Was looking at a Hornady Ultrasonic machine today but what does everyone use?
I use a vibratory tumbler I purchased from Harbor Freight cheap. It has processed many thousands of rounds without issue.
Well before Harbor Feight was local to me, I bought the Dillon large vribrating tumbler and processed many loads of brass, the original motor burned out. I looked around for a replacement motor none to be found, called Dillon they said they didn't sell the motors but ship the unit back with $70 and they would hook me up. They did by sending me a brand new CV2001 to replace my old one! I also have the Frankford Arsenal vribrating tumbler as well for small batches.
I like the corn cob media, I use a little (table spoon spread out) charcoal light fluid as a solvent, place two used bounce dryer sheets cut to 1" squares in the media mix which absorb and collect the dirt and dust to extend the media life. :D
I have been happy with my RCBS vibratory case cleaner. I like the Lyman corncob media. I have tried it with dryer sheets and polishing media, but I have found that I like it straight. The Lyman media does a good job and lasts for quite a number of cleanings. The red Lyman media shines very nicely, but leaves quite a bit of rouge dust everywhere; so I prefer the green corncob.
Wet tumble with stainless steel media.
Unless you spend a lot of money, or only clean very small quantities of brass, an ultrasonic cleaner is not a substitute for a vibrating cleaner.
I use a RCBS vibrator vibratory cleaner and it
Wifecallsmegrumpy (which would work for my username too :P) I think your post was truncated. I am going to guess that it was a curly apostrophe in it's. Please replace and try again, or PM me the text and I will update your post.
I hate always being the DA, but what is a 'curly' apostrophe? :)
Certain fonts make the 'curly' apostrophe as opposed the straight ones as seen on the word curly. ' " " '
Plus there are other character/symbols that will also not work with the cut and pasting if text, therefore things get cutoff.
You can see one two ways.
One, type option-[ or shift-option-[ (depending on right or left).
Two, open Microsoft word and put something in quotes. Uncle Bill's software will automagically replace the " and the " with the "smart quotes". Unfortunately those fancy quotes are not part of the standard "alphabet" computers use, so your browser, the webserver and the server software all have issues with them unless special care is taken.
Sorry folks, I was trying to be clever and cut and paste out of word. ::)
I use one of the RCBS vibratory cleaners. It has been going for 10 years but boy is it noisy ! Thinking about going to a stainless/wet system to get better results as I find the cases sometime sticking on the powder drop case expander die on the dillon.
Anyone built a wet stainless tumbler ? Cannot believe the prices for these things online. :'(
About the noise, I put mine outside on the porch, that way the dust can stay outside! The liquid types are rubber lined rock tumblers that make a seal and sort of insulate the noise. You must insure the cases are dry or you run the risk of dead power or primers also! ???
Quote from: The_Shadow on August 26 2012 08:49:54 PM MDT
About the noise, I put mine outside on the porch, that way the dust can stay outside! The liquid types are rubber lined rock tumblers that make a seal and sort of insulate the noise. You must insure the cases are dry or you run the risk of dead power or primers also! ???
You are exactly right. I was talking to a close friend Sunday about some "bad primers" that he was confused about. He was bouncing ideas off me about what might be wrong. My first question for him was about his wet case cleaning methods. Bingo! Did not get the cases completely dry before priming.
Yeah I see where you are coming from. My 10mm brass is a bit scungey so needs a clean up but after that I'll just shut the shed door and turn up the TV
If noise is a concern with a vibratory, there are a lot of factors that increase or reduce the noise. The quality of the machine is primary, followed by a balance of brass count, compared to media type and amount. If it rattles a lot, add more media, or do smaller batches of brass, and you should be able to find a happy zone. Walnut is generally more noisy than corn cob. I have an old Hornady vibratory (bought mid-80's) that has a very thick tub, and a foam rubber insulated lid. It's more quiet than any others I've used.
I was really surprised how quiet mine was. I wouldn't want it running in the family room during a movie, but it is trivial to carry on a conversation over the noise.
Um.. today I worked out why it was noisy. I found the bowl was loose. ::) All fixed.
Or so I thought, then i come back to find it has broken two fo the four mounts it sits on. So off to find a replacement, any recommendations ? I was thinking the big dillion unit :P
Lyman turbo 1200. I run it in the garage and the noise doesn't bother me at all, until I go for a beer forgetting that it is running. Startles me a bit. :o
For who ever mentioned putting in a cut up used dryer sheet upthread, thank you very much. Haven't heard that before and put one in the last batch I ran. Worked a charm.
Liquid/SS pins is in vogue right now, but way too messy and time consuming for me.
I'm stay'n old school.
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Bit of an update.
I am planning to take next week off and hang around at home doing stuff. Hopefully get the 10mm STI cycling and develop an accurate load.
After the RCBS busted it's mounts I had a half hearted attempt at fixing it but decided to give up. So I bought a Dillon Cv750 and media seperator, cost me about $300 for the pair including freight which is on par with the US cost plus shipping due to the bulky nature of the products. Even better the postie arrived this morning with them after the wife had left for work so I could sneek them out to the man cave and avoid the ear bashing :D
Cannot wait to get home and get some 10mm brass cleaning so I can have a productive week next week !
The stainless media is still in the back of my mind but I have tried cleaning brass with water based solutions before and getting them dry is a PITA.
When you guys use the vibration method do you have to use compressed air to remove the dust?
Not sure where the dust is accumulating for you, but I normally put in some turps (mineral turpintine) and that keeps the dust down and gives the shells a bit of lubrication through the dies.
Even without it my media never seems to breakdown enough to cause lots of dust.
Don't blow the dust. It is really toxic and readily absorbed if inhaled. Most people at the cast boolits forum who have had issues with elevated lead levels in blood have tracked it back to either indoor ranges or dealing with the dust from spent primers in their tumblers.
I like to use old dryer sheets soaked with whatever oil is handy around the bench. Usually it is WD 40 or Kroil. Mineral spirits have been used too.
Charcoal lighter fluid is what I use, doesn't vaporize too fast (below 100 deg.) That will the dryer sheets (cut into 1" squares) will collect the dust. Disposse of the dryer sheets after each batch.
Be careful with penetrating oils as they can impregnate the pores of the brass, this could lead to degradation of the metal over time. Stay away from anything with ammonia (formula N H 3) in it, not good for barss at all!
I use a paper towel cut into strips, about 1" wide. These seem to collect the dust even better than dryer sheets. Depending on what's in the tumbler, sometimes I use a whole sheet but usually just half.
I've also quit using the Lyman treated walnut media because of the dust. It cleans well, but corn cob with Dillon polish is cleaner, with very little dust.
Another trick with regards to the noise is I put my unit on a piece of 1" dense foam.
I cover the unit with a piece of plastic bag while running keeps the dust contained.
Quote from: Ramjet on September 13 2012 11:59:04 AM MDT
Another trick with regards to the noise is I put my unit on a piece of 1" dense foam.
I cover the unit with a piece of plastic bag while running keeps the dust contained.
Be careful not to hamper the electric motor from being able to cool itself during operation...
Quote from: The_Shadow on September 13 2012 09:15:18 AM MDT
Charcoal lighter fluid is what I use, doesn't vaporize too fast (below 100 deg.) That will the dryer sheets (cut into 1" squares) will collect the dust. Disposse of the dryer sheets after each batch.
Be careful with penetrating oils as they can impregnate the pores of the brass, this could lead to degradation of the metal over time. Stay away from anything with ammonia (formula N H 3) in it, not good for barss at all!
When you say you cut sheets into 1" squares, do you put a bunch of the squares in a bowl with the cases or in a bag?
Sorry everyone for all the newb questions. I did not know about the dust being toxic so thanks.
I place about two complete dryer sheet cut into 1" squares, loosely into the bowl with the corn cob media and 200 brass.
Before I place the brass into the bowl, I sprinkle abot a tablespoon of Charcoal lighter fluid in the corn cob media to vibra mix around to preven clumping...
The bag is only over the bowl I do some moly lubing in one of the bowls so I felt it necessary to control the dust especially when doing lead bullets.
Don't you have a lid on the bowl?
I use crushed walnut. I find that when I forget about the tumbler and it runs for hours; the walnut breaks down some and there is a lot of dust when I pour the bowl in to hopper. Which I do OUTSIDE while wearing a protective breathing mask.
And i do use a dryer sheet which turns black.
I have both. I vibrated some 10mm that I bought at a gun show, then I decapped it and sonic cleaned. I decided to use my heat gun to dry it. I grabbed my wife's broiler pan bottom part and some foil and dried away. It was going great until the foil started to rip from the sharp case mouths on the brass and the heat gun melted some of the residual fat that hadn't been totally washed off of the broiler pan. Now the cases are all fat smeared.
In my defense, I'm a vegetarian...what the heck do I know about broiler pans?? :)
Yes I have lid but being extra cautious with lead dust and air borne particles. Moly coated lead bullets are easy to work with yes a little messy but they run at lower pressures and I get less lead deposits in my barrel.
I just picked up an RCBS tumbler, RCBS #2 walnut media, RCBS lube and pad.
I thought you don't need lube if you're using carbide dies?
You do not but you have to have clean brass I just use gun scrubber or better acetone to clean them by wiping them off after tumbling.
Not sure why you'd need to wipe them off after tumbling. Mine go straight from the tumbler to the reloading die, been doing it that way for years with never an issue.
I don't clean my brass after tumbling either. ??? That's why I tumble them, to CLEan Them.