Author Topic: rice in a tumbler (Read 1001 times)

rickyp · « **on:** January 18, 2005, 04:38:40 PM »

I have seen people talking about using rice for tumbling media.
It is not time to replace my corncob media and I was thinking about trying the rice.

does anyone use the rice? how well does it work?

Castaway · « **Reply #1 on:** January 19, 2005, 12:47:10 AM »

I do, works fine

jgalar · « **Reply #2 on:** January 19, 2005, 01:50:48 AM »

Are there any advantages to using rice over corn or walnut? Or is it just availability?

Castaway · « **Reply #3 on:** January 19, 2005, 02:04:55 AM »

Cheap and it does a good job

bgjohn · « **Reply #4 on:** January 19, 2005, 02:26:16 AM »

Corn cob gets stuck in the primer pocket. You must get it out with a paper clip.
JM :cry:

Yukon Gold · « **Reply #5 on:** January 19, 2005, 05:30:13 AM »

Recently tried rice for the first time - cleaned up the brass just fine, but not too "shiney".

Question - can you add a polish agent (like Midway) to the rice, or will it just turn to much? Or, if I need some brass polished, stick to corn cob or walnut?

rickyp · « **Reply #6 on:** January 19, 2005, 06:55:42 AM »

Quote from: bgjohn

Corn cob gets stuck in the primer pocket. You must get it out with a paper clip.
JM :cry:

What I did about this. I took an old broom handle and cut off about 4 inche then got a finish nail and drove it in the end of the little handle and use that to flick the corn cob out works great and not as hard on the fingers as a paper clip.

Quote

Recently tried rice for the first time - cleaned up the brass just fine, but not too "shiney".

Question - can you add a polish agent (like Midway) to the rice, or will it just turn to much? Or, if I need some brass polished, stick to corn cob or walnut?

I dont care if the brass is shiney or not just as long as it is clean. You could always do a 50/50 mix this should make the other media last longer.

Rmouleart · « **Reply #7 on:** January 19, 2005, 07:41:14 AM »

I like walnut, It does get caught in the primer pockets,Don't bother me, I use a dental tool to poke it out. I like to add Flitz to get the brass like new, works great.Aim small hit small. RAMbo.

jh45gun · « **Reply #8 on:** January 19, 2005, 07:43:14 PM »

I have not checked it out yet but I saw some where on the net recently that you can buy what they said was untreated corn cob media at the pet section in Walmart. They said you could get a lot cheap. Not sure what they meant by untreated but some media polish like midway or Flitz should take care of that/ Jim

Vern Humphrey · « **Reply #9 on:** January 20, 2005, 06:17:22 AM »

If you use rice as a tumbling media, get Minute Rice -- it's much faster.

Wlscott · « **Reply #10 on:** January 20, 2005, 06:53:33 AM »

Quote

If you use rice as a tumbling media, get Minute Rice -- it's much faster.

:-D :-D :-D

Quote

I have not checked it out yet but I saw some where on the net recently that you can buy what they said was untreated corn cob media at the pet section in Walmart. They said you could get a lot cheap.

I bought some of this from Walmart. I don't remember the exact cost, but I'm thinking it was in the neighborhood of a third the cost. It is, however, quite a bit larger "bits" of corn cob than the stuff that is sold specifically for cleaning and polishing brass. When I tumbled my 7-08 brass, it completely STUFFED the cases full of media. It was a pain to get out. Anything larger, or smaller isn't a problem, but the 7-08 case is just the perfect size to let the peices in, but not let them out. Eventually the case just becomes packed.

It took me two hours to clean all of the media out of the cases :cry:

Leftoverdj · « **Reply #11 on:** January 20, 2005, 08:02:20 AM »

You can add Bon Ami, Old Dutch or Dutch Maid cleanser to your media for a better polishing effect. Don't try Ajax; it's different stuff and can scratch your dies.

I'd use brown rice if I used rice. It still has the husk on and polishes better while breaking down slower. If you have that too coarse ground cob, just wait until your wife's back is turned to run it through the food processor.

Tom W. · « **Reply #12 on:** January 21, 2005, 05:17:11 PM »

I've been using rice for about a year now, and it works great. I add a bit of green jewelers rouge to it, in addition to some Midway polish.

I believe all media will stick in the flash holes. It's one of those things that we have to deal with. I use a precision screwdriver to get the errant grain of rice out. I have yet to leave any rice in a case and shoot out a rice krispy. :shock:

Glanceblamm · « **Reply #13 on:** January 21, 2005, 05:59:08 PM »

Quote

I believe all media will stick in the flash holes. It's one of those things that we have to deal with.

It also allows yet another chance to inspect the most important componet..The Case!
I am able to knock out most of the media while cleaning the primer pockets. What I would like to see is this tool designed with a small nipple in the center to insure that the media gets knocked out all of the time.

rickyp · « **Reply #14 on:** January 22, 2005, 03:12:58 AM »

the lee case trimmer stud works well for this

Vern Humphrey · « **Reply #15 on:** January 22, 2005, 04:29:32 AM »

Tumble first, then deprime.

The great advantage to this is that you are re-sizing clean cases, as well as ensuring the flash hole isn't clogged.

rickyp · « **Reply #16 on:** January 22, 2005, 04:31:53 AM »

I use a universal decapping die first.

I feel it is best to tumble the brass after it has been deprimed. this way you get the primer pocket clean

longwinters · « **Reply #17 on:** January 22, 2005, 05:02:33 AM »

I always have an allen wrench set on the reloading bench and just use one of the small allen wrenchs to clean out the primer pocket. Works great.

Long

Tom W. · « **Reply #18 on:** January 22, 2005, 04:57:50 PM »

I prefer to resize first, then clean , and then trim if needed. Gets all that slimy goo from the resizing process