Concrete mixer for brass tumbling

[KY DAN]

I purchased a brand new 1.75 cubic yard concrete mixer at northern tool for $90 this weekend.

Quickly reading it will hold 100 pounds of product.

How should I load this to get maximum cleaning and polish.

How many pounds of brass to how many pounds of media (walnut/corn cob)

Also what the best brass polish add ins for corn Cobb media? I use nu finish wax,

I want maximum shine

Thanks and a happy new year

 

[nettlle]

Maybe you have been using a vibratory tumbler already? What ever worked before should work in the concrete mixer. Just put more stuff in. I would think the concrete mixer a bit slower than a vibratory tumbler.

 

[DustyRusty]

Jerry Mikulec uses one for his brass.

 

[The Glockodile]

Be careful with concrete mixers - THOSE are the tools which really peen case lips (among other things), if you don't get the time / media / brass combination right.

 

[AK Hunter]

If you are going to use a concrete mixer you may as well step up & wet tumble your brass.
I use the dawn dishwashing detergent & Lemi-Shine detergent booster in water.
You will have to experiment to get the right proportions for that large of tumbler, if you start getting a pink color in your brass it's too much Lemi-Shine.
You can also add stainless steel pins or chunks to get the insides of the brass clean.

 

[BBarn]

I would think several thousand cases would be needed for tumbling without causing case damage in a mixer of that size. And probably 20+ lbs of media. But I'd still be concerned about case damage when they fall against the steel blades. The rotational speed may need to be different than what is provided to mix concrete and mortar.

For cleaning large volumes of brass It would be good to know what the large providers of fired brass use to clean their product.

 

[CQB45ACP]

If today was April 1 I’d know you were joking, but January 1, I’m not sure.

 

[JDeere]

It will work for large quantities of brass. Probably will have to experiment with the amount of media. Get a large bag of corn cob and go from there. I use a small amount of Mother's in my media because that's what's on the shelf for my vehicles. I always decap and size after I tumble so any deformities are taken out. Pistol brass I don't tumble after every firing. Personally I really don't care about shiny brass. I'm the only who sees it...

 

[Sawdust1]

Take the blades out and make some wood ones to replace them with

 

[Blue68f100]

The issue will be how far the brass free falls from the top to the bottom, denting the brass. If you have enough media it just rolls, no impact.

 

[moranna]

I bought one of the poly drum mixers from HF for my online used brass store. It will clean 25 lbs in 30-45 minutes w/o pins using couple of dishwasher pods and dash of lemashine

I bolted 2" nylon paddles to the blades to enhance the mix. Mixers rotate slower than the FA tumblers so case damage not a problem, just don't tumble too long

 

[Jonny2guns]

I bought one for the same purpose, just haven't gotten around to using it yet. I've seen others do it without any case damage, and no media....I plan to stainless pins and chips

 

[jmorris]

If you are wanting "for looking at" brass the best looking used stuff I have seen came from a place I built 3 of these wet tumblers for.

MOAT

www.youtube.com

After they loaded them they finished them off in cement mixers with corn cob.



This had a shelf on the bottom to hold the catch bin before I delivered it, what they run down the isle with.

Media separator, cement mixer size.

www.youtube.com

 

[Jonny2guns]

If you are wanting "for looking at" brass the best looking used stuff I have seen came from a place I built 3 of these wet tumblers for.

MOAT

www.youtube.com

After they loaded them they finished them off in cement mixers with corn cob.

View attachment 1187192

This had a shelf on the bottom to hold the catch bin before I delivered it, what they run down the isle with.

Media separator, cement mixer size.

www.youtube.com

You sir have some great talent! Always wanted to do stuff like this but don't have the space, cash, and connections.

 

[Mk-211]

A friend uses a cement mixer, he starts out by washing the brass in the mixer.

He dumps it into a 5 gallon bucket with a screen on top to catch the brass. He made his, so you might have to do that or come up with something to separate the brass.

From there, he just tosses the brass back in and adds the media. I asked him about drying the brass or mixer, he said the media will do it.

 

[Pottimus]

that is dedication, strikes me as the transition from hobbyist to professional. Just to note you have less cash investment so far, than my FA Tumbler. Sounds like you will be successful. Would spent primer anvils/cups be good little scrubbers til they disappeared? NAH, They would be best sold for scrap to buy Pins/Chips.

 

[moranna]

I've always used pins for my personal use in the FA but found when bulk cleaning pistol cases pin removal is a little too labor intensive.

Still clean 30 cal rifle cases with FA/pins after depriming though

 

[Show Me]

If today was April 1 I’d know you were joking, but January 1, I’m not sure.

No kidding. A mixer with paddles the brass will be banging together. No way. Years ago I put 40 S&W in a big sock and run in the washer with work clothes. Dings and scratches. But best of luck. It's the American way

 

[KY DAN]

My grandfather used to tumble water damage 303 and other mysterious condition military surplus ammo for machine guns and he used a concrete mixer....... well the fine details are lost due to his passing so its up to me to re-figure it our.

I don't think the paddles have to be in the mixer.

I don't see why damage would occur if the brass is rolling around in the drum.

I freely admit I have no original ideas and am ridding the coat tails of others

If my thoughts are wrong please point them out before I ruin 5000 45 acp cases

 

[rdnktrkr]

I would include a "paddle" of some sort to keep brass and media from staying on the wall. When I made my wet tumbler, I used PVC pipe cut lengthwise and glued and screwed to the side wall, it doesn't take much to disrupt the action. A friend has one and he doesn't use pins with his wash and has buckets with a screen on top to separate the brass, he uses the same liquid twice before discarding. Good luck with it and keep us informed on you adventure.

 

[N555]

You want wet pins and probably want to slow it down a bit.

 

[Tim Stapp]

Years ago a fellow shooter and his wife shot competitively, she on the state rifle team. He cleaned brass with a cement mixer. Bought his corn cob media at the feed elevator in LARGE burlap sacks. Much less costly that way.

 

[CQB45ACP]

Years ago a fellow shooter and his wife shot competitively, she on the state rifle team. He cleaned brass with a cement mixer. Bought his corn cob media at the feed elevator in LARGE burlap sacks. Much less costly that way.

“State” rifle team?

 

[Tim Stapp]

Michigan's State Rifle association rifle team. I don't recall particulars, it was 30 years ago. We had two persons from the Cadillac Sportsmen's club that were on the high power rifle team. Ironically, both women and both shot better than their husbands.

 

[CQB45ACP]

Michigan's State Rifle association rifle team. I don't recall particulars, it was 30 years ago. We had two persons from the Cadillac Sportsmen's club that were on the high power rifle team. Ironically, both women and both shot better than their husbands.

Interesting. My wife was on her HS rifle team in PA. She’s an excellent shot. I think it’s patience.