Rotary Tumbling with DRY Media (My Results)

[dredd]

This subject has been batted around lately.
Rotary & Dry Media.

In a (Wall)Nut Shell, I am not pleased with the results.

Details:

Thumler's Tumbler
Walnut Media (I took from my Vibratory).
70/ea .308 Cases

I filled the Tumbler about 3/4 full with media & brass.
I figured it would need some room for everything to roll around & cycle.

It ran for 5 hours.

All of the brass was fired by myself.
A lot of it was pretty "dirty" from being fired from a suppressed auto loader (LR308).

The suppressed brass didn't clean up very well.
The "clean" brass was okay.

My Vibratory would have done a better job.
It may not be a fair comparison to the average vibratory.
I have a monster Thumler's Ultra-Vibe 45
(Found in trash at work & repaired it for pennies, but that's another story.)

The media had some New Finish Polish on it, but it was from previous batches.
I didn't add any new polish.

I am not unhappy just because my brass didn't WOW me.
This process actually left behind carbon that I would not want to run through a sizing die.

I use the vibratory to pre-clean dirty grimy range brass before tumbling it.

I know I don't need my brass to be a work of art, but I really do like & appreciate the end results from wet tumbling with the stainless pins.

I hope someone finds this helpful.

Take care!

 

[D Rock]

Thanks for the test results, at least now you know.

I would imagine that the more gentle rotation of the rotary tumbler just didn't provide the scrubbing that the vibratory cleaner provides for the softer media, and five hours seems like a pretty good test.

Dave

 

[Dudedog]

Thanks for the test, interesting results.

I know I don't need my brass to be a work of art, but I really do like & appreciate the end results from wet tumbling with the stainless pins.

Nice clean brass may not shoot any better but it makes me , and that has to count for something.
For me wet with pins is the way to go.
If I wanted more bling I could run them in corn cob with Flitz after wet tumbling, but they don't need to sparkle, just be nice and clean to make me smile.

 

[LiveLife]

Thanks for doing the test.

So if you want OK sooty brass with walnut and NuFinish (even after 5 hours), use rotary tumbler (Thumler's Ultra-Vibe 45).

If you want cleaner and shinier brass with walnut and NuFinish (as short as 20-30 minutes), use vibratory tumbler (Berry's 400/Cabela's 400).

 

[dredd]

Thanks for doing the test.

So if you want OK sooty brass with walnut and NuFinish (even after 5 hours), use rotary tumbler's

If you want cleaner and shinier brass with walnut and NuFinish (as short as 20-30 minutes), use vibratory tumbler (Berry's 400/Cabela's 400).

That pretty much sums it up.

 

[cheygriz]

I used my Thumler's Model B rotary for years with corn cobs and was well satisfied with it.

I now prefer warm water, Liquid Tide and Lemi-Shine. Never had any desire to try the steel pins. 20-30 minutes with Tide and I'm good to go.

 

[splattergun]

Well.... you did say you used the walnut media out of your vibrating tumbler. With used media I wouldn't expect the best possible results for that reason alone. How used up was it?

I've said it before and I say it again; I don't need my brass to look like jewelry. Clean enough is good enough for me. I use a Thumbler's B with walnut media from the pet store, no Nu-finish. I tumble for about 6 hours and the brass never fails to come out with little or no soot stains. If If I turn it on in the morning then take it off when I get home, it's plenty shiny to suit me. When it takes longer than that to get clean, it's time to change the media.

I can't use the brass as a shaving mirror but I have no shame using it at a public range.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

I've had different results. I dry tumble in a Thumler's Model B with half corn cob and half walnut. I toss a tea spoon of Oneshot in too. I fill it about 90% full. Of media and brass. Usually 300-500 cases depending on cartridge. I tumble for 4-6 hours. They come out pretty clean. Not perfect but fine for practice ammo.

I intend to try pins at some point and to pick up a second drum for tumbling rocks. If you don't care for wet tumbling as an option or want to tumble rocks, a vibe cleaner may be better, or more efficient, but I don't think the results are bad.

The above are some 10mm I loaded last week. They look shiny to me.

 

[Charlie98]

Meh... I'm too low-tech (read: cheap) to try anything new... crushed walnut and a dash of Dillon shiny stuff (the only Dillon product I own... ) 2 hours... 8 hours... well, I've been known to leave it on for a week, once. Oh, well.

 

[quaid]

I prefer a sealed rotary tumbler cylinder with walnut- no dust inside until I open it (outside).

 

[lightman]

Your results pretty much mirror my experience. I know this thread is about tumbling with dry media but I've found that if I want to remove stains or carbon wet tumbling with stainless media is the way to go.

 

[Rule3]

As mention above by splatter gun if you are going to do a valid test then start with NEW media and added NuFinish or whatever polish you use.

Result may or may not change but at least it is fair.

5 hours is crazy, I use clean media (change it often) and polish in a Vibe 10 and run for 2 to 3 hours,

 

[dredd]

As mention above by splatter gun if you are going to do a valid test then start with NEW media and added NuFinish or whatever polish you use.

Result may or may not change but at least it is fair.

5 hours is crazy, I use clean media (change it often) and polish in a Vibe 10 and run for 2 to 3 hours,

All I can say is...

I tested with what I had.
I didn't try to hide or embellish any materials etc.
I didn't have an agenda to sway anyone to any particular process or materials.
I simply played with some brass in a different manner since I saw comments on other threads related to the subject & method.
I thought it may be interesting to post the results.

As mentioned before, I de-grime crusty stuff with the vibratory.
I was curious what would happen if I dumped the media from one type of machine to another.

I wet tumble with stainless pins prior to processing my brass for loading.
I have no intention of stopping.

But... I sure am open minded enough to tinker with other approaches.

Tinkering done.

I don't understand what "valid" & "fair" have to do with my initial post.
I thought it was pretty clear that I simply played with what was in hand and I ended up with what I ended up with.

It is nice that people posted their personal techniques, materials & results.

Hopefully someone on here found my info and other folks info helpful.

 

[Rule3]

All I can say is...

I tested with what I had.
I didn't try to hide or embellish any materials etc.
I didn't have an agenda to sway anyone to any particular process or materials.
I simply played with some brass in a different manner since I saw comments on other threads related to the subject & method.
I thought it may be interesting to post the results.

As mentioned before, I de-grime crusty stuff with the vibratory.
I was curious what would happen if I dumped the media from one type of machine to another.

I wet tumble with stainless pins prior to processing my brass for loading.
I have no intention of stopping.

But... I sure am open minded enough to tinker with other approaches.

Tinkering done.

I don't understand what "valid" & "fair" have to do with my initial post.
I thought it was pretty clear that I simply played with what was in hand and I ended up with what I ended up with.

It is nice that people posted their personal techniques, materials & results.

Hopefully someone on here found my info and other folks info helpful.

Don't take it so hard. Not intended to burst your bubble.

Using new media would have helped determine how the rotary tumbler compared to a vibrating one.

Not a big deal

I can test my two vibrating units, one with dirty media and one with clean and determine which brand is best??

Apples to Apples

From Thumlers web site
http://www.thumlerstumbler.com/accessories.html


Brass Polish Media (Stk # 518) Treated crushed Corn Cob for use in a Vibratory Tumbler. This media removes only tarnish and oxidation without scratching. When used in a vibratory tumbler, it will bring metal objects to a gleaming finish in just an hour or two. Media is reusable. When action becomes too slow to be effective, replace 25% of media with new. Also works well in rotary tumblers.

 

[cheygriz]

Just my choice, but i replace 100 percent of used media with new.

Media just isn't that expensive.

 

[Rule3]

Just my choice, but i replace 100 percent of used media with new.

Media just isn't that expensive.

Yet another media thread

I have three 50 lbs bags of it, Walnut and two grades of corn.

Change it more often than my underwear,

Wet, dry?
Stainless, ceramic. Rice of Pasta?
Rotary or vibrating?
Lem Shine, Nu Finsh?
Soap and water?
Vinegar?

On and on it goes

The most talked about non reloading topic of reloading.

 

[Skgreen]

Heard of an individual using sand once,,, (Husband of my Wife's Supervisor),
Not sure if he vibes or tumbles, or if it's 'beach picked' or some sort of screened something or other,,, (Or, not sand at all, but a misinterpretation of information occurring before it was relayed to me.)

While sand, in theory, would probably work, it doesn't really matter as I just don't see myself introducing any type of sand into my routine,,,

 

[Hanshi]

Having both a vibrating tumbler and a Thumbler tumbler I use both. I used to like the shiny, jewel-like look of brass tumbled with walnut shell and polishing rouge. Found out later the rouge itself sometimes became a case contaminant. Nowadays, I just prefer plain media that cleans and don't worry about polish.

 

[Laphroaig]

I had a similar situation just today. One of my sons came over last night and checked out the ammo situation for his .260. Hunting season is fast approaching and he only has 6 rounds left. So he said he's coming over Sunday to load more and dug out 40 RP brass that I doubt had ever been tumbled and was pretty grungy. Good dad that I am I said I'd throw it in the tumbler (Model B with corncob) and have it ready for him on Sunday. I also threw in a batch of LC .223 to make a decent load. Long story short, after 3 1/2 hours today the LC was nice and shiny. The .260 brass was clean but had spotty surface corrosion of some sort that never came off. It just didn't look right.

A fellow shooter turned me on to Bransonic Oxide remover (an ultrasonic solution) years ago. So I wet tumbled the .260 brass with a Tbsp of Bransonic and about a quart of hot water.

https://www.all-spec.com/Catalog/Ch...Ultrasonic-Cleaner-Solutions/000-955-514-6768

The brass turned out as shiny as stainless pins but with a lot less hassle. That why I love my Model B, wet or dry it does the job.

 

[Walkalong]

Just my choice, but i replace 100 percent of used media with new.

Media just isn't that expensive.

Yep. Wear it out, toss it, replace it.

 

[Hondo 60]

I hope someone finds this helpful.

I do!
Thanks for posting.
Now I know it won't really work.

I have both wet & dry tumbling & was wondering if mixing the 2 modalities would work.

 

[dh1633pm]

Using dry media in a tumbler should turn out brass just as shiny as a vibratory tumbler. If your tumbler doesn't have good agitation for the dry media, then it will may work as well. I use a Covey Rock tumbler. It works well with wet or dry media. It tumbles at an angle. Of course it built like a tank and can also be used on rocks.

 

[PWC]

Vibratory - along wkth NuFinish, add 1 Tbsp paint thinner/turpintine. Only load bowl 1/2 full of brass. To full slows action. Add a used Bounce dryer sjeet cut in 1/3rds to catch the dust (it will come out gray or black). Mine works 1-1 1/2 hr.

Presupposes you've washed out the dried dirt inside the case of range pickup

 

[Blue68f100]

A fellow shooter turned me on to Bransonic Oxide remover (an ultrasonic solution) years ago. So I wet tumbled the .260 brass with a Tbsp of Bransonic and about a quart of hot water.

https://www.all-spec.com/Catalog/Ch...Ultrasonic-Cleaner-Solutions/000-955-514-6768

The brass turned out as shiny as stainless pins but with a lot less hassle. That why I love my Model B, wet or dry it does the job.

View attachment 808986

Just looked at the Bransonic Oxide, it's a Citric Acid solution, similar to what we use in our wet tumblers.