[Ruger Redhawk]

It's been quite sometime since I reloaded anything. I'm starting to crank the old press up again. I have over 100 pieces of 7mm Mag brass tumbling as I type this. I keep seeing some are using dryer sheets when they tumble. Some say add car wash or car wax. My question is ............What is the purpose for the dryer sheets or the car wash /wax ? I'm using grounded Walnut shells and a little poishing compound. Mine is a Tumbler not a vibrating cleaner. I'd appreciate if someone will shed some light on this. I've used the walnut shells and the polishing compound for about 35 years and always was happy with the results. What have I been missing not using the dryer sheets or the car wash/wax? Do you put the sheet in whole or do you cut it in pieces?

Thanks

 

[Ruger Redhawk]

Thanks K57. I guess I'll just keep doing what I've been. I bought a 50 pound bag of the grounded walnut shells when I first bought the tumbler somewhere in the 70's. I've tumbled allot and think I've changed the walnut shells once. I have it in an old ice chest. I know there has to be over 45 pounds left of these walnut shells..

Thanks again.

 

[Ruger Redhawk]

The dryer sheets help trap dirt and keeps your media cleaner longer. I cut up a couple of used dryer sheets into about 2 inch squares and add them to the media. When your done cleaning your brass remove the dryer sheets and look at how dirty they are. After buying a big bag of corncob media I no longer bother with the dryer sheets.

Ahhh I see. Thanks. Maybe I'll try it and see if there's any difference. I was more curious than anything else. Sounds like an extra step that's really not needed.

 

[Ruger Redhawk]

To me, the media is worn out when it no longer has the sharp edges it started out with. When it's rounded off there's nothing to scrape the brass with. I used walnut media that would make you hands black from some brass from Weidners. I had to leave the brass in there longer to get it 'cleaned' and finally gave up and put fresh media in. Is the media all that expensive anyway?

I use a purpose made polishing agent if I'm being anal. I don't worry about high polishing the brass. It may look nice at first but store it for a few months and it will tarnish back to normal. (read: waste of time).

I guess I should change mine. It's been in there for years but still does a good job. I always let it run for several hours. I'll let it run all night tonight and shut it off sometime tomorrow.
Something good turned out of all this tonight. We've moved a couple times and I've looked everywhere for my 454 Casull brass. I picked the Tumblers drum up and heard brass in it. There was my Casull brass I've been looking for over the last 4 years. That goes to show the last time I tumbled any brass.