If ya have a treadmill, you can build yer own pretty cheap.
Just a thought.
Just a thought.
For the vibratory cleaners like you posted in your first post I would go to pet smart and get Lizard litter. It is ground walnut shell.
Works great..eat a couple Cutie oranges and save the peelings. Or other orange not critical.
Let the peel dry for about 8 hours on the counter.. then tear it into 1" squares add that to the media.
I tried all kinds of things and like the orange peels best.
For a tumbler that uses water some stainless pins will peen the cases..
Here is what you will find out. Walnut media cleans well but takes many hours and you still have dirty primer pockets and inside of cases are ok but never perfect.
Then you get another type like a sonic cleaner.. still leaves some to be desired.
Then you get a wet tumbler and you begin resizing cases and find out the cases are a little harder to resize than what they were with the walnut media..HHHMMM
Stainless pins will peen almost can't see it but when resizing you can feel it.
This is why I made copper pins.
Actually I made copper pins because I had copper laying around and I am a tight wad.
I eventually got stainless pins but quit using them after round 1.
MoBoost mentioned the harder to resize and cases being not as smooth with stainless pins..
He cleans with stainless then into the vibratory to slick them up with dry media.
I got a harbor freight vibratory and used it maybe 2 years and it did well and the dust was annoying and so I built a liquid tumbler and the vibratory collects dust in the shed.
Yes I made it from a treadmill I used the rollers and the DC motor. 2 quart V8 bottle is what I clean in that goes round and round.
The DC motor is 95 volt the one I have anyway.. and at 12volt it has the perfect speed.
Cost me about 4 bucks to build it..Duct tape you know.
Works great..eat a couple Cutie oranges and save the peelings. Or other orange not critical.
Let the peel dry for about 8 hours on the counter.. then tear it into 1" squares add that to the media.
I tried all kinds of things and like the orange peels best.
For a tumbler that uses water some stainless pins will peen the cases..
Here is what you will find out. Walnut media cleans well but takes many hours and you still have dirty primer pockets and inside of cases are ok but never perfect.
Then you get another type like a sonic cleaner.. still leaves some to be desired.
Then you get a wet tumbler and you begin resizing cases and find out the cases are a little harder to resize than what they were with the walnut media..HHHMMM
Stainless pins will peen almost can't see it but when resizing you can feel it.
This is why I made copper pins.
Actually I made copper pins because I had copper laying around and I am a tight wad.
I eventually got stainless pins but quit using them after round 1.
MoBoost mentioned the harder to resize and cases being not as smooth with stainless pins..
He cleans with stainless then into the vibratory to slick them up with dry media.
I got a harbor freight vibratory and used it maybe 2 years and it did well and the dust was annoying and so I built a liquid tumbler and the vibratory collects dust in the shed.
Yes I made it from a treadmill I used the rollers and the DC motor. 2 quart V8 bottle is what I clean in that goes round and round.
The DC motor is 95 volt the one I have anyway.. and at 12volt it has the perfect speed.
Cost me about 4 bucks to build it..Duct tape you know.
I've got two lyman vibratory. One is my first from the early 80's, then when volume shooting started, went with a bigger model. Both are running pretty often. Corn cob and auto polish with a dryer cleaner torn in half with both halves put in to get a mirror finish on brass.
Get one of the media sifters that tumble the brass to separate the brass from the media. Absolutely worth the $40 price. You will love it.
I've never worried about dirty primer pockets. They are only dirty below the level where the primer is seated. In my experience it's a waste of time to worry about cleaning some discoloration.
Bought one of the ultrasonic cleaners a couple of years ago. It sits pretty much unused unless cleaning some small gun parts that I could have just manually cleaned just as well.
Ultrasonic cleaners, just another thing to waste money and time on.
Get one of the media sifters that tumble the brass to separate the brass from the media. Absolutely worth the $40 price. You will love it.
I've never worried about dirty primer pockets. They are only dirty below the level where the primer is seated. In my experience it's a waste of time to worry about cleaning some discoloration.
Bought one of the ultrasonic cleaners a couple of years ago. It sits pretty much unused unless cleaning some small gun parts that I could have just manually cleaned just as well.
Ultrasonic cleaners, just another thing to waste money and time on.
FWIW...
https://www.okshooters.com/threads/wet-tumbling.246630/page-3#post-3022540
Ya might read the whole thread.
https://www.okshooters.com/threads/wet-tumbling.246630/page-3#post-3022540
Ya might read the whole thread.
I don't see where wet tumbling has any advantages over vibratory.
More volume, but I don't have a problem keeping up with volume in the vibratory. Set a timer in the shop, fill them up and walk away.
Rinse and repeat.
More volume, but I don't have a problem keeping up with volume in the vibratory. Set a timer in the shop, fill them up and walk away.
Rinse and repeat.
Wet tumbling with SS pins is the only way to go as far as I'm concerned, especially with dust sensitive carbide dies. I've used vibrating and ultrasonic without complaint but SS tumbling is hands down the best for me.
How are carbide dies dust sensitive? The dryer sheets pretty much eliminate that.
Last year I loaded 7 lbs of WST in .40 using 4.5 grains per load. I'll let others do the math, but in that volume of rounds, I've never had any issue using carbide dies.
I'm willing to learn if there is something I'm missing.
Last year I loaded 7 lbs of WST in .40 using 4.5 grains per load. I'll let others do the math, but in that volume of rounds, I've never had any issue using carbide dies.
I'm willing to learn if there is something I'm missing.
I'm not sure you are missing anything, especially if you are using the dryer sheets. I know when I used Lyman Cob Media I could wipe the brass after tumbling and could see "green" dust / residue on the rag. I assumed that was not good for a carbide die but never had any problem. I tend to go to excess sometimes, and like the primer pocket as well as the inside of the case clean. Heck, I've been known to trim my pistol brass
Man, that is obsessive. LOL. I've never trimmed pistol brass. It may vary between manufacturers a tad, but at pistol distances, it shouldn't be an issue with accuracy.
Carbide is much harder than anything that could be lifted off a brass case. We use carbide drills to punch through concrete as an example.
Carbide is much harder than anything that could be lifted off a brass case. We use carbide drills to punch through concrete as an example.
My high-pressure hotrod loads in .357 and .44
Mag are loaded in trimmed cases.
When I assemble a batch of heavy loads, I want everything the same, within reason.
Matched headstamp, length trimmed, projectiles weighed, etc.
One day, I may even be able to shoot up to the capabilities of my supplies and equipment.
Mag are loaded in trimmed cases.
When I assemble a batch of heavy loads, I want everything the same, within reason.
Matched headstamp, length trimmed, projectiles weighed, etc.
One day, I may even be able to shoot up to the capabilities of my supplies and equipment.
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