# Media and brass polishing



## spacedoggy (May 11, 2006)

I'm Anal about having my brass very, very, very clean and polished. I do it in two stages. I have two tumblers and they go into the green media then go into another one with the white media. I've been using Lyman media and have gotten great results. The place I use to buy it at no longer carries any reloading stuff. I can get it for the same price through Midway but the shipping is to much. I swear they make money on shipping and I could care less that he got out in 77 and started the Company with his Dad. That does not give him the right to rip me off. (just venting there)

What to you all use? and can you make your own??


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## Baldy (Jun 21, 2006)

Go down to your local feed store and buy some ground cobb and crushed walnut shells. I put in two cups of cob and one cup of shells till it's full to the level I want. Add a circle of Dillon polish or Nutone car polish and your good for about six months. Good luck.


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## MondoBellisimo (Aug 12, 2006)

*Walnut shells*

I found really nice ground up walnut shell media at a local Pet Pavillion made for birdcage litter. $8 for a 5 lb bag. It works just like the stuff you bought except its not green or white. I use 'Liberty' polish by the capful on initiating a batch of brass. Any carranuba liquid polish/wax product will work much the same as with any ground walnut or corn cob product for the tumbler. You neednt be anal, but you already know that. 
When your media becomes dirty you can wash it using pot and pan soap or simple green and reuse the media once it is rinsed thoroghly and bone dry again. 
I also use a lemon scented furniture polish on my cleaned brass lightly spraying prior to reloading. While its not necessary if you're using carbide dies, it keeps things running smoother than if I dont use it. 
These are money saving and time saving tips which work for me, ymmv.
I have gleaned these tips from reading other forums and over time implemented them when I thought they made sense. 
MondoB


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## Baldy (Jun 21, 2006)

I forgot you can add a dryer sheet if you want it to smell good and take a little of the dust out of it. Good luck SD.


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## MetalMan52 (Dec 15, 2007)

*Clean*

If you really want to get your cases clean, purchase an ultrasonic cleaner. I tumbled my cases for years and then tried an ultrasonic cleaning unit and can't believe the difference. The cases are cleaned to like new appearance inside and out.
Pat


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## Ram Rod (Jan 16, 2008)

I use corn cob or walnut also. Midway polish for me. I've got a few year's supply of walnut, but I hear that Wal-Mart sells it cheaper than the pet store. I also use a straightened paper clip to dig the little fragments out of the flash holes. Be sure to check those!


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## spacedoggy (May 11, 2006)

MetalMan52 said:


> If you really want to get your cases clean, purchase an ultrasonic cleaner. I tumbled my cases for years and then tried an ultrasonic cleaning unit and can't believe the difference. The cases are cleaned to like new appearance inside and out.
> Pat


That sounds good. What kind of cleaner or make did you get.


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## TOF (Sep 7, 2006)

Powder Valley has corncob at $18 for 40 pounds or Walnut shell at $26 for 50 pounds. The freight may cost more than the material. I use the corncob with Dillon polish which they also sell. 
http://www.powdervalleyinc.com/

:smt1099


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## PanaDP (Jul 20, 2007)

Any reason you couldn't just use rice?


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## benzuncle (Aug 29, 2007)

*I'm Wonderin'*

After tumbling my brass and wiping if off, I took it into the press to deprime, reprime, charge, load and crimp. As I looked at each casing, I decided to scrape the junk out of the primer hole prior to setting the new primers. There's a lotsa crap in those little holes. Then I got to wonderin' if I would be better off to deprime the casings before tumbling. Anyone have any thoughts on this?

The *Lee Classic Turret *is working really well now. It makes a special little ringing sound when it punches out the old primer. That lets me know it knocked it out. I don't know it that is intentional or not. I had to make some adjustments to the dies, but once they were made the thing is running pretty smoothly. The operator is smoothing out his act too and really enjoying himself. Once again, I thank all y'all for the advice, encouragement and help.


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## 454PB (Jan 30, 2008)

It's better to tumble the cases before depriming. That way the depriming step clears the media from the flash hole. If you deprime first, check EVERY CASE to make sure the flash hole is clear.


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## MetalMan52 (Dec 15, 2007)

*Ultrasonic cleaner*

I use a small Branson unit that I picked up at an auction. It also has a heater built into it. I use a weak solution of Micro 90 ( a laboratory cleaner) and water.
I deprime the brass and put it in the cleaner with the heater on and let it run until the brass is cleaned up, usually 30 minutes to an hour. This cleans the case inside and out including the primer pocket. The brass looks almost new.
When it comes out of the cleaner I put in into a cold water rinse and then put them on a paper towel to dry. If I'm in a hurry I blow them off with compressed air.
I tumbled brass for years and it gets the outside clean but you would be surprised at how much better this method works.
Pat


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## spacedoggy (May 11, 2006)

benzuncle said:


> The *Lee Classic Turret *is working really well now. It makes a special little ringing sound when it punches out the old primer. That lets me know it knocked it out. I don't know it that is intentional or not. I had to make some adjustments to the dies, but once they were made the thing is running pretty smoothly. The operator is smoothing out his act too and really enjoying himself. Once again, I thank all y'all for the advice, encouragement and help.


I had their standard Turret Press for a year and I wore it out so I got the Classic turret press and what a difference. It's their standard press on *steroids. *I don't get the sound you do. When you use their standard press the spent primers would end up everywhere but the new one drops them straight down into a trash can.


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## TOF (Sep 7, 2006)

benzuncle said:


> After tumbling my brass and wiping if off, I took it into the press to deprime, reprime, charge, load and crimp. As I looked at each casing, I decided to scrape the junk out of the primer hole prior to setting the new primers. There's a lotsa crap in those little holes. Then I got to wonderin' if I would be better off to deprime the casings before tumbling. Anyone have any thoughts on this?


My loader is a Lee Pro 1000 Progressive. I clean for 15 to 30 minutes to knock off dirt and crud picked up from the ground then deprime followed by thorough cleaning. I then resize and prime during which cycle the deprime punch cleans the hole prior to priming. I usualy have a thousand primed cases ready to load with whatever bullet I wish to use. Seperating the prime operation from powder drop and bullet seating eliminates the problem of an ocassional powder granule screwing up the priming operation.

Pana, I tried Rice. It doesn't work. Would you like 25 pounds of the stuff. If it was broken up such that sharp corners and edges existed it might scrape the crud off but full seeds are no good.

:smt1099


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## PanaDP (Jul 20, 2007)

I'll pass on the rice, thank you. I thought I had a bright new idea for a while there.:smt033


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## TOF (Sep 7, 2006)

PanaDP said:


> I'll pass on the rice, thank you. I thought I had a bright new idea for a while there.:smt033


A number of us could start a rice farm with our mistake. Rice is cheap so it was a good idea that just didn't work. :mrgreen:

:smt1099


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## sirgknight (Feb 21, 2008)

+1 on the rice farm. I also tried Vermiculite, you know the granules you buy at your local auto parts dealer for cleaning your garage floor of grease and grime? yeah, that's the one! another "cheap" mistake. that's why I'm now deciding whether to go with corn cob or walnut media. might as well step up and pay just a few more dollars for the tried and true.....


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