I've about had enough.....

C

Chainsaw.

New member
....of this stupid tumbling media with its toxic dust. (Did I get your attention??:D)

Does anyone use the franklin armory rotary tumbler with included SS media? Thoughts? Seems to be the most economical way to get into SS. Ive been happy with my franklin vibratory tumbler for the pittance I paid for it so the F.A.R.T doesn't bother me being not the fanciest in town.
 
I have one.

It's quite a P.I.T.A. to use.
For most loads of brass, I'd rather just inhale "toxic" dust. (Dust can be reduced substantially by using different media and/or additives, by the way...)


I only use the stainless tumbler for cleaning brass that's destined to be used as bullet jackets, where I need all abrasives to be eliminated. (.40 S&W cases make great .44 caliber bullets, and .45 Auto cases make a great .475" bullets. ;))

For normal brass cleaning, a vibratory tumbler or dish soap cleaning is more than adequate.
 
I never get dust when I tumble. I use the Frankford Arsonal vibrator/tumbler. As long as the lid is on and I have a half teaspoon of NuFinish in there, dust is not an issue. Brass comes out shiny.
 
chainsaw said:
I've about had enough.....
....of this stupid tumbling media with its toxic dust.
Click to expand...

Why do you have dust from your tumbler? I don't understand how anyone alive with access to the internet could not know about oderless mineral spirits and NuFinish ....
 
dish soap cleaning is more than adequate.
Click to expand...
My sentiments exactly.
Maybe it's because I only reload for pistol and semi auto rifle, but ordinary soap and water cleaning has seemed more than enough.
Never saw the need for all the effort of tumbling and such just to clean what's going to get dirty again - or lost.
Is it just reloading for bolt actions that promotes the idea of tumbling brass?
Why do you guys go to that much trouble?
 
I tumble my brass outside or in the garage. Anyone who's tumbling in the house and getting "toxic dust" has two problems: They aren't adding any additive, and they aren't using any common sense about where to do it.
 
I found the media can be washed and rinsed to remove the dust and clean the media. Its cheaper than buying a tumbler. I only have so much space to work in. If I were to start all over I would buy a pin tumbler but I have two vibe walnut shell units now. Tarnish isn't a issue on the cases and the walnuts do a good job.
 
Not sure how much volume your wanting to clean but you can get the Harbor Freight tumbler for around $45 (plus it's pretty easy to find a 20% off coupon for that place) and a pound of stainless still pins from Gun Tap on eBay or Amazon for less than $15. I'm pretty sure this would be a cheaper entry/trial into wet tumbling than the Franklin tumbler.

I've never owned a dry tumbler, just this wet one from Harbor Freight. I love it. I can put 20-50 rifle cases in it (depending on caliber). I don't reload pistol but I've heard of people putting 100 pistol cases in it.

Lots of videos of this setup on YouTube.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
+1 what "45 auto" said. I always use some Nu-Finsh and MINERAL SPIRITS (couple caps full) and there is NO, NONE, ZERO dust issues!
 
Dump decapped brass in barrel.
Dump pins in barrel.
Fill with water.
Add some Dawn and a pinch of Lemishine.
Put lid on barrel.
Put barrel on tumbler.
Turn knob to 3 hours.

It's utterly exhausting.
 
Thanks UN for the fix

Just because you don't see the dust does not mean it's not there . Where do you separate the media ? Do you change your close/shirt after separation ?

I went to wet tumbling to reduce contaminates in my home . My cases are much cleaner after wet tumbling . It's not that they appear clean like dry tumbling . There are actually clean with virtually no residue left on them that comes off staining my hands as dry tumbled brass does .

I have my grandson living in the same living space and don't want me transferring any powder or lead fouling through out the house . We have those toddler gates that have a swinging door up though out the house . I have to actuate at least two of them just to get to a sink from my reloading room to wash my hands . Meaning I can contaminate each gate every time I walk though it where he can then go touch and transfer to his toys or even mouth .

Now that I wet tumble I not only don't have residue all over my hands after handling brass . I don't have to avoid my grandson like the plague because I just separated my brass from the dry media and now have media dust all over me including my hands from handling the basket .

There's more benefit then that though . If you're like me and manually cleaned your primer pockets and brush the insides of your necks . Wet tumbling will now save you all that case prep time because it does those things for you .

I have not ran any time comparisons but I'd think wet tumbling may take about 10 to 15 min longer to clean 800 223 cases ( not including dry time ) . To clean primer pockets and brush the necks of 800 cases manually would take MUCH longer then 15min and you then have that additional powder and lead fouling in your reloading area .

Sure at first it does seem like a lot more work . How ever once you get a/your system down it really does not take up that much more time and the benefits outlined above IMO far out weigh the minimal amount of extra work .

For me and my situation , it was a no brainer .
 
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Sure are alot of assumptions guys. No I dont tumble in my house. Yes there is dust that comes out when separate the brass and media. Which I do outside, but, a few things, I have plants that grow food all over my property, I have pets who cruse around the property and myself and all my neighbors are on well water. Yeah I know I know, you think the dust from tumbling would never contaminte anything enough to cause an issue. Well, its my home so its my call. Id prefer to not have to deal with it at all. I have better ways to safely deal with contaminated water.

Oh and also the volume of the f.a.r.t is a big plus. I shoot ALOT and therfore tumble/reload alot.

So, thanks for the imput thus far gents.
 
I use a FA wet tumbler, dump out most of the dirty water down the drain, place the rest into a RCBS clamshell media separator and spin, easy peasy.
 
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