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Thread: Vibrating media size????

  1. #1
    Boolit Grand Master
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    Vibrating media size????

    Some here still like to use a vibrator to clean cases.
    I went to SS pins/bits and wet tumble.
    The corn and walnut from the pet store gets stick in the primer hole all the time.
    What size is small enough so it doesn't?????

  2. #2
    Boolit Grand Master

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    18/40 walnut blasting media is smaller than the flash holes and doesn’t get stuck. You can get it at welding supply shops.
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  3. #3
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    I never deprime my brass before polishing in the vibrator. Therefore I never have anything stuck in the primer pocket...
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  4. #4
    Boolit Buddy
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    I found out one thing - you don't want .25 length steel pins cleaning a 25 caliber case.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master Sasquatch-1's Avatar
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    I use Lizard Litter Desert mix. Small enough that it passes right through small primer flash holes. If the store does not have the brand name, ask for walnut lizard bedding.
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  6. #6
    Boolit Master
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    I dont remember where I got my 50lb bags but this is the stuff
    https://www.govets.com/generic-310-0...IaAveHEALw_wcB

    if you dont have sifting box to separate shells from media they are easy to make with sone 1/4" mesh screen a 3" tall boards to make a box.
    I screen over a big plastic tote to catch media.
    if anything gets stuck in flash holes when you resize it the primer punch will clear hole.
    I usually deprime with a universal deprime die before vibrating in media then resize after brass is polished.
    the key is keeping media and the process dry of moisture and if you add flitz dont add excessive amount.
    Last edited by farmbif; 03-08-2023 at 10:22 AM.

  7. #7
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    I use walnut blasting media from harbor freight, but I don’t deprime before tumbling specifically because I don’t want media stuck in the flash holes
    8500' Wet Mountain Valley, Colorado

  8. #8
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    I use walnut sand blasting grit. A fifty pound bag lasts a long time.
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  9. #9
    Boolit Buddy kfd518's Avatar
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    Currently using 20/40 corn cob pours out like water and no plugged flash holes. Add whatever additive you want for whatever formula you want.

  10. #10
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    I use the ground English Walnut hulls (supposed to be harder than Black walnut hulls) sold as lizard bedding. I normally deprime first with a Lee universal die, then after tumbling the decapping pin in the resizing die takes care of anything stuck in the flash holes.

    Robert

  11. #11
    Boolit Master
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    Having cracked many of both I believe that black walnut shells are far harder than english walnut shells, but for our use I don’t think it matters.

    I mostly wet tumble, but when I dry tumble or vibrate I do not first deprime the brass as there is no advantage and at least a couple disadvantages.

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by JimB.. View Post
    Having cracked many of both I believe that black walnut shells are far harder than english walnut shells, but for our use I don’t think it matters...
    Jim, I mostly agree with you. I too have cracked many Black walnuts over the years and maybe a handful off English walnuts.

    If we really needed hard hulls to clean brass, someone would be grinding hickory nuts. Ground corn cobs work for goodness sakes, that is almost like using a damp sponge.

    I use the walnut hulls since all I am after is clean brass, not necessarily shiny brass.

    Robert

  13. #13
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mk42gunner View Post
    Jim, I mostly agree with you. I too have cracked many Black walnuts over the years and maybe a handful off English walnuts.

    If we really needed hard hulls to clean brass, someone would be grinding hickory nuts. Ground corn cobs work for goodness sakes, that is almost like using a damp sponge.

    I use the walnut hulls since all I am after is clean brass, not necessarily shiny brass.

    Robert
    Heading way off topic, but as a kid we’d hull, dry, crack and pick black walnuts by the quart. I grew up eating them and never knew about the very mild english version. Still prefer the black ones by a wide margin.

  14. #14
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Quote Originally Posted by kfd518 View Post
    Currently using 20/40 corn cob pours out like water and no plugged flash holes. Add whatever additive you want for whatever formula you want.
    This is what I use. I think I ordered it from a company called Drill Dot but it shipped from Granger. I'll add a splash of mineral spirits and a cap full of liquid car polish to it and run it long enough to mix them before adding brass. It will do several tumblers full before I need to add more mineral spirits and polish.

  15. #15
    Boolit Master
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    I deprime and resize and then tumble in walnut shell media. Never had any problem with the media getting stuck in the primer holes, but I did have problems with that when using corn cob media.

  16. #16
    Boolit Buddy

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    Quote Originally Posted by Electrod47 View Post
    I never deprime my brass before polishing in the vibrator. Therefore I never have anything stuck in the primer pocket...
    Same here.

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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