Tumbler media additive?

[jonk]

Just looking to do some more saving- though my quart of Frankford polish is only half gone, in like, 4 years, so I have plenty of time yet to consider things. In any case, I can't say the Frankford polish is that great- even after two hours in clean walnut media, most cases still have sizing lube residue, or soot, or range dirt, or whatever on them somewhere.

So one day for kicks I poured about 1/8 cup of mineral spirits in to the tumbler and let it mix in, then dumped in the brass.

Result? Within an hour, bright, shiny, slick cases. Better than the Frankford polish, which is admittely all I've tried.

My other big success story? Immerse the cases in pure Purple Power engine degreaser, let sit a few minutes, pour the detergent into a container for future use, rinse, and let dry. They aren't as shiny, but they sure are clean! That purple power is something; biodegradable, but strong enough to mildly burn skin at 100% strength. (It also does pretty darn good as a bore cleaner when mixed with water for corrosive primers).

[KCSO]

When my sticks of polish get too small to use on the whell I dump them in the medial bucket. Rouge or tripoli seems to work best and the smaller the bits the better.

[GSM]

Mineral spirits does a lot of good. If you ever get brass that has been sealed with thin tar, it will soften it enough to be brushed out (after soaking for a while the sealant is soft and the brass is nice and bright). Also, NuFinish car polish is good too, about a tablespoon in a gallon of media. Just be sure to mix into the media before you add the brass. The car polish has some type of thinner in it as well.

[BruceB]

I use feed-store 1/8"-grind corncob in my Midway tumbler (about $18 for FORTY pounds), and I add about an ounce of Turtle Wax "Scratch and Swirl Remover" to the cob before each load of brass. Do NOT use the 1/4" cob, as it's an unending PITA, jamming up inside the brass. The 1/8" stuff works even with .223 brass.

I run the tumbler with just the cob and S&S polish for a few minutes before adding the brass, to allow the polish to break up its clumps, and usually assist in this process by stirring the whole megillah with a section of a defunct cleaning-rod. I run the tumbler for at least several hours per load, and occasionally run it all night.

This stuff gives me a dazzling shine, far brighter than factory-new cases, and because of the microscopic wax coating left on the brass, the cases stay shiny for many months in storage.

[Char-Gar]

I use walnut bird bedding from the pet store and add a table spoon full of Mother's Mag polish from the auto supply store. Works just fine.

[montana_charlie]

Black powder cases need an extra step or two, so here's my procedure...
I don't have a portable deprimer, so the cases don't get dropped in a jug of liquid...they arrive at home dry, fouled, and stinky.

First step is deprime (in a universal die that does not resize) and clean primer pockets. The crud comes loose easily when dry.
Then into a margarine tub with hot water and a dab of Dawn. The container has a tight lid so the spouse doesn't complain (again) about the smell. Two or three hours...or overnight if I don't get to them...then rinse under the hot water tap until the water runs out clear.
Shake dry, then 30 minutes in an ultrasonic cleaner with a 2% solution of Micro90.

After this the cases are clean but not shiny. Specifically, they are clean enough to run through a full-length sizing die.
I'm only sizing (these days) in an attempt to stretch cases...otherwise this next step would not be included.
That step is, I lube the cases with a smear of Ballistol on my fingertips, and squeeze 'em down.

Then it's into the rotary-type tumbler where the walnut shell has a tablespoon of Bon Ami and about an ounce of mineral spirits already mixed in.

When they come out, they are clean (degreased), shiny, and ready for neck expansion...etc., etc., etc.
CM

[Bigscot]

I've been using Nu Finish also. It works better than any "made for purpose" case cleaner.

Bigscot

[DLCTEX]

+ 1 for NuFinish car polish. Dale

[georgeld]

When media don't clean & polish I've found it's time for new media.

Additive's will extend worn out media life a batch or two though.

For nasty cases plain walnut will clean them, then a run thru with fairly fresh
corn will polish them most times.

IF they haven't been roughed up too much by the walnut.

Never thought of mineral spirits, thanks for that one.

[Jim]

Brasso.

[JSH]

I have some walnut media that is over 10 years old and still going strong. All I use it for now though is the first go around for range brass. I also dump a few caps full of mineral spirts in, put the lid on and let it "cook" for a few hours.
Then I seperate the walnut and go to corn cob. I could probably stop at the walnut, but with the range brass I want all of the sand, dirt, grit and grime off.I have been using liquid Flitz for a while now with pretty good results. I did however but a small squirt of car wax in it to seal the brass so they would stay shiney. This worked well for a couple of months. Then I just threw a capful of mineral spirts into the cob and it seemed to have made the flitz and wax wake up again.

I have found the mineral spirts to cut the carbon and gunk inside the cases very well. If left in the tumbler with enough mineral spirits to make it look damp or wet and let run for 12 hours or so, you can see right down into the flash hole,look almost new.
When I do range brass I try to have at least2-3K of mixed sorted calibers to run through the walnut and cob.
Jeff

[Lloyd Smale]

ive used brasso for years without any problems.

[felix]

I wonder if those who like shiny cases also keep their houses and cars in the same optical shape? Go to expert mechanics and they all say to leave things in a natural applicative state so problems can be seen. I know I find problems with cases when they are not sparkling clean that cannot be seen when in the shined state. I wash cases from the ground with a low ph soap to eradicate the water soluble stuff. After the cases become throughly tarnished from using high ph lubes again, I then re-wash the cases. For everyday use, though, I wash the cases in a solvent like paint thinner or equivalent to wash off the stickies from the shooting lube. If in a hurry, I use acetone which dries like right now for immediate reloading. ... felix

[Glen]

I would not add mineral spirits to tumbling media -- that stuff is both volatile and flammable, and tumblers get warm and are most certainly NOT spark-proof. Adding flammable liquids to tumbling media is a ticking timebomb for a housefire.

That being said, I routinely add a shot-glass full of water to my walnut hull tumbling media to enhance the cleaning action and extend the service life of the media. When it dries out, I add more. It works great!

When my walnut hull media gets really grungy, I pour it into an old pillow case, tie a knot in it, and put it in the washing machine, and wash it. To dry it out, I hang the walnut hull media/pillow case on the clothes line for a day or so. Do NOT use this washing routine with corn cob media -- it swells up, makes a mess and then doesn't dry out, and gets moldy....

[Rando]

OK, dumb question. The NuFinish y'all are using, is it the white liquid stuff in the orange bottle? I went to the store to pick some up and they had that, some stuff in a white bottle, and some paste. I got the orange bottle stuff. Does it leave a white residue on the brass?

[Bass Ackward]

I got the orange bottle stuff. Does it leave a white residue on the brass?

No, unless you use too much. Takes very little really.

I just go the circumference with a little trail. That's all I need.

[DLCTEX]

Orange bottle, yes. Dale

[Rando]

Ran a batch overnight. Now those are shiny!