Help with a new (to me) tumbler

[yooper]

I'm like the dog that chased cars till he caught one and then didn't know what to do with it. I recently bought a Lortone tumbler and 5# of stainless steel pins from two members of this forum. Now that I've got them, I realize I don't know the procedure for tumbling using them. I've read about using Lemi Shine and Dawn and other products, but don't know proportions, do I use water and if so how much, etc. If anybody could walk me through a step-by-step procedure or point me to such, it would be greatly appreciated.
John
yooper

[VHoward]

http://www.stainlesstumblingmedia.com/tutorials/ The second video down will show you the steps.

[Bayou52]

Hi, John. Welcome to the world of wet tumbling.

I don't know the capacity of the Lortone, so I'll describe the procedure I use for wet tumbling with the Thumlers model B which has a 15 pound capacity:

1. deprime brass,

2. I tumble 4 pounds of brass per batch using 5 pounds of 0.47" diameter SS pins. The smaller 0.41" diameter pins can get stuck side by dide in some flash holes, so if you are using the smaller pins, you'd want to visually inspect the flash holes after tumbling.

3. Add 1/4 TSP of Lemi-Shine per batch,

4. I prefer to use auto wash and wax (any brand) insread of Dawn as the wax tends to impede the return of tarnish. I use between 1 and 3 ounces per batch depending on how tarnished the brass is,

5. Add cold water and cover the brass by 3 or so inches of water,

6. Very tarnished brass gets tumbled for 4 hours. Less tarnished brass about 2 hours. Nickel cases tumble about 1 1/2 - 2 hours,

7. I use a media separator to separate the pins from the brass, and then spin dry the brass in the squirrel cage to dry them.

You will see from posts to come after this one that there's no one way to undertake this process. There are as many wet tumbling recipes and procedures as there are wet tumblers. As you progress down the learning curve, you will develop your own recipes and procedures for wet tumbling.

I really enjoy SS wet tumbling as a fun hobby. Brilliant and sparkling brass, as many have said, may not shoot any better than lesser shiney brass, but to me, that's not the real point. I simply enjoy having that brassy bling, and the whole process is just fun.

Pic is some recently tumbled brasses using the above described procedure.





Happy Tumbling....



Bayou52

[yooper]

Bayou, your pic hurt my eyes. Wow, what a job! That's what I'm after. And thanks VHoward for the video link. It's bookmarked. It sounds like the guy's talking in an echo chamber but it gets the info across. I'm ready to do a batch this afternoon.
John
yooper

[Bayou52]

Bayou, your pic hurt my eyes. Wow, what a job! That's what I'm after. And thanks VHoward for the video link. It's bookmarked. It sounds like the guy's talking in an echo chamber but it gets the info across. I'm ready to do a batch this afternoon.
John
yooper

John -

I'd be interested in hearing how your first batch comes out, and what your procedure is. Could yoiu post a follow-up and let us know. I'm always interested in helping a newbie to the wet tumbling world!

Bayou52

[yooper]

I'd be happy to post a follow-up with before and after pics. I've got a specific batch of brass in mind for my trial run. I'm definitely a newbie to the world of wet tumbling, but not to loading itself. I got my first loading press, a Lyman Tru-Line Jr, as a Christmas gift in 1951 if I'm recalling it right. Today, my folks would likely be put in jail for getting a sophomore in High School "gun stuff", but it was a lot different world then.
John
yooper

[Bayou52]

I'd be happy to post a follow-up with before and after pics. I've got a specific batch of brass in mind for my trial run. I'm definitely a newbie to the world of wet tumbling, but not to loading itself. I got my first loading press, a Lyman Tru-Line Jr, as a Christmas gift in 1951 if I'm recalling it right. Today, my folks would likely be put in jail for getting a sophomore in High School "gun stuff", but it was a lot different world then.
John
yooper

Sounds good, John.

You've been reloading longer than I've been breathing!

Look forward to your pics.....

Happy Tumbling-

Bayou52

[VHoward]

Back then, young people were taught to be responsible, intelligent, contributors to society. Today, we can't tell our children they are doing anything wrong because we might injure their self esteem.

[Tackleberry41]

Why is the stainless pins don't work in a vibratory tumbler?

[Bayou52]

Why is the stainless pins don't work in a vibratory tumbler?

If placed in a vibratory tumbler, the mass of the SS pins is much greater than that of the brass itself. So, the brass will just stay at the top and won't tumble through the pins.

Bayou52

[yooper]

I was wondering the same question as Tackleberry. Great answer, thanks.
yooper

[yooper]

Well, today’s the big day when I join the “Wet Tumbling” club. After asking lots of dumb questions and watching a number of on-line videos I’m ready to do it. For my first attempt I’ve got a bag of mixed “deer rifle size” cases – 300 Savage and 30-30. The Savages came out of a box from the 1950’s so its had a good long time to develop a nice tarnish and give the tumbler and stainless steel pins a test. Here’s the brass prior to the test.



My tumbler is a fairly small, older model Lortone that I bought from a Cast Boolits member and seems to run pretty well. The drum on mine is about 7” diameter and 4 ½” deep. I added about 2# of stainless steel pins to it which appeared to me to look about right. I added ¼ teaspoon of Lemi Shine Booster (a powdered dishwashing detergent) and 2 teaspoons of Dawn detergent and filled the drum mostly full of warm water. Added the brass, sealed it up, and started the experiment at 8:00am.



After waiting expectantly, I turned the tumbler off at 11:00am. Time to see what a 3 hour run does. WOW! Here’s how the previously cruddy brass turned out. Inside and out, as well as the primer pockets, it gleams like new brass (or better). Over the years I’ve used walnut shells, ground corn cobs, rice, and a couple other “polishing media” in several types of tumblers, but none can compare to this for absolute cleanliness of the brass.
It’s a bit of a hassle with draining the brass and pins, separating them without losing the pins, getting yelled at for using my wife’s pasta strainer, taking the time to let the wet brass dry, etc. but overall the results are well worth the effort. Thanks to everybody who took the time to offer advice, helpful hints, and encouragement. This is a GREAT forum for members helping members. Thanks.
John
yooper

[Tackleberry41]

Wonder if instead of the pins, they used something finer, more of large filings or shavings?

[Bayou52]

After waiting expectantly, I turned the tumbler off at 11:00am. Time to see what a 3 hour run does. WOW! Here’s It’s a bit of a hassle with draining the brass and pins, separating them without losing the pins, getting yelled at for using my wife’s pasta strainer, taking the time to let the wet brass dry, etc. but overall the results are well worth the effort. Thanks to everybody who took the time to offer advice, helpful hints, and encouragement. This is a GREAT forum for members helping members. Thanks.

Great results, John! You're now hooked - no goin' back. You will likely forever remember that rush of a feeling you had when you first saw those glistening brasses at the bottom of your drum! Thanks for the follow-up post and pics.

Just FYI - a media separator works great in separating pins from brass. For about $30, it'll last a lifetime, and is also cheap insurance against the wife's comments....

Happy Tumbling....

Bayou52

[Bayou52]

Wonder if instead of the pins, they used something finer, more of large filings or shavings?

My guess will be that as long as the metal composing those filings or shavings is denser than the brass itself, then it won't likely work in a vibratory tumbler.


Bayou52

[yooper]

"You will likely forever remember that rush of a feeling you had when you first saw those glistening brasses at the bottom of your drum!"

When I drained off the grungy water and saw the gleaming brass, I knew just how the prospectors felt during the gold rush days when they saw that gleam of the gold traces in the sand.
John
yooper

[mold maker]

Get the pickup magnet, with the release, to pickup the pins that escape. It will save your pins and sanity.

[yooper]

Pickup magnet with release?? Not familiar with this.
yooper

[VHoward]

I did a google search for one and they were either inappropriately sized and expensive, or just plain expensive. I have a plain magnetic pick up tool that cost me around $10. It works just fine and I can take the pins off with my fingers. Just not going to spend over $100 for a magnetic pick up tool with release.

[Gillie Dog]

yooper,

Try a 30 minute run time with your mixture and see how it does, might be enough or add a little more time if needed.

Release pick up magnets can be found for 8 to 20 dollars, search Amazon or Harbor Freight. The long handled HF one was $9 but is a pain, get a short handle one.

Happy tumbling.

GD