I want to get a case polisher, but don't know which direction to go. What is your favorite brand of plisher, media, and polishing additive.

Also, do any of you polish rocks in your case polisher? I was leaning towards a vibratory cleaner and thought that would also work for rocks with a medium change. Is this a bad idea?

Does anyone use the actual tumbler polishers?

I am not a raock hound but do want to start messing with them a little. Would be nice to use one machine for both, but my brass is the top priority.

Thanks!

I doubt you get good results w/ a vibrating tumbler & rocks, but I've never tried it. I used to use a tumbler but after burning up several belts wnet to a vibrating one. They all work about the same & they are pretty affordable. I use a mix of crushed walnut & corn cob w/ a bit of Dillon polish or NuFinish car wax.

The concept of vibratory tumblers for brass cases was born from the use of Thumlers Tumbler for use in the rock polishing operations. I have a Thumlers and they are quite heavy duty and in appearance the same as what is sold by any number of reloading equipment companies.
They will, quite adequately do both but they are not cheap. Besides have a rubber lined bowl, making them waterproof (they don't leak liquid) they have heavier duty motors and related parts. The vibrating tumbler will polish rocks and or brass three to four times faster the the typical rolling tumbler with the correct media.

This is the one I have

http://www.therockshed.com/tumbler3.html

Marc,

I wash my brass with dish washer detergent (Cascade) in a RCBS SideWinder. This eliminates dust particles that get pushed in the sizing die.

I decap using a Lee Universal decapping die or the bullet seating die from the set. Then tumble brass in hot tap water and Cascade for about 30-45 min. Put on an old cookie sheet and dry in oven at 170F (do not want to anneal) for about two hours. Prepare and size brass after cleaning.

I use a Dillon vibrating tumbler and corn cobb with Dillon rapid polish....I started with a thumbler tumbler rotary rock polisher but that was loooong ago....a rotary might do well for double duty-cases and rocks but the vibrator might not do rocks well but does cases great.....mine's going now on a timer.....I've been told that one company makes the vibratory tumblers for 4 or 5 companies to private brand...? good luck and good shooting-loading!!

THanks for the feedback! I wa shoping to get a double duty machine but will just get something for brass now and worry about rocks later. Rocks are significantly less important to me than my ammo!

My Thumbler's Tumbler Model B was purchased new in 1978. They last forever, mostly because they are engineered to polish rocks. They also do a fine job on brass.

Try one lemon's juice, half a teaspoon dishwashing liquid and a liter of water. Just dump the brass into the mix after resizing. You can swirl the container if you like. Rinse after 15 min and dry with a blow dryer. Nothing expensive here and results as good as any tumbler.