Vibrating or Rotary Tumbler

[Painless300]

Very interesting read, but the pictures weren't the best. Painless can you post some pictures and run times of yours?

I'll be back in town on Thursday and will post up some pics. This method does not get your brass shiny clean like wet tumbling.

 

[Hawkeye Pierce]

I'll be back in town on Thursday and will post up some pics. This method does not get your brass shiny clean like wet tumbling.

That's probably not a big deal as long as it is clean, i do like it when they are shinny.
I'd rather not damage the brass and spend more time in the tumbler. Wife might just have to deal.
Have you tried adding any polishing compound to the rice? Thinking I recall seeing stuff to add to the corn or walnut to "renew" it.

 

[epags]

Primal Rights has a great article on their website with links to the rice and the reasons to use it.

Play With Your Food: Clean Brass With Rice :: Primal Rights, Inc

Cleaning your brass is a necessity. Foreign material in or on our cases can cause all kinds of problems. Damage to expensive reloading dies, damage to rifles, and various other issues can arise if proper care is not taken.

www.primalrights.com

Absolutely going to rice after reading the article. However tumbling for 12 hours (yes I know that is his max time) would drive my spouse and our neighbors nuts. I have tinnitus and hearing loss so it would not be an issue except I don't like to sleep alone

 

[epags]

That's probably not a big deal as long as it is clean, i do like it when they are shinny.
I'd rather not damage the brass and spend more time in the tumbler. Wife might just have to deal.
Have you tried adding any polishing compound to the rice? Thinking I recall seeing stuff to add to the corn or walnut to "renew" it.

I was wondering what to do with that Dillon Rapid Polish.
Hawkeye-any comment on using an additive ?

 

[Hawkeye Pierce]

I don't have any, I just was thinking about a way to help clean.
What is in the polish?

I was wondering what to do with that Dillon Rapid Polish.
Hawkeye-any comment on using an additive ?

 

[Painless300]

I've never tried to use polish and usually just run it for 3 hrs. which is usually sufficient.

 

[HockeyDad]

Why not corn cob, rice AND walnut? You'll have a regular smorgasbord going on in there.

 

[Hawkeye Pierce]

I just figured it could be a useful addition, I'm going to see if the store has the rice and give it a try, then I'll see if I can get some non toxic polish. Using the vibration tumbler I have as the least expensive option then move up if necessary.
Those with Rotary tumbler do you see any damage to the mouth of the case from the brass hitting the other cases?

 

[rickjoty]

I love my tumbler. It's a harbor freight model. It would be perfect for a small space. You can get one with one or two drums. I believe they market them as rock polishers. The only thing I don't like about them is if you just need to clean the lube off of the cases. They're a little cumbersome for that. I usually just wipe the lube off with a towel if that's all I need to do.

I have the Harbor Freight unit also. Works great. Be sure to lubricate the drive mechanism liberally when you get it home or you may brake a drive belt like I did. Two drums allows me to do some separation. I wet process only. After rinsing out the drums and carefully pouring off the water through a fine sieve to avoid losing any pins, I knock each piece of brass off on the drum edge, then I also tap and roll on a clean white towel and leave in a small pile. Then I use a magnet to pick up any stray pins and blow dry the brass on the towel. The blow dryer moves the brass around. I roll up the back edges of the towel to keep the brass constrained. They end up looking like new.

 

[Painless300]

I just figured it could be a useful addition, I'm going to see if the store has the rice and give it a try, then I'll see if I can get some non toxic polish. Using the vibration tumbler I have as the least expensive option then move up if necessary.
Those with Rotary tumbler do you see any damage to the mouth of the case from the brass hitting the other cases?

I only see a small amount of peening the main reason to use the rice method is to get much more consistent bullet seating.

 

[Hawkeye Pierce]

I only see a small amount of peening the main reason to use the rice method is to get much more consistent bullet seating.

Makes total sense, and that's the main goal.
I dont think I'm going to use the SS pins, clean or not I don't like the idea of peening.

 

[Painless300]

Here a couple of pics.

 

[Hawkeye Pierce]

Here a couple of pics.
View attachment 289066View attachment 289067

Yeah those look pretty good to me.
I was wondering if you did put a polishing compound in it if it would swell the rice enough to not get stuck in the primer flash hole?

 

[Painless300]

These only have 1 firing on them so they still look good. Good question on the polish. You maybe on to something!