abrasive it would be.
Rock tumbling begins with a course abrasive and ends with a fine polishing abrasive...but rocks are a lot harder than brass.

Try it with a fine grit and check often , stainless steel pins are all the rage now. Be sure to use it in a rubber lined unit like the Thumbler Tumbler , water may be needed like the stainless steel pins .

I still use polishing treated walnut shell media in a vibrating unit for mine , the water and drying makes a mess .

Gary

For the record, I use walnut or corn cob now. I was just curious about this product. THANKS for the info, interesting responses. I've had similar reservations with the pins but am always open to new ideas. I've often thought of trying play sand as mentioned earlier.

Again, just one of those "what if" discussions!

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Really? U saw it in Wikipedia?

I use stainless pins in the Franklin Arsenal equipment. Works very well ad the brass is CLEAN, including primer pockets. Does it shoot better? No. Just looks better for whatever that's worth.

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Dick

BTDT I tried everything I could think of to tumble brass. Glass beads (from my bead blaster, medium fine) are very aggressive when used in a rotary, but in my wobbler it did nuttin'. In my rotary glass beads produced a matt finish, not shiny like seems to be the fad today, but very clean and even finish...

A BTW: You people getting into needing to clean large quantities of brass might consider going to Lowes or Home Depot and purchasing one of their smallest polyurathane drum concrete mixers. Every once in a while my local Lowes puts the demo unit on sale for a little under $150. Back in my competition days I would have bought one then. Today, I really don't need it. Fill one with walnut shells and an ounce or two of any of the common 'cleaners'. Run it with up to 2000 brass and then dump the load out into a wheelbarrow with a wire mesh over it. A friend is a commercial re-loader and this is the method he uses. Slick, effortless and low maintenance. .....

Same with Harbor Fright and Northern Tool!

Great minds! This thread is the result of such a search. I actually need to fix a portion of a walk. I COULD mix what I need by hand in my large tub (multiple) OR I could buy a small mixer and then have it for cleaning "things". I was looking for options on bulk media!!!! I also remember either a thread or a video where someone fitted a 5 gallon bucket into one of these mixers to give a small batch/large batch option!

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Really? U saw it in Wikipedia?

Avoid the glass media and it could lead to silicosis which is a bad lung disease mostly caused when using crushed glass,sand and and other types of blasting media. Stick to corn cobs media, crushed walnut media and the new stainless steel pins with lemishine. Frank

One thing I know will NOT work is dry clay kitty litter , it is just a bad idea. Dusty and doesn't polish worth a hoot.
Rice works at first but breaks down fast and doesn't put on a high polish.
Play sand would be similar to the glass media. I haven't tried sand.
For myself , who likes bright and shiney brass , the nut shell treated with polishing rouge works best. Flitz now makes a media additive that will rejuvenate old media or can be used to treat plain media, I'm trying some in walnut shells now and seems to be working .
Gary

Ground walnut shells with a little liquid Flitz or other polish are hard to beat. Often the flash holes have a piece of media that needs to be poked out. That is the only drawback I find.

You want a cheap way to clean your brass? Get a wide mouth plastic jug and use zip ties to strap it inside your clothes dryer using a no heat setting. I can do about 150 rounds per jug. Takes about 2 hours. Use limi shine and liquid soap. I generally deprime first. Takes about 2 hours. I can do 3 jugs at one time. I don't use steel pins. Don't need to.

smokindog,
+1 stay away from the glass !

Larry

My buddy did just that but built a drum from a 5gal bucket to fit inside. I think he can do something like 10k at a pop with ss pins.

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NRA Cert. Inst. IDPA CSO

The best thing I have come across for straight wall cases in my Lyman tumbler is Lizard Litter. Big bag at the pet shop $3. Cleans very well but is a B---h to get out of bottle neck cases.

I tried glass beads that they mix in highway striping paint for reflectivity.
It didn't do worth a durn, just gave a dull sheen. Never again.

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Where we go one, we go all

Whatever you use, buy a Dillon media separator and you won't regret it. I tried three different models and once I bought the Dillon I threw the rest away. And I am NOT on the blue kool aid band wagon. This is just a product that Dillon makes hands down the best. If anyone wants to beat them then make the same thing with a lid so dust stops flying everywhere. I've tried several tote bins with slots cut for the handle but something made for a perfect fit sure would be nice.

I use my Hornady vibratory case cleaner. It came with two lids. One is slotted. I just put the slotted lid on, turn it upside down over a bucket and turn it on. 30 seconds later it has shaken out all the media from the brass. Then dump the clean brass in a separate container. No need for a separator. I let the machine do it all for me.