wet v dry tumble

[4006]

what do you think on tumbler wet or dry i use the dillon i had the thrumble tumble
looking for same feed back i am thinking of getting a new tumbler

[Lagamor]

I have both. When I use the wet tumbler, some of them stick to the powder funnel. So I dry tumble with a bit of Nu-finish wax.
I don't wet tumble every time, and I keep two separate walnut medias. One to clean and one to wax.

[dannyd]

I have both, stick with dry.

[dverna]

I have been dry tumbling for 45 years and is works well enough for me. I think wet tumbling with pins will give a better shine but the downside is you need to dry them. My reloading area is in a detached garage 50 yards from the house so lugging water is not something I want to do. So dry it is for me.

Don Verna

[Ickisrulz]

I have stuck with dry. The wet method looks to be a major pain with no practical reward. I have never tried it, but this is what I think after looking at the process and posts by members here.

[sparky45]

I have both. Best results and my preference is wet. Never a problem with cases sticking on the powder funnel since I substituted a Automobile wash and wax soap for the Dawn. It maintains a "shiny" color to the brass for a longer time and they feel "slick" to the touch. The best benefit IMO is that I don't have to deal with the dust and powder oxides given off by the dry tumbler which can be a big health problem. Lead dust in the air isn't good for ya. As far as drying the brass is concerned, a quick tumble in a dry towel will remove the remaining moisture from the outside of the brass and leaving the brass over night on a dry towel will allow for anything left inside.

[Mytmousemalibu]

Im all for wet tumbling. The cleaning action is better, specifically the insides and primer pockets and I really appreciate not spreading lead contaminated dust all over the place. I decap all my brass prior to tumbling to get the brass clean inside and out. I built my own machine and drums which i can change size/capacity but with the current drum, I can process about 3000pcs of 9mm per batch and have it acceptably clean in 45mim and additional time just adds shine. As for drying, i don't put my self in the position to immediately need brass after tumbling, proper planning works. The slow dry method is after the brass is run through the same kind of media separator for dry media, i pour the brass on a tote lid, spread it out and put a fan on it. I usually do it in the evening and in the morning when I wake up, its all 100% dry. Putting it in the sun or in the oven will have it dry in an hour or two. Media lasts pretty much indefinitely if you don't lose it. Just as pinch of Lemishine and a teaspoon of car wash and wax do those last a long time too. Its not nearly the difficulty and pain in the **** people like to make it out as, not even close.

[country gent]

I prefer dry media for normal fired brass. For heavily tarnished or dirty brass I do a dawn citric acid soak to loosen the crud. My Bpcr brass goes in a jug as its fired. This neutralizes the salts and keeps the fouling soft. a few shakes and rinses when home I deprime and tumble with corncob, 4 ounzes of alchlol and iosso polish. Cleans up to new for me.

[gwpercle]

I have both , Thumbler for wet and a vibrating one for dry media. Generally I prefer the dry media, simply because I don't like dealing with the water and with getting the cases dried out.
The wet is good for really tarnished grungy stuff.
I prefer dry.
Gary

[17nut]

I started dry tumbling for 30+ years ago and switched to wet @12 years ago.
Now the dry one get used 2-3 times a year.

What is so dificult about drying for you guys?

I seperate brass and pins then chuck them into the oven at 180-190degF for a couple of hours.
Easy as that and i get my brass looking brand new.
This 45ACP has 12+ firings:

[Dancing Bear]

I've only dry tumbled, for 20 some years now. Wet produces super shiny cases but I'm ok with dry. Now if the vib cleaner ever craps out....

[Half Dog]

I have both also. I started with dry tumbling several years ago and kinda just expanded. Wet tumbling gets brass cleaner but takes more effort. Dry tumbling is great to clean the dirt from range pick ups prior to decaping so dirt stays out of the die. So, I use both, which seems to make me a fence sitter.

[blikseme300]

Wet is more effort and initial expense but worth it. I have 3 dry units gathering cobwebs and dust for a few years already. I know there is no accuracy advantage but reloading shiny & clean brass makes me feel good. This is a hobby so I do it the way I choose, YMMV.

[OS OK]

I started dry tumbling for 30+ years ago and switched to wet @12 years ago.
Now the dry one get used 2-3 times a year.

What is so dificult about drying for you guys?

I seperate brass and pins then chuck them into the oven at 180-190degF for a couple of hours.
Easy as that and i get my brass looking brand new.
This 45ACP has 12+ firings:

Same story here...the 'reward' is in pride of craftsmanship and always having a brand new looking case to load...especially the clean primer pockets.

Once you have experienced this level of clean...it's hard to compromise for something less. In the summer they dry laying on a towel in the sunlight in an hour...in the winter they dry in 20 minutes in a 180*F. oven. 'Easy Peezy!'

Many times I'll use the dry vibrating cleaner with walnut and polish but it's only when I've procrastinated about loading for the weekend and need them in a hurry...so I keep both methods running.

[dragon813gt]

Dry tumble. When I buy new brass from Starline it galls horrible on expanders. So I have to tumble it in treated walnut media to prevent it. I see no practical advantage for wet tumbling in most cases, no pun intended. W/ severely tarnished cases I see the advantage. Fact of the matter is shiny brass does make it shoot better. Sparkling clean primer pockets do make it shoot better. All I care about is results on target. So dry tumbling wins out for ease and time required.

[salpal48]

Another Wet and Dry tumble Thread, What should I do. . Should I Wet. should I Dry. use soap. , use Polish. . use water > What a Dilemma . You Might stay Up @ night Tossing and Turning. OH the agony

[sparky45]

The highlighted portion below is exactly the reason I now wet tumble, of course the added benefit of shiny bling is Icing on the Cake.

Im all for wet tumbling. The cleaning action is better, specifically the insides and primer pockets and I really appreciate not spreading lead contaminated dust all over the place. I decap all my brass prior to tumbling to get the brass clean inside and out. I built my own machine and drums which i can change size/capacity but with the current drum, I can process about 3000pcs of 9mm per batch and have it acceptably clean in 45mim and additional time just adds shine. As for drying, i don't put my self in the position to immediately need brass after tumbling, proper planning works. The slow dry method is after the brass is run through the same kind of media separator for dry media, i pour the brass on a tote lid, spread it out and put a fan on it. I usually do it in the evening and in the morning when I wake up, its all 100% dry. Putting it in the sun or in the oven will have it dry in an hour or two. Media lasts pretty much indefinitely if you don't lose it. Just as pinch of Lemishine and a teaspoon of car wash and wax do those last a long time too. Its not nearly the difficulty and pain in the **** people like to make it out as, not even close.

[Walter Laich]

The highlighted portion below is exactly the reason I now wet tumble, of course the added benefit of shiny bling is Icing on the Cake.



Originally Posted by Mytmousemalibu
Im all for wet tumbling. The cleaning action is better, specifically the insides and primer pockets and I really appreciate not spreading lead contaminated dust all over the place. I decap all my brass prior to tumbling to get the brass clean inside and out. I built my own machine and drums which i can change size/capacity but with the current drum, I can process about 3000pcs of 9mm per batch and have it acceptably clean in 45mim and additional time just adds shine. As for drying, i don't put my self in the position to immediately need brass after tumbling, proper planning works. The slow dry method is after the brass is run through the same kind of media separator for dry media, i pour the brass on a tote lid, spread it out and put a fan on it. I usually do it in the evening and in the morning when I wake up, its all 100% dry. Putting it in the sun or in the oven will have it dry in an hour or two. Media lasts pretty much indefinitely if you don't lose it. Just as pinch of Lemishine and a teaspoon of car wash and wax do those last a long time too. Its not nearly the difficulty and pain in the **** people like to make it out as, not even close.



+1

[fast ronnie]

I also have both. The vibratory bowl hasn't been used since I built the wet with pins. I just got really tired of cleaning primer pockets. As for drying, I leave them in the sun on a piece of black plywood and spread them out so there is only one layer. It doesn't take long to dry, and virtually no effort.
One thing that makes it go fast is to use a Dillon case separator filled to the top with water so that the pins fall out of the cases, otherwise, surface tension holds the pins inside the brass.

[LAKEMASTER]

a few months ago i stopped using stainless pins and just tumbled in softened water with citric acid,dawn, wax and do 1 rinse tumble.

i will never use pins again.