Alternative tumbling media?

[sig-man]

Okay, so I started reloading last year using my fathers equipment. I decided to invest in my own setup, and thought i would start by getting my brass cleaned up. Went to my LGS and purchased a Lymon turbo tumbler but alas they had no media! This prompted me to call around and I was finally able to score some corn cob media at another store. ( he gave it to me free as it was some he purchased in bulk and repacked. Go K&T guns!) So I started looking online and at other stores and was surprised at the cost of it, and the many people using alternatives. My question is has anyone used any of the following more economical alternatives? If so how did they work? Are there other options I am not exploring? Or is the $15 per jug of media marketed for reloading better?

Option #1
Corncob blasting media from Grainger supply. $37 for a 40lb bag.

Option #2
Walnut shell tumbling media from Harbor Freight tools. $25 for 25lb box.

Option #3
Walnut shell reptile bedding that can be purchased at any pet store. Several threads online suggested this.

Option #4
100% natural ground corncob kitty litter. Also read about this online.

The first two are the way I am leaning. The second two are kind of out there but I am intrigued. I realize it will be more then I will use in years to buy so much, But I cannot help feeling like I am getting screwed buying 2lbs of Lyman for $15! Plus I can always share.

Thoughts?

 

[jcwit]

Regarding #1 the corn cob from Grainger's. You get a lot more media per pound, think a pound of feathers versus a pound of rocks.

And yes it works just fine, add a capful of auto polish the first time and don't add any more for 10 12 tumblings. Also a teaspoon of mineral spirits will keep any dust down.

 

[tenring]

Blast Media by ECONOLINE - Pneumatic Blasting Media at Zoro

 

[2in1evtime]

i use a fine walnut shell media, tablespoon of nu finish added every 3rd or 4th cleaning too. found the corn cob will sometimes plug flash holes in small primer brass. just my preference

 

[Dundee]

Corncob kitty litter works just fine. Adding Nu Finish works as well.

 

[red_zr24x4]

I've used #3 & #4 alot with good results. As stated add nu-finish

 

[Fishersjohn48]

.

 

[ScouT6a]

For my Walnut media, I go to the pet shop and buy lizard bedding at a fraction of the cost. Corn cob media came by way of a 40 pound bag of horse bedding for $10.

 

[ScouT6a]

Fishersjohn48, I have animals so I can break out all I need for the tumbler, give some away to new reloaders and friends and still use any extra on the animals.

 

[JetGirl]

add a capful of auto polish

tablespoon of nu finish

Adding Nu Finish works

As stated add nu-finish

No matter what media you use (even if it's the "treated" stuff)...add polish.

I do a half and half mix of corn cob and walnut plus a splash of Scratch X (WalMart, $8 bucks), which I've found to be closest to "Flitz" in the end product.

 

[xM3RC1L3SS1x]

I use the treated corn cob media and put in some polish every couple handfuls of tumbling and it works perfectly for me

 

[sig-man]

I will definitely try the car polish. I have a bottle of nu-finish in the closet at home right now that is looking for a use!

 

[jcwit]

Just about any auto polish that is also a cleaning wax/polish will work just fine. One of the advantages to the auto polish is it leaves a coating on the brass preventing tarnish.

Corn cob from Grainger or any other supplier of blasting media you are able to get 20/40 grit and never have a problem with media in your flash holes, primer pockets again.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

This is the first I've heard of adding the car polish! I'm glad I happened on this thread. Sometimes I've noticed my brass coming out looking a little "dusty". Gonna give it a try!

 

[EvilElmo]

Cheap walnut media:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000OQRGF2?cache=ae66841f9b033e06e3b75009027ed9d9&pi=SY200_QL40&qid=1412539257&sr=8-2#ref=mp_s_a_1_2

 

[BeDome]

I keep hearing about auto polish, but I want more specifics. Are we talking about the kind of polishing compound that one might use in restoring a fading paint job?

I have used Turtlewax Chrome Polish with decent results. Seems to work great with just a few drops (say a tablespoon and a bit more) in a full tumbler of ugly range brass. I use the fine ground variety of walnut shell based wild bird cage liner/reptile litter at about $30 bucks for forty pounds, ffs. This chrome polish I have been using seems to be a bit more coarse in its polishing work than some of those rouge based brass polishes designed to make brass look super shiny. Do not care so much about the shine, but the inside and out super clean is super nice and fairly quick.

If I have time or if I making rounds to store over time, I also re-tumble any casings after using case lube. I use a different bucket of just plain walnut media with no additives, just to absorb all the oils and leave all the casings completely dry.

Anyway, what about all this talk of auto polish? There are so many choices it boggles the mind. Are we talking about paint polish, wax-free?

 

[BeDome]

Forgot to mention, in the old days we used Colgate, plain old white toothpaste, to add some cleaning power to the media. It has just a bit of abrasive in it and makes a nice polish, but it takes a little longer than the chrome polish.

 

[chezuki]

I found the corn cob kitty litter to be an epic fail. There was way too much "fluffy" absorbent material to even get the brass to bumble correctly. It just spun slowly in the tumbler.

 

[tk71]

I use the 25lb fine 24 grit walnut media from harbor freight and nu finish and it works great.

 

[jcwit]

Car/auto polish as in cleaner wax/polish, think Kit car wax, http://www.meguiars.com/en/automotive/products/g18211-ultimate-wax-paste/
liquid or paste or somewhat the same from other manufactures.

As I stated earlier in post #13 it contains a wax/poly that coats the brass and prevents tarnish. Straight polish/rubbing compound will not do this.

As far as the H/F walnut, it costs a dollar a lb. plus gas to get it.

Corn Cob cost less than a dollar a lb., can be shipped to your door for free, and one gets much more media per lb.