Difference in polish level with lizard bedding?

[rutilate]

Since I changed over to lizard bedding, my brass is clean but dull rather than bright and shiny. While I understand it makes no difference, I'm curious as to why.

Here is a pic from my phone that shows dull brass on the left, previously polished brass on the right:

I'm using pet store lizard bedding:

I'm using about 1/3c mineral spirits and a capful of NuShine car polish in a Frankford Arsenal tumbler, running from 4 hours (or 8 when I forget and leave it overnight).

Could it be that the lizard bedding is more coarse than the Frankford Arsenal media?

 

[jpm]

I use that same stuff for my brass and it comes out nice and shiny after about 2-3 hours. I don't use mineral spirits just a half cap of NuFinish car polish in my 5# Harbor Freight tumbler. I notice though that when the media needs to be changed, my brass starts to look like that above so maybe you've used it too much and need to change it now.

 

[Edster]

NuFinish and a dryer sheet in the litter. Mine comes out wicked shiney!!

 

[DW357]

NuFinish and a dryer sheet in the litter. Mine comes out wicked shiney!!

Nice. Those are definitely shiny, the glare is hurting my eyes lol. Yes as stated, definitely rip up a used dryer sheet and throw it in the tumbler. I don't use the lizard bedding but Frankford Arsenal (corn cob) media with FA liquid polish, and they come out nice and shiny. The dryer sheet helps trap the fouling and grime which helps keep the media cleaner and therefore you can use it more often.

 

[RustyD]

Ya, I am thinking a dryer sheet or 2 will help. looks like dust on cases.

 

[duarteus]

I use a few more than two dryer sheets but usually the first time I run the media is very dusty.The ones after come up better.


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[duarteus]

That's one type of media, I won't recommend tumbling brass without primers those suckers love giving stuck in the primer pocket


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[Edster]

I had run a bunch of brass before I learned about the dryer sheet trick. My media was a very dark shade of grey. After running it with the dryer sheet, the sheets came out black and the media looked almost new.

 

[rutilate]

Is the polishing a result of brass against media or media between brass? Because if the latter, having too much media can minimize the polishing effect.

 

[EddieCoyle]

Is the polishing a result of brass against media or media between brass? Because if the latter, having too much media can minimize the polishing effect.

Both, but the latter is a big part of it. As a result, a full tumbler cleans more efficiently.

 

[Cabin Fever]

For those who use nu finish, how do you keep it from clumping up? I've tried it, and even after a half hour it clumps against the middle of my tumbler.

 

[rutilate]

For those who use nu finish, how do you keep it from clumping up? I've tried it, and even after a half hour it clumps against the middle of my tumbler.

I put a capful on just the dry media and let it run for 15-20 mins. I'll remove media, put in casings, and then add the charged media.

 

[jpm]

For those who use nu finish, how do you keep it from clumping up? I've tried it, and even after a half hour it clumps against the middle of my tumbler.

I'd say you're using way too much then. I used a full cap in my 5 pound tumbler from Harbor Freight and it smelled way too strong but didn't clump. I cut back to a half cap full and it was plenty and no clumping. I don't add any mineral spirits, etc just nu finish (well shaken).

 

[GunGrey]

I mix the nu finish and the mineral spirits together and pour it in while its tumbling before i add cases

 

[Edster]

Put it in and let it run with just the media for a bit. clumps go away. No spirits for me

 

[leewongfei]

Walnut will never get your brass as shiny as corn will. I use the walnut to clean my brass, and the corn to polish it up. Walnut last a very long time, and since the corn isnt getting as beat up, that will last a very long time as well. The results are a very shiny brass.

*edit:
One last thing, I have noticed that my corn gets really dusty even though it doesnt get beat up. Using a bit of Nu-Finish in it works wonders for the sheen, it leaves a slight film on the brass that keeps it from tarnishing, and the dust doesnt to be as bad.

 

[Manomet]

I have used both corn and lizard with equal results. Pour media in tumbler add about a cap of new finish, no mineral spirits and let it run for a bit to distribute the polish in the media. Add brass and used dryer sheet and your good to go. I set up a plug on a timer , wind it up to about 4 hours and come back whenever and it is shiny with corn ( which Fixxa gave me a million pound bag of) or lizard. It's not rocket science and there a quite a few threads on here discussing this. I have some corn if you want to try it.