Low Dust Dry Media

[68lemans462]

Liquid car wax is the ticket and it'll make your cases shine

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[Bama Drifter]

Thanks tcoz & hdwhit. I concluded a while back that anything over an hour in my tumbler is for totally cosmetic improvements. The Lyman treated media with a smidgen of Flitz works marvelously. Not planning on changing it out for a couple more years.

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[tcoz]

.....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.

If any reloaders feel brass cleaning is the most important step of the process I think they'd better look for a safer hobby.

 

[Phlier]

Wow, lot's of great information here, gents.

My Frankford Arsenal Rotary Tumbler arrived last Monday. Using it with their media separator makes wet tumbling so easy and convenient. I also got the FA case dryer.

I don't think I'll ever wiggle a case again.

Thanks for the Armor All Car Wash tip. Yeah, the brass has been coming out of the tumbler literally squeaky clean. I don't mind that with the .223 brass, as it's gonna get lubed anyway, but the 9mm cases are *too* squeaky clean. But the Armor All Car Wash should help take care of that.

I also bought some slightly larger SS pins, as the ones that come with the F.A.R.T. can get stuck in primer pockets. At least, I've *heard* that they can. In the 2k cases I cleaned with the smaller SS pins, I didn't get any stuck in primer pockets.

Another face palming moment, realizing it was *used* dryer sheets I should have been using. The wife uses liquid fabric softener, so I just went out and bought a box of dryer sheets, cut them up, and proceeded to make a mess. If I ever do find the need to vibrate some brass again, I'll be sure to use the used ones.

 

[zeke]

Add a little water to you walnut media (like teaspoon to a table spoon or 2). It increases the friction of the media, and the dust collects on lid where you can wipe it off.

 

[Load Master]

Phlier, good thread. It is one of those subjects where you will have a lot of different responses, kind of like asking what motor oil is the best.

I have three means to clean brass. Sonic, dry media, and the Frankford wet tumbler. I do more with the vibratory dry media because it is easy and cleans well enough for most of my reloading. For bench rest loads I normally wet tumble. No rules, just what I do.

As far as dust, I have very little if any. I use the Frankford corn cob. This product is low in dust to began with. After thousands of rounds I pitch the media and put in new stuff.

I like how my rounds look. I guess that's all that counts.

 

[Dudedog]

When dry tumbling I really like the Flitz+Frankford CC.
Flitz is great stuff IMO.
The Frankford corncob is low dust, but I use used dryer sheets help keep it clean.

 

[actionalan]

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.

I switched to wet tumbling and I'll never go back. In 2-3 hours your brass looks like new inside and out.


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[goldpelican]

There's nothing wrong with liking shiny brass even if it's non-functional.

Simple way to cut down dust with a one-time activity - run the vibratory tumbler outside for 10 minutes with the lid OFF. 95% of the dust goes out into the air, and you're left with almost dust free media to use from that point on. Note that this can also shake loose the rubber seal around the lip of the bowl (found that out the hard way), so remove it first if it's not glued on too tight.

Harbor Freight walnut media, Harbor Freight tumbler, torn up used dryer sheets. Hardly any dust - cases definitely don't need rinsing afterwards, just a roll around in a towel by hand to remove any residual fines.

 

[orionengnr]

When I first started handloading, I used rice--came up with that idea myself.

And abandoned it shortly thereafter--too many cases with a grain of rice stuck in the primer hole. Yes, back in those days I decapped before tumbling.

Since then I've been using 50/50 corncob and walnut, with a capful of NuFinish every now and then. Two used drier sheets, torn into strips. Very little to no dust, and I change media every 12-20 loads (probably far to often.)

Here's the best part about NuFinish--it leaves a bit of polish residue that prevents brass tarnishing. I have cases that I tumbled 7-8 years ago and they still look shiny-new. And that same residue makes those cases ease their way through the dies...unlike cases that have been wet-tumbled.

 

[larryh1108]

I also use USED dryer sheets and NuShine. New dryer sheets still have whatever they put on them to make your clothes smell nice and it does not do as good of a job as the used ones. New sheets actually make the brass a little sticky. Just throw a couple of new dryer sheets in the dryer with bath towels or rags and let them do their thing and then you have what you need. No dust and the sheets get black with dust very quickly. You can see the results instantly.

 

[actionalan]

I also use USED dryer sheets and NuShine. New dryer sheets still have whatever they put on them to make your clothes smell nice and it does not do as good of a job as the used ones. New sheets actually make the brass a little sticky. Just throw a couple of new dryer sheets in the dryer with bath towels or rags and let them do their thing and then you have what you need. No dust and the sheets get black with dust very quickly. You can see the results instantly.

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[actionalan]

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I still recommend wet tumbling. You can clean twice as many in 3 hours. No dust, very little noise, and only one piece of equipment. If you shoot a lot, it's the only way to go.
That reminds me, I need to get rid of all my tumblers, media, baskets, etc. they are taking up space in my garage.


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[Blue68f100]

If you use high quality blast media the dust is a lot lower. Pet bedding is the waste product after all the good blast media is removed. A little NuFinish and a used dryer sheet and your set.

Just remember as the media brakes down it turns to dust and the sharp edges are rounded. The reason it's a good idea to replace at times. Once the tumble time hits 3+ hrs I replace mine. But I use it very little now since I have gone to wet cleaning.

 

[tcoz]

A lot of people talk about how much cheaper they can buy something like pet bedding than buying actual media but it's false economy. I use good commercial Frankford Armory media, use dryer sheets and a small amount of brass polish and my media looks almost like it did the day I started using it which was almost three years ago which I know because I recently compared it to some unused FA media. That's with using it at least once or twice a week for four hours at a time. Dust is almost nonexistent and the dryer sheets absorb most of the byproducts of tumbling. I think I spent about $15 for the FA media three years ago and I still have a quarter of it unused.

 

[ljnowell]

I still recommend wet tumbling. You can clean twice as many in 3 hours. No dust, very little noise, and only one piece of equipment. If you shoot a lot, it's the only way to go.
That reminds me, I need to get rid of all my tumblers, media, baskets, etc. they are taking up space in my garage.


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Except that whole having to dry the brass thing. And separate steel media from brass. I tumble a five gallon bucket full at a time, I'm not about to dry that much brass and deal with that.

 

[actionalan]

Except that whole having to dry the brass thing. And separate steel media from brass. I tumble a five gallon bucket full at a time, I'm not about to dry that much brass and deal with that.

Good for you. But I've done it both ways and I prefer wet tumbling for me.
Everyone has their own preferred method of doing things.


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[ljnowell]

Good for you. But I've done it both ways and I prefer wet tumbling for me.
Everyone has their own preferred method of doing things.


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That's a fact. If I could come up with a way to dry that quantity of brass in an efficient manner I would wet tumble. Right now when I'm cleaning brass I'm working with 700-1000lbs of brass at a time. That would take done serious space to dry.

What's your method?

 

[actionalan]

That's a fact. If I could come up with a way to dry that quantity of brass in an efficient manner I would wet tumble. Right now when I'm cleaning brass I'm working with 700-1000lbs of brass at a time. That would take done serious space to dry.

What's your method?

I don't clean that much brass at a time. Most people don't. You must be in a business.


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[High Plains Drifter]

Wet tumble with stainless steel pins no dust, superior results!! NO DUST!!!! NO corncob or walnut bits all over the floor. De-cap prior to tumbling and you primer pockets are whistle clean and the inside of the case is like new. No dry media with anything you can put in the tumbler can match that!!

Oh yeah, much less time than 8 hours. I only go 3 to 3.5 hours for bad range brass and 1-2 hours for reloading brass that I shoot. There is some time drying, but in the sun or a warming oven that will only be a hour or so.

 

[ljnowell]

I don't clean that much brass at a time. Most people don't. You must be in a business.


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I sell brass on the side. I run anywhere from a half to a full five gallon bucket at a time. I use cement mixers for tumblers. Doing the wet tumbling isn't the issue for me. It's the drying that I would have to conquer.

 

[actionalan]

I sell brass on the side. I run anywhere from a half to a full five gallon bucket at a time. I use cement mixers for tumblers. Doing the wet tumbling isn't the issue for me. It's the drying that I would have to conquer.

Yes, I see that could be a problem.


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[ljnowell]

Yes, I see that could be a problem.


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I thought about using an old laundry dryer but I'm afraid the weight beating around inside would kill it.

 

[actionalan]

I thought about using an old laundry dryer but I'm afraid the weight beating around inside would kill it.

Haha, I was going to suggest that! It's worth a try though. Maybe put some brass in an old pillow case and tie it closed? Just a few pounds at a time. Let me know how that works, I might try it myself. I'll have to do it when my wife isn't here though.


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[medalguy]

I clean my brass in walnut first, maybe 30 minutes in a rotary tumbler. That removes all the dirt and most all of the carbon. I can probably reuse that media 30 times at least since all it does is remove dirt. It's pretty black but it wprks fine. I throw in several dryer sheets and some mineral spirits to help soften the carbon. Then it goes back into the tumbler with corn cob with NuFinish and another splash of mineral spirits, and more dryer sheets. About 2 hours and it looks like new brass, and there's little if any dust. The mineral spirits hold the dust to an absolute minimum. On yeah, the cob is good for probably 20 loads, maybe more.