White rice for tumbling media

[awfulkanawful]

I just wanted to throw this out there. The only tumbling media Ive ever used is.......WHITE RICE ! It cleans up even nasty brass quite good. The trick to it is DONT use any liquid cleaners or polishers.......things WILL get sticky !
Now it wont make your brass real shiny and brand new looking , but it gives it a very nice clean matte look that is good enough for me. Also use a dryer sheet cut into 4 pieces as this helps keep it clean longer. Why spend a bunch of $$$ on media and such , when all you need is white rice and 1.5 hrs in a tumbler ???

 

[ColtPythonElite]

You don't have to spend a lot of $$$ on media if you buy bulk corn cob and it will make your brass shiny, usually in less than 1.5 hours.

 

[awfulkanawful]

My tumbler cost me ZERO to make

I dont know all about store bought tumblers , but mine was made from a tupperware container , battery drill , and a couple inline skate wheels. It works good enough that when someone sees my reloads they cant believe it cost me.......White Rice.....lol I think the corncobs would take alot longer in my garage rig.....lol

 

[oldandslow]

And the best part of using white rice in the tumbler is that you can eat it when you're through tumbling- that's tough to do with corn cob, kitty litter or stainless steel pins.

best wishes- oldandslow

PS- for the humor challenged- it's not a good idea to actually eat the rice after tumbling.

 

[JLDickmon]

I told you guys you didn't need tumblers and media when I joined.

put you brass in an empty coffee can and cover with kitty litter..
brew a pot of tea
put the tea in the coffee maker
add the coffee from the can
brew the coffee

while it's brewing, slam a 2liter of Diet Mt Dew
drink the pot of coffee

grab onto the coffee can, & hold it at arms length...

when you quit shaking enough to open the can, you'll have the cleanest, shiniest brass you've ever had..

 

[jcwit]

I just wanted to throw this out there. The only tumbling media Ive ever used is.......WHITE RICE ! It cleans up even nasty brass quite good. The trick to it is DONT use any liquid cleaners or polishers.......things WILL get sticky !
Now it wont make your brass real shiny and brand new looking , but it gives it a very nice clean matte look that is good enough for me. Also use a dryer sheet cut into 4 pieces as this helps keep it clean longer. Why spend a bunch of $$$ on media and such , when all you need is white rice and 1.5 hrs in a tumbler ???

NO! One does not need to spend alot of cash on tumbling media. Corn cob media costs approx. $ .88 a lb., not sure how that compares to the price of rice per lb. but hey its shipped right to your door, no gas expense getting it, and if you order the correct size there will be none crammed into the flash hole or primer pocket.

Years ago I used rice for a cleaning medium and believe me 20/40 corn cob works much better. Actually don't believe me, but it still does work better.

Here's a link to where to get it.

http://www.drillspot.com/products/521055/econoline_526040g-40_40_lbs_blast_media

No I'm not affiliated with this company in any way, heck I'm retired now for over a decade, life is good.

 

[ambidextrous1]

20/40 corn cob Blast Media is also available from Grainger, with offices & warehouses in major cities. They have it in stock or can get it for you quickly, and there's no shipping cost.

 

[jcwit]

Grainger and Drillspot are the same company under different names.

I believe Grainger is for business accounts and Drillspot is for the retail trade over the internet. Might be wrong on this tho.

 

[jblackfish]

NO! One does not need to spend alot of cash on tumbling media. Corn cob media costs approx. $ .88 a lb., not sure how that compares to the price of rice per lb. but hey its shipped right to your door, no gas expense getting it, and if you order the correct size there will be none crammed into the flash hole or primer pocket.

Years ago I used rice for a cleaning medium and believe me 20/40 corn cob works much better. Actually don't believe me, but it still does work better.

Here's a link to where to get it.

http://www.drillspot.com/products/521055/econoline_526040g-40_40_lbs_blast_media

No I'm not affiliated with this company in any way, heck I'm retired now for over a decade, life is good.

How dusty is this media compare to the "store-bought" (Lyman, for example) stuff. Some bulk media will raise a west Texas dust storm in your cleaning area!

 

[jcwit]

I do not have that problem at all. If a person does have dust more than what they think they should have its an easy fix, put a couple of teaspoons of mineral sperits or paint thinner in the media or add a cut up USED dryer sheet.

Also I use a Berry tumbler with an enclosed top/lid.

 

[dragon813gt]

Harbor Freight sells walnut shell blasting media for $1 a pound. I'll stick with that over rice. I know rice works but it costs more money.


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[jcwit]

Harbor Freight sells walnut shell blasting media for $1 a pound. I'll stick with that over rice. I know rice works but it costs more money.

Thats still higher in cost than DrillSpot and you have to go get it at $3.50 to $4.00 a gal for fuel.

 

[Drail]

You have to love the irony of China buying up the world's supply of copper and lead while we clean our brass with....rice. Use corn cob. Because it's "American". Rice is for eatin. Corn cob are for polishin.

 

[1911 guy]

Corn cob are for polishin.

And certain outhouse duties. Or should I say dooties?
Heh. I'l be quiet and finish my coffee now.

 

[wgaynor]

I've always had problems with Corn cob being stuck in the bottle neck cases. Rice is easier to remove.

Rice is all I use anymore (with a dryer sheet torn into strips thrown in to collect crud).

 

[rsrocket1]

Dryer sheets are a good idea. It traps the soot and Lead Styphnate (primer dust) rather than having it fly around while you sift or stick to the media if you use mineral spirits or Nu Finish on the media. If you want to polish, do it in 2 steps.

If you want lead poisoning, go ahead and eat the lead coated rice after tumbling.

As for me, crushed walnut at $17 for a 50 pound bag at the feed store.

 

[mdi]

My experience with rice was less than acceptable. Tumbled .44 Magnum brass. Within an hour my rice media started to become rice flour. No problem, just add dryer sheets. Hmmm, so-so results. What I wound up with was a half cup of rice flour, a rice powder caked dryer sheet, and 150 semi-clean .44 Magnum brass with a rice grain stuck in 75% of the flash holes. Dried coffee grounds worked as well for me...

 

[jcwit]

I've always had problems with Corn cob being stuck in the bottle neck cases. Rice is easier to remove.

Rice is all I use anymore (with a dryer sheet torn into strips thrown in to collect crud).

Obviously you're using a corn cob grit way to large then, see post #6. Will solve your problem.

 

[silicosys4]

you only have to buy stainless media once when you wet tumble....$50 for a lifetime supply.

 

[jcwit]

you only have to buy stainless media once when you wet tumble....$50 for a lifetime supply.

And how much for the tumbler?

At my age I'm not investing in another tumbling set up. Lifetime isn't that long.

 

[medalguy]

Yes, but that $50 worth of SS media will only clean about 50 rifle cases and is a lot of work doing 5,000 cases. The cob is easier, faster, and works in any tumbler.

 

[jblackfish]

I do not have that problem at all. If a person does have dust more than what they think they should have its an easy fix, put a couple of teaspoons of mineral sperits or paint thinner in the media or add a cut up USED dryer sheet.

Also I use a Berry tumbler with an enclosed top/lid.

My tumbler has a lid - they probably all do, but the media and cases are usually separated in an open roll cage gizmo,thus the dust question.

 

[jcwit]

My tumbler has a lid - they probably all do, but the media and cases are usually separated in an open roll cage gizmo,thus the dust question.

Many tumblers have holes/vents in the lid. My seperator is nothing more than a wire colander that I purchased at WalMart for less than $2.00. Can't beat it while using 20/40 grit corn cob.

Try the mineral sperits or cut up used dryer sheets.

 

[Cosmoline]

when you quit shaking enough to open the can, you'll have the cleanest, shiniest brass you've ever had..

LOLS

But you know, you could actually put a sealed pot full of brass in your backpack and run around for exercise.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

If you don't have a lid, put a shower cap on the bowel....My decades old Lyman 600 bowel came with such a cover as a factory piece.