Tumbling experiment

[redneckdan]

So I thought back to the brass cleaning thread and thought to give the cloths dryer idea a try. I got 6 sand bags and 6 gallon sized zip lockbags. One of the residents had left behind some walnut media that he used for pet gecko cage lining. I threw about 600-700 cases in a bag w/ some media, then threw that bag in a sand bag and zip tied the sand bag shut. Threw all 6 in the dryer along with some new shop rags to hopefully quiet it down. Ran the dryer through 3, i hour cycles and low and behold, I once again have shiney brass. But then the fecal matter started hitting the air handling unit. I got like 30 emails between the resisdents and the management asking what the heck I was doing in the laundry room and that I better knock it off. Oh well, no appreciacion for true engineering genius I guess.[smilie=1:

[LET-CA]

I don't think I'd put that mess in my dryer. The risk/reward equation is all out of balance for that kind of experiment.

[NVcurmudgeon]

The Princess in whose castle I am allowed to live has been very tolerant of my hobby. For example, she suggested that I move the foundry into the Royal coach house to keep my new shop clean. However I would live in terror that she might find out I was using media containing lizard dung in her dryer!

[redneckdan]

wasn't used media, was fresh from a 50 pound bag that the resident left behind. The guys at the shop were using if for absorb-all so I liberated some for a higher cause.

[wills]

Might give something like this a try, if you can find one cheap close by.

http://cgi.ebay.com/SEARS-OLD-CEMENT-MIXER-HEAVY-DUTY-RUNS-GOOD-NO-RESERVE_W0QQitemZ170003047110QQihZ007QQcategoryZ50 903QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[largecaliberman]

Wills,
I have a similar one - a wheel barrel model. Cleaned it up and replaced it with a washing machine motor I picked up at a junk yard. That size will handle around 4 -5 gallons of brass, 20-25 lbs of walnut media (from a pet shop) and if your using the media for the first time, dump the whole bottle of car polish - the 3M type non-abrasive type works fine. There after, all you have to add is a squirt of the polish and 1/4 cup of H2O to reactivate. :castmine: