Inline FabricationTitan ReloadingWidenersReloading Everything
Lee PrecisionRepackboxPBcastcoMidSouth Shooters Supply
Load Data RotoMetals2
Page 1 of 5 12345 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 100

Thread: Stainless Tumbling Media Test Results

  1. #1
    Boolit Master

    Baja_Traveler's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    San Diego, CA
    Posts
    1,078

    Stainless Tumbling Media Test Results

    For the past month I've been researching a replacement for my Ultrasonic cleaner, which, while cleaning the brass pretty good, leaves the primer pockets in need of attention, just the same as the walnut media. So reading a few posts here, and on Snipershide I kept seeing mention of stainless tumbling media, so I decided to give it a try.
    My Stainless Tumbling Media and Thumblers Tumbler arrived in the mail the other day. I couldn't wait to give it a real test, so I gave it one that has failed my old Lyman vibratory with walnut shell, and my latest experimentation with the ultrasonic numerous times. For this test I decapped 100 30-30 cases that have been fired 8-10 times in silhouette matches, and were due for annealing. I annealed the dirty fired cases, essentially baking on the powder residue on the case necks. Note the hard caked on gunk in the primer pockets. Both previous systems always had a real hard time removing this. Here is the before picture:



    I put the stainless media in the tumbling pot, dropped the brass in and added water and 1 tablespoon of Dawn dishwashing liquid and 1/4 teaspoon of Lemishine. The directions say to add 1-2 tablespoons, and if you don't see foam in the end you didn't add enough (1 tablespoon was more than enough - there was a ton of foam in the end). I buttoned up the drum and put it on the tumbler for 3 hours. At the end of 3 hours I brought the drum to the sink and opened it up - I was greeted with a pile of grey foam oozing out onto the counter - next time a half tablespoon of Dawn. A quick rinse of the drum contents revealed the cleanest brass I've ever been able to obtain. Every single one of the primer pockets was in pristine condition and the brass shiny and super clean. The media is supposed to actually improve with use as the stainless pins get burnished. I cant imagine it getting better than this! I read reports that this system is much quieter than a vibratory, which I don't believe is true. The sound level is about the same, but it has a much lower frequency, so it cannot be heard behind a closed door. I simply love this system - I have drunk the coolaid so many raved about and I am now a card carrying cult member...



    So last night I tumbled 100 -06 cases that I've been shooting out of my Garand. I think all of them started their life as the old Greek ammo, and I've reloaded them several times since. When I poured the water out of the tumbler it looked like I was pouring used motor oil it was so black! The brass however looks just like the 30-30 in the picture above.

    Oh, and I used 1 teaspoon of Dawn this time and it was perfect. I think the 1-2 Tbs in the Tips section of the media website may be a typo...

  2. #2
    In Remembrance
    GRUMPA's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    Concho Az
    Posts
    2,161
    I to have been researching the net on that stuff with a lot of the same results that you've had. I sure am glad when people go thru the effort and post pictures with their claim. When finances permit I will be getting one of those high speed tumblers and media and give it a whirl myself. And after giving it some thought I believe the reason for the 1-2 tablespoons of soap, can and will be determined by what quality the water is to begin with. The well water I use now is a lot different than the big city water I was using.

  3. #3
    Moderator Emeritus / Trusted loob groove dealer

    waksupi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Somers, Montana, a quaint little drinking village,with a severe hunting and fishing problem.
    Posts
    19,325
    Will this work with a vibratory unit, or does it need the action of a tumbler?
    The solid soft lead bullet is undoubtably the best and most satisfactory expanding bullet that has ever been designed. It invariably mushrooms perfectly, and never breaks up. With the metal base that is essential for velocities of 2000 f.s. and upwards to protect the naked base, these metal-based soft lead bullets are splendid.
    John Taylor - "African Rifles and Cartridges"

    Forget everything you know about loading jacketed bullets. This is a whole new ball game!


  4. #4
    Boolit Master

    Baja_Traveler's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    San Diego, CA
    Posts
    1,078
    They say it will not work with a vibratory unit because of the weight involved between the stainless media, brass and water (about 15 pounds all total). But I've had some people tell me that they have done it using the larger heavy duty vibratory units designed for wet media.
    You'll find most of the vibratory units sold for reloaders have fine print that they are not to be used with liquid.

    GRUMPA - good point on water quality...

  5. #5
    Boolit Master zuke's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Cochrane Ont
    Posts
    2,430
    I'm still amazed when I pour out the water and see the gold.

  6. #6
    Boolit Master bbqncigars's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Central Iowa
    Posts
    511
    Gents,
    I've tried walnut, corn cob (untreated/treated) in a vibe, and ceramic (BACO) media in a Thumler. There's nothing that compares to the results that SS media in a tumbler give you. Decap first, and the cases come out virginal. Don't take my word for it. Just go to snipershide and search on SS media. You'll see some amazing photos. The two downsides to the SS media are: thorough media removal is mandatory; case drying is needed. I do the removal via a half submerged media separator, and drying method is dealer's choice (time, towels, alcohol, heat, etc.).
    "Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most." A. Brilliant

  7. #7
    Boolit Man Andy Griffith's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Posts
    82
    I've got one question...

    Has anyone tried nickel plated brass in stainless media? I'm a bit worried that it might strip it from the brass.

    Any others cleaned nickel plated brass with stainless media?

    I will say that stainless media is the only way to clean blackpowder brass. I had some old blackpowder 10ga cases that I was almost ready to throw out because no amount of elbow grease could get them clean, but three hours in the tumbler and viola! They were beautiful!

  8. #8
    Boolit Master

    Baja_Traveler's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    San Diego, CA
    Posts
    1,078
    The two cases on the left are nickel. As you can see, the stainless media turns the bright nickel to a grey gunmetal color permanently. I don't shoot nickel cases, but got these two as part of a once fired batch I purchased from a member here. I threw them in the tumbler with everything else just to see what happened to them.


  9. #9
    Boolit Buddy jcw1970's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Columbus, Ohio
    Posts
    313
    How do you seperate the SS media from the cases? don't they stick inside the case cause they're wet? Also, how are you drying the cases?

  10. #10
    In Remembrance
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    The United States of Texas
    Posts
    3,264
    I'm just about to take the plunge into this. Already have a Thumler's, just need to get the media and the separator. I have a sink in my reloading shop, so no mess or fuss from SWMBO.


  11. #11
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Quincy, Mass
    Posts
    314
    Have had great success with SS media as well.... You can see my results Here

    How do you seperate the SS media from the cases? don't they stick inside the case cause they're wet? Also, how are you drying the cases?
    I know you weren't asking me but I thought I would chip in.... I use an RCBS media separator RCBS Separator filled with enough hot water to cover the brass/media when I dump it in.... Crank it a couple of times and the media is on the bottom and the brass is in the separator..... Shake dry and the hot brass will usually dry in a few minutes.... To get the media out I drain off most of the water and then do a fast dump back into my tumbler.... The fast dump is necessary due to the fact that the media is small enough that it tends to want to stick to everything due to the water's surface tension... As long as it is in enough liquid there is no problem moving it around.... Also have found a "quick release" magnet is handy to pick up any of the little pins that might I might spill on the floor....
    Last edited by Bob J; 06-27-2011 at 08:07 AM.

  12. #12
    Boolit Master

    Baja_Traveler's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    San Diego, CA
    Posts
    1,078
    What Bob said - the media separators work. For small batches I dont bother with it though. I leave enough water in the tumbler to just cover the brass and media, and simply give the brass a quick shake under water and all the media falls out. I then throw the brass on a drying rack and let it air dry over night, or if I'm in a hurry - oven dry it at 200 for a few hours. If you have a compressor handy, a quick blast in the primer pocket blows most of the water out of the case, and they dry that much faster.
    The pins are 316 stainless, so are slightly magnetic. A good magnet will pick them up.

  13. #13
    Moderator Emeritus / Trusted loob groove dealer

    waksupi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Somers, Montana, a quaint little drinking village,with a severe hunting and fishing problem.
    Posts
    19,325
    I use a cheap colander from the Dollar Store to separate media.
    The solid soft lead bullet is undoubtably the best and most satisfactory expanding bullet that has ever been designed. It invariably mushrooms perfectly, and never breaks up. With the metal base that is essential for velocities of 2000 f.s. and upwards to protect the naked base, these metal-based soft lead bullets are splendid.
    John Taylor - "African Rifles and Cartridges"

    Forget everything you know about loading jacketed bullets. This is a whole new ball game!


  14. #14
    In Remembrance
    montana_charlie's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    West of Great Falls, Montana
    Posts
    8,414
    If one is using a rotary tumbler, how much stainless media do you need to get good cleaning action?

    Is it a ratio of media to the volume of cases?
    An amount of media that fills a given volume of the drum?
    ... or...
    Buy as many pounds as you can afford and throw it in?

    How much are you putting in a Thumler's Model B?

    CM
    Retired...TWICE. Now just raisin' cows and livin' on borrowed time.

  15. #15
    Boolit Master nanuk's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Saskatchewan, Canada
    Posts
    3,127
    is there a decent substitute for this?

    it seems very expensive to buy, and then ship would make it quite dear.

    What are the size of the pins?

  16. #16
    Boolit Master

    Baja_Traveler's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    San Diego, CA
    Posts
    1,078
    Mine came with 5 pounds media, and that is the recommended amount. The limitation is in the tumbler drive - it is only rated to handle 15 pounds, so between the media, the brass and the water (which makes up most of the weight) I'm right at the limit when tumbling 120 or so 30-30 cases. I maxed it out once by tumbling near 300 .45 acp cases - the tumbler was straining, but the brass all came out clean.

    Nanuk - The pins are around .035 by .125. They are just small enough that two side by side will not get stuck in the primer flash hole of a standard primer pocket.

  17. #17
    Boolit Master zuke's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Cochrane Ont
    Posts
    2,430
    I bought 5 lbs from the guy that started the whole SS media craze.
    If anyone want's his info send me a PM.
    His media is magnetic for a quick and easy clean up and will NOT rust.
    I've read that the media being sold by SSM.com is non magnetic Stainless steel but WILL rust if left wet in the tumbler.

  18. #18
    Vendor Sponsor

    W.R.Buchanan's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Ojai CA
    Posts
    9,871
    Even 316 SS which is used in Salt Water applications will rust, however it is not because of being left in water, it is becasue of "Feric surface contamination". The surface contamination is what is actually rusting, not the base metal.

    Any of you weldors out there know what I'm talking about if you have ever wire brushed a Stainless Steel weld with a regular steel wire brush. The area where the steel brush hit the SS it will rust immediately. That's why you wire brush stainless with an uncontaminated SS wire brush. If you use one that has been used on steel it will do the same thing.

    The process of passivation (soaking in Nitric Acid) removes all of this and other types of contamination and returns the stainless back to it's stainless status. This is a common process done after machining SS parts

    All of those beautiful Bass Boat Props are made from 316 SS and then they are Electro Polished which is just a superduper form of passivation with added electricity in the process.

    The Dawn liquid is used in the tumbler to break the surface tension of the water so the media moves around better.( lubricity) I use it with ceramic media to deburr stainless and Titanium parts in my shop. I also run the parts dry for 2-3 days to get a highly polished finish. But stainless is way harder than brass.

    Your cases look really nice with this media. The clean primer pockets are the real plus+++

    What is the price/unit and the source for this product.

    I have seen stainless steel balls for tumbling but never small rods. It would cost $300 to fill my big tumbler with SS balls.

    Randy
    "It's not how well you do what you know how to do,,,It's how well you do what you DON'T know how to do!"
    www.buchananprecisionmachine.com

  19. #19
    Boolit Master zuke's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Cochrane Ont
    Posts
    2,430
    How is SS media suppose to get contamination from polishing brass?
    I machined SS for 15 year's so I know all the cross contamination problem's, even from sandblasting/glass bead blasting it.
    What I said is what I read on a forum online that someone had with their pin's and where they bought them from,SS media.com
    When I bought my pi's they were $55.00 shipped to me here in Ontario for 5 lbs

  20. #20
    Boolit Master

    Baja_Traveler's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    San Diego, CA
    Posts
    1,078
    Zuke - I dont think what you read is correct, I've had my SSM media wet for at least several months now - no signs of any corrosion whatsoever, and it is slightly magnetic. Anyway, all else being equal, non magnetic 316 stainless is MUCH more rust resistant than 304 (slightly) magnetic stainless because of the higher chromium/nickel content.

Page 1 of 5 12345 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check