How do most people dry their SS tumbling media?

More expensive to feed, but worth it.
User avatar
DavidABQ
Expert Master Poster
Expert Master Poster
Posts: 1818
Joined: Mon Jul 27, 2009 9:33 pm

How do most people dry their SS tumbling media?

Post by DavidABQ »

I am slowly learning how to reload and this weekend I used my tumbler for the first time to clean 200 rounds of .308 brass.

How do most people dry off their stainless steel media? Put it in the oven and bake it? Boil of the water on a stove? Dry them with an hair dryer?
Boyd L.
AA Poster
AA Poster
Posts: 317
Joined: Sun Mar 08, 2009 5:42 pm

Re: How do most people dry their SS tumbling media?

Post by Boyd L. »

I strain the dirty water off through an old t-shirt, rinse/repeat until I’m satisfied the appropriate amount of debris is off the media. If the media must be dried I’ll pour the media on a dry shirt in a drying environment (my reloading area has a dehumidifier). But usually after cleaning I put it back into the cleaning containers and let the dehumidifier do the rest.
User avatar
OldRanger
AAA Poster
AAA Poster
Posts: 992
Joined: Thu Jun 06, 2013 9:00 am
Location: Missoula, MT
Contact:

Re: How do most people dry their SS tumbling media?

Post by OldRanger »

I don't dry it. After I use my magnet to pull it out of the dirty water I put it back in the tumbler and rinse it well. Then I just leave it there. Haven't had a problem yet.
I buy all my guns from t-rex. He's a small arms dealer.
User avatar
DavidABQ
Expert Master Poster
Expert Master Poster
Posts: 1818
Joined: Mon Jul 27, 2009 9:33 pm

Re: How do most people dry their SS tumbling media?

Post by DavidABQ »

:-o
Just leave the wet media in the tumbler?

I guess I assumed everyone dried the steel media before putting it away.

Ok, thank you for the information.
topclass
A Poster
A Poster
Posts: 212
Joined: Sun Apr 03, 2011 9:06 am
Location: Central Texas

Re: How do most people dry their SS tumbling media?

Post by topclass »

I dry mine in the oven at the same time I dry my brass -- about 200 degrees evaporates liquid off both. I dry mine because I keep it in an airtight container and I don't want mold or other growth...
ywltzucanrknrl
A Poster
A Poster
Posts: 203
Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2009 3:41 pm

Re: How do most people dry their SS tumbling media?

Post by ywltzucanrknrl »

I'm also in the no dry camp. I put mine back in the tumbler container with about enough water for the next batch. But, mine rarely sits for more than a week and I'm using it again. The container (Thumblers) was made to handle water, so no issue there and I've ran my steel media for maybe seven years now and it shows no sign of corrosion.
curmudgeon
B Poster
B Poster
Posts: 78
Joined: Sat Oct 26, 2013 8:46 pm
Location: Vancouver Island, Canada

Re: How do most people dry their SS tumbling media?

Post by curmudgeon »

I don't do anything to dry mine either. I rinse and drain using a wash basin, then leave the media in the bottom - the small amount of water remaining usually evaporates before I'm ready for the next batch. No issues so far.
ywltzucanrknrl
A Poster
A Poster
Posts: 203
Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2009 3:41 pm

Re: How do most people dry their SS tumbling media?

Post by ywltzucanrknrl »

David, here are a couple of things I've found. If you shoot a 25 or 6.5 caliber, the steel pins may bridge in the neck----you can buy shorter pins and they will not bridge. Also, I use a RCBS media separator to remove the pins from the brass---works fine. Then I just rinse the brass and pins. I dry the brass in our sun room on towels and like I mentioned, just put the pins back in the tumbler with water. I've also found that the brass cleans well in the tumbler with just soap and water and no pins. This method does not get the primer pockets as clean as with pins, but cleans the grunge and carbon off the cases nicely.
Watch for pins in the flash holes, they occasionally stick.
User avatar
DavidABQ
Expert Master Poster
Expert Master Poster
Posts: 1818
Joined: Mon Jul 27, 2009 9:33 pm

Re: How do most people dry their SS tumbling media?

Post by DavidABQ »

Thank you everyone. I think I will purchase one of those sifter trays that sit over a 5 gallon bucket and get one of those Frankfort Arsenal magnets to retrieve my steel media. This seems the easiest for me. Whether I dry them in an oven or let them air dry is probably not a big deal since people air dry them not.
User avatar
OldRanger
AAA Poster
AAA Poster
Posts: 992
Joined: Thu Jun 06, 2013 9:00 am
Location: Missoula, MT
Contact:

Re: How do most people dry their SS tumbling media?

Post by OldRanger »

Dave, for the magnet I got one at harbor freight for 3 bucks that works great. It has a yellow shaft and a black plastic head with the handle to release the pins. Take the money you save and buy more powder!

Also I use the plastic tray that sits on a 5 gallon bucket too, it works like a charm. Good choice! :-bd
I buy all my guns from t-rex. He's a small arms dealer.
User avatar
DavidABQ
Expert Master Poster
Expert Master Poster
Posts: 1818
Joined: Mon Jul 27, 2009 9:33 pm

Re: How do most people dry their SS tumbling media?

Post by DavidABQ »

OldRanger wrote: Fri Oct 19, 2018 6:33 am Take the money you save and buy more powder!

I will think about it. I have not decided if I like to do this reloading thing yet. So far it seems very time consuming.
User avatar
Another Dang 9
Master Poster
Master Poster
Posts: 1333
Joined: Thu Dec 10, 2009 7:24 pm
Location: The Peoples Republic of Massachusetts

Re: How do most people dry their SS tumbling media?

Post by Another Dang 9 »

But think of how much money you save...
If you don't include the equipment, time, ect.ect.ect.
Its a dog eat dog world and I'm wearing milk bone underwear.
NRA Endowment Member
User avatar
DavidABQ
Expert Master Poster
Expert Master Poster
Posts: 1818
Joined: Mon Jul 27, 2009 9:33 pm

Re: How do most people dry their SS tumbling media?

Post by DavidABQ »

Another Dang 9 wrote: Sun Oct 21, 2018 8:27 am But think of how much money you save...
If you don't include the equipment, time, ect.ect.ect.
No kidding! I loaded my first 50 .308 cartridges yesterday. I need more bullets.
User avatar
jbolt
A Poster
A Poster
Posts: 213
Joined: Fri Jan 08, 2010 8:07 pm
Location: NorCal

Re: How do most people dry their SS tumbling media?

Post by jbolt »

The media gets rinsed when separated from the brass. I drain off most of the water from the media and then dump back in the tumbler. From there I just leave the cover setting loose on top of the studs until the next time.
User avatar
DavidABQ
Expert Master Poster
Expert Master Poster
Posts: 1818
Joined: Mon Jul 27, 2009 9:33 pm

Re: How do most people dry their SS tumbling media?

Post by DavidABQ »

I bought one of those strainer that sit in a 5 gallon bucket and it works extremely well! A great suggestion. I set the SS media out on a towel to dry. That seems to work fine.
Post Reply