ceramic media

[carpetman]

I have a Thumble Tummler with the rubber barrel-designed for polishing rocks. Been hearing about using wet ceramic media. Anybody tried it? Give me the scoop. What size and shape to get,where to get it and expected results.

[Dye]

Carpetman
You might be better sticking with corn cobs

Be carefull Dye

[sundog]

Why? C-man, have you been using something in the outhouse other than corn cobs????

[carpetman]

Sundog---I had been using something other than corncobbs. Midway quit sending me catalogs after I bad mouthed Larry Porterfield.

[montana_charlie]

What size and shape to get,where to get it and expected results.
I asked a similar question recently on another forum.
I know which kind of material is needed, but I wanted dimensions of the particles.

Seems that BPCR shooters (the guys who love the ceramic media) have tools for measuring anything...including mosquito turds....but I got few dimensions in the answers I received.

Basically, I was told that the media sold on the Shiloh site, and the stuff from Sagebrush Products, seem to do well. Ceramic media from other sources has (apparently) proved to be less useful.

If you have been looking at the offerings from the big (read 'bulk') suppliers, you can get confused by the many varieties.
What you want is the hard, non-abrasive type of material which is formed into cylinders with angle-cut ends.
The smallest I have seen described is 1/8" in diameter and 11/32" long.

If you want to clean brass that is smaller than (say) .40 caliber, Sagebrush Products has some spherical stuff that won't bridge inside the cases. But, without the sharp ends, it doesn't clean the corners of primer pockets quite as well.

If you need more information, I'll try to help find it.
If you want to set up a group buy, I might be interested.
CM

[longhorn]

Carpetman-I bought the Sagebrush Products stuff. Simply outstanding performance,cleans 'em up inside and out to bright and shiny as new. Works plenty fast in the tumbler, too.

[montana_charlie]

Would you be willing to post the dimensions of that medium, longhorn?
I'd like to see if the stuff from shooting-related suppliers is 'special' in some way.
CM

[Jon K]

Charlie,

The ceramic media(angle cut 1/8x11/32) will work on 38-55, only 2 out of 500-700 did bridge the case, but pushed a pick or small screwdriver in the case, and they all fall out. No problem. I don't think I would try anything smaller.I tried it on some old 30 Herrett cases that sounded like your patina/ black neck cases. Do Not Use for small bottleneck cases!took forever to get the media out.

Jon

[Jetwrench]

John K,
Just a thought: I wonder what would happen if you put those small bottle necked cases back in a vibrator tumbler with no media (except whats stuck inside). JETWRENCH

[G50-70]

Carpetman. I use the ceramic media / water in the thumbler tumbler and it works great for cleaning .45 Colt, 45-70, and 50-70 cases. The cases were fired with black powder and they come out very very clean.

The first batch of ceramic media was a little longer than the media I use now. I would sometimes get bridging in the bottom of some .45 cases. I used my RCBS impact bullet puller and that would dislodge them without having to pick them out.

I would recommend it.

Gary

[carpetman]

I shoot mostly smaller bottlenecks. Is there a size that works well in this application?

[montana_charlie]

Go here
http://www.sagebrushproducts.com/ShootingProducts.htm#MicroBright
and scroll down to
Sagebrush Micro Bright Media Kit ~ 3mm Spheres.
CM

[Lee]

Just wondering. Since the ceramic media is so much harder than the brass, could it be wearing the brass off??? Anybody weighed a sample after a few cleanings?? Or would the brass be past its useful life before any substantial amount (might) be removed??.............................Lee:)

[montana_charlie]

Just wondering. Since the ceramic media is so much harder than the brass, could it be wearing the brass off???
Taking what I read on the bulk supplier sites, and mixing that with a bit of logic, it seems to work this way...

Ceramic media is made using a variety of materials. Those which are designed to 'cut' will etch most metals, and (I suppose) that means 'metal removal'.
And, those abrasive types are also softer than the stuff used by the BCPR big boys...so the points and angles wear away pretty fast.

The type which is best for cases is the hardest made, so it wears out very slowly...and it is called 'non-abrasive'.
When used in applications requiring removal of material, it is the 'carrier' and other (abrasive) stuff is added to do the work.

For polishing cases, I think the hard ceramic basically just rubs against the brass...lubricated by the added water...and 'wears away' the crud on the surface, exposing the smooth, shiny surface of the brass.
The additives that they use in the water are probably mild solvents (kinda like vinegar) which help dissolve the crud so it rubs off faster.

That is how I see it...without a single bit of experience in using the stuff.

John K,
Just a thought: I wonder what would happen if you put those small bottle necked cases back in a vibrator tumbler with no media (except whats stuck inside).
I think you would end up with a bunch of dinged up cases...from them beating against each other with nothing to cushion the impact.
CM