When is it time to wash your Media?

[GameHauler]

  Hey Guys I am getting closer to a year of loading but still do not have a mentor
or a clue what I am doing
These stupid little questions keep waking me up night and have no one to ask but the EXPERTS on GBO
QUESTION??: When is it time to replace your tumbler Media?
I am still using the media that was in it when I got it so I have no idea how long or much it has been used.
Also what type of media do you like and why?
I have about 25-30#'s of media which I think may last me a month or two
Thanks in advance for your input
Mike

[John Traveler]

Your questions are in no way stupid, my friend!

Tumbling brass leaves the media (granulated walnut shells, corn cob, etc) coated with dirt, case sizing residue, brass tarnish, etc to the point that it doesn't work anymore.  Look at the granulations carefully.  When well-used and worn out, the sharp corners and edges are worn out and leaves them an irregular rounded blob.  That is when it is time to replace the media. 

I prefer to WASH mine in hot soapy water with a couple squirts of dishwashing soap.  You will not believe the amount of crap and dirt that comes out even after a couple rinses!  Most reloaders say simply replace the media, don't waste time washing it.  I get many months of almost 24 hr operation from running the tumblers.

As for what to mix with the tumbling media, I have tried the Lyman, RCBS, Dillon, and other case cleaners, and find no difference between them.  They all work.  Even cheaper is liquid automotive polish, the kind for removing old oxidized paint.

As a rule, granulated walnut works best at cleaning, and granulated corn cobs works better as a final polish.  If you desire that like-new sparkle to your fired brass, extended tumbling in walnut hulls, followed with corn cobs.

[Gun Runner]

G H, I found that by going to my local hay and feed store I can get 50lbs of crushed walnut for around $13.00. That much media will last a long time (yrs) and I clean a lot of brass.

Gun Runner 

[GameHauler]

Thanks Guys.
I decided to go ahead and replace my media.
Looking at what I had I figured I would try the
Lyman Tufnut treated with rough.
I have never bothered to put the lid on while I was tumbling
so I filled her up dumped in some brass and went out to stock
a truck load of firewood in the wood shed.
Came back in about an hour later and my bench is covered
with this awful red dust everywhere
What a mess and the crap doesn't come off the brass
Needless to say that junk got dumped back into the jug and
refilled with good old fashion corn cob.

Mike

[Pumah25]

I used the tuff nut to tumble some 45 LC and 9mm. I did not have the red dust problem. I also left the lid off (easier to check the progress). Did I just get lucky? I actually really liked that particular media. The Lyman corn cob media had huge problems with static clinge and made a much worse mess for me.

[GameHauler]

I don't know if you got lucky or not but I have learned another lesson
My Wife came out to the garage on day and heard the tumbler and asked about it.
She is kinda into rocks and asked if it would polish a rock.
I didnt know so I said we can try it.
BIG MISTAKE
It turned my media into a black dust bowl
Fortunately I had just read a post here about  adding dryer sheets to remove
the dirt from the media.
After about a dozen tumbling seasons with sheets it is cleaning up pretty good
I think I am going to add a sheet(cut into 4 pieces) for now on to help keep it clean and my brass sure smells good

Moral of the story- DO NOT PUT A ROCK IN THERE

[Badnews Bob]

When my brass don't come out like I want it thats when I change something, Washing would work but I just change mine Its cheap enuff, I also don't worry about polishing just cleaning. Pretty don't shoot any better. I also prefer walnut shells.

[Pumah25]

The drier sheet just gave me a good idea about how to get rid of the static cling with the corn cob media. I will quarter up a drier sheet with the cob next time I use it.

[Glanceblamm]

The drier sheet just gave me a good idea about how to get rid of the static cling with the corn cob media. I will quarter up a drier sheet with the cob next time I use it.

I cant say that I have ever had this problem but putting more humidity in the air would help. If this is not practical, the problem will correct it'self as the outside temps warm up in the spring\summer.

[gdolby]

Good day to all, How do you wash your media? I read above what you use just not sure what process you do. you just swirl it around in the soapy water for a bit and then spread it to dry it off or what? Thank you...................Bill............... p.s. I have had pretty good luck with crushed pecan hulls........they dont last very long is the problem

[beerbelly]

I washed my media yesterday. Washed it in the kitchen sink. Good thing my old woman has already gone to her just rewards or I surely would have gone to mine . Made the damedest mess you ever saw! stopped up the sink drain, took all afternoon to get every thing back to some what normal. From now own I will just buy new!
                                            beerbelly

[tbotts]

another place to get crushed walnut to use as tumbling media is pet stores or feed stores. 

[MZ5]

I don't know if you got lucky or not but I have learned another lesson

I'd say lucky.  I learned about the rouge-coated Lyman media the hard way myself a few years ago.  I'll never use that crap again.  It makes an absolutely unholy mess forever.  I am using some of Lyman's green stuff right now (can't recall the name).  Apart from smelling like diesel fuel, it's pretty good product.  I may go back to straight cob or walnut shell next time.

[Tn Jim]

At least now I know that I am not the only one to use the Lyman stuff. That has got to be the dustiest, messiest stuff I have ever seen. My old Midway tumbler died a couple months ago and I just got a new Hornady tumbler this week. The dust really shows on the outside of that red bowl. I'm going to get some walnut shell in the pet department at Wally World and put some Flitz in it. I'm tired of the dust getting all over everything.