New tumbling media

[tomf52]

My wife's cousin in his retirement, has opened a blasting business in Nashville and I have been in close contact with him in regards to sources of different tumbling media. He is sending me many samples of assorted materials to check out but one that he has very emphatic about is sodium bicarbonate. He uses it as a blast media and seems to think it would work well in a tumbler also. Anybody ever go down this road? Another material being sent is different grades of plastic chips. Should be interesting.

[montana_charlie]

Is he sending you any of the blasting media made from coal slag? Names used for it are Black Magic and (I think) Black Diamond.

I have the impression it will 'cut' brass more than desired, but I really don't know.

Keep this thread updated on whatever you find out...
CM

[toecutter]

Sodium bicarbonate is just baking soda. I imagine it's in pellets or chips which make it more ideal for industrial use. I suppose this is nice in a way, since if you want to you can wash your brass afterwards and all of that tumbling dust will simply disappear.

I've also been looking for some good cut rate tumbling media. So far I've had good luck with the lizard/bird litter they sell (it's coarse ground corn cob) works great for pistol, works disasterously for anything bottle-neck.

I've been reading around, and found someone suggesting using rice as a tumbling media. I think I might give that a shot tomorrow and see how it works.

[imashooter2]

Toecutter,
Rice has the same problem that the coarse cob does. Go back to the pet shop and buy the walnut lizard/bird litter. It is the right size and works great in all cases.

tomf52,
Have your relative send you a bag of 12/20 screen walnut and don't look back. Bicarbonate would work, but will break down way too fast to be of real use to you. Plastic should work, but more expensive than walnut and no advantage.

[Newtire]

walnut lizard/bird litter. It is the right size and works great in all cases.
Have your relative send you a bag of 12/20 screen walnut

I got the Lizard bedding walnut shell stuff from Petco & it plugged all the primer holes first run or two of brass. However after a few times of being used, now it is the perfect size.
Like you say, the corncob litter is not a good thing for doing .243 cases in! An automotive seal pick is a good tool to have when trying to figure out how to get the cobs out.

When I bought my Midway vibrating tub years ago, they suggested using a capful of laquer thinner to revitalize the media so have alwasys done that but recommend you do it outside. I don't like the thought of a spark from the electric motor setting off the laquer thinner although it has never happened in over 20 yrs. of using it.

[BruceB]

Corncob comes in various 'grind' sizes.

Mine comes from the local feed store, at around $16 per forty-pound bag. The 1/4"-size is a DISASTER, and plugs up everything. The 1/8"-size works beautifully right down to (and including) the .223/5.56mm.

Yes, a lot of flash-holes will pick up a bit of corncob. This doesn't matter to me in the least, because my brass goes to the tumbler direct from the shooting range....it gets cleaned as my first step, in other words. The decapping pin then makes CERTAIN that the flash-holes are clear. Since I don't bother with cleaning primer pockets, except for blackpowder cases, tumbling with the fired primers in place does no harm.

I usually add an ounce or so of Turtle Wax "Scratch and Swirl Remover", which gives a brilliant shine and also protects the brass from tarnishing for many months in storage.

Since going to this routine some years ago, I've been perfectly happy with my results. I dislike the walnut stuff, and particularly the types treated with jewellers' rouge. When the case-lube pad starts turning red after some use, you KNOW that some of that abrasive is reaching the sizing dies.