Sifting brass- Is there a better way?

[Wee Hooker]

Sorry if this has been asked before but I'm having trouble finding anything via the search feature.

So, I just came in from the garage where I needed to empty 400 or so of my cleaned/polished 38 special brass from the tumbler. What a PITA. Over the years, I've tried several ways of doing this and none seems slick, fast or mess free. Currently, I use a slotted spoon (or my hands) to scoop the brass out of the media and then dump it into a plastic pasta strainer over a bucket. I then need to shake the strainer as much as I dare so most of teh media falls through into the bucket. Then, I have to gram all teh brass ( maybe 10 at a time) and turn them over/around so that any residual media falls free. Only then can I call them ready for reloading.
It seems every time I do this, there is a cloud of dish, pile of sifting on the floor and/or a general mess. I'm thinking there HAS to be a simpler, more effective and cleaner way to do this (without buying another piece of gear.)
Any advice appreciated.

 

[Tupperware]

If the one caveat is that you aren't going to buy another piece of equipment, try what I used to do.
Drill many small holes in the lid if your tumbler with a 1/4 inch drill bit. You could probably sacrifice the lid from a 5 gallon bucket, or frizbee or piece of plexiglass-use your imagination.
Use the lid with the holes to sift the brass. Just turn the entire assembly over into an empty 5 gallon bucket and shake like crazy. I tried running the tumbler upside-down and it worked but it was very loud and pretty slow.
There really is no substitute for a proper tumbler.

 

[Raider]

how about some screen wire pushed down into a 5 gal bucket? Shake it, remove brass, shake some more and then pour the media back into the tumbler.

Charlie

 

[Scrapper]

I use a spaghetti spider and shake them in it over the running tumbler, dump them into a box then sort and check.

 

[Tupperware]

If the one caveat is that you aren't going to buy another piece of equipment, try what I used to do.
Drill many small holes in the lid if your tumbler with a 1/4 inch drill bit. You could probably sacrifice the lid from a 5 gallon bucket, or frizbee or piece of plexiglass-use your imagination.
Use the lid with the holes to sift the brass. Just turn the entire assembly over into an empty 5 gallon bucket and shake like crazy. I tried running the tumbler upside-down and it worked but it was very loud and pretty slow.
There really is no substitute for a proper tumbler.

Frankford Arsenal Quick-N-EZ Rotary Media Separator Kit - MidwayUSA
http://www.dillonprecision.com/#/content/p/9/pid/23663/catid/8/CM_500_Case_Media_Separator

 

[JWiley]

Don't know if this will work but, get another strainer of the same size. Put one in a plastic bag, put the tumbled brass/media in it, put the second strainer upside down over the first strainer. Pull the plastic bag over both and twist the top closed. Grab the top and the lips of the two strainers and shake. When you think most of the media is out, open the bag, remove the top strainer, empty the remaining media out of the brass, keeping it in the bag.

 

[max]

Do a search here. Sgt Preston talked some months ago about making a strainer.Also Dillon sells some plastic trays that strain brass.

 

[PDL]

I keep wondering whether one of those lettus spinner - dryers would do the job. Just haven't tried it yet.

 

[Scrapper]

I keep wondering whether one of those lettus spinner - dryers would do the job. Just haven't tried it yet.

Too many moving parts LOL....remember the KISS rule?

 

[HAWKEYE10]

I use a Lyman Auto Flow tumbler. It separates the media
for you. While it separates I do stir the brass to make it
faster. Don

 

[Rule3]

Assuming you have a 5 gal empty bucket (doesn't everyone?)
You really should have two.

Break down and spend the $10 for:

Frankford Arsenal Standard Media Separator - MidwayUSA

Its a plastic strainer so I do not count it as another piece of "equipment"

Put strainer in bucket, dump brass, shake about and do the Hokey Pokey, Dump almost clean brass in next bucket, shake some more and then dump in strainer again and shake about.

 

[running iron]

Assuming you have a 5 gal empty bucket (doesn't everyone?)
You really should have two.

Break down and spend the $10 for:

Frankford Arsenal Standard Media Separator - MidwayUSA

Its a plastic strainer so I do not count it as another piece of "equipment"

Put strainer in bucket, dump brass, shake about and do the Hokey Pokey, Dump almost clean brass in next bucket, shake some more and then dump in strainer again and shake about.

This is also how I do it. The strainer fits in a 5 gal. bucket to the rim of the strainer. I also drilled some bigger holes in the strainer to dump the media faster. It works good, don't loose any media this way. I roll my hand around in the strainer pushing the brass to speed up the process.

 

[mstuhr]

Frankford

Howdy,
After struggling for years, I broke down this year and bought one of the Frakford Arsenal crank operated rotary seperators. It comes with a bucket and shields. It works good and is not messy with walnut media.
It was around $25.00.
I wish I had done it years ago.
Good luck
Mike

 

[RedHawk357Mag]

I use a mesh laundry bag. Pretty clean and cheap. I dump the brass and media in the bag with one of those cheap alum pans that you use once and throw away for baking.

 

[Dan Cash]

Dillon makes a media separator that is priceless. Don't confuse it with their brass sorting trays. I have been using mine since the early 90s. It works.

 

[haggis]

This works well for me.

https://shop.rcbs.com/WebConnect/Ma...creenlabel=index&productId=3167&route=C11J035

I don't think it's any better that the Frankford rotary separator which is usually cheaper.

Buck

 

[epj]

I use an old french fry basket. Dump brass in, and shake over the box I keep the media in. Works pretty well. Don't have a ff basket? Check the local thrift store.

 

[lebomm]

I made my separator at home. Two plywood discs on about a 3/4" dowel axle. Wrap the discs about 3/4 of their periphery w/hardware cloth, and staple in place Make a door of hardware cloth on a coathanger wire frame to fit the opening, and a couple of wire hooks and springs will hold it shut. Make a plywood box to accept the ends of the axle in two notches at opposite sides, and a crank handle for one end of the axle. Pour brass and media into the cylinder, latch the door closed, give the cylinder a couple of gentle turns until no more media falls out, then pour the brass into your empty bucket, and the media back into the tumbler.
Mine has given me yeoman service for nearly 20 yrs.

Larry

 

[oldRoger]

+1 for the rotary separators. I like the ones with the cover.
I have all sorts of kitchen stuff, which sort of works (my wife is still looking for some of it) but the rotary gadget really does work. You could build one as suggested above, but at the price they are a good buy. I found mine at Gander Mountain.
You dump the whole tumbler in the thing, close the lid, roll it back and forth several times, no dust, no mess. About five minutes and the media is gone. Even the primer pockets are mostly clean.

 

[2hawk]

Dillon makes a media separator that is priceless. Don't confuse it with their brass sorting trays. I have been using mine since the early 90s. It works.

This

Dillon Precision: Reloaders, Reloading Equipment, Bullet Reloading, Bullet Reloaders

Been using one for at least 15 years, probably closer to 20. Buy once and never look back.