Dry brass tumbling elixir of choice

[Shorty4087]

For those you of you still dry tumbling in corncob or walnut, what are you adding to the media? I’ve heard of a few different variants but looking to learn about others as well. Thanks in advance!

[12glocks]

Dillon rapid polish.  I buy it in bulk.

 

[Dr. Phil]

1/2 corncob and 1/2 walnut. Add Flitz.

[Mcfoto]

Walnut with a couple sprays of One Shot.

[George16]

Walnut with Dillon rapid polish.

[Sarge]

1 hour ago, Shorty4087 said:

For those you of you still dry tumbling in corncob or walnut, what are you adding to the media? I’ve heard of a few different variants but looking to learn about others as well. Thanks in advance!

Just curious, did you try searching the forums for your answer? There are countless threads on tumbling in the general reloading section. Since wet tumbling has grown in popularity, dry tumbling threads have subsided but there are still plenty out there.

[stick]

walnut with a cap full of Nu finish car wax. 

[Steve_53]

Walnut with a couple of cap-fulls of a 50/50 mix of nuFinish and Mineral Spirits, along with a (used) drier sheet cut up in ~2" squares.

[Shorty4087]

4 hours ago, Sarge said:

Just curious, did you try searching the forums for your answer? There are countless threads on tumbling in the general reloading section. Since wet tumbling has grown in popularity, dry tumbling threads have subsided but there are still plenty out there.

Sarge - I searched the past 6 months and nothing really popped out but will look in that section, thanks.

[MikeBurgess]

I smear a dollop of carnauba wax in the bowl when I put in new media (walnut in my case) then run that in. Then when I run brass I add a dribble of mineral spirits or Coleman fuel.

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[practical_man]

6 hours ago, Steve_53 said:

Walnut with a couple of cap-fulls of a 50/50 mix of nuFinish and Mineral Spirits, along with a (used) drier sheet cut up in ~2" squares.

 

This. Except corn cob that I buy from the local welding supply store in 50 pound bags. 

 

Someday i I will try out that fancy wet tumbling method. 

[ddc]

11 hours ago, Steve_53 said:

Walnut with a couple of cap-fulls of a 50/50 mix of nuFinish and Mineral Spirits, along with a (used) drier sheet cut up in ~2" squares.

 

I do somewhat the same except I've always used corn cob. I start with the nuFinish and after the media gets to a certain point it seems like a cap-full of mineral spirits keeps it going for a while longer.

The mineral spirits also suppresses the dust that tends to form.

I'm actually kind of surprised how effective the media can be even long after it gets to the point where it looks like crap.

[Steve RA]

Walnut with Brasso ( has to be the original Brasso as what is available now is a different formula).  Unfortunately, a lot of the things that I use aren't available presently.  Clays - Australian, Tula primers.  I just had a lot of components in large quantity prior to them being discontinued or changed.

[chevrofreak]

Corn cob with a squirt of Frankford Arsenal brass polish and a couple of caps of Iso-heat.  The Iso-heet really works fast to help clean the cases. 

[MemphisMechanic]

10 hours ago, ddc said:

 

I do somewhat the same except I've always used corn cob. I start with the nuFinish and after the media gets to a certain point it seems like a cap-full of mineral spirits keeps it going for a while longer..

 

Walnut doesn’t get brass as shiny, but it gets it to a serviceable level of polished a whole lot faster. It’s also small enough you never have any caught in hollowpoint bullet tips, wedged down in the case, or in the primer flash holes. 

 

I prefer walnut over corn cob. A bit of NuFinish and a used dryer sheet to absorb the dust? Good to go.

 

I typically only tumble brass for around 30 minutes.

Edited November 8, 2018 by MemphisMechanic

[Novagunner]

On 11/7/2018 at 12:46 PM, Steve_53 said:

Walnut with a couple of cap-fulls of a 50/50 mix of nuFinish and Mineral Spirits, along with a (used) drier sheet cut up in ~2" squares.

 

Same except with corn cob. Someone gave me some Flitz but I haven't had any brass to prep lately.

[NateTSU]

Corncob media and cheap turtle wax gets my brass pretty clean. Turtle wax is cheap and a bottle lasts forever. 

[RudyVey]

Walnut with Nufinish, two caps of it. After some use, I add another cap. When it gets dirty, I replace this mix and make a new one. The walnut I use comes from the pet store, it is lizard bedding.

[GregJ]

I used to use lizard bedding, then started ordering media from Home Depot.  Seems to work better.

 

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Agra-Grit-Walnut-Shell-Sandblasting-Medium-Grit-25-lb-per-Box-BGM25/204068198

 

[Mcfoto]

12 minutes ago, GregJ said:

I used to use lizard bedding, then started ordering media from Home Depot.  Seems to work better.

 

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Agra-Grit-Walnut-Shell-Sandblasting-Medium-Grit-25-lb-per-Box-BGM25/204068198

 

 

This is what I use:

 

https://www.amazon.com/Kaytee-Walnut-Bedding-Litter-25-Pound/dp/B0002AQMLO/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1541783778&sr=8-4&keywords=walnut+shell

 

Slightly cheaper if you "subscribe" to a monthly order.

[Marc82Much]

On 11/8/2018 at 8:02 AM, Steve RA said:

Walnut with Brasso ( has to be the original Brasso as what is available now is a different formula).  Unfortunately, a lot of the things that I use aren't available presently.  Clays - Australian, Tula primers.  I just had a lot of components in large quantity prior to them being discontinued or changed.

This is what I use, too.

[blindshooter]

Watch out for the Brasso, I understand it has ammonia. Not so good for cartridge brass long term. 

[Steve RA]

The old Brasso did have ammonia, which would evaporate rapidly, the new Brasso seems to have a different polishing component.  Whatever the new version has does not seem to work as well as the old formulation.

[Kixx]

Lizard bedding walnut with Nu Finish. The walnut doesn’t get the brass as shiny but I feel like the Nu Finish makes up for it. Best of both worlds between walnut and corncob imo. 

[Jakobi]

Walnut media with capful of NuFinish polish for an average sized tumbler. I don't but you can cut the polish with mineral spirits (makes the polish distribute easier in the media). Add more polish when your brass stops coming out as shiny.