A fine gift - Stainless Steel Tumbling media

[dromia]

Trevor and Corey from Stainless Steel Tumbling Media took out a Banner Ad sponsorship over at Cast Boolits and as thank you they sent all of us staff 5lbs of their stainless steel tumbling pins, a generous gesture indeed.

Stainless steel pins do an excellent job of cleaning your cases getting even the primer pocket clean. I tried some a couple of years ago when I first heard about the stuff. Although impressed with the results, which were as good as the ceramic media I had been using for wet tumbling my BP cases, I didn't go down the stainless steel pin route as I'm not a fan of the clart-on with wet tumbling and all the rinsing, media separating and drying involved. I have to wet tumble my BP cases as carbon builds up quickly on the inside of these cases and walnut won't deal with that but will stick with the ceramic as I find this easier to separate than the steel pins and doesn't disappear down the plug hole so easily.

So for smokeless cases walnut is the medium of choice for me. Dry, easy to separate and simple.

For those of you that can thole the process then stainless steel pins wet tumbled will get you cases back to as new shiny inside and out.

Fortunately I have an artist friend to pass these pins on to as she will find them useful for her jewellery work.

Any way a big thanks to Trevor and Corey and if anyone is interested in this stuff then their website is here complete with how to videos: http://www.stainlesstumblingmedia.com/s ... media.html

Their 5lb stainless steel pin pack and instructions.

[ovenpaa]

I have been looking for a UK supplier of this for ages.

[dromia]

None in the UK that I know of David, all that you seem to be able to get in small quantities is the mixed shapes which are worse than useless for case cleaning applications.

[ovenpaa]

...and bloody expensive as well.

[dromia]

Have you tried wet tumbling?

It is a chew on.

The other down side for me is that to get the primer pockets cleaned you need to de-prime the cases first then clean then size unless you want to put dirty cases through your dies, which I don't, this is yet another step in the process. I clean with the primer in situ then size/de-prime. The primer pocket gets cleaned at the case prep stage.

[DaveT]

I for one LOVE the SS cleaning method.

Everything squeaky clean AND no messing about cleaning primer pockets and necks.

Good trade off for the extra effort of drying etc.

Not sure how i get a second supply of pins or the Lemishine when I need it though!

[dromia]

The pins should last forever.

A hard water dishwasher powder can do for a Lemishine substitute.

[spud]

Cory is a top bloke Adam , i may need to send an email .

[dromia]

Not sure how i get a second supply of pins or the Lemishine when I need it though!

See link in my original post.

[DaveT]

Have you tried wet tumbling?

It is a chew on.

The other down side for me is that to get the primer pockets cleaned you need to de-prime the cases first then clean then size unless you want to put dirty cases through your dies, which I don't, this is yet another step in the process. I clean with the primer in situ then size/de-prime. The primer pocket gets cleaned at the case prep stage.

Interesting how we all develop our own methods...... I am happy to deprime first on a cheap as chips Lee press which I use for that purpose only in order to ensure no primer crud ever reaches my main press. Cleaning as second step ensures this never happens. I can then get on with remaining case prep which usually only amounts to Neck Sizing after checking for case condition and length etc