What the ... ???

[prickett]

I tumbled my brass in my vibratory tumbler and the brass came out with smears of a tar like substance!?!?

My guess is that the case polish I added mixed with the soot/dirt and created a tar. It is now dried on the bowl of my tumbler and required a combination of mineral spirits and a scraper to get it out.

Has anyone else experienced this?

Is this natures way of saying to change the tumbling media? Or, to not use case polish? Or, ...????

 

[LiveLife]

Yes and yes.

Too much polish in the media or polish that's not allowed to distribute evenly will cause clumps that will stick to the case and you'll end up with spots on cases. If the media is dirty, you will have gooey smear covered cases.

I prefer to run my media on the dry side and only add extra capful of polish (NuFinish) when needed, about once every 2-3 batches. Use of used dryer sheets cut up works well to extend the life of walnut media I normally use.

 

[A-FIXER]

I just remove the bowl and let it soak in water then it remove much easier.

 

[ole farmerbuck]

I bought a hand held cheapo mixer and use it after i add polish to the media while the tumbler is running. Works great and I can use a little extra polish without having to worry about clumping.

 

[FROGO207]

Part of the learning curve for ya. I dribble a bit of polish (up to a cap full of Nu Finish) into the media in a circular motion as the tumbler is running and let it go for 10 minutes before adding any brass and what you describe no longer happens to me. You do have to keep the dust out of the media as well and the dryer sheet idea really works. You can also use strips of paper towels, old T shirts, and other things to remove the dust as well.

 

[GLOOB]

Is this natures way of saying to change the tumbling media?

I've never used Nu Finish, specifically. But most car polishes have very fine abrasives in them. Even if your media is perfectly clean, the excess polish will turn black from the metal oxides that it removes. Take some perfectly clean brass and rub some polish on it with a cloth, and you'll see what I mean. So it's not necessarily that your media is dirty. Just take it easy on the polish. A fast fix for excess polish is to put some mineral spirits in there and some paper towel strips.

 

[Big Nugget]

When I really load up my vibratory tumbler with cases I'll get the same black tarish spots on the out sides of my cases. It's not from using too much polish because this has just started happening and the last (and only) time I added any polish was back in September. I also toss in used dryer sheets. All of my brass is free of dirt as any of my range pick ups are given a bath/dry before going in the tumbler.

The first time I noticed it is when I tumbled some 38s and 357 mags that I had just reloaded and shot at the range. I did not give these a bath as they never touched the ground. Wierd thing is that the none of the 38s had any tarish spots but all of the 357mags did. All rounds where loaded with jacketed bullets.

 

[jcwit]

Sounds as if your media is past its prime or you're using way to much polish.

How much polish to use? A capful of a teaspoon and a half in the media will be plenty for the common size tumbler, this amount should last for many, many tumblings, say 10 or 15 loads, then maybe add a half teaspoon again. Remember to add the used dryer sheets now and then to remove the excess dirt, this will help greatly.

Another tip, be sure to let the liquid auto polish to disperse and at least partially dry before adding the cases for tumbling. Nu-Finish seems to be the preferred additive for the media, but actually any liquid auto cleaner polish will work just fine, Mothers, Meguiar's, Black Magic, etc.

 

[LiveLife]

I've never used Nu Finish

In the past, I have used just plain walnut media and it will clean your brass, just won't polish. Adding polish to the media (I used to use Dillon, MidwayUSA, etc. and now use Nu Finish) will clean the brass faster and make them shiny. As far as I know, Nu Finish does not contain abrasives like polishing compound and jeweler's rouge.

Before I made the switch from brass polish to Nu Finish, I tried several different automotive carnauba based waxes and polymer based polishes (Turtle Wax, Meguiar's, Mothers, Zymol, etc.). Most car waxes simply "polished" the cases whether they were clean or dirty - so with some waxes, I got shiny "waxed" dirty cases. :banghead: Nu Finish and other "cleaner" polishes actually cleaned the brass surface (removed fouling and brass tarnishing) and also polished the cases.

I settled with Nu Finish because it seemed to clean the best (I need clean cases rather than shiny cases and shiny cases don't improve my shot groups ). For most indoor range brass, 20-30 minutes in fine walnut/Nu Finish will get the brass clean with a light polish. 1+ hour in corn cob/Nu Finish will produce brilliant shine. This is using Cabela's (Berry's 400) tumbler with about 80% capacity (i.e. capacity for 9mm is 1000) so depending on your tumbler, YMMV.

http://nufinish.com/faq/car-polish

Conventional waxes don't last long because the common ingredient in these products, carnauba wax, breaks down quickly in everyday conditions. Neither Nu Finish Liquid nor Nu Finish Paste Car Polish contain carnauba waxes. No other liquid or paste products can make that claim. Nu Finish is made up of a series of zinc cross-linking polymer emulsions that help it last longer than any other polish on the market ... Yes, Nu Finish does contain silicone ... for lubricity.

 

[prickett]

Thanks for the replies guys, keep them coming!

Some additional info - based on suggestions I'm reading...

I AM using drier sheets. Though, the ones I'm using (new Dollar Store sheets) are more of a spun style than the solid sheets my wife used to buy. Does that make a difference? Also, is there a difference between new and used? Or is that just a "recycling/expense" reason?

I am using polish sparingly. The polish in question is Frankfort Arsenal polish, and I squirt about a cap full's equivalent when using. I do squirt it in at the same time I add the brass (i.e. not running for 5 minutes or so to let the polish disperse before adding the brass)

Big Nugget :

It's not from using too much polish because this has just started happening and the last (and only) time I added any polish was back in September. I also toss in used dryer sheets. All of my brass is free of dirt as any of my range pick ups are given a bath/dry before going in the tumbler.

Hmmm, the plot thickens. I assume/assumed it was due to polish as that is the only liquid present that could combine with the dirt to make the tar. But, I can't say I use polish more than every 3rd tumble session or so.

 

[prickett]

Do you walnut users experience the tar problem too? Or, is it limited to corn cob?

Oh, one other thing, I'm using lizard bedding material from Walmart as my corn cob tumbling media, if that makes a difference.

I used to use a Thumber Tumbler and NEVER had this problem. Recently I bought a Hornady vibrating tumbler for its increased capacity, and after about 30 tumblings started to first see this.

 

[solman]

Sound to me like a combination of factors. Too much polish or media used up perhaps. Start with a clean tumbler, new media, add a capful of polish and run for ten minuets. Add your brass and go to it. You should be fine with this combination. I have done it for many years. After many batches of brass I find the results start to decline Not as clean and takes longer and longer and its time to change the media again. The dryer sheets do help.

 

[Maj Dad]

I do squirt it in at the same time I add the brass (i.e. not running for 5 minutes or so to let the polish disperse before adding the brass)

If the polish isn't completely dry, it will buildup on the brass and if there is a lot of dust, it will form "mud" balls that can get on the brass, too. I learned the hard way & had to hand clean several hundred 30 carbine, 30-06 & 308/7.62 cases before I figured it out. Adding whichever polish (I used Dillon & Midway & then got some Nu-Finish) & tumbling for at least 15 minutes before adding brass eliminated it for me (Dillon CV-750). Dryer sheet strips keep the dust under control.

I don't mean to be an echo but my experience mirrors the other posters. Dry is good!

 

[prickett]

I learned the hard way & had to hand clean several hundred 30 carbine, 30-06 & 308/7.62 cases before I figured it out

A glutton for punishment! I simply dumped out my old media, cleaned out the "tar" from the tumbler bowl, and retumbled my cases. Mirror finish.

 

[LiveLife]

Do you walnut users experience the tar problem too?

I primarily use walnut media. I have experienced this when the walnut media was really dirty in need of replacement, but had some more thoughts on this.

If you shoot lead reloads and your lube is not completely burnt off, any remaining lube/residue may load up the media. I use Missouri lead bullets in .38/9/40/45 with faster burning pistol powders like Bullseye/Promo/WST/W231/HP-38, etc. and spent cases have light amount of blackened fouling but not much residual lube. Not sure if the particular lube Missouri Bullet uses is a significant factor, but I am using Harbor Freight fine walnut media (24 grit) with Nu Finish and I don't see media getting loaded up with residual lube.

Current media that's in the Cabela's tumbler has about 20 batches of lead fired cases run through (9/40/45 loads with W231/HP-38/Promo at mid range lead load data) with cut up used drier sheets and additional capful of Nu Finish added every 4-5 batches. The media feels dry and still brown in color (I toss the cut up drier sheets once they turn dark gray/black).

Perhaps, if your media is getting dirtier sooner, it maybe due to your powder/charge? As many know, I am a proponent of using faster burning W231/HP-38/Promo for target loads that burn relatively clean. Even low powder charge load of 200 gr 45ACP SWC with 4.0 gr of Promo produces fairly clean cases that just have light coating of black fouling and no residual lube on the cases. Even these cases come out clean in 20-30 minutes with light polish on the brass using Cabela's tumbler, fine walnut media and Nu Finish.

If you are using different bullet/lube, powder/charge, YMMV.

 

[Rule3]

Thanks for the replies guys, keep them coming!

Some additional info - based on suggestions I'm reading...

I AM using drier sheets. Though, the ones I'm using (new Dollar Store sheets) are more of a spun style than the solid sheets my wife used to buy. Does that make a difference? Also, is there a difference between new and used? Or is that just a "recycling/expense" reason?

I am using polish sparingly. The polish in question is Frankfort Arsenal polish, and I squirt about a cap full's equivalent when using. I do squirt it in at the same time I add the brass (i.e. not running for 5 minutes or so to let the polish disperse before adding the brass)

Big Nugget :

Hmmm, the plot thickens. I assume/assumed it was due to polish as that is the only liquid present that could combine with the dirt to make the tar. But, I can't say I use polish more than every 3rd tumble session or so.

If you are using NEW dryer sheets that in itself can be the problem. They will leave a sticky residue as you are experiencing. Use only used ones or just use a blue paper shop towel cut in squares with some mineral spirts or Nu finish on it.

As to dirty media, it amazes me that some people (not saying you) run their media forever. It makes no sense at all. It is the cheapest part of reloading costing pennies and it contains all the dirt and nasty lead and other chemicals. Change it regularly and use just a bit of polish.

 

[Hondo 60]

Use of used dryer sheets cut up works well to extend the life of walnut media I normally use

I don't bother to cut it up & it helps with corn cob too.