Anybody use a Thumler's tumbler and stainless steel media to clean brass?

[Flynraider]

Use dawn + lemishine and water. Works great.

Thanks! I'll give it a try.

 

[acp]

Flynraider, you can get lemishine at Wally mart.
Thanks for the heads up about the media separator at Bass Pro, I will have to make a trip and check them out.

 

[acp]

HMFIC, That is the info I was looking for. I did not know if the one with the top or without is the way to go, but that makes the most sense rotate the separator while running water over the cases. Then just pour the water out of the bucket, good to go again. Yes, I have been doing small batches and separating them by hand. Large batches would be a pain that way. Thanks.

 

[HMFIC]

HMFIC, That is the info I was looking for. I did not know if the one with the top or without is the way to go, but that makes the most sense rotate the separator while running water over the cases. Then just pour the water out of the bucket, good to go again. Yes, I have been doing small batches and separating them by hand. Large batches would be a pain that way. Thanks.

Yup, no problem. It's like running a sluice box and panning for pins

I'm going to have to build one of those heating units soon to make the brass drying process easier too. I've been just blowing them down with a heat gun (or the wife's blow dryer when she's not looking) but it would save some manual labor time to just toss them in a box and let them heat up and evacuate all moisture. Some people just toss a sheet full of brass in the oven at low temp too but I'm not sure I could get away with that.

I also ran across a website once that had big chemical resistant rotary tubs that held MUCH more than even the largest Thumblers model (we're talking gallons). I saw some youtube video or something of a guy who built his own roller system to hold them and he could do massive amounts of brass in one shot.

I also found another source for the cut wire that was cheaper but you have to buy like 55 gallon drums of it. If we had a lot of people interested, it could get more reasonable for the media.

 

[acp]

HMFIC,
Here is a link to a site for restoring std gauge trains. Half way down the page is a cheapo way to make an oven. I built a box with scrap lumber drilled a couple of holes in top bought a couple of lamp sockets and hung them in the box. two 60 watt bulbs and it runs around 130 degrees or so. It dries straight enamel paint and dries cases equally as well.
I use to sell ball cone media. I used to buy it in bulk and resell it to the train guys. At one time I was selling 5lbs for like 20 bucks. That stuff has gotten pricey lately, and then shipping will kill you.
We have commercial vibrators at work. You can put like a few engine blocks in them at one time. I have no idea how many brass cases they would take, but you would only clean brass every decade or so if you could fill it up!
http://tcaetrain.org/articles/restore/restore514/index.html

 

[HMFIC]

HMFIC,
Here is a link to a site for restoring std gauge trains. Half way down the page is a cheapo way to make an oven. I built a box with scrap lumber drilled a couple of holes in top bought a couple of lamp sockets and hung them in the box. two 60 watt bulbs and it runs around 130 degrees or so. It dries straight enamel paint and dries cases equally as well.
I use to sell ball cone media. I used to buy it in bulk and resell it to the train guys. At one time I was selling 5lbs for like 20 bucks. That stuff has gotten pricey lately, and then shipping will kill you.
We have commercial vibrators at work. You can put like a few engine blocks in them at one time. I have no idea how many brass cases they would take, but you would only clean brass every decade or so if you could fill it up!
http://tcaetrain.org/articles/restore/restore514/index.html

Thanks!

LOL on the big commercial vibratory tumbers! I've heard of people using a cement mixer full, but yours takes the cake!

It says on the link to not use a thermostat controlled source of heat for curing paint. I'm glad I read that because I was intending to use a thermostat with a switch on a light bulb to control temp for some curing. Do you think it would have an adverse effect on drying other finishes like epoxies, acrylics and lacquers?

 

[acp]

Sure, heat curing just about any paint would speed it up. As for getting fancy on the oven, I don't even have an on off switch on mine. I just plug it in, the bulbs run at full steam ahead and the temps stay nice. I think mine is about 20 x 30 or so. about 15 inches high. I used some left over particle board and some deck screws. About 15 minutes to put it together. I lined it with aluminum foil (shiny side pointing in!) and it works well. It dries train enamel in about an hour. 3-400 cases in about the same time. A cheap ******* tool for sure, but it does the trick!