Help on STM tumbling media

[Tbird]

Does this stuff work better than regular tumbling..Is it worth the cost.. ..Looking for a faster way to clean discolored brass..

[Case Stuffer]

Better ,faster, less expensive in the long run, best thing since brass cartridges were invented or atleast that is what most here post. Really there are many doing tens of thousands of cases per week using this method and all photos posted look very good and customers seem very happy. Only downside I see is the drying after tumbling. IMO primer pockets left to dry on thie own is not good but then same thing happens with outdoor range brass all of the time.

http://www.stainlesstumblingmedia.com/

[phil3333]

it is the best and fastest way to clean and polish brass and while the set up cost
are considerably higher the ss media last forever so it is cheaper in the long run

[GRUMPA]

Just like the others say, buy once and it will last forever, here's the results.

[blikseme300]

You won't regret spending to get this. I have been using STM for quite a while already and recommend this method to everybody I introduce to reloading. The results seen in the pic Grumpa posted is typical of the results achieved.

The big question that those that are thinking of going this route is how to dry the brass. There are a number of methods that work well but my favorite is to dry them in a dehydrator. This unit is stainless steel and has a fan in it. I place the brass in a deep fry basket, shake the brass to get rid of as much water as possible and then place it in the dryer for 2 hours.

[Love Life]

In about 3 weeks I cleaned a little over 1,200 lbs of 308 brass in stainless media. It made ALL the brass come out looking brand new. Saves you money over the long run, and makes all your brass marketable and usable (minus dents and stuff). It is well worth the investment.

To dry them I just dump them on a blanket, shake them around, and dump onto another blanket to dry overnight. The next day I toss them in the cement mixer with corncob and Nu-finish to ensure dryness and add a layer of polish to prevent tarnishing.

Scale down to your needs.

It is worth the investment, and if you ask me there are better offerings than the stuff from STM for the same price point or cheaper.

You can use lemishine, but I suggest buying food grade citric acid from Amazon.com. You can buy it in 5 lb amounts and it goes a long way.
Dawn dish soap seems to work the best.

From tarnished range brass to brand spanking new looking in 2 hours.

[Moonie]

Initial investment is high but amortized over a long period it is cheaper. And the brass is amazingly clean. I balked at the investment for a long time, once I spent the money it was obvious it was well spent.

[7of7]

This is what stainless steel media can do. I use a little citric acid and simple green...

These are the same three pieces..
I was skeptical at first, but with clean primer pockets and the inside as clean as the outside.. this is all I use anymore.
I also had to reallly hunt to find some this dark.. found them at a public outdoor range..

[nvald1982]

that is sweet. my brass comes out of a regular tumbler and it is no where close to that shine!!

[lxk308]

I, too, hopped on the stainless steel media bandwagon. I bought the HF tumbler and the SS media, Dawn and the Lemi Shine. After tumbling for two and a half or three hours the brass comes out nice and shiny - inside and outside with clean primer pockets (as documented on this thread and on many other threads/forums). I tumbled some nickel plated 308 brass and was surprised when the nickel plating was almost all removed by the SS media tumbling. I was advised not to tumble steel cases in the SS media, so I got out the now retired vibratory tumbler to tumble the steel cases. While the vibratory tumbler was out, I tumbles some 38 spl cases in it. The 38 spl cases came out nice and clean albeit not as shiny as if I tumbled them in the SS media but it was a lot less work for me - no rinsing, no drying of the cases. I find that for me, anyway, the walnut media is a lot easier to separate from the cases than the SS media.

[USMC87]

I'm in the process of making my stainless tumbler at my friends hydraulic shop. My pins came from phil here on the forum.

[VHoward]

STM is now selling what looks like a food dehydrator for brass drying. I happen to have one of those sitting on a shelf in the basement. I'm going to try it.

[lxk308]

I use a food dehydrator to dry my brass. It works great - drys the brass in a short time. I bought it from Amazon for $35.
http://www.amazon.com/Nesco-American...ood+dehydrator

[Randy C]

I bought the STM and it works good I don't like drying Brass, but I put the brass in my Vibrator Tumbler to keep them from tarnishing. I cleaned about 300 pieces of 9mm today I was out side drying them off with air hose, and they fell on the ground I was made as h ll. I took them back in and spun them in the media separator and a bucket of water then back out side to dry. I inspect the cases in the sunlight, I can see a lot better there. I had 50 that I will clean the inside where the bullet was seated, there is a powder ring Probably from setting outside at the range.

[Voodoocld]

What are you using for citric acid?
That's impressive.

[spotsboss]

On my first attempt with SS, the brass came out with a gray tinge. For me, the key to like-new brass was the rinse.

1. Tumble for an hour or so with modest amounts of Dawn and Lemishine. Warm, not hot, water.
2. Dump the dirty water and replace it with clean water. Add some Lemishine rinse (different than regular Lemishine) and some Simple Green.
3. Tumble rinse for 20 minutes.
4. Dry brass with heat gun till brass is warm to the touch, then air dry overnight.

[mdi]

I have tried tumbling with SS media, but it cleans so well the brass soon tarnishes (nor heavy black stuff, but visible darkening of the brass in a few hrs.). How do you protect the bare metal?

[Nueces]

First attempt dingy brass is a common experience. The SS pins are shipped still covered in metalworking lubes. A good first step, before using them to clean brass, is to tumble the pins alone in Simple Green or Dawn in hot water, followed by a thorough rinse.

[Nueces]

To preserve my brass shine after tumbling, I went to a two step process. The first hour is with Dawn and LemiShine, which cleans the brass pretty well. I then change the water and use LemiShine, but swap ArmorAll WashnWax for the Dawn, for another 2 hours. This continues the cleaning and shining process, but leaves the brass with a micro coating of hard wax, which protects the shine seemingly forever. I can't see or feel this wax and it does not build up on my sizing dies, but it works a treat.

[Moonie]

I simply replace the Dawn with car wash and wax, add the lemishine and go for an hour or two, rinse well and done. No tarnish and they seem to size easier as well.