Rotary case tumbler

[BE Mike]

I owned an RCBS rotary tumbler long before the SS pin cleaning method became the thing. That machine is too expensive now, it is a good machine if you can afford it.
I use low sudsing Cascade dishwasher machine detergent in this tumbler because the RCBS tumbler has a small vent hole in the lid. High sudsing detergents like the automotive wash and wax will cause suds to ooze out the hole.
I still use the Simoniz wash and wax I swirl 50 cases at a time in a 2 pound margarine tub in a litre of water The waxed cases seem to greatly reduce the amount of brass that gets bonded to the nose of the expander die plug.
A Lyman case separator fits perfectly into a home depot 2.5 gal bucket.
I punched 8 half inch drain holes in the side of the side of the bucket just below the sieve. This lets rinse water flow out while the pins get sluiced through the sieve to fall to the bottom.
I dry the case on a couple of cheap Walmart grade cotton hand towels over night, or in a warm oven on a large banking pan.
I dry the SS pins so they don't grow a mold or get stinky. I dump the SS pin on one end of a large baking pan. Elevate that end so all the water flows out of the pile of pins an down to the low end of the pan.
Sponge out the water, spread out the pins across the pan and bake them in the oven till there dry. A paper cup with the rolled rim cut off makes a great scoop to get the pins off the baking pan and into their plastic storage jar, a magnet collects the stragglers.

I used to use TSP mixed with the detergent but I found it made the wash water too slick and oily feeling. I think the slickness interfered with the pins ability to scour the brass and extended the time spent in the tumbler.

Tumbling does peen the case mouths a little bit. I check the degree of peening and run a LEE de-burring tool on the case mouth to clean up peening I can feel or see with a magnifying glass.
I like the LEE de-burring tool because it not an aggressive cutter.

Thanks for the insight. Considering how unimportant cleaning brass is, especially for loading pistol ammo, which is about 90% of my reloading, I'll continue to avoid the wet tumbling process. It'll continue to be ground walnut shells and liquid Flitz for me in my old Lortone QT-12.

 

[rockquarry]

I've been cleaning brass in a tumbler or vibratory machine for about forty years. I use walnut or corncob media, but have never dealt with the dust many complain about. I shake the brass/media mixture outside to separate the two. Brass needs to be clean enough to keep dies from being scratched.

There seems to be an obsession with making brass look like virgin factory stuff. Some here have already admitted that "surgically" clean brass is too clean and may stick in a die. Hard for normal folks to associate "surgical" with cartridge brass and I don't really understand the need for liquid cleaning rituals, drying brass, steel pins, etc., but then, I also fail to understand the compulsion to wax a handgun and take pictures of it.

However, we live in America. If we can't make something complicated and time consuming beyond all practicality, we often don't want to get involved. I suppose I'm too busy with handloading projects and shooting to get involved with the ancillary busy work that seems to thrill others.

 

[Kodiakco]

My aren't you condescending! Pride in ownership has varying degrees. Some are higher than others.

I prefer to see Americans as innovators. If one doesn't attempt to "make it better" than it will always be the same.

In America you have the right to stagnant or innovate, to succeed or fail, to make smart helpful remarks or condescending remarks.

...There seems to be an obsession with making brass look like virgin factory stuff. Some here have already admitted that "surgically" clean brass is too clean and may stick in a die. Hard for normal folks to associate "surgical" with cartridge brass and I don't really understand the need for liquid cleaning rituals, drying brass, steel pins, etc., but then, I also fail to understand the compulsion to wax a handgun and take pictures of it.



However, we live in America. If we can't make something complicated and time consuming beyond all practicality, we often don't want to get involved. I suppose I'm too busy with handloading projects and shooting to get involved with the ancillary busy work that seems to thrill others.

Living the Tech Life

 

[rockquarry]

My aren't you condescending! Pride in ownership has varying degrees. Some are higher than others.

I prefer to see Americans as innovators. If one doesn't attempt to "make it better" than it will always be the same.

In America you have the right to stagnant or innovate, to succeed or fail, to make smart helpful remarks or condescending remarks.

Nothing was intended as condescending, but some won't pass up an opportunity to be offended by another's opinion, even it's fact-based.

Living the Tech Life

Nothing was intended to be condescending, but it seems some can't pass up an opportunity to be offended by another's fact-based opinion. None of this is worthy of argument.

 

[gwpercle]

I have used both types , I've cleaned them both ways , each way will get the job done .
1.) wet tumbling creates a water mess , I don't hhave water or sink in my reloading room . They do clean but now you must get every case completely dry.
Any moisture left in a case is unacceptable... now you have to dry them in an oven or buy a case dryer and go through the extra drying process .
2.) Dry tumbling...for me , has no downside . They get cleaned and polished , sifted out the dry media they are ready to deprime and resize.
I do clean the primer pockets while watching TV with a little hand tool .

If you have dust...you aren't using the correct polishing media .
If you use crushed walnut shell treated with red polishing rouge it will NOT be dusty . I get mine from Midway, the shells are ground to the correct size , very important, and the proper amount of liquid polishing agent is correctly mixed in....
Pet bedding and liquid car wax isn't going to work properly...use the commercial polishing media .

Done it both ways and cleaner and easier for me to use the dry polishing media in the vibrating unit with proper walnut media. It will not be dusty and every unit I have owned has a lid...put the lid on and NO DUST !
Gary

 

[Greenjoytj]

The Lyman green tinted corn cob media I dry tumbled with always left my cases slimed with a film that I didn't want to remain on the cases.
So I would wash the cases to remove the this slimy film.
Since I was already washing the cases I though I may as well be wet get into tumbling with SS pins.
I do the wet cleaning at the basement laundry tub. The short 3 ft hose on the faucet does the work of sluicing the pins through the sieve to the bottom of the bucket and general rinsing. Drain holes punch in the bucket side just below the floor of the sieve are a must have.
Drying the cases is not a problem, spread them out on a towel and forget them for a day. If your in as rush to dry the cases baking in the oven at low temperature or in the clothes drier with the cases spread on a towel that has been placed on the stationary rack in the drier.
( the stationary rack allows you to dry things like shoes or hats that you don't want to tumble, the rack has been included in every home clothes drier I've purchased).
If anyone is not into shinny as new brass just wet tumble with the SS pins for a brief period of time, one hour.
Good clean but not new looking brass will emerge, ready to dry.

 

[dr. mordo]

The Lyman green tinted corn cob media I dry tumbled with always left my cases slimed with a film that I didn't want to remain on the cases.

This is true, which is why I use it! The cleaned brass slides thru the dies like butter.

Also, when I buy used brass that has been wet tumbled, I run it thru my vibratory tumbler with the Lyman media so I don't have to lube the cases.

 

[bluetopper]

Here's by far the best brass tumbler I've found. I use dry media and it does a great job. Harbor Freight mini cement mixer.

 

[Skeet 028]

When I was back east I sold my shotmakers to a friend and that is what he used to tumble the shot in graphite.. He had 7 shotmakers he was using just prior to his death...in a hunting accident of all things. You know...you could put about 15 lbs of SS pins 50 lbs of cases and the liquid media in one of those...WOW LOL

 

[bluetopper]

It'll do a good job on two and a half, 2lb coffee cans full of brass at a time. I never weighed a coffee can full of brass. It's not as big as it looks. Just right I think.