Stainless Tumbling Media

[evil5826]

STM says their media will not work in vibrating style systems. Has any one proven them wrong?

[Springfield]

I just sits in the bottom and won't move, at least with my 1200 and 2400 Lymans.

[evil5826]

****su
Ok well that blows chunks. Not gonna spend 250-300 on a new tumbler. Thanks for the info.

[Mud Eagle]

****su
Ok well that blows chunks. Not gonna spend 250-300 on a new tumbler. Thanks for the info.

You can pick up a used Thumler model B for sub-$100 on eBay and the like. Harbor Freight similarly sells barrel tumblers for quite a bit less than that. They're designed to operate for a LONG time, so it's not like a used one is going to be worn out.

There are also numerous folks who have built rotary tumblers on the cheap as well.

[evil5826]

Thanks for the info. Looking now and ur right they can be cheap.

[Lizard333]

Duke in Main in the swaging forum just built one cheap from PVC.

[rasto]

I was building one rotary form my self as well.
It is really easy to be done and a real bargain.
I am using ceramic media instead of STM but only because of none of STM source.

[evil5826]

Whats the difference between the model b and the ar?

[H.Callahan]

You can pick up a used Thumler model B for sub-$100 on eBay and the like.
Are you using the same ebay that I am? I have not found one anywhere near that price. Generally $180 or more from what I can see.

[Longwood]

I was building one rotary form my self as well.
It is really easy to be done and a real bargain.
I am using ceramic media instead of STM but only because of none of STM source.

A friend gave me some small beads of three different sizes to try.
It cleaned OK but it put a dull satin finish on the cases. That told me that it was removing too much metal from the brass.

[Longwood]

Are you using the same ebay that I am? I have not found one anywhere near that price. Generally $180 or more from what I can see.

Look for other ways that they are sometimes listed.
I have seen some great deals.
Look for the bigger better made ones. Look for one of them with no motor.
I watched one of the small industrial models sell super cheap a few weeks back that was well worth three times what was paid.
I would pay way more for a good quality one than the low volume, cheaply made type with the plastic bushings.
In my book the Thumbler is no better than the Harbor freight ones. I have an old frame from one here that I used the motor from for my case trimmer. They are very cheaply built for what they cost.

[HiVelocity]

I've tried everything you can think of.

Just bite the bullet one time and "get what you're ultimately going to end up with anyhow!" You won't be disappointed.

I bought a spaghetti collander and a large plastic bowl at the dollar store to handle rinsing and removing my brass. Others have found other tricks, all work well from what I've read.

As hot as it is everywhere, I just rinse my brass with a garden hose and leave the collander full of brass in the sun for an hour or so. Comes out beautiful.

Just my $.02 worth.

HV

[Lizard333]

For separating the brass from the media, I have found the Dillon case separator works the best. I have been using it for over a year now. Not cheap, but cheap stuff isn't good.

[bbqncigars]

I use a Frankford Arsenal separator half submerged in water for the SS media. Rotating the cases back and forth through the water drop all the pins to the bottom of the bucket.

[hunter64]

You can make your own if you are handy. Just search my handle and you will find complete plans and info on how to do it.

[Sonnypie]

High Velocity is right. Just do it once, and do it right, then never look back and shoulda-woulda-coulda'd.

Or not....

No skin off my head on the wall. [smilie=b: ;)

[rasto]

A friend gave me some small beads of three different sizes to try.
It cleaned OK but it put a dull satin finish on the cases. That told me that it was removing too much metal from the brass.

According my knowledge there are many types of the ceramic media.
Not only in the shape or gross but also divided into cleaning, polishing, grinding in many levels.
So probably you got the wrong ones.

[Longwood]

According my knowledge there are many types of the ceramic media.
Not only in the shape or gross but also divided into cleaning, polishing, grinding in many levels.
So probably you got the wrong ones.

Your exactly right. they come in multitude of choices. I have seen little rods about 1/16" diameter that were cut on a taper for getting into tiny places.
I would think that the more they shine, the harder they are and the higher the polish.
Sorta like how Arkansas stones look. Soft are dull and they get shinier with hardness which means a finer grit and shinier polish.
The media I got, is about as smooth looking as a medium Arkansas stone.
The stuff is not that cheap so I am debating whether to keep it for other projects, sell it, or give it back.
Plus, even with BB's added for extra weight, the three diameter mix of beads that I have, seems to work really slow, in comparison to other media that I tried in my big tumbler made from 3 gallon buckets. I would think a finer grit ceramic media would work much slower.

PS I was also not very impressed with how it cleaned the inside of the brass.

[rasto]

I use it once in my Smartreloader tumbler and after less then hour the brass came out shiny from in and out.
My plan for the near future is to build my own rotary tumbler together with media separator for a few bucks but professionally made.
I will post pictures next year when I come back home.
By the way the polishing ceramic media cost me 3$ per kg.

[Sasquatch-1]

STM says their media will not work in vibrating style systems. Has any one proven them wrong?

If you are not worried about the inside of the case, go to your local pet store and buy a bag of desert mix lizard litter/bedding. It is walnut mixed with sand. This will clean out most of the residue but will not make the inside shiney. It cost about a quarter of what the shooting supply centers charge for media and as long as you clean your brass right after shooting it will work well. If I want to get my brass extra shiney I use a couple caps full of brass cleaner made for cartridges.

I am not sure, and if wrong I am sure I will be corrected, if the cases are really dirty you could give them a hot citric acid bath prior to tumbling. I usually tumble mine over night.

[Mud Eagle]

Are you using the same ebay that I am? I have not found one anywhere near that price. Generally $180 or more from what I can see.

I personally bought one for $85 within the last 3 months. That was $69 plus shipping!

So, yes, they can definitely be found for sub $100, but it takes some time to find one just like anything else on that site.