Tumbling with SS Media

[AntiHippie]

Depending on the alloy of stainless they used - it may not be magnetic.

Your best bet is to find an old dead hard drive - open the thing up and take the magnet out of that and see if it works. The magnets in hard drives are STRONG.

Start growing your finger nails out - and get some knee pads and start picking.

SOB...I picked up an old dead laptop just before the water got close to it. I wish that had dawned on me...

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Depending on the alloy of stainless they used - it may not be magnetic.

Your best bet is to find an old dead hard drive - open the thing up and take the magnet out of that and see if it works. The magnets in hard drives are STRONG.

Start growing your finger nails out - and get some knee pads and start picking.

SOB...I picked up an old dead laptop just before the water got close to it. I wish that had dawned on me...

 

[calsdad]

SOB...I picked up an old dead laptop just before the water got close to it. I wish that had dawned on me...

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SOB...I picked up an old dead laptop just before the water got close to it. I wish that had dawned on me...

The magnet from a laptop drive is going to be smaller and weaker - what you really want is the magnet from a full size - 3 1/2" drive.

 

[edhead35]

What size are the pellets llc pins?
. 040x.250?

 

[EddieCoyle]

Careful with the HD magnets and the stainless media - you can accidentally magnetize the pins, which sucks.

 

[Bob J]

What size are the pellets llc pins?
. 040x.250?

Those are much bigger than mine.... IIRC mine are roughly half that size....

 

[EddieCoyle]

Mine are 1mm x 7mm

 

[JackO]

My last order from them was 0.047 x 0.25

 

[AntiHippie]

Careful with the HD magnets and the stainless media - you can accidentally magnetize the pins, which sucks.

My 'plan A' is to get off my ass and finally build the drum for this Frankentumbler instead of the dollar store screw top container that dumped everything all over my garage last time.

Worst part was the realization that I really, really should have seen it coming. I mean, that was dumb.

 

[Almostelmo]

Anyone know where I can get the stainless pins for sale per pound? I really only need 2lbs and can only find 5lb bags.

 

[PEW]

Anyone know where I can get the stainless pins for sale per pound? I really only need 2lbs and can only find 5lb bags.

http://www.stainlesstumblingmedia.com/stainless-tumbling-media-refresh.html

 

[AntiHippie]

Pretty sure I saw it on Amazon, too. Don't remember prices, though.

 

[jtnf]

Providing links in the way of subscribing.
The Jewelers mix is intriguing... pin media seems to be available in 2.5lb - 5lb packages.

http://www.amazon.com/Stainless-Steel-Jewelers-Pound-Package/dp/B0058EDST8/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1384662303&sr=8-9&keywords=tumbling+media

http://www.amazon.com/Pellets-LLC-S...qid=1384662366&sr=8-7&keywords=tumbling+media

http://www.amazon.com/Pellet-Pins-S...qid=1384662366&sr=8-8&keywords=tumbling+media

http://www.amazon.com/Pellet-Pins-S...id=1384662366&sr=8-13&keywords=tumbling+media

 

[jtnf]

Scraped off of another forum...
http://www.buffaloarms.com/Detail.aspx?PROD=164066

Eight bucks per pound ($7.60/lb for 5 lbs...) cheaper than Amazon (did not include shipping, which Amazon often does cheap or free so YMMV)

 

[Almostelmo]

Scraped off of another forum...
http://www.buffaloarms.com/Detail.aspx?PROD=164066

Eight bucks per pound ($7.60/lb for 5 lbs...) cheaper than Amazon (did not include shipping, which Amazon often does cheap or free so YMMV)

Good find. All shipping options are around $13-$14 though. It looks like the best deal for 2lb is the STM link posted earlier by mxracer. $19 and a $6 shipping option.

I kind of feel like I should just go with 5lb because I'm gonna get boned on shipping either way.

 

[JackO]

Honestly, just order 5 lbs. Pretty soon you wish you bought 10.

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk 2

 

[groundscrapers]

The company that makes that is out of NY and they said if a group were to get together and buy their minimum (25 lbs I think) they would sell directly. Might be a group buy idea...

 

[ArnoldDent]

Do you have to use a tumbler with SS media ?. Or can you use a vibrating cleaner with it ?.

 

[calsdad]

The company that makes that is out of NY and they said if a group were to get together and buy their minimum (25 lbs I think) they would sell directly. Might be a group buy idea...

Oooh - I'd probably be in for that.

 

[groundscrapers]

Do you have to use a tumbler with SS media ?. Or can you use a vibrating cleaner with it ?.

The media is too heavy for vibratory cleaning, needs to be tumbled wet.

 

[groundscrapers]

If anyone had any doubts... here is evidence. This is my first crack at cleaning brass...ever. This stuff is the real deal.

 

[Almostelmo]

Ordered my pins yesterday. $40 shipped for 5lb of the thicker .047" pins from bullseye reloading. Apparently with the thinner pins 2 can get stuck in the flash hole side by side?

Anyone using a food dehydrator to dry their brass? Harbor freight has one for $25 and I was thinking of trying it out.

 

[PaulD]

Do you have to use a tumbler with SS media ?. Or can you use a vibrating cleaner with it ?.

Part of the point of the whole thing is that they are tumbling with the stainless media in a bath of water and detergent. I really doubt a vibrating cleaner would work.

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Ordered my pins yesterday. $40 shipped for 5lb of the thicker .047" pins from bullseye reloading. Apparently with the thinner pins 2 can get stuck in the flash hole side by side?

Anyone using a food dehydrator to dry their brass? Harbor freight has one for $25 and I was thinking of trying it out.

No, but that's a good idea. Previously I rigged up a complete hack involving the brass sitting on a mesh strainer with an electric heater fan blowing down on it.

 

[saltydude]

Careful with the HD magnets and the stainless media - you can accidentally magnetize the pins, which sucks.

If that ends up happening to anyone. I have a large degausser at my shop. I'd be more than happy to run your media through it. It'll only take a second to solve the issue.

 

[calsdad]

Ordered my pins yesterday. $40 shipped for 5lb of the thicker .047" pins from bullseye reloading. Apparently with the thinner pins 2 can get stuck in the flash hole side by side?

Anyone using a food dehydrator to dry their brass? Harbor freight has one for $25 and I was thinking of trying it out.

I've been using one of the round type food dehydrators with the multiple trays - it works great to dry out the brass.

 

[Smokewagon]

Oooh - I'd probably be in for that.

I'd go in as well. I was going to do the cheap route and start with one of the small dual rock tumblers, so 2-2.5 pounds will do me. I might be looking for someone to split a 5 pound bag with me if we don't have enough to buy 25 or 50 pounds. Bullseye does a good price on ordering 50lbs, not sure what Pellets LLC charged for 25 or 50.

 

[MAshooter1]

Is anyone using the Harbor Freight tumbler? Have you used it for any extended period of time and can comment on whether it's holding up or not?

 

[jpm]

Is anyone using the Harbor Freight tumbler? Have you used it for any extended period of time and can comment on whether it's holding up or not?

I bought the 5 pound harbor freight tumbler and it worked fine for probably the first 2 months, then started getting loud in the 3rd month. Had a couple of times where it got really loud and I thought it was going to seize up or something. Kept working but not as well as initially. Then towards the end of the 3rd month it would not start up again if it had been running and I shut it off for a minute. It was within the 90 day window so I returned it and bought another with an even better % off coupon. If you do get one and need to return it, DON'T exchange it. Do a return and buy a new one so the 90 day warranty clock starts again! Otherwise I believe you just get the remainder of the initial warranty.

 

[Smokewagon]

Is anyone using the Harbor Freight tumbler? Have you used it for any extended period of time and can comment on whether it's holding up or not?

I know a couple of people who have been using the dual rotary HF tumblers for wet tumbling brass for 2 and 3 years respectively. One hasn't had any issues, the other had to exchange it after the first 30 days but the replacement has run flawlessly for a long while now. They both said that the included belts are junk (non-reinforced), and to buy vacuum cleaner belts instead to replace them. Also, maintain the tumblers when it tells you to (once or twice a month lubrication), they seem to do ok if you take care of them.

edit: I haven't heard anything about their vibratory tumblers.

 

[Fixxah]

I stand my brass up in a spam can and use a heat gun for a few minutes and that's it. Dry and hot.

-Proud to be dad every day, a licensed plumber most days, and wish I was a shoemaker on others.

 

[AntiHippie]

Just tried one of the HF tumblers yesterday. No long term results yet, but it works. So far. Only ran one drum to see how it handled it, how hot the motor got, about 56-58 pieces of 5.56 brass, roughly a pound of pins, and water and stuff within an inch of the top. Got warm, not hot, but definitely warmer than I'd like.

Other reason I only ran one drum is one of the cap screws was cross threaded. Hopefully they'll ship another one out before I get around to chasing a tap through it.

Update: just went to run the second drum. It leaks. Brand new, there's a split in the bottom. It's a cheap Harbor Freight, most likely made in China tool, so I'm not shocked. Reasonably expected, even.