how do I...

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  • Last Post 20 March 2018
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Ross Smith posted this 20 March 2018

I've only had a case tumbler the last 3 years, but been reloading 40+. How do I tell when the media is too worn out or dirty?

Also, I tried the trick using a gloved hand instead of a mallet to open the sprue plate, it works! no more sprue bumps or divots.

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onondaga posted this 20 March 2018

Ross you can clean your tumbling media easily by taking several used dryer sheets, cutting them to about 2x2" squares, lightly spaying them with silicone spray and putting them with your media through a 4 hour cycle in your vibratory cleaner either with or without brass in there too. the dryer sheets are an excellent crud magnet, just throw them out after use.

If your media particles are worn small to the point they don't tumble and clean well, change them. I find 11 grit Walnut from HarborFreight lasts indefinitely if you keep it clean with dryer sheets every cycle.

 

Gary

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OU812 posted this 20 March 2018

I use my Lyman Vibratory with corn cob media to remove lube residue inside of case necks before reloading. I add a little Mineral Spirits to cut the wax and grease a little better. I have never changed media because it was dirty, only added more caused by spilling while separating from cases.

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OU812 posted this 20 March 2018

Silicone spray such as WD40 ?

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Ross Smith posted this 20 March 2018

WD-40 is not silicone. Someone could correct me though.

I've been using paper towel pieces to collect dust and they work, never tried dryer sheets. So I guess I'l just keep on chugging along. Thanks all.

Since I am a bamboo rod builder silicone is banned from my workshop. It will kill a glue joint in nothing flat and is very hard to clean up. Just some trivia.

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RicinYakima posted this 20 March 2018

WD-40 is kerosene and propane/butane, with a little wax thrown in. FWIW

I use paper towels also, with the dryer sheets and if the cases are greasy with bullet lube, a teaspoon of mineral sprits. Vibrate with the top off.

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R. Dupraz posted this 20 March 2018

Be careful when adding pieces of paper towel , dryer sheets or anything similar to your media. And inspect the inside of the cases well after tumbling if you do. Pieces  of the above can tear or break off and lodge themselves inside the cases, thus reducing the powder space. Particular hazardous when using small charges of faster burning powder in cast loads. It doesn't take much of a reduction in case volume with a faster burning powder to produce and overload even when the powder charge is correct.  

Why do I say this?

Well, don't think this can happen? I'm here to tell you it can! I don't put anything in my vibrator-tumbler but media, brass and maybe a little powdered rejuvenator once in a while, only because i have some..   

 

 

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RicinYakima posted this 20 March 2018

laughing RD, with my OCD I check every case inside at least twice during the reloading process, since I use a single stage press it is easy to do. Ric

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R. Dupraz posted this 20 March 2018

The incident that I was referring to happened some years ago when I was adding strips of paper towel to clean the media in a vibrator tumbler while cleaning 308 cases. I didn't take the time to look into each case at the time but went ahead, dumped all the media out of each case,  deprimed and primed. Nothing unusual. But when I dumped 15 grns of 4227 the charge  nearly filled a case up to the neck. That's when I found a piece of towel lodged inside the 308 case after dumping the charge. Luckily, the level of the powder was high enough in the case to be readily seen. 

Quit adding anything to the media except media and relying on the eyes to check powder level from then on. I now check each charged case with a short piece of dowel that is marked when using a single stage press. 

Any more that 50 reloads, the Hornady progressive is used with a powder cop die after the powder measure. 

Cheap lesson learned.

 

Addendum

To the point of this post, After using my vibratory tumbler with new media for a while, I can tell when the media is worn out by the time it takes to clean the cases to the level that I want. When it takes much longer than normal to do it's job, it's time to change the media. Not a big deal.    

 

R. 

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Ross Smith posted this 20 March 2018

I check my cases after tumbling also. I tumble after depriming and Must check each case to get the chunks out of the flash hole and also check powder levels in each case for double charge etc. Can't be too careful.

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Maven posted this 20 March 2018

"How do I tell when the media is too worn out or dirty?"   

Even when using new dryer strips with my vibratory cleaner, the walnut hulls I use (pet store item) need replacement.  I know that's imminent when the medium, lightly dampened with Midway's polish (ancient; citrus scented) clings to the cleaned cases and needs vigorous rubbing to remove (a royal PITA!).  The 2nd indication is the walnut hulls become noticeably darker and are never dry to the touch.  Btw, the dryer sheets really help manage the dust generated by both new walnut hulls and vibratory tumbling (which I always do with the tumbler cover firmly in place).

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Ross Smith posted this 20 March 2018

I don't put any additives in my media, plain old hulls. The original rouge or what ever is finally gone and it wasn't any too soon for me. No more junk on the cases. I don't care if they come out a little dingy, just want the fouling gone. Thanks all.

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