Stainless steel media in Thumler's?

[wallenba]

I want to get a Thumler's Tumbler model B, and I'd like to try the stainless steel media. How many pounds should I order? Will it be too heavy?

[HATCH]

I can't answer your question, but my brother Robert (no_1) tried the stainless steel pin media.
Works decent but you run into problems.
How do you separate the pins from the brass cases??

[PbHurler]

Dutch,
Seems the "accepted" amount is 5lbs. I bought mine from Sinclair. Water weighs 8.35lb/ gal. give or take, plus 5lb steel pins =1.65lb brass for the Model B. I don't get too concerned about the actual weights. I fill the drum to within 1 to 1-1/4" from the top with water after adding the pins & brass. If you are doing considerably more than 2lbs of brass, you can cut back on the amount of pins you use, I've done this without any problems, although you nay need to tumble a little longer. Hope this helps.

[PbHurler]

Hatch,
If you buy a cheap plastic dishwashing pan & can buy (beg or scrounge) one of the plastic grocery type baskets, you can dump the majority of the water from your drum, put hot water in the pan. Then set the basket in the water, dump the drum into the basket and slosh the basket around & toss the brass around with your hands. The pins will fall through the basket & into the pan. Lift out the basket, dump your cases & dry them. Be sure to inspect the flash holes for any possible lodged pins prior to priming.
Hope this helps

[blikseme300]

5lbs is about maximum as any more limits the amount of brass you can clean. Depending on the caliber and how dirty the bras the amount of pins can be changed downward.

For 9mm I typically use about 3lbs of pins and 5lbs of brass.

Media separation is very easy. I use a media separator and running water. Turning the separator while using the hose ensures that no pins are left behind. Once again, I mainly do pistol. The only rifles I use are large bore, ie .40, .44 & .45 but I don't know about bottle necked cases.

Hope this helps.

Bliksem

[PbHurler]

Bliksem,
What brand of separator are you using? and how's it holding up?
Thanks

[zband]

5 lbs is the amount you want.

Do yourself a favor, before you run your first cycle, pull out the black rubber insert in the tumbler and spray paint it with some protective paint. Water will get in between the rubber and the unfinished metal and you get this. The cheaply tac welded areas go fast. Ask me how I know...



http://gallery.me.com/tbone89/100023/CIMG2771/web.jpg?ver=13236438420001

[Ickisrulz]

5 lbs is the amount you want.

Do yourself a favor, before you run your first cycle, pull out the black rubber insert in the tumbler and spray paint it with some protective paint. Water will get in between the rubber and the unfinished metal and you get this. The cheaply tac welded areas go fast. Ask me how I know...



http://gallery.me.com/tbone89/100023/CIMG2771/web.jpg?ver=13236438420001

Maybe spray on bedliner would work?

[wallenba]

I had a misconception I guess, about how it worked. I had the idea this was a dry tumbling method.
The bedliner spray sounds like the way to go.
Still, I think I'm gonna get one.

[zband]

Don't get me wrong, SS media cleaning is IMO hands down the most effective way to clean bass, Thumlers tumbler does a great job at this type of cleaning, just do some preventative painting - rustoleum and then re-insert the rubber mold and your GTG.

No need for a bedliner.

[cajun shooter]

The model B cleans my 44-40 cases to like new inside and out including primer pockets using the ceramic media. I mixed some of the angle cut with the ball media so that the primer pocket would be cleaned.
PB Huler, you might want to try putting in your brass first and then covering it with enough media so that it does not show. Add just enough water to cover the contents about 1/4 inch over the media. "DON"T USE ANY MORE" To this add a good squirt of Dawn/OXY soap. Then add one heaping teaspoon of Lemi-Shine. The Lemi-Shine is carried by many stores including Walmart.
Allow this to turn for about 3-3 1/2 hours. Pour into a stainless steel colander and rinse well in the sink with the spray hose if you have one.
After a good rinse just place in a bowl or other container to dry. Your brass will look the same as the day you bought it.
If your model B is not the one with the heavy duty fast motor then your cleaning time will be much longer.
Filling the tumbler with water is adding too much weight and not allowing the tumbler to clean as it should. Later David

[Moonman]

I made a Lexan cover that matches the steel side plate. It has the bolt pattern to mount it, a 1" hole at the top side of the Lexan and a 4" hole that I SILICON sealed a very small mesh (smaller than pin diameter) strainer through it. I just stick a hose in the 1" hole with the unit still sealed up with the Lexan cover, and run a shake it a little in the wash tub until the water runs clear.

I just remove brass by hand and shake out S.S. Pins. You could place a magnet inside a baggie if your SS Media is the magnetic variety. I just leave the pins in the drum.

[Ickisrulz]

Don't get me wrong, SS media cleaning is IMO hands down the most effective way to clean bass, Thumlers tumbler does a great job at this type of cleaning, just do some preventative painting - rustoleum and then re-insert the rubber mold and your GTG.

No need for a bedliner.

It's just odd a tumbler made for rocks gets beat up with the pins.

[blikseme300]

Bliksem,
What brand of separator are you using? and how's it holding up?
Thanks

I use this item: http://www.midwayusa.com/product/176956/rcbs-rotary-case-and-media-separator

It is holding up very well. Can't rust so is perfect for high humidity such as down here in deep south Texas.

Hope this helps.

Bliksem

[Circuit Rider]

Spoke with one of the guys at Buffalo Arms, he said they had found 3 pds. of SS was more than enough in the Thumlers. CR

[PbHurler]

I use this item: http://www.midwayusa.com/product/176956/rcbs-rotary-case-and-media-separator

It is holding up very well. Can't rust so is perfect for high humidity such as down here in deep south Texas.

Hope this helps.

Bliksem

Thank you,
I've been eyeballing that one, available locally. I may just have to bring one home!

[PbHurler]

For the guys interested in purchasing the pins:
Sinclair has a coupon authorization code number: 666888 for the S.S. pins. It drops the price to 39.99/ 5lbs vs 46.95. Coupon is good untill 12/19/11.

[Moonman]

Ickisrulz,

The Drum has a THICK RUBBER inner liner, if you pull it out the drum is not painted. Pull the liner and paint the drum with Rustoleum Paint, replace the rubber liner when dry. The pins NEVER come in contact with the drum only the rubber liner. That's to the answer to your rocks beating up the drum vs the pins.

MOONMAN

[Sonnypie]

If you find that getting it together on your own is a PITA,
You can order the she-bang from STM. >CLICK HERE< (http://www.stainlesstumblingmedia.com/stm-complete-package-2.html)

I went that way because everybody was on back order for the tumblers. [smilie=b:
I did wind up getting a tumbling media separator later. I got mine through Cabela's (http://www.cabelas.com/product/Shooting/Reloading/Tumblers-Scales|/pc/104792580/c/104761080/sc/104661180/Cabelas-Rotary-Media-Separator/731858.uts?destination=%2Fcatalog%2Fbrowse%2Fshoot ing-reloading-tumblers-scales%2F_%2FN-1100197%2FNs-CATEGORY_SEQ_104661180%3FWTz_l%3DSBC%253Bcat104792 580%253Bcat104761080&WTz_l=SBC%3Bcat104792580%3Bcat104761080%3Bcat10466 1180).

And I, too, just use the hose to rinse down the load, on the driveway in front of my shop.
I also have a strong little magnet I keep on the lid of my tumbler for any little strays that try and get away. But they are so shiny I can find them really easy in the sun.

For those of you wanting to keep the media costs down, somebody found this supplier and said when you call they know exactly the right stuff to send. And it is magnetic.
(I know 400 series SS is magnetic, and 300 series is not.)
PelletsLLC (http://www.pelletsllc.com/)

I'll never go back to walnut or corn cob media. I have a small tumbler from Midway, and a lot of Lizard Litter. But it see's almost 0 use any more. I've been using the ground English walnut shells for flux. Great for that!

I'll check that out, Zband. I haven't pulled the thick rubber liner out, but good point.
I have some Rust-Oleum, and since I'm all out of dirty brass, painting the inside and letting it dry well could be done.