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Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

Zeenon:

I don't know what's up buy I can't see any of the pictures you have posetd! Is anyone else having this issue!

The most I saw was 1/2 the top picture! Can you check your stuff!

I would love to see your photos!

Terry
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

Just wanted to chime in that a buddy and I purchased the SS media, and I got a chance to try it out last night on just under 400 cases of .223 that I picked up at the range. Mostly PMC brass.

I am never doing brass the old way again (except for my 5.7x28 brass, which has a special coating that can not be tumbled without damaging it.)

Cheers!


Onyx

Dirty range pickup brass, .223
4573155961_f06cca266e_b.jpg


Dirty range pickup brass, .223
4573156673_8e11525575_b.jpg


After 5 hours in rotary tumbler with 1gal hot water, 1/3oz dawn dish soap, one 9mm brass full of LemiShine, and 5lbs stainless steel media.
4573157213_df1ef3544e_b.jpg


Primer pocket
4573157725_42d0a0d34e_b.jpg


Inside case wall
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Flashhole
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Flashhole
4573159441_5a78466de1_b.jpg


 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

Welcome to the Club! Has your buddy had the black water experiance yet! LOL!

Like I said before. Even after 3 years plus of using this stuff it's still fun reaching into that bag of gold!

Terry
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

Oh ya, that water was black as sin when I poured it out. Great stuff! Going to need to get me a nice sized rare earth magnet to help with keeping track of all the little buggers though.
smile.gif



Onyx
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Onyx</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Oh ya, that water was black as sin when I poured it out. Great stuff! Going to need to get me a nice sized rare earth magnet to help with keeping track of all the little buggers though.
smile.gif



Onyx </div></div>

personally i do not see a need for rare earth magnets, what i use is a magnet from a burned out microwave oven, they look like a black donut and pick up those "little buggers" from about 3 inches away.
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

Anyone have an extra 5lbs of the regular SS media they want to sell to help a guy out? (not short) Looks like 3 guys horded the WHOLE shipment, Mike just got.

Z
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

I got my Thumlers Tumbler Model B on the weekend and did a 8-10 hour tumble on some brass with my SS media and 2 drops of Palmolive Dish Soap. I was very happy with the results and didn't think the results could be any better. Boy was I wrong, the hype about Lemishine is the real deal, I managed to find some locally (for you Canadian guys it's available at Canadian Tire).

For someone new to reloading entirely I am 100% glad I went this route instead of the corn cob/walnut media I had heard about before. The finish and shine on the brass when using the SS media in combination with Lemishine is completely unbeatable.

I snapped some photos to show my results.

Left to Right: Brand new Factory Ammo - 8 hour tumbled with SS media and soap - 12 hour tumbled with SS media, soap and Lemishine.
img2716resize.jpg

img2733resize.jpg


Look at that Mirror SHINE!
img2766crop.jpg

2010050400002.jpg



And to really put this combination to the test I am currently tumbling this single round of 9mm that I found in a car at work that appears to be very old. I am very eager to open the tumbler up tomorrow when it's all done
smile.gif


img2794crop.jpg

img2780f.jpg
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: zeenon</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Anyone have an extra 5lbs of the regular SS media they want to sell to help a guy out? (not short) Looks like 3 guys horded the WHOLE shipment, Mike just got.

Z </div></div>

Did Terry tell you what I ordered?...??
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

Nah I'm just dying to try it out....

I built the heater, ordered the tumbler and got the ivory/lemishine. I've been dumping my fired brass in a bucket for two weeks so I have something to clean
smile.gif


Z
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Chiller</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: zeenon</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Anyone have an extra 5lbs of the regular SS media they want to sell to help a guy out? (not short) Looks like 3 guys horded the WHOLE shipment, Mike just got.

Z </div></div>

Did Terry tell you what I ordered?...?? </div></div>

No Chiller, I did not disclose your corner of the Stainless Steel market! Your pretty close to the fault line! LOL! Might trigger a Earth quake!
grin.gif


You for sure will not run out!

Terry
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

Terry -

I wanted to thank you. I received my SS on Monday. I placed the order the prior week. Mark actually called me to tell me it was on its way. I received it faster than my Midway orders - amazing and they never call me! I'm all set for this weekend.

Will
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

Here is a alternative method for drying your brass!

Food Dehydrator on Ebay

My buddy uses one and it works rather well. I have one that I use when I have my ammo can one full and running!

Kertef:

You should acheive the same results with a 1/2oz of ivory or dawn and a 9mm case of Lemi Shine at 4 hour tumble!

By the way! Welcome to the club!

Terry

Poll Results updated as of 5/5/2010 5:45pm

pollresults5-5.jpg


Will:

The thanks all needs to go to MARK! He is the one making all of this happen! I just handle the PM's! He orders, bags, and ships all this stuff not me!

So hats off to Mark and his efforts to make this possible!
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

A bit off the topic, but did you guys know that devcon epoxy is magnetic? I found this out by accident one day.
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">You should acheive the same results with a 1/2oz of ivory or dawn and <span style="color: #3333FF"><span style="font-weight: bold">a 9mm case of Lemi Sh</span>ine</span> at 4 hour tumble! </div></div>

i have been using liquid "Tide", a suggestion from my dear loving intelligent beautiful wife, whom today broke the handle off my AR-15/M16 coffee mug, as for the Lemi Shine, i noticed you recommended 1, 9mm case full of Lemi Shine i used 20cc (measured in a hospital medicine cup) this afternoon, am i over doing it with the Lemi Shine ? after a 3 1/2 hr. tumble the 4X fired 5.56mm G.I. cases are brilliantly shiny, inside and out.
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

Just found 20 pieced of 5.56 NATO brass in my back yard last night while prepping my wife's garden.
It's been out there for at least a year and is no corroded that it is barely recognizable.

Just for giggles, I'm going to take some before and after pics to see just how good this process is.

Hopefully I will get to it tonight or tommorow.
Should be interesting...
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

I found one of my Lee dippers yesterday that says 5CC on it. It will fill a 9MM case to about 1/8" below the rim so I figure 6CC is it.
Limishine might work even better using more but I don't see how. I figured with a 9MM case to get 116 tumbles per bottle of it.
A 40 S&W case is easier to hit when pouring it out but the Lee dipper is even better.
Anybody know what size dipper comes in 40 S&W die set?
That and 1/2 ounce of Ivory would be THE TICKET for me.
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

Hummer My 10mm/40S&W die set from Lee had a .5cc dipper in it. I believe you measured 13.5 gr of LemiShine from a 9mm case the .5cc dipper was about 7.4 grains. I am using a Model A with 6 lb barrels so I have found the .5cc of LemiShine to be very good.
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

Sorry I didn't get a chance to post up the results of the old 9mm I found in the car at my work but here it is, the true power of this amazing tumbling setup. (I used 1/2 oz of soap this time)

Before
img2794crop.jpg

After
img2832b.jpg

img2831m.jpg


Before
img2780a.jpg

After
img2841u.jpg



And just for fun some treasure :p
img2812p.jpg
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

I have a quick question. Has anyone tried tumbling bullets, TMJ specifically, whether or not it has a significant effect on performance (although it should even if only slightly it should increase velocity on same load) I think it sure makes them look amazing.

I am new to the whole reloading thing and threw 2 Berrys 124gr 9mm in the tumbler and heres how they turned out.

Left to Right: Federal 9mm 124gr, Berrys 124gr, Berrys 124gr Tumbled with ss media and soap, Berrys 124gr Tumbled with ss media soap and 9mm case of lemishine.

I figure I will load them once I get my primers and see how they chrono when I get a chance.

img2847d.jpg
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

Kertef:

I have never tumbled bullets in the SS media. However, I have tumbled thousands of Surplus bullets in corn cob with mineral spirits to get the sealer off them. Don't see how it would hurt them. I always tumbled them with a carnuba wax after cleaning the sealer off them and polished them in a towel. They are still shiny in the ammo cans after several years.

Terry
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

Through a friend of mine, I got about 5Lb of SS shot of .040 diameter. Looks like tiny spherical pellets, but not like perfect spheres, slightly irregular shape. IMHO, works just as fine, and none of the pellets stick inside the primer hole. My 9mm mix is about 50% S&B cases - the ones with laquer-painted primers - and even these primer pockets were spotless after tumbling. In comparison, my ultrasonic left most of the laquer intact inside the primer pockets.

My tumbler was a DIY project, but it came out rather nicely. I put in just under 300 9mm cases, and tumble for about 3Hrs. I then sort them out by hand, under standing water & inside a large strainer. Just a quick shake makes all the pellets & junk rinse out of those cases. Pellets fall down to the bottom of the strainer, and most of the junk floats.

I wish I read the instructions more carefully. I think I dumped too much of Kirkland's dishwasher soap or Lemishine - or both! - and my cases came out discolored, some more so than others...
frown.gif
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

I've only done one batch so far, but I suspect that decapping first will allow for easier separation of the media from the brass after cleaning.

With my brass being decapped, just lifting the brass out of the dirty water, base first, was enough for the media in the case to just fall out.

Onyx
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

Chiller:

I decap at the range with a Lee Hand press and decapping die. Then they go into a 2 liter bottle with hot water, Ivory soap, and a pinch of lemi shine! When I get home I dump that out and put the brass into the tumbler with 1/2oz of Ivory and a 9mm case of Lemi Shine. Tumble 3-4hrs and your good to go!

Terry
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Cinch</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I need to get hooked up with some of this stuff. Someone please pm me some contact info! </div></div>
PM Sent

Terry
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

poll results as of 5/9/2010 8:45pm est!

poll5-9-10.jpg


Looks like a few more satisfied converts!

Spoke with Mark, there was a price increase from the supplier!

I believe it's at $50.50 per 5lbs shipped now!

Terry
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

Got my first load in for the overnight tumble. This is an eclectic mix-- range pickup, once-fired, nasty old ones, etc. We'll see how it goes.

I've also put a 5 gallon bucket half-full of water, Dawn and Lemishine. Then I filled it with brass, to leave overnight as well as a pre-soak. I figure if I can get a bunch of crud off the cases that's that much less I'll have to tumble off. It should also reduce the overall tumble time as well. I'll keep you posted.

I read the Thumlers literature, and was surprised to see the duration of tumbles of you want to polish rocks-- 7 complete days for the rough, 7 complete days for the fine, 3 days for the pre-polish and 3 days for the polish. That's a long time! (just for shiny rocks)......
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

Terry, is there any advantage or consequence to adding a larger amount of lemishine? I just started using it, and I have been adding anywhere between a 1/4 to 1/2 a tsp.
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

Terry, is there any advantage or consequence to adding a larger amount of lemishine? I just started using it, and I have been adding anywhere between a 1/4 to 1/2 a tsp.
_________________________
“Equality, rightly understood as our founding fathers understood it, leads to liberty and to the emancipation of creative differences; wrongly understood, as it has been so tragically in our time, it leads first to conformity and then to despotism” - Barry Goldwater

I found less is best. We all do the guy thing. If a little works then a lot more should work better.
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

Lemi Shine! More is not better! A 9mm case is more than enough!

Like stated some guys have noticed some discoloration!

9mm case even maybe a little less will get you there!

Terry
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

Things I learned after my first batch:
1. I need a media separator.
2. I need a utility sink-- my wife doesn't like me using the kitchen sink for brass rinsing.
3. Separate the calibers first before tumbling. When one case fits inside another (such as 9mm inside of a .40, which is inside a .45), it does't allow the inside of the larger case or the outside of the smaller case to get clean. Also, a .223 fits nicely inside a .45, and the ss media acts as wedge pins/bearings inside.
4. This is a messy endeavor, but worth the work.
5. Those ss pins get everywhere, even though I have corrective actions.
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

As far as media separation goes, I have found a pretty painless way to do it.

Go to Wal-Mart and pick up:
A large Stainless Steel metal strainer:
41q0StJqOVL.jpg

A plastic bowl that is large enough to hold the strainer as well as the gallon on water you have in the tumbler.
0007675333054_AV_215X215.jpg


Now, all that is left is the magnet.
I use a large round salvage magnet like this one:
Magnetnhfront.jpg

http://apexdistribution.stores.yahoo.net/350lbraeamaw1.html

The process goes something like this:
- Un-dog lid to tumbler and remove.
- Use magnet to capture any loose media around the outside edge of the lid.
- Put strainer in bowl and pour all the liquid into the strainer.
(It is normal for some media to get through the strainer.)
- Place large magnet underneath bowl and dump.
- Remove magnet and recover any media laying in the bottom of the bowl.
- Repeat process as needed to rinse and recover all brass & media.

Hope this info is of use to you all.

By the way, I finally got around to tumbling that 5.56 brass that was in my back yard for a year.
I'll post up pictures tomorrow.
Pretty interesting results...
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

I use a plastic collandar from the dollar store for catching the brass and a strainer like Dr. Phil's top photo to catch most of the pins. Some pins get through, but a stout magnet (swiped from one of my kids!) gets the rest of the pins out of the bucket easily.

It's a little messy, but I do it all on the patio.
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

Another lesson-- I put the brass in the tumbler last night, and didn't have time to turn it off this morning. When I got home from work, I left immediately with the wife for her birthday dinner. By the time I returned, it had been tumbling for about 22 hours. Now my brass has no gold on it-- it's all silver!
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: insectguy</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Another lesson-- I put the brass in the tumbler last night, and didn't have time to turn it off this morning. When I got home from work, I left immediately with the wife for her birthday dinner. By the time I returned, it had been tumbling for about 22 hours. Now my brass has no gold on it-- it's all silver! </div></div>

This I need to see..????

nvqu7k.jpg
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: insectguy</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Another lesson-- I put the brass in the tumbler last night, and didn't have time to turn it off this morning. When I got home from work, I left immediately with the wife for her birthday dinner. By the time I returned, it had been tumbling for about 22 hours. Now my brass has no gold on it-- it's all silver! </div></div>

1 year after our class....how is everything going?
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

Well, as promised, here are the results from the little 556 1 year old brass experiment.

Before:
556_before.jpg

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: suasponte</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Dr Phil:

I bet they look new? Just a guess!

Palmik did some rather ratty brass and was amazed at his results!

Can't wait to see your photo's.

Terry </div></div>
Well, not exactly Terry...

After:
556_after.jpg


The Brass is certainly as clean as it gets, but it had been outside so long that the zinc in the Brass oxidized badly...
Now it looks like they are made out of pure copper.
laugh.gif


It is tough to see in this crappy cell phone pic, but you can see where there is severe pitting in the case walls.
These puppies will be going in the trash for sure...
Never seen Brass that corroded before.