Author Topic: Stainless Steel Polishing Media ??  (Read 16010 times)

billt

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Stainless Steel Polishing Media ??
« on: September 20, 2010, 08:45:45 AM »
Anyone ever use this stuff? For years I've used nothing but ground corn cob with brass polish added. It works well, but requires a long tumble for best results. I stumbled on to this stuff, and it looks really good!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdvq3Kc_Vm0

I really like the way it cleans the primer pockets as well as the flash holes, and it doesn't get stuck in the flash holes like corn cob does. I'm not sure if you have to use it wet or not. It appears so. I have a Thumlers Model B Tumbler, but I haven't used it in years since I got a Dillon FL-2000. I don't think you can use the Dillon model with wet media. The Stainless Steel media also will never wear out. It's avaliable here:

http://www.stainlesstumblingmedia.com/

I'm going to look into it further, and try to get some more information. If I had more room I would like to get one of those small, motorized cement mixers from Harbor Freight. They have models with plastic barrels that are small enough to be just about perfect for polishing brass with this stuff, and it's obviously no problem to use them wet.    Bill T.


Solus

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Re: Stainless Steel Polishing Media ??
« Reply #1 on: September 20, 2010, 10:02:11 AM »
From the Tips

Q. Will your media work in a vibratory type tumbler?
A. No, the media and the water just weigh to much for the  average type vibratory tumblers to get any results.

It looks like it needs to be used wet.  And even if the big Dillion shaker can handle the weight, the water still might be a problem.
Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!"
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"Good intentions will always be pleaded for every assumption of authority. It is hardly too strong to say that the Constitution was made to guard the people against the dangers of good intentions. There are men in all ages who mean to govern well, but they mean to govern. They promise to be good masters, but they mean to be masters."
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billt

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Re: Stainless Steel Polishing Media ??
« Reply #2 on: September 20, 2010, 10:40:16 AM »
I'll drag out my Thumblers Model B Tumbler today. I'll fire it up to make sure it works.  Bill T.

ellis4538

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Re: Stainless Steel Polishing Media ??
« Reply #3 on: September 20, 2010, 01:42:53 PM »
Looks like it would work best for rifle brass.  A couple extra steps if you ask me.  Not sure I want to go that route.

JMHOFWIW

Richard
Used to be "The only thing to FEAR was FEAR ITSELF", nowadays "The only thing to FEAR is GETTING CAUGHT!"

Solus

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Re: Stainless Steel Polishing Media ??
« Reply #4 on: September 20, 2010, 01:58:57 PM »
Looks like it would work best for rifle brass.  A couple extra steps if you ask me.  Not sure I want to go that route.

JMHOFWIW

Richard

Depends upon how much time you spend on primer pockets, let alone flash holes.

You get to know each case by it's first name checking each one of them for faults.  You get to know their Nicknames and birthdays doing primer pocket maintenance. 
Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!"
—Patrick Henry

"Good intentions will always be pleaded for every assumption of authority. It is hardly too strong to say that the Constitution was made to guard the people against the dangers of good intentions. There are men in all ages who mean to govern well, but they mean to govern. They promise to be good masters, but they mean to be masters."
— Daniel Webster

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Re: Stainless Steel Polishing Media ??
« Reply #5 on: Today at 05:21:29 AM »

billt

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Re: Stainless Steel Polishing Media ??
« Reply #5 on: September 20, 2010, 03:23:29 PM »
http://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/2511043/m/2281046731

Here is a good report on it. Pretty impressive results.  Bill T.

tombogan03884

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Re: Stainless Steel Polishing Media ??
« Reply #6 on: September 21, 2010, 01:46:07 AM »
Sounds like a bad idea. More than likely it actually removes brass from the cases, I'm currently waiting for a machine that got Stainless dust in the drive mechanism, it tore up a lot of things in there. Also, it will get everywhere.
Second, you can figure on replacing your tumbler as anything that aggressive will eventually abrade the bottom out of it.
Third, You're going to put dish soap and water where you want gunpowder to work properly ?
Stick with the proven stuff, so what if walnut shells take a little longer, you will be letting them sit for 2 days for the water to dry out.

billt

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Re: Stainless Steel Polishing Media ??
« Reply #7 on: September 21, 2010, 05:47:53 AM »
More than likely it actually removes brass from the cases.

If it did that you would know it right away because the resized cases would have no neck tension when you seated the bullet. Not to mention primers would fall out of the pockets.

Second, you can figure on replacing your tumbler as anything that aggressive will eventually abrade the bottom out of it.

They polish ROCKS in these things. Others use rocks, (ceramic), as a media to polish. We have machines at work that have been running for over 20 years with ceramic and carborundum media in them. They'll outlast us.

Third, You're going to put dish soap and water where you want gunpowder to work properly ?

Come on, you have to let them dry! Hornady sells a liquid Ultrasonic Cleaner. I've been using one for years and have been washing shotshell hulls in the dishwasher since the 70's. I've never had a misfire. You dry your clothes after you wash them before you wear them, why wouldn't you do the same with your brass before you load it?   Bill T.

Solus

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Re: Stainless Steel Polishing Media ??
« Reply #8 on: September 21, 2010, 08:56:35 AM »
Got me wondering how these little stainless billets work.....

I'm guessing that any battering of the cases is eliminated by being immersed in water?  I'd guess that  without the water in a tumbler, the brass would take a beating. 

And how exactly is the crud removed?  Maybe the billets sort of "flow" with the shape of the case and any little irregularity is bumped off?

I assume the water penetrates and loosens the crud and the soap helps it do so by reducing surface tension and the polish component shines up the brass.

One of the posts stated you needed the faster rotating tumbler, 140 speed I think it was, to do a good job, so maybe keeping everything moving and less settled makes a difference.   

I'd like to see a video of what everything is doing in that tumbler.

Who is our "Fluid Dynamics" expert here?

Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!"
—Patrick Henry

"Good intentions will always be pleaded for every assumption of authority. It is hardly too strong to say that the Constitution was made to guard the people against the dangers of good intentions. There are men in all ages who mean to govern well, but they mean to govern. They promise to be good masters, but they mean to be masters."
— Daniel Webster

PegLeg45

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Re: Stainless Steel Polishing Media ??
« Reply #9 on: September 21, 2010, 09:14:33 AM »
Heck, the dawn detergent probably does the most work of any component....been cleaning Black powder guns with it for years. The thing might even work just as well with something like BB's or the like as an agitation agent.

As to the wear on the cases, in my former line of work, I've seen rubber hoses wear a hole in steel hydraulic tubing via vibration. Also saw UHMW (ultra high molecular weight) plastic that would wear out steel rollers, way before it showed any signs of wear at all. Wear characteristics are a strange thing.
With the water and detergent as lube/cleaning agents, case wear should be minimal. Remove the detergent and you may have trouble. We used giant vibratory tumblers with various media for years using detergents and water as tumbling lube.
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