Low Dust Dry Media

[Phlier]

So over the years, I've tried just about every popular dry media out there. But inevitably, I've been disappointed by the dust! I want *clean* cases, not cases that look good but are covered with a fine layer of dust. And I seriously dislike the cloud of dust formed when dumping cases into the media separator.

So a couple months ago, I did a youtube search for dry media. I came across a video where a guy did a comparison on the usual suspects (corn cob, walnut, cat litter, etc. etc.), but he also threw in white rice. He stated that while it didn't do a very good job of cleaning, it left just about no dust residue.

I've been messing around with it ever since. If you're looking for the least amount of dust, you'll want to give white rice a spin in your bowl.

It *will* clean/shine as well as any other media, it just takes it's time to do it. In my Frankford Arsenal vibrator, it takes no less than 6 (and sometimes as much as 8) hours to get grungy range brass polished up to look like new.

It also seems to be rather vibration absorbent; you won't be able to use as much media or polish as many cases as you can with walnut or corn cob. Rice doesn't move around in the polisher as well as other media types.

You will also need to change it out pretty frequently. Rather than just recharging it with more polish, you'll need to actually replace the rice. It appears that the rice grabs on to the dust, dirt, etc. and holds on to it, but it does have a limited capacity to do so. Once that capacity is reached, it gets to be as dusty as any other media.

So yeah, there are a few drawbacks to it, but if you don't mind putting up with them, it is a great media to use for darn near zero dust. Personally, I really like it. Having no dust left on the cases is awesome, and not having a cloud of lead filled walnut/corn cob waft up every time I dump out the vibrator is fantastic.

I'm just using Frankford Arsenal polish at a rate of 1 tablespoon per pound of rice. My FA vibrator holds 2 lbs of rice comfortably.

It also works well as a follow-on media. Polish up your brass using your usual stuff, then throw it in the rice for 30 minutes to get rid of the dust.



This was grungy range brass that spent 8 hours in the rice bowl.

Figured I'd put this up before I make the switch to wet tumbling. My F.A.R.T. will be here on Tuesday.

 

[tightgroup tiger]

You know if you put used a couple dryer sheets cut down to about 2-3 inch size every time you put shells in your tumbler they will soak up the dust that you disdain so.

I've been using the same wallnut for over 10 years and with some Nu-finish that RC liked so well, it just keeps on working .

I have no intentions of trying rice or anything else when my wall nut works so well.

They come out of my sonic cleanr and go in my rotary tumbler for 2 hr, they look like crown jewels.

 

[Phlier]

Never had any luck with the dryer sheets.

And there's certainly no reason to change if you're happy with what you have. I'm just posting up an alternative in case anyone is interested.

If it works for you, then of course there's no reason to change.

 

[tcoz]

Never had any luck with the dryer sheets.

You tried used dryer sheets and not new ones, right? They do a great job. I've been using the same corncob media for a few years and it still has a lot of life left in it. I cut the dryer sheets into quarters and spread six of the quarters on top of the media. After about four hours of tumbling the dryer sheets are completely filled with dust and the media looks almost like new.

 

[Phlier]

Wife doesn't use dryer sheets, so the ones I tried were new. Hmm.

Ah well, the wet tumbler arrives tomorrow anyway.

 

[ATLDave]

Did you do any experiments with mixed corn cob and rice to see whether the rice would grab the dust while still getting the faster polishing action of the cob?

 

[tcoz]

ATLDave, the corn cob and dryer sheets does such a good job that I wouldn't really want to try anything else. Plus I have an almost endless supply of used dryer sheets since my wife loves to use them.

 

[ATLDave]

tcoz, I was asking Phlier.

FWIW, I also currently use dryer sheets and corn cob.

 

[alexcue]

You know if you put used a couple dryer sheets cut down to about 2-3 inch size every time you put shells in your tumbler they will soak up the dust that you disdain so.

I've been using the same wallnut for over 10 years and with some Nu-finish that RC liked so well, it just keeps on working .

I have no intentions of trying rice or anything else when my wall nut works so well.

They come out of my sonic cleanr and go in my rotary tumbler for 2 hr, they look like crown jewels.

That's what my recipe is, and just swap out the "dirty" dryer clothes every time I use the corn cob media. What i like about the dry media with the NuFinish polish is it acts as a lube on my brass.

Now I've used the wet method, and nothing beats it for looking like new inside and out, but I occasionally get some galling on my brass when it's going through the resizer. I end up having to lube my 44 Mag and 45 Colt brass cause it chatters so much. YMMV

 

[homatok]

Yes! USED drier sheets only! If the sheets are new, whatever is in them causes a huge mess and does not clean the dust from your media at all well. I use rough-cut one inch strips of those blue HD paper towels from Cost-Co.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I use a 50/50 mix of crushed walnut shells and corn cob media along with strips of used dryer sheets. I never have had a problem with media dust or clean brass.

I'm not one to use food in place of using a byproduct that would have been discarded, especially when the byproduct does a much better job.

If used dryer sheets are not available to you a little mineral spirits will practically eliminate any dust your media may produce. In addition, when you pour out the brass and media after cleaning there is usually a small amount of very fine media at the end. Instead of letting that dust fall in with the media throw it away, that will greatly reduce and future dust.

Just a few suggestions that might help.

 

[mdi]

If you don't want dust, don't use rice. I tried rice a couple times and the rice broke down pretty fast and became much more dusty than any cob or walnut media I've tried...

If I was bothered by dust, I'd use a bit of auto polish/wax in the media, and I have successfully used strips of paper towels with a bit of mineral spirits sprinkled on them...

 

[Dudedog]

Used (not new) dryer sheets help a lot.

 

[Nature Boy]

I use corn cob and don't seem to have the dust issue a lot of you talk about

 

[Bronx kid]

I kept an empty bottle of Nu-Finish and filled it half way from a new bottle. Now I have 2 bottles half full that I add maybe 25 % of mineral spirits to. Shake well and I pour a cap full to my corn cob every time I clean my brass. The mineral spirits does a good job cleaning the brass and little to no dust.

 

[murphy's law]

I do the same thing as "Bronx Kid". I literally have "zero" dust problems plus the brass looks almost brand new.

 

[tcoz]

I do the same thing as "Bronx Kid". I literally have "zero" dust problems plus the brass looks almost brand new.

I have a bottle of brass polish that I received with some media that I bought. Can I cut it with mineral spirits and get the same results as you do with NuFinish?

 

[eo1bart]

I found that the walnut media from Harbor Freight is very dusty. Mostly I use corn cob with nu finish and a used drier sheet. Have been thinking about trying a little mineral spirits also.

 

[ljnowell]

The harbor freight walnut is very dusty, but I use it in 40lb quantities in my cement mixer/tumbler. I run it for a little bit dry after I put it in and then add mineral spirits. No problem with dust then.

 

[Captaingyro]

Now I've used the wet method, and nothing beats it for looking like new inside and out, but I occasionally get some galling on my brass when it's going through the resizer. I end up having to lube my 44 Mag and 45 Colt brass cause it chatters so much. YMMV

To eliminate the squeaky clean condition that causes the galling, a lot of us have switched from Dawn to ArmorAll Wash & Wax (intended for cars). The Wash & Wax leaves a very thin film of (duh) wax on the cases, that not only acts as a lubricant during reloading but also keeps the brass from fading if you store it for a while.

I just use 2 Tablespoons of the Wash & Wax instead of 1 Tablespoon of Dawn (plus the pinch of LemiShine). Another advantage of the Wash & Wax is a lot less sudsing.

 

[Bama Drifter]

This makes me wanna put up some USED dryer sheets in the PIF thread.
No disrespect to Phlier or anyone else, but case cleaning seems to be the most discussed yet least important step in the reloading process. Just my $0.02

Sent from my HUAWEI G620-A2 using Tapatalk

 

[tcoz]

I've always felt that way Bama Drifter. There have been times when I've almost felt inadequate because I don't wet tumble. I just can't see the hassle of draining, separating the pins and then having to dry the brass just so it looks bright and shiny. I tumble for four hours in corncob pour it through a strainer and that's it and the only reason I do it at all is because I don't want to handle dirty brass or scratch my dies.

 

[hdwhit]

...case cleaning seems to be the most discussed yet least important step in the reloading process.

Cases need to be clean (not necessarily polished) before they are reloaded to facilitate a thorough inspection and avoid contaminants that could damage the brass or the reloading dies.

Beyond that, everything is done predominately for cosmetic purposes. But, if someone places a substantial value on having brass so shiny it seems more golden than copper, then obtaining that shine may - to them - be the most important step of the process.

 

[doubleh]

I've been doing things wrong for years. I use new dryer sheets cut up in little squares. Never had any mess doing this and no more dust since adding it to my tumbling procedure. I only tumble to clean the cases of any grit and don't care if my home made ammo doesn't look like factory new stuff. I use walnut hulls from PetSmart.

I didn't think of doing this. My wife did. We had accumulated quite a lot of dirty coins that our bank's coin sorter wouldn't sort and my wife asked me if my tumbler would clean them. In the tumbler they went with some new polish and some new dryer sheets. Nearly all of them came out shiny clean although a few had some really tough stuff stuck to them that took a little handwork to get rid of. Then they made another trip thru the tumbler and now they are shiny and clean also.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I've been doing things wrong for years. I use new dryer sheets cut up in little squares. Never had any mess doing this and no more dust since adding it to my tumbling procedure. I only tumble to clean the cases of any grit and don't care if my home made ammo doesn't look like factory new stuff. I use walnut hulls from PetSmart.

I didn't think of doing this. My wife did. We had accumulated quite a lot of dirty coins that our bank's coin sorter wouldn't sort and my wife asked me if my tumbler would clean them. In the tumbler they went with some new polish and some new dryer sheets. Nearly all of them came out shiny clean although a few had some really tough stuff stuck to them that took a little handwork to get rid of. Then they made another trip thru the tumbler and now they are shiny and clean also.

New dryer sheets will not allow the dirt and dust to cling to them well. Used sheets work much better. No need to cut squares either, just rip the sheets into 1" to 1.5" strips and you're done.