how to prevent corn cob media from getting stuck in the bottom of the case?

[mallen]

Against my previous decision, i tried corn cob media again. in a tumbler. with a couple cap fulls of nu finish. i ran it for 10 to 15 mintues with no cases, then dug through it and broke up any clumps i could find. after running previously cleaned cases in it for a couple hours there is a ring of media in the bottom of each case. how do i prevent this?

[snuffy]

What grad/grit is your corn cob? Wha caliber case are you tumbling?

[rockshooter]

Might try putting more media in it to thin out the nu-finish. I find that 1 capful is fine in a 3# batch of media and I let it run for about a half hour to get well distributed- might also toss a used dryer sheet in for a while to help soak up any liquid
Loren

[mallen]

http://www.petco.com/N_400/Worlds-Best.aspx?cm_mmc=GOOGLEOFF-_-Cat%20Litter%20and%20Supplies-Vendor%7CBMM-Search-Computers%7CUSA-_-Cat%20%7C%20Litter%20-%20World%27s%20Best-_-%2Bworlds%20%2Bbest%20%2Bkitty%20%2Blitter-Broad

use done of these.

9mm

[runfiverun]

ring of media would indicate moisture to me.
if you got clumps you got wet.
run the tumbler longer before putting in the brass.

[runfiverun]

after looking at the link you got something designed to clump up and it's corn sumthin.
not corn cob, just corn?
whatever it is, it ain't working very well for your brass.
sometimes you just gotta spend the other 3 bucks and amortize it over the next 5 years of use.

[snuffy]

http://www.petco.com/N_400/Worlds-Best.aspx?cm_mmc=GOOGLEOFF-_-Cat%20Litter%20and%20Supplies-Vendor%7CBMM-Search-Computers%7CUSA-_-Cat%20%7C%20Litter%20-%20World%27s%20Best-_-%2Bworlds%20%2Bbest%20%2Bkitty%20%2Blitter-Broad

use done of these.

9mm

That's cat litter, not corn cob tumbler media. Also, it's probably way too big a grade, meaning the individual chunks are too big to flow well. the bigger stuff will "stick" in the bottom of the case corners. just be glad you didn't try to use it for .223 brass.

http://www.grainger.com/product/ECONOLINE-Blast-Media-WP58830/_/N-/Ntt-blasting+media?nls=0&sst=subset&suggestConfigId=6&s_pp=false&picUrl=//static.grainger.com/rp/s/is/image/Grainger/6YY26_AS01?$smthumb$#nav=%2Fproduct%2FECONOLINE-Blast-Media-WP58830%2F_%2FN-9luZ1z0m9pn%2FNtt-blasting%2Bmedia%3FR%3D2MVR5%26_%3D1417851270127%2 6nls%3D0%26picUrl%3D%252F%252Fstatic.grainger.com% 252Frp%252Fs%252Fis%252Fimage%252FGrainger%252F6YY 26_AS01%253F%2524smthumb%2524%26s_pp%3Dfalse%26sst %3Dsubset%26suggestConfigId%3D6

This is the best and cheapest corn media. 40 grit is very small, it polishes quicker, and will not stick in flash holes.

[captaint]

Recently, I had been using, probably 3 year old corn cob tumbling media. I had added a little wax over the 3 years a couple of times. I noticed the "tumbling" action in my vibrator had gone south. Not working correctly.. The brass would collect near the top rim of the vibrator and stay there. I tried a few different things to correct the situation. No luck. Then I looked through my stuff and there, in the corner, was a bag full of new corn cob media. Why not try that. Bingo. Everything now works like it should. I'm sure the addition of the wax (liquid of some sort) was the problem. No more wax for me. I like it just the way it is now. Maybe I used too much, I don't know. Won't be doing it again, though. Mike PS. Getting back to the original question - sounds like the moisture someone mentioned. That's the only thing that would make media stick/collect in cases. Skip the wax.

[lightman]

I use 1 cap full of Nu-finish and 1 cap of mineral spirits and run it for 15-30 minutes to mix it up. I also dump the tumbler into one of the rotary Dillon things to get all of the media out of the case.

It sounds like you may be using the wrong stuff. Lizard Litter from Petco works well and $10 will fill most tumblers up twice. I ordered a large sack, 30 or 40#, of corn cobb from a place called Drillspot. It shipped from Granger. Both are cheaper than buying from a reloading supplier, although their stuff works well.

Some shooters have reported using rice with good results, or even rice hulls.I have been happy with the corn cobb.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I wouldn't use cat litter.

I've tried a few different brands and types of polishing media, I have found Frankfords to best suit my needs...mostly, it's small enough to NOT get stuck in the primer holes.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/2124110664/frankford-arsenal-brass-cleaning-media-corn-cob

Everyone has there ritual...this is mine.

-Clean, New media is only used to remove sizing lube from freshly FL sized cases, that were previously cleaned.

-once that media is no longer 'clean' enough for that task (and I am picky about that), I use it for cleaning tarnished cases by adding automotive chrome polish and auomotive liquid wax. I add very little, like five to 10 drops of each. I run the tumbler without brass right after adding the polish and wax, for 15 minutes, I then check for clumps, there are usually none, but if there are some, I break up the ones I can find and run the tumbler for another 15 minutes.

-Generally I re-add wax and polish after about 5 polishing jobs.

-When the media is no longer effect I dispose of it, in the trash.


Adding the liquid car wax does two things for me:
First and foremost, it keeps the "dust" down ...if I'm cleaning pistol brass with spent primers intact, that dust can contain lead particles that I don't want to become airborne.
Second, it extremely lightly coats unsized pistol brass, with wax, making it easier to Size 'em in carbide dies. Especially large revolver cartridges.

[imashooter2]

Since you have to buy new product anyway, run down to your local welding supply and get some 12/20 or 14/30 walnut blast media.

[44man]

Just use real, new media, don't add stuff to it. The only thing I found is as the stuff gets worn it takes longer to clean. I will not tumble off case lube either. Rags work or just wash the brass.

[Love Life]

Add a couple capfuls of Mineral Spirits to the media.

[Foto Joe]

I've got to agree, I think the problem is the media not the NuFinish. That cat litter probably has a lot of dust in it to capture moisture and I didn't read the link but I'll also make the assumption that it might contain Bentonite which is basically Wyoming dirt that will even absorb the humidity out of the air.

If you're looking for inexpensive media the link that snuffy posted is a good one. I ordered 40 lbs of the stuff a number of years ago and I've still got close to two pickle buckets of it left. I'm not saying I'm "CHEAP" but I probably put several thousand pieces of brass through the media before I finally give up and dump it. I also add a dollop of NuFinish probably about every other load (too much I'm sure). Everything from 9mm to 30-30 and no issues.

[dragon813gt]

Grab a harbor freight 20% off coupon. Drive to the store and pick up 25#s of Fine Walnut Blasting Media for $20. I don't know why people mess around w/ all varieties of products. Walnut doesn't polish to as high of a shine but it cleans faster.

[Horace]

As the post above states" Fine Walnut Blasting Media " Harbor Freight".

Horace

[country gent]

Most welding supply stores or industrial sypply stores have both corn cob and walnut blast media in diffrent grits or grades. These come in 50lb bags ussually and a bag is a lifetime supply or close to it. I have been working on a bag of corn cobs for close to 15 years now and it is still close to half full. I recharge with new when it becomes impregnated with case lube and use it for pre cleaning brass before sizing. when to dirty for this it then is stored for really dirty range pick ups or scroungy brass that has been in sand or dirt. From here it gets disposed of. The right grit works great and dosnt plug flash holes or build up.

[Copper75]

I bought a 40# bag of corn cob blasting media from Amazon two years ago and I'm still only half way through it.

[mallen]

I clean with stainless, so i don't want to use walnut, being several have confirmed corn cob is better for polishing. maybe they have different corn cob around here than the pet stores other places. everyone says to get it from the local pet store.

so just to learn. ill try things one at a time. ill start with simply using it a few times, see if it gets better. will also put a dryer sheet in it. then after that i will thin nu finish before adding it. by then if its not doing what i want i think ill get some of the grainger stuff.

I also wonder if putting the brass in with some actual rock polishing media will do much?

[glockky]

http://www.zoro.com/i/G1695775/Here's where I get my corn cob media. 40lbs last a while

[mallen]

I coudl use that media with rock polishing media to polish? seems thats what they did, but with a higher grit

[geargnasher]

SSTM. Never look back.

Gear

[glockky]

I have that too gear but still polish with my finish and corn cob afterwards. Seems the stainless media gets the brass so clean that it tarnishes badly after being handled. The light coat of wax fixes that.

[mallen]

https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpf1/v/t1.0-9/1471782_1514244272184109_4448665514639992599_n.jpg ?oh=2d4ed3f0c3a23dff829d9c5393643017&oe=551B7535&__gda__=1427910239_1c3e060e29a5bdaf566c3521da3eb05 0

https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/10850026_1514244302184106_2128112156202991940_n.jp g?oh=e804d4990beedeaa8624c381d4142f38&oe=54FE34AE&__gda__=1425647044_0c6cee688340ac9b58810cb7b256bfe 4

[snuffy]

SSTM= Stainless Steel Tumble Method? problem with that is it's a wet method. Try that when you have yo load in a couple of hours of starting tumbling. With dry media, you could start tumbling, go cook-eat breakfast, chase the wife around, then go take them out of the tumbler,,--load them up. With SSTM, you'd have to rinse, then dry them first, making damn sure they ADRY!

I am impressed with the SS method, but you just don't need to get cases that clean.

http://www.zoro.com/i/G1695775/

That stuff is 20 grit, it WILL get stuck in flash holes if you tumble after sizing to remove lube. It WILL result in erratic ignition if left in the flash holes. Of course it matters not if you're tumbling before sizing, the decapper punch will push the chunk of media out with the primer.

I got some pet store corn cob once, it was huge grit. it worked okay for handgun brass down to 9mm, but when I tried it for .223, it got jammed up inside! It took hours to pry it out of them.

[mallen]

SSTM= Stainless Steel Tumble Method? problem with that is it's a wet method. Try that when you have yo load in a couple of hours of starting tumbling. With dry media, you could start tumbling, go cook-eat breakfast, chase the wife around, then go take them out of the tumbler,,--load them up. With SSTM, you'd have to rinse, then dry them first, making damn sure they ADRY!

I am impressed with the SS method, but you just don't need to get cases that clean.

http://www.zoro.com/i/G1695775/

That stuff is 20 grit, it WILL get stuck in flash holes if you tumble after sizing to remove lube. It WILL result in erratic ignition if left in the flash holes. Of course it matters not if you're tumbling before sizing, the decapper punch will push the chunk of media out with the primer.

I got some pet store corn cob once, it was huge grit. it worked okay for handgun brass down to 9mm, but when I tried it for .223, it got jammed up inside! It took hours to pry it out of them.


actually. some of my brass i tumble dry with stainless (chunks, not pins). they don't come out sparkley, but come out clean and clear of anythign that can cause issues. i can take some pics of dry tumbled with stainless if you want.

[Bullwolf]

Everyone has their own method I suppose. Well here is mine.

I wash my brass in a citric acid bath with an added squirt of dawn dish washing detergent. Afterwards I rinse it in very hot water until I no longer get any suds.

Most of the time I de-prime the brass first using a universal de-priming die, sometimes I de-prime after the citric acid bath though, either way drying the cases is important.

My home tumbler is full of corn cob media. It's not because it's better than walnut, it's just what I tend to use after getting a bad batch of red walnut shell impregnated with jewelers rouge that stuck to all of my cases. Ever since that sticky batch of red walnut shell media, I tend to avoid using walnut shell media.

At work we tumbled ALL of the swept up range brass in plain old corn cob media, using a row of large Dillon tumblers. We also tumbled loaded ammunition before packaging again in plain old corn cob media.

I have a large bag of somewhat greenish colored corn cob media. It probably came from Dillon, or RCBS or something along those lines, I have had it so long I don't recall where I originally got it anymore. I have had friends purchase pet bedding though for their tumblers, so I know that will work too. I just haven't gotten there yet myself.

I have also washed and re-used my older corn cob media in dawn dish soap and then dried it out in the oven, even though the process is somewhat frowned on. Surprisingly enough it worked OK for me afterwards even though it's recycled and cleaned media. Other than knowing I am able to revive it with this long involved process, I don't bother to do it anymore. I just throw out my old dirty corn cob media. Tumbling media is not expensive enough to make the hassle worth it to me, unless every store that sold tumbling media happened to be closed for some odd reason.

At home, I typically use a Lyman Tumble 1200 tumbler with the drain bowl.
http://images.cabelas.com/is/image/cabelas/s7_210584_imageset_02?$main-Large$
I add a cap full of automotive wax to the tumbling media before adding any brass. I then let the tumbler run for about 15 minutes with the lid off to let the wax dry out and distribute in the media. I use Meguiars "Deep Crystal" Carnuba wax, instead of Nu finish.
http://www.autopflege24.net/ap24shop/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/447x/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/M/e/Meg-27.jpg
It's what I have on hand, and have always used on my own vehicles.

I also add torn up dryer sheets to my media as well. (something I learned here) It may make a difference in the process. When the dryer sheets start to look dirty, I toss them and add fresh ones. If nothing else it seems to help keep the dust down, and it may even make my media stay clean longer

Generally I don't bother to tumble off case lube anymore, I simply wipe it off with a cloth. I used to tumble all of my dirty brass, and I would dirty up and go through tumbling media more often. These days I use a citric acid bath instead, and tumble my clean brass with an added cap full of automotive wax. Consequently my cases don't tarnish as fast, and my tumbling media stays clean MUCH longer.

Not saying this is the right way, or the only way to do it... It's just what I do, and what has been working for me. There are many different ways to go about getting the same end result.



- Bullwolf

[mallen]

hmm. rip up the dryer sheet. hadnt thought about that.

[Gtek]

Does anybody here have an air compressor? Blows media out of primer holes and dries brass fast and everything, I cannot imagine my life without one. I have one of those red wet things now and it has been a very long time since I plugged one of the buzz bowls in. Not everyone loads to the level of needing the wet tumbler, but I sure enjoy the one I have now.

[mallen]

try stainless media dry. works great for range ammo. dust jsut falls off while tumblign the media out.

[country gent]

Most of the materials for pet bedding have baking soda or other additives to help control odors. These may be what is causing the issues.

[triggerhappy243]

GTEC............ I wash all my F/L sized brass in boiling hot water and dawn dish soap, rinse 3 times with hot water, then I use the air compressor to blow out all the water out of the brass... primer pockets too. As far as tumble.... crushed walnut media with red jewelers rouge, then do the hot water wash. My brass comes out clean with no residue of any kind.

[geargnasher]

I guess I've never been in that much of a hurry that I couldn't wait for the brass to dry. A rinse in rainwater with some liquid wax car polish (I use Nu-Finish) and tumble hammock-style in a large bath towel before pouring them out on another towel to dry has always worked flawlessly for me. Twenty minutes in an oven at 250F ought to dry brass out right quickly if you're in that much of a hurry.

When I first started apprenticing as a mechanic and was getting my AAS in it, safety was pushed pretty hard. Lots of old mechanics have meselthelioma (sp?) from grinding and re-arching asbestos brake shoes to fit drums, and also from blowing away dust from drum brakes with compressed air and breathing it. Chronic skin problems of the hands from too many years of being soaked in grease, gas, and napthenic solvents was another thing that was frequently mentioned. The industry has come up with a variety of wet-bath recirculating parts washers for washing brake assemblies, all designed to prevent airborne brake dust. Nitrile gloves keep solvents off of hands. Being safety-conscious and aware of the hazards of dangerous dust, the wet-tumbler method of cleaning cartridge brass just made sense. I always hated the vibratory tumblers and cob media, and how it never gets the lube gunk out of extractor grooves or gets the primer pockets completely clean, not to mention the mess and toxic dust. Dryer sheets help, liquid wax helps, getting the correct media helps, but I've found nothing more convenient, sensible, or as safe as the rock tumblers, citric acid/detergent solution, and the correct stainless steel pins. YMMV.

Gear

[triggerhappy243]

gear, you make an excellent point. only reason I use compressed air is because the primer residue left in the pocket( it never comes out) reacts with the water here and a white corrosive dust builds if I just air dry. I like clean brass with nothing in it to alter the ballistic characteristics.

[John Boy]

Here Kitty, Kitty - Meow ...

Made from all-natural ingredients, such as renewable whole-kernel corn, World's Best Cat Litter Clumping Formula is the formula that works-naturally and without the use of added chemicals. This quick-clumping litter provides you with exceptional odor control by instantly trapping and absorbing urine and ammonia as well as with easy maintenance by helping to stop liquids from stinking toward or sticking to the bottom of the cat litter box.

[Landshark9025]

This. $20-$25 for 40lbs INCLUDING shipping.


http://www.zoro.com/i/G1695775/Here's where I get my corn cob media. 40lbs last a while

[Garyshome]

Media is too wet.... 1 or 2 capfuls of mineral spirits and 1 cap of nu finish. And I use lizzard litter.

[Garyshome]

Media is too wet.... 1 or 2 capfuls of mineral spirits and 1 cap of nu finish.

[Geezer in NH]

Use ground walnut hulls, make sure brass is DRY

[Gtek]

The red, rolling wet thing seems to clean the primer pockets and inside the cases pretty well also. 140 PSI filtered dry, water spots on my brass disturbs me.

[mallen]

i think its just the clumping properties of the media. everyone says get it from the pet store. im starting to wonder if everyone is worng, or if my pet store just doesn't have the same stuff.

ill try to find something different. i also want to try polishing them with rock polish before nu finish. see if that shines them up more.

[plainsman456]

Look for lizard bedding.
I bought it from that company and it is small enough to not plug the touch hole.

When adding polish let the thing run for at least 30 min.or more to get the polish over all of media.

It works.

[John Boy]

Mallen - you may want to try this:
Sparkling Clean Brass in 15 Minutes ... http://sassnet.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=229895

[W.R.Buchanan]

I use Walnut hulls from Petco. I bought a 25 lb bag ten years ago and am about 1/4 thru it. I get about 3-5 years out of one tumbler load. I use mostly Dillon Case Polish in it, but have Nu Finish also.

I size and deprime with Dillon Case Lube before tumbling when doing my fired brass. Stuff I pick up may get tumbled first or at least washed.

I recently got a new Thumler's Rotary Tumbler to use for SS pins which didn't work in the vibrator. After so many firings I'm going to run my brass thru that to remove all the excess carbon build up inside.

I've been using a RCBS X die for sizing my .308 and .30-06 cases and haven't had to trim any for the last 8-10 loadings. I haven't lost any of those cases either and the .308's have been loaded 12 + times now.

Keeping your brass clean by whatever method you choose and not working them too much in the sizing dies will pay off in the long run with longer case life.

Randy