This is a discussion on Walnut media question within the Reloading forums, part of the Defensive Ammunition & Ballistics category; So, just how long or better yet......when or how can I tell if the walnut media needs to be changed or can I keep on ...
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So, just how long or better yet......when or how can I tell if the walnut media needs to be changed or can I keep on using it indefinitely? I am using the same media since I started reloading....with a 12 year hiatus.....so it is probably two or three years old and has cleaned several thousand cases. How do you all despose of the old stuff?
Stargzer
Ret. USAF MSgt
NRA Life Member
Eventually it wont shine the brass, it'll just give it a dull finish.
I just throw it out in the yard. Eventually it'll disappear.
It is better to live one day as a lion, than a thousand years as a lamb...
AR. CHL Instr. 07/02 FFL
Maker of cool things to shoot
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I add a used dryer sheet to the mix to collect the dirt and dust from the media. Every now and then I add a little media to keep a decent amount in the bowl. A cap full of NU-Finish car polish(not the wax) added to the mix will make your brass shine like a "new dollar"!
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I was going to do this, then got concerned that the junk polished OFF the brass and onto the media would be harmful to the grass as it leeched off into the soil, so I put it in the trash.I just throw it out in the yard. Eventually it'll disappear.
I did find that when I changed media, I had to run the polisher less. I guess the edges wear off of the pieces of walnut, and it gets saturated with the residue that it takes off the brass. I'm not so stingy about changing it out now, as soon as it gets discolored.
One note on the NU-finish...I kept seeing it mentioned here, so I tried some. It seems to work very well, and leaves the brass not only shiny but much slicker than the brass polish I was using (Frankfort Arsenal). Heck, it might even improve feeding!
What Would Gumby Do?
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I had the same concern about disposal of the used media, probably better to put in the trash.......or maybe burn it?Originally Posted by sheepdog
I read about the NuFinish polish and thought I had some. What I found was something similar....Turtle Wax Polish 2001.... it has a green bottle and almost looks like the other. I tried it and it seems to work also.
Stargzer
Ret USAF MSgt
NRA Life Member
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question by using car polish wouldnt you have to wipe off each case to remove the film of polish on each case?
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I dont. Never had a problem.
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If there is a film there, I can't see it. It looks shiny and slick. I was more concerned about maybe some ammonia contaminating the powder, but I can't smell any in the polish and so far no misfires. Remember, this stuff is POLISH, so maybe the chemical makeup is different than WAX, so no glaze to wipe of.
What Would Gumby Do?
Array
I don't have to wipe the brass, either. Seems to just polish and make them shine.
About the ammonia....I looked on the bottle of polish I was using and didn't see any chemical with ammonia listed.
Stargzer
Ret. MSgt USAF
NRA Life Member
Array
I would think the lead dust in the materal would not be good to just toss outside. I just throw mine in the garage trash can when it starts to look dirty.
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I use crushed walnut media most of the time. I can't remember the last time I dumped a batch out of the tumbler. I always use a few drops of the Midway Brass Polish in mine and the current batch has probably seen 5-7k cases go through it. The older, frequently used media will start taking longer to tumble and get the same results. Disposal? I'd probably save the old in a coffee can and use it for floor dry in the shop for those gas mix spills, or chainsaw bar oil leaks that occur every now and then.
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I dispose of mine when it turns from any shade of brown into a shade of dark to medium Grey, usually over 10K rounds. It also depends on the powder I am using as some is dirtier then others and residue dirties the media
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