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45-70 Chevroner
12-08-2020, 05:42 PM
Old dogs can learn new tricks. I will be 80 my next birth day. I came up with this idea a few years ago. I am sure most of your wives use static cling sheets in the dryer. We use to just trough them away after they were used. The idea came to me, why not put a couple of them in the shell tumbler and see if they will take some of that black dust out. Well it does, it won't get it all out but it will extend the life of your media. I just put a couple of them in the tumbler (no shells) for about 15 minutes, and I do that a couple of times with clean static cling sheets after each shell cleaning sessions. It does work and has extended the life of my media.

Wally
12-08-2020, 05:50 PM
I use used dryer sheets dampened with charcoal starting fluid...and use whenever cleaning brass. When the sheet sheep gets black, I replace it. It works well to keep the media clean and dust free; it seems the brass is cleaner as well.

poppy42
12-08-2020, 08:29 PM
Well 45-70 been doing that for a few years now! It definitely works!

Dusty Bannister
12-08-2020, 10:45 PM
Used drier sheets, quarter sheets of paper towel or even rags with a little mineral spirits go in the media with every load of brass. Picks up carbon, brass chips, sand or dirt from range pick up. Very good to maintain the media and extend the run time between a wash and dry cycle. New drier sheets will leave a residue on the brass.

Wheelguns 1961
12-08-2020, 11:03 PM
Been using used dryer sheets for a long time also. Never heard of the charcoal starting fluid though. What does that do?

Sam Sackett
12-08-2020, 11:07 PM
I have been using used drier sheets for a while. I was also adding a few strips of paper towel. Then I got to thinking that some guys add a capful of car polish to the media. I put 2 and 2 together and started soaking the paper towel strips with NuFinish car polish. This seems to leave a nice finish on the brass casings, and the paper towel strips come out black with media dust, etc.. I think this gets more dust out of the media than either drier sheets or dry paper towel sheets.

YMMV, but works for me

Sam

Wally
12-08-2020, 11:20 PM
https://www.kingsford.com/products/charcoal-lighter-fluid/



Been using used dryer sheets for a long time also. Never heard of the charcoal starting fluid though. What does that do?

abunaitoo
12-09-2020, 02:22 AM
Been doing that for a while.
If you eat oranges, throw the fresh peels in it.
Seems to help the sheets take out more grime.

Winger Ed.
12-09-2020, 03:13 AM
Never heard of the charcoal starting fluid though. What does that do?

It works the same way as getting a kitchen towel wet to better wipe up dust & dirt on other surfaces.
the solvent catches the dust faster, and gets it into the paper towel or dryer sheet that will trap/hold it.

I save up old dryer sheets, or tear up paper towels and just run them in with the brass.
The media stays clean longer, and since I run mine in the garage without the lid,
that keeps the big dust ring from being deposited on the floor around it.

Cattleman406
12-09-2020, 04:12 AM
I only learned about the dryer sheets trick about 4 months ago...and a month after that my tumbler stopped working and i haven't been to town to buy a new one. I dont even know what brand to buy, bang for buck wise.

Doubles Shooter
12-09-2020, 07:46 AM
I used the dryer sheets for several years. They helped a lot. However I went out and bought a 40 # bag of ground cobs from Grainger and and haven't looked back. I just dump and replace it when it gets dirty. It's not that expensive.

Loudy13
12-09-2020, 10:02 AM
I used the dryer sheets for several years. They helped a lot. However I went out and bought a 40 # bag of ground cobs from Grainger and and haven't looked back. I just dump and replace it when it gets dirty. It's not that expensive.

If you don't mind which media did you buy? I see 2 options at Grainger.

Dimner
12-09-2020, 10:30 AM
If you don't mind which media did you buy? I see 2 options at Grainger.

another option is buying from ebay. I didnt have a Grainger account, so ebay is where I ended up. Bought this a little over a year ago, and I think I have used maybe 10-15% of it?

Zoro Select Crn3-40 Blast Media,Corn Cob,20 To 40 Grit

Product Details
Blast Media, Corn Cob, Media Grit 40, Nominal Dia. Micron Range 425 to 1000, 40 lb, Bag, Nominal Dia. Range 0.0167 in to 0.0393 in, US Sieve 30


I still drop in a couple used dryer sheets with the media as well as some nu-finish or turtle wax type stuff ever 4th load or so.

hc18flyer
12-09-2020, 11:01 AM
Well 45-70 been doing that for a few years now! It definitely works!

Me too! hc18flyer

prs
12-09-2020, 11:12 AM
I used to use dryer sheets too and it did keep the dust down, but I eventually repurposed my dry media tumblers to be powder paint applicaters and changed to wet rotary tumbling which eliminates all of the nasty dust and contaminants from the loading room, my cloths, and the house. Plus, no more barrel leading. I thought I would not like wet tumbling and I thought powder paint coating would never work; but this old dog was wrong, again ...

derek45
12-09-2020, 12:12 PM
I’ve been using used dryer sheets for several years

.

mdi
12-09-2020, 12:35 PM
I have used "used" dryer sheets before but they would have to be salvaged out of the trash od I had to get to them before SWMBO tosses it. So I just started using dryer sheets as "new"! I also used pieces of paper towels small pieces of cloth, etc., dampened with a solvent. I always wondered why everybody wanted "used", new works better...

But it all don't mean nuttin' to me 'cause if my media gets gunky, from too much auto polish or case lube, I'll just toss it and the amount of dust ain't enuf to think about...

downzero
12-09-2020, 12:54 PM
I've found the same result from putting the solvent in my tumbler directly rather than using dryer sheets or paper towels to carry it.

Doubles Shooter
12-09-2020, 02:05 PM
If you don't mind which media did you buy? I see 2 options at Grainger.
I got the 20-40 size.

jaysouth
12-11-2020, 12:52 AM
I process dirty brass in citric acid then wet tumble for a couple of hours. Now that I use walnut shells to polish brass rather than clean it, a bowl full lasts decades. I throw in a dryer sheet and a cap full of chrome polish with each bath.

To get case lube off loaded rounds, I toss in the tumbler with a teaspoon of mineral spirits/charcoal lighter for 15 minutes.

trails4u
12-11-2020, 01:37 AM
I've had the same lizard litter (walnut) in my tumbler for at least 6 years..... THOUSANDS of cases through it, and it still does just as well as new. Capful of mineral spirits and a dab of brass polish every time I run it. I'm not convinced you can wear it out....

Loudy13
12-11-2020, 11:09 AM
I got the 20-40 size.

I picked up my 40lb bag yesterday...should be good for a while now!

Thank you

Gunslinger1911
12-11-2020, 11:42 AM
Well jeeze !
How have I missed this trick ?????
Thanks !

MarkW
12-11-2020, 02:06 PM
I've been using heavy duty paper shop towels torn into strips for a couple decades now, as mentioned it pulls a lot of the crap out and I just replace the strips a couple times a year and give a squirt of rejuvenator at the same time.

Tonto
12-11-2020, 08:22 PM
Yes this is a great tip, I've been doing this for years as well, I keep a ziplock bag of used dryer sheets in the reloading room and the garage where my tumblers reside. The range brass tumbler gets much dirtier and sees more of those sheets. I don't like adding additional liquids as once in awhile things got gummed up and my guess it was operator error with mineral spirits, And I'm half-way thru my Grainger bag of corn cob media, the smaller size and I spend less time picking primer pocket holes clean. I think I bought mine about 5+ years ago, picked it up at their store near Gary, IN and it was about $25 for 40 pounds. I've also tried paper towels, old t-shirt strips and now wonder about coffee filters and toilet paper. Between this and the Harbor Freight ultrasonic with Dawn and Citric Acid, a dirty case doesn't have a chance here.

whisler
12-11-2020, 08:50 PM
Mostly I clean with citric acid solution, but when I do use the vibrator I add a few squares of cotton cloth saturated with lamp oil. Patches come out dirty and brass comes out clean

tunnug
12-11-2020, 09:06 PM
I've also been using the dryer sheets for years, I cut them into strips and add several in, they seem to swirl around better than a full sheet in there.

dale2242
12-12-2020, 06:38 AM
I don`t bother with cleaning my walnut media.
I bought a 40-50 lb bag of lizard litter years ago.
I just change it when it gets dirty.
I do sift it between 2 containers in front of a slow speed fan before I use it to remove the dust

Lloyd Smale
12-12-2020, 07:00 AM
I have been using used drier sheets for a while. I was also adding a few strips of paper towel. Then I got to thinking that some guys add a capful of car polish to the media. I put 2 and 2 together and started soaking the paper towel strips with NuFinish car polish. This seems to leave a nice finish on the brass casings, and the paper towel strips come out black with media dust, etc.. I think this gets more dust out of the media than either drier sheets or dry paper towel sheets.

YMMV, but works for me

Sam

yup paper towel will do the same. Me i buy 50 lb bags of walunt and just change it out when it gets dirty.

dpoe001
12-12-2020, 08:52 AM
I have been using dryer sheets for about 8 years now, i cut 2 used sheets in 1 inch strips and throw them in with my media for about an hour.

Cosmic_Charlie
12-12-2020, 12:25 PM
I use the Lymann media which is walnut hulls I think. Seems to last a long time. Guess I should buy some more in case that gets scarce.

Lloyd Smale
12-13-2020, 06:34 AM
I use the Lymann media which is walnut hulls I think. Seems to last a long time. Guess I should buy some more in case that gets scarce.

for the price of that jug of lyman stuff you can buy huge bag of it at the feed store or pet store.

recumbent
12-13-2020, 07:33 PM
Pet Smart has crushed walnut shells they sell as bedding in the reptile dept. A whole lot cheaper than Lyman media and I have heard Harbour Freight sells them too as media for their tumblers.

dverna
12-13-2020, 08:39 PM
I must have been asleep for decades. Never heard of using dryer sheets.

Media is so cheap that my interest is not to extended its life. I am downsizing and moving my metallic loading from an outbuilding to the basement. Anything test reduces dust will be advantageous. Dampening the cloth is likely important to make the crud stick to it.

Lloyd Smale
12-14-2020, 07:47 AM
I must have been asleep for decades. Never heard of using dryer sheets.

Media is so cheap that my interest is not to extended its life. I am downsizing and moving my metallic loading from an outbuilding to the basement. Anything test reduces dust will be advantageous. Dampening the cloth is likely important to make the crud stick to it.

just put a cover on your tumbler.

MOC031
12-15-2020, 01:52 AM
Pet Smart has crushed walnut shells they sell as bedding in the reptile dept. A whole lot cheaper than Lyman media and I have heard Harbour Freight sells them too as media for their tumblers.

I bought a bag from Harbour Freight for the shop vibratory tumbler. It's the fine grade. I think it's a little bit too fine grade. If you try Harbour Freight and can't actually eyeball how fine/coarse their media is (I couldn't), I'd suggest you try the coarser of the two grades they sell.