corn cob media

[NSP64]

I use it to polish my cases, is there any way to strain it to remove the dust or just pitch it and put in new.

[docone31]

I leave the crud in there. I get real shiney cases. My media has been around for a few thousand pistol, and a few hundred rifle.
I wait untill it turns into powder, then dump and recharge.

[94Doug]

In another post, there was the suggestion of drier sheets, which I found worked great for removing the dust!!

Doug

[compass will]

Some have said to run a wet paper towel through the cleaner for around 30 minutes.

I have tried it, it does come out pretty dirty.

[Tom Herman]

I also use corn cob. It dusts at first, but that diminishes in time.
I usually wipe the dust off the tumbler with a moist paper towel, then dump the cob and shells into the Dillon media separator.
I use Dillon Rapid Polish with the corn cob. After about four cycles, gunk starts getting deposited in the tumbler walls. That comes off with a toothbrush and 409, and is wiped out with a dry paper towel.
To make the cob last even longer, I wash all the brass before tumbling (garbage in, garbage out).
The current batch has about 20 loads of shells through it, and is still going strong.

Happy Shootin'! -Tom



I use it to polish my cases, is there any way to strain it to remove the dust or just pitch it and put in new.

[timkelley]

As 94Doug suggested, Toss one or two used dryer sheets in with some brass. As the brass gets cleaner so will the media.
I have been doing this with new media for the past couple of months and the media still looks new.

[osage]

I also use dryer sheets to pick up dust from the media. I use the wind to remove some of the dust when I pour the the media and brass into the sifter.

[Springfield]

Dump in some auto paint swirl remover and there won't be any dust, plus the brass will be extra shiny. Keeps you from inhaling the lead borne dust also.

[0802]

Heard someone mention putting some orange peels (that have been roughed up with a cheese grater or wire brush) as a way to "recharge" your media instead of using the liquid stuff. It works and the moist orange peels pick up the dust really well.

Just make sure you take the orange peels out as soon as you are done tumbling . . .

[Kraschenbirn]

A couple 1 1/2" square cleaning patches soaked in one of the citrus-oil cleaners...I use "Goo-Gone"...tossed in with each load of brass will keep the dust down and, also, extend the life of your corn cob medium.

Bill

[dragonrider]

I wash mine. Grab a pair of you wifes, or significant other's, pantyhose, cut off one leg, pour your media into it and tie off the open end. Fill you sink with water and some dish soap, slosh you panty/media around in it for a while making sure to agitate it well. Then rinse repeatedly. Hang it up someplace warm for a couple days to let it dry. Or spread it out on a bakery sheet and stick it in the over at low temp for as long as needed to dry it out.

[Pepe Ray]

All this info is great stuff ,but I sense that you already have a dirty mess of media to contend with, right??
Although it's a dirty job, the media can be washed out. Simply put it in an old pantie hose, tie it up securely and launder. DON'T use SWMBO's equipment!!!
Drying outside of the bag takes a while cause you can't let the wind get to it.
But it's all doable if you've got the patience.
Pepe Ray

[Pepe Ray]

Sorry dragonrider, you'r too quick for me.
PR

[mtgrs737]

I buy it by the 50 lb. bag and just toss it when it gets too dirty. It is cheap and not worth the trouble of trying to clean it, I do clean the bowl of my tumbler when I dump the brass out though.

[dwtim]

Heh, I bought a Lyman Auto-flo, and all the dust just settles in the lower pan.

[Echo]

I read this in the AM and threw an old drier sheet (found on floor next to drier) for about 45 minutes in my Midway tumbler. Man! Came out DIRTY! Will make this a habit.

[Russel Nash]

I have tried the NuFinish 2000 car polish route, the odorless mineral spirits route, both the car polish and mineral spirits together route, and the car polish, mineral spirits, and dryer sheet route.

It seems to me that I get the same result just using a cut up used bounce brand dryer sheet.

It almost acts like a filter of sorts to catch the dust.

Since I first heard of this tip, I have kept all my used dryer sheets. I have at least 2 big zip loc bags full of 'em now.

I cut one sheet into 4 equal pieces and toss them in.

Once I separate out the media from the brass using that "bingo roller", I'll fish out the dirty dryer sheets and throw them in the trash.

I used crushed walnut shells sold at Petsmart as lizard litter.

Maybe when that 20 pound bag finally wears out, I will check around to automotive finishing (paint) suppliers and get a 50 pound bag of crushed walnut of the right size.

A buddy of mine uses plain white rice, like a 50 pound bag from Costco or Wally World. It only does straight walled semi-auto pistol cases for now. I'd be too worried about rice grains getting packed in and stuck in a bottlenecked rifle case.

[C1PNR]

I'll have to try the used dryer sheets.

In the past what I have done is leave the top off the vibratory tumbler and have a small fan blow across the top as it's running.

Do this outdoors and the media dust, as well as the lead staphnate, blow out of the media. I usually do this the first time I use a new load of media, and then again after 2 or 3 more loads of brass.

Set the stuff up, move off upwind, and do what ever comes to mind, like cast boolits, mow the lawn, weed the garden, swing in the hammock with a cold beverage;), etc.

[Hardcast416taylor]

I agree with MTGRS 737, I buy mine in lage quantity bags (25 lb. or larger) by myself or have several friends go in on it with me. When it gets too loaded up with dirt from use and polish additives such as Dillion. I use the corn cob for making sandbags instead of using sand for my shooting bench. In fact my BullBag is much handier to carry now. Other wise it goes in the burn can for the brush pile. I might try the dryer sheet when I refill the tumbler - thanks for the tip.:bigsmyl2:

[Shuz]

I use one of those big "bingo roller type" separators that I got years ago from Dillon. It works very well with ground walnut shells and corn cob media sold for case polishing by Lyman and others. However, being frugal, OK cheap, I use media from the pet dept at Wal-Mart and PETCO. Only problem I've encountered is the granule size of this cheap stuff doesn't flow well thru my separator. Yesterday I took a 5/16" drill and made a bunch of holes on the slots of the bingo basket. It now passes the larger granules with ease and did not effect the structural integrity of the basket.

[MtGun44]

Tear an ordinary paper towel into about 4 equal strips (it tears nicely one
way, very badly in the cross direction) and feed them into the rolling media.
They will trap alot of dirt and then you throw them out.

Bill

[compass will]

I tried the dryer sheet tonight. just grabbed a fresh one and cut it into 1/4's.
Man it came out dirty, and the cases and media smell good also :)

I have a lyman tumbler. To empty it I have a box around the size of a shoe box. I turn the lid nut several turns, enough the media can come out but none of the cases. I hold the tumbler so it is on it's side over the shoe box and turn it on. It empty's within a minute but the cases stay in the tumbler.