I have also seen too many posts by the "experts" in reloading forums stating that reloaders shouldn't waste the money on commercially prepared tumbling media, but instead should go to their local hardware store and buy kitty litter!

Well, for less than $1 per pound I will buy commercially packaged Lyman media. A 3-pound charge is good for several thousand cases, and it does one hell of a job!

First of all there are basically two types of media, walnut and corncob. The walnut media is treated with red jeweler's rouge and the corncob is treated with a green polish. The walnut is a little more coarse in size.

Here's my suggestion on cleaning the cases.

If the cases are really nasty (dirty, corroded, discolored) tumble them for about one hour in the walnut media, and then for about one hour in the corncob.

If the cases are semi-nasty (smoke residue, slight discoloration) tumble them for about an hour in walnut media.

And for cases that are "normal" (basically clean and good-looking (like me)) tumble them for about one hour in treated corncob media.

Below you will find four pictures. The first is of some really nasty 9mm cases. These were fired and reloaded over 17 times. The empty cases landed in snow, and I left them there for 3 weeks. When the snow melted and the temperature got above freezing I picked the cases out of the ground, and this is what they looked like!

The next picture is from the same batch of cases, after they have been "tumbled" in a Lyman 2200 vibrator cleaner for one hour using only Lyman treated corncob media. Cases were still discolored and areas of corrosion were still evident.

The next picture is from the same batch of cases, after they have been "tumbled" in a Lyman 2200 vibrator cleaner for one hour using only Lyman treated walnut media. This removed most areas of discoloration and corrosion, but the cases were not highly shined.

The final picture is from the same batch of cases, after they have been "tumbled" in a Lyman 2200 vibrator cleaner for one hour using Lyman treated walnut media, followed by one hour using Lyman treated corncob media. Here all the discoloration and corrosion were removed, and the cases had that "gun show" shine. (Remember these case were fired 17 times and left in the weather for three weeks before being cleaned!)

Now, you can say what you want, but I will pick brass that looks like the last picture every time! Is it worth the extra cost (less than, $0.006 each) and time (about 1 hour)? You bet it is!

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[This message has been edited by ricciardelli (edited 04-09-2002).]

[This message has been edited by ricciardelli (edited 04-09-2002).]

I know they won't e as smooth as a baby's butt but they will be clean and in much less than an hour.

Roger

RSY

And RSY...when is the last time you saw belts on 9mm brass? (geesh!)

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Thanks for addressing the subject.

BR

Yeah, I was just funnin' with you. My current monitor isn't firing the red guns, so all my images are green-blue only. So, as you can imagine, I'm seeing things a little differently. Thanks for the comparison and pictures.

RSY

I thought I was looking at belted cases in the "before" picture too. Must be one of those moon crater illusions.

Nice pictures.

H. C.

Why bother to rejuvinate the media when you can buy new Lyman $10 for 12 pounds for treated corncob and $10 for 10 pounds for treated walnut?

RSY...

I know you were fooling around...and if all you have is blue-green, then I guess all the corrosion isn't gone either...

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They use both corncob and walnut media for reptile cage litter.

Take care,

Dan

They come out shiny, smooth, and with no residue at all.

Like Steve said, media is cheap, and lasts a long time. It's well worth the investment in money and time. You're dies will thank you for it.

I have used ultrasonic cleaning [exclusively] for the last three years. The results are extraordinary. ALL residues are gone from all surfaces. It all occurs within a 25-minute period (with a correct application of the process).

I have actually loaded from that point forward without even polishing. The only reason I polish now is for psychological reasons (I think I will shoot a shiny round better than a not-so shiny or dull one).

I have a low luster shine inside of a half an hour with the IOSSO Case Polish. With the Lyman - I obtain a high luster just outside of an hour.

I think when all is said and done between conventional and a technology-based approach is that time spent in preparing cases probably remains a constant. Some sequences in process change only. In the case of ultrasonic cleaning however, virtually zero residues appear consistently. Examples might include trace amounts of reside inside of the perimeter of the flash hole (if I get in a hurry). Some forms of surface corrosion I've encountered have also been effectively removed with ultrasonic cleaning. This is the type that would begin as a spot and spread outward of the center discoloring the brass. It does not inclued pitted corrosion or that which fundamentally alters the brass.

The benefits I�ve derived by applying this methodology are that I have a higher degree of confidence in a variety of the applicable processes. In the inspection process, all forms of pitted corrosion not necessarily apparent with conventional methods are prominently visible. In terms of volumetrics, I achieve a consistency in charges because residues are not present thereby rivaling new brass. Although I haven�t run the numbers, I would assert that costs are somewhat lower in the long run. The corncob media I just replaced (according to my records) has polished well over 4000 rounds of pistol and 1700 rifle (combined) for the last year.

Total time spent is just under 140 hours as opposed to twice that with conventional methods. I am happy to spend more time shooting, wouldn�t you?

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Best regards,
Alex

Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch.
Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote! - Benjamin Franklin 1759

I, too, have an ultrasonic cleaner, and I mainly use it to "wash" my cases after they have been lubed and resized.

However, considering that some people will use "home-grown" methods for cleaning their brass, just to save $5 a year, I doubt that they will spend the $600 for a decent cleaner.

I keep hoping the local hospital will soon but a new one, and I can buy their old one (that's how I got the one I have now, at a hospital "yard sale". But it is getting old...)

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After doing that twice, I bought a vibratory and some walnut media. The cost was not worth my time. Reloading is supposed to be fun...

I chuck the cases in the cleaner, turn it on, and go do something else for as long as it takes.

I started relaoding because some guy at the hardware store told me "well, now you are shooting a magnum, you should start reloadign to keep the price down"

I don't save any money, but I have a much more advanced knowledge of what ammo does, I shoot more, and my cases are clean

I work in a ski resort- the montaineers there don't try to find the "cheapest" solution", even if they ar strapped for cash. It's their hobby, their life. They use the best possible.

I'm 34, and I am sure I will die long before my reloading press.

quote:

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Originally posted by ricciardelli:
I mainly use it to "wash" my cases after they have been lubed and resized.

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Steve,

Interesting points. I suppose everyone's economies of scale are different. Mine boiled down to the value of my time versus everybody on the planet wanting a piece of my time. I wanted to gain the maximum bang at the range with the minimal amount of expended effort on the bench (not counting research & development [ever] - only pure loading from start to finish).

The major lesson learned that I am compelled to share with this august body is that IF one desires to leverage this form of technology - DO NOT SCRIMP ON THE UP FRONT COSTS. There are no shortcuts.

If one considers getting into Ultrasonic Cleaning, buy BOTH the UC machine AND a DEIONIZING WATER FILTRATION SUBSYSTEM (an inline type under the sink is more than adequate for the typical hobbyist shooting once a week or less). Unfortunately, that purchase will place one just south of a grand (UC $300..$600; DI Filter $150...$375)

My outcomes have vastly improved JUST with the purchase of the inline DI subsystem. Currently I generate about 18 MegOhms of DI water which is pretty damn near perfect Godly water as one can get in a lab setting. I've seen 20 MegOhm water touted but the border of costs placed me out of contention. Media costs are about $60 a year for the DI & Carbon Filter devices - as we have very harsh water in Florida

Other lessons learned, to clean any brass that needs to be reloaded, plain old laundry detergent (not the parfumed kind either) in the UC process is good enough! And my dies love my process becuase they think they are getting virgin brass - it's a sneaky ploy on my part to get 'em to mount and hump better!

So, for an up front cost ranging from $450...$975 one will get as close to new brass as possible. Less time waiting around for it - priceless.

But my question back to you Steve is, why wouldn't you use UC for the same initial processes? Why use it only for cleaning 'clean' brass?

By the way, I liked your idea of a capital purchase from a closed lease or foreclosure approach. Would you be in a postion to tell us the capacities and capabilities of the unit you currently use and its costs? I am trying to justify either building a bigger UC device from a stainless steel sink or perhaps a bigger unit.

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Best regards,
Alex

Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch.
Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote! - Benjamin Franklin 1759

[This message has been edited by Alex Szabo (edited 04-10-2002).]

Those cases are not getting ready to fall apart, believe it or not. And since those pictures have been taken, those cases were reloaded, fired, and are now sitting on my bench waiting for another loading (after 15 minutes in treated corncob).

What you are looking at is the cute little line that Remington and some Federal brass has from the factory.

Here is what they look like...

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quote:

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Originally posted by sonofagun:
Heck fellas, I just pop dirty brass in my mouth, swish it around a few minutes and voila' - good as new! ( )

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PYRO-BREATH!!!!

quote:

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Originally posted by sonofagun:
Heck fellas, I just pop dirty brass in my mouth, swish it around a few minutes and voila' - good as new! ( )

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Gives a new meaning to swapping spit ...

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Best regards,
Alex

Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch.
Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote! - Benjamin Franklin 1759