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Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

Terry, I would like to try this system. What is Lemishine and where can I buy it and the stainless steel media?

Would please send me a PM with that information.

TIA, Dick
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

I would like to try this method of cleaning brass, but need some help. What is Lemi Shine and where can I buy it. Also, where can I order the stainless steel media. Would someone please PM me with this info.

TIA,
Dick
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

Lemishine is a product commonly found at Wal-Mart in the same aisle as the dish detergent.
The Stainless Steel media can only be obtained through Terry's source.
Send him a PM and he will hook you up.

Please save yourself and us some time and read all of this thread carefully.
Pretty much any question you might have has already been answered there.
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

Dr Phil:

I have a few peices of 50bmg brass that I picked up on the Normady coast when I went over. I am sure that it was D-Day material and they are really bad.

Will not be tumbling them however.

Terry
 
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: 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
</div></div>

Chiller:

Is that you on the Right??? Pichers! Public schools! That is all I have to say! Public Schrools as Limbaugh would say! LOL

Pictures Indeed! Gold to Silver! I heard of guys over tumbling Nickel cases and getting GOLD cases. Not the reverse! Interesting!

I need Pichers!
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Dick P</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Terry, I would like to try this system. What is Lemishine and where can I buy it and the stainless steel media?

Would please send me a PM with that information.

TIA, Dick </div></div>

Lemi Shine! Wal-Mart Dish soap aisle top Shelf in everyone I have been In!

DSC00424.jpg


PM Sent for info!

Terry
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

I'll try to get pictures (aka pichers) tonight. My Nikon D70 is on the fritz-- probably need a new camera.

Other lessons-- .223 are a pain. The openings are just small enough to grab the SS media, but you have to shake every one of them to make sure you got all of the media out.

The amount of Lemishine may affect the color of the brass. I must have used a smaller amount, and got a beautiful copper color. However, it didn't match the rest of the brass. So, I put it in water, added the Lemishine, and within minutes the brass turned shiny brass-colored again. Interesting stuff.
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

OK, got my camera working.

First, the pictures of the 24 hr tumble:
DSC_5424.jpg


The cases with half brass and half silver were the ones inside of another case of a larger caliber.

and another:
DSC_5423.jpg


And to compare the 8 hr tumble vs the 24 hr tumble:
DSC_5426.jpg


But here's the kicker-- I thought I would try just Dawn dishwashing liquid (as I've used in all the tumbles) and Lemishine. NO SS MEDIA! Here's the results:
DSC_5414.jpg


And a closer look:
DSC_5415.jpg


Not to be a naysayer, but I have to admit, the ss media appears to have little effect on the outcome of the brass.

Notes:
-- The brass with the Lemishine-only was range pickup, once-fired brass, just like all the loads prior. It was not corroded, but was in a moderate, typical yucky state. I say this because I know someone will comment that the last load was just dusty. Nope.
-- The insides of the brass were just as clean as when the ss media was used.
-- I found no difference between the ss media loads and the lemishine-only loads.
-- I used Lemishine on all the loads, including the ones with the ss media.

That's it! I'm going to try several different types of loads with Lemishine only (e..g., .45, 9mm, .308, etc.). I'm going to predict I will only use my ss media for those loads with particularly egregious junk. It is certainly easier to just rinse the Lemishine off than to shake all of the ss media out of the cases.

Questions?
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

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

1 year after our class....how is everything going? </div></div>

Going well. I'm going to try to get to the Carbine/Handgun class at RiflesOnly this fall. Hopefully after the classroom is built. I picked up a Blaser .338LM, so I'll probably take that along as well.

Everyone else-- sorry for the tangent.
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

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

Chiller:

Is that you on the Right??? Pichers! Public schools! That is all I have to say! Public Schrools as Limbaugh would say! LOL

Pictures Indeed! Gold to Silver! I heard of guys over tumbling Nickel cases and getting GOLD cases. Not the reverse! Interesting!

I need Pichers! </div></div>

What can I say.....it was a bad hair day.
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

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

Not to be a naysayer, but I have to admit, the ss media appears to have little effect on the outcome of the brass.

Notes:
-- The brass with the Lemishine-only was range pickup, once-fired brass, just like all the loads prior. It was not corroded, but was in a moderate, typical yucky state. I say this because I know someone will comment that the last load was just dusty. Nope.
-- The insides of the brass were just as clean as when the ss media was used.
-- I found no difference between the ss media loads and the lemishine-only loads.
-- I used Lemishine on all the loads, including the ones with the ss media.

That's it! I'm going to try several different types of loads with Lemishine only (e..g., .45, 9mm, .308, etc.). I'm going to predict I will only use my ss media for those loads with particularly egregious junk. It is certainly easier to just rinse the Lemishine off than to shake all of the ss media out of the cases.

Questions? </div></div>

I just ordered up my tumbler tonight...great thread
Your example of using no media I would assume means that one could tumble a larger amount of brass at one time as well possibly?
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

ok im missing something here, how did you get that brass so clean??? with dish washing detergent? how? could you pm with the step by step please. i cant get mine to shine like that unless it spends all Farging day in the tumbler
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

All I did was put the brass into the tumbler (about 60%-- it was my last load), add water to about 80%, squirt Dawn dishwashing liquid into the tumbler, and add a good shake of Lemishine. Then tumbled for about 8 hours while I was at work. That's it!

I really think the key is to add sufficient Lemishine. As I mentioned previously, I had some brass which came out a darker, almost copper color. Pretty, but not brass colored. So, I put it in a bucket, shook in some Lemishine, and within MINUTES the brass was bright brass-colored. Since I don't really measure the amount, I would say I definitely use more than the suggested 9mm casing.

Of course, that's probably why my 24 hour tumble brass came out silver.....
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: deisel</div><div class="ubbcode-body">If you want clean primer pockets you need the SS media for sure. </div></div>

Yep, kinda what I figured.
PM sent for media info...thanks
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

I am using a Thumler's Tumbler, just like most of the people on this thread.

I am also tumbling with the primers in-- this is for .223 and handgun shooting stuff, not precision rifle. The primers will be removed on the progressive press. When I get to the .338LM I will deprime first, and may have to go back to the ss media.

I believe since I tumbled for 8 hours, that was probably one of the greater factors in getting the insides clean-- it gave more time to soften the crud into solution. I did notice when I did not use the ss media, I had less brass shavings in the water. YMMV.

As for the water hardness, I am on city water-- fairly softened water. We don't have a problem with excessive corrosion on appliances or such. This is a simple ion exchange where the corrosion/contaminants are lifted from the surface. Although it is added to counter the effects of water hardness, the excess ions are available for additional reactions, such as here with the casings.

BTW, another lesson-- if you tumble .223 without depriming, the water stays on the casing until you actually shake it out. I guess it would eventually dry out, but very slowly.
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

Chiller:

For sure Lemi Shine is a magical part of the picture! I have tried tumbling brass with just soap, and lemi shine. My results was pretty great except for the primer pockets and inside the cases. I tried this when I started decapping and placing them in a 2 liter bottle with the Ivory / lemi shine mixture! They do come out looking as pictured but the primer pockets and Inside cases was still a little ruff! However, I only gave it 3-4 tumble!

No doubt that if you have a tumbler and no SS media that recipe will get you better than average results!

Terry
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

Seen this on another site and picked one up. The perfect accessory for your TT, SS Media, Lemishine, and ivory soap:

http://www.lowes.com/pd_155671-95363-TE06WHBL_0_?productId=3125319&Ntt=timer&Ntk=i_products

This timer lets you set a countdown timer and turns off once it hits 0:00 (9 hrs to 1 min). Set mine to 4 hrs and it automatically turns off the tumbler. Will operate 2 tumblers, but has only one timer for both sockets.

Z
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

Only problem here is if you set it to cut off and you don't get the brass out of the black water pretty quick the carbon will redeposit itself all over the OUTSIDE as well as the inside of the cases and even the media itself and will require changing out water, new soap/Limishine etc.
Cases will look like insectguy's above except in his case he tumbled them too long and the soap broke down and recarboned all the cases.
Thusly you can under do it and over do it. The Limishine/Ivory seems to do fine in 3 to 4 hr runs and removing them immediately.
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

I am just waiting on my tumbler to get in so I can try this out. I deprimed about 690 rounds of Lapua 308 brass and 200 mixed 5.56 brass. I need to pick up the Ivory and Lemishine but that is just a stop by the local Wal-Mart.

I didn't go with the Thumler so I will post pictures and review of it when I get it in and try it out. Should be in in the next couple of days.
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

Just rolled a half dozen .50 cal cases in the tumbler this weekend after a punishing session of M82 shooting in the sand. These bitches came out super clean. I annealed them afterwards, so ignore the appearance of the necks.

Photoon2010-05-17at2329.jpg

Photoon2010-05-17at23282.jpg
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

Got my tumbler in today.
Initial positive impressions: barrel is PVC pieces glued together, barrel does look nice even if PVC, tumbler is a very nice powder coated sheet metal design, nice shroud on belt/pulley area, motor mounting is a lot more solid than the Thumler Model B I tinkered with at local gun shop, rollers are very nice and have stainless steel ball bearings, and rubber coating on rollers is very nice and run entire length of roller.

Initial negative impression: have to spin the roller to get motor running due to no motor start circuit.

I will pick up supplies tomorrow on way home and give it a whirl tomorrow on my first batch. Once I have some results, I will post pictures of everything.
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: vdub</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I am just waiting on my tumbler to get in so I can try this out. I deprimed about 690 rounds of Lapua 308 brass and 200 mixed 5.56 brass. I need to pick up the Ivory and Lemishine but that is just a stop by the local Wal-Mart.

I didn't go with the Thumler so I will post pictures and review of it when I get it in and try it out. Should be in in the next couple of days. </div></div>

I'm wondering what tumbler did you buy?
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

Not sure. I didn't get any errors from Norton's Corporate at home and my work's McAfee is not catching anything. Not sure what Avast is picking up. You can search for MJR Tumblers on Ebay if you want to see pictures.
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

If those tumblers do not have hex inside or vanes or something to raise and have the media and the brass fall I don't think you are going to get the best results. Whole name of the game is to have the brass and media moving constantly. A smooth barrel drum won't do it. The media has to impact all surfaces continiously.
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

Hummer,

They do not have anything inside the barrel since it really is just some pvc pipe glued together with a reducer on the end. I ran a batch and can hear the brass and media tumbling inside. My first batch was clean but didn't turn out as sparkly as the pictures. I think that might have been my fault as I guestimated the amount of Lemishine since I don't have a 9mm cartridge to use for measurement.

As for if the smooth barrel won't work or not, I am not totally ready to agree that the barrel that came with the tumbler won't work. I ran across an article that talked about optimal speeds based on size of barrel and other details. I am trying to track it back down and will post a link. I think that any barrel will work as long as the speed is not too high. If the speed is too high, it will reduce or eliminate the tumbling due to centrifugal force holding the contents to the outside of the barrel.

However, I am more than willing to buy a Thumler Model B barrel separately if needed. Being an Engineer, I have already started looking at the tumbler I bought to see how I could improve the design and possibly increase the motor. I have also come up with some ideas to help speed up the process of media separation. If anything comes out of my ideas, I will post pictures and information.
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

For those of you who are wanting to let your stainless steel dry out or have some way to rinse, clean or otherwise get the pins back by themselves. Go to Homedepo get some scream door material. Comes in rolls for like 6 bucks. Double it up and put it over some kind of bucket. That way you can pour the pins and the water will just drain off. Be careful, some of the pins will still make it threw.
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

I thought I would bump this back up to post up some results that I achieved with the MJR tumbler and stock barrel. I also have some results that I achieved with the MJR Tumbler and the Thumler Model B barrel. I am not sure if the stock barrel could produce the results I achieved with the Model B barrel. After the results using the Thumler Model B barrel, I will probably not test the stock barrel anymore. Just not worth the time and effort. The brass I tumbled is Privi Brass shot through a 10.5" SBR AR with a KAC suppressor and had been sitting around for about 6 months. I separated the brass into two piles and tested both in the different barrels. I used three spoons (from the bulk Sweet-N-Low) of Lemishine and Ivory Ultra liquid detergent.

Example of brass before tumbling:
IMG_3153.jpg


Brass after 4 hours of tumbling in stock barrel:
IMG_3160.jpg


Brass after 4 hours of tumbling in Thumler Model B barrel:
IMG_3161.jpg
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

Yeah, Vdub awhile back I set up a smooth barrel tumbler with a clear lexan lid and watched it! The brass and media just slid on the surface of the drum and did not tumble thru the media like with the Thumlers barrel. It works and will clean the brass just not as well as the Thumlers barrel will!

If I ever get a chance to get that setup off my buddy I will video the differences between the two! Palmik has a video of his running with a clear lid on this thread I believe.

Terry
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

I probably would not have tried it but it came with the tumbler I bought. Now I realize I should have just purchased the Model B barrel and been done with it.

Now just to build me that cartridge drying device you posted up!!
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Junksamich</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Terry,

Could you PM me the contact info.

Thanks </div></div>

PM Sent

Poll results as of 5/18/2010 5:00pm EST.

5-28-10polls.jpg
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

Last week I received the ss media. Today I got my tumbler and within 10 minutes, it was up and running with a load of 100 .308 brass. All I can say is wow! I only had time to tumble for 3 1/2 hours, but the brass turned out perfect. Like fine jewelry. Just like the previous photos in this thread. Clean up was less than 10 minutes.

Thanks to Terry and Mark. Much appreciated.
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

Payment has been mailed for the SS media, and I just placed an online order with Cabelas for a model B and I'll pick-up some lemon shine sometime next week. Hopefully this will eliminate the hours upon hours I currently spend cleaning primer pockets!
Thanks Suasponte
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

No problem, Priest. Trust me, you want the Thumler Model B Barrel unless you want to experiment with the round barrels and amount of time and materials to use to get shiny brass.

I went with a MJR tumbler off of Ebay and think the tumbler itself is more solid than the Thumler Model B I checked out at my local gunshop. The motor mount on the Thumler didn't seem very solid and others have talked about making an additional mount/support to help stabilize the motor. On the MJR tumbler, it is mounted solidly with four screws and doesn't have any issues with moving. The rollers seem to be better as well with full rubber coating and stainless bearings.

I have attached some pictures below in case anyone wants to see what they look like. If there is something in particular you want a picture of let me know and I will try my best to get one.

Front view

Bottom view (Motor Capacitor is in the silver box)

Close up of motor

Belt cover

Belt and pulleys
 
Re: Stainless Steel Media Testimonials

Vdub, my buddy is running the same tumbler base you are with the thumler barrel! You will be happy with that setup for sure!

However, I know everyone says that the Thumlers base is a little light on the design! I tend to agree to some extent, BUT I have two with over 20+ years on them and they both are still going strong. Many guys out there with more years on them than that!

Thumlers has one Hell of a track record and Just a great company and group of people to deal with.

Keep us posted on how you like it!

Terry