I have a *lot* of once-fired range brass that I want to prep and reload, so I just ordered a mini (65 litre / 17 gallon) cement mixer on Amazon - about 125 bucks delivered.
Then I went looking for some stainless pin tumbling media, and the prices nearly gave me a heart attack, as anything I could find was coming from the US and I would have to pay ridiculous shipping and customs charges on it, about doubling the US prices.
Would anybody who uses the stainless pin tumbling media be so kind as to measure a few of the pins for me, please? If I know the diameter and the length of the pins, I'll just order a roll of 302 stainless wire of the correct size and cut my own...
BTW, does anybody have a decent source for media separators (basically a spinning basket between two buckets)? Those are silly expensive here too...
In case you're wondering what I'm talking about, here are a couple of US sources:
http://pelletsllc.com/cut-wire-pins
https://shop.guntap.com/reloading/brass ... d-cleaning
http://www.stainlesstumblingmedia.com/r ... ducts.html
Stainless steel pin tumbling media
- Rumpshot
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Re: Stainless steel pin tumbling media
Just measured 5 pins. Length .028-.030", diameter .003".
Uniformity, in my feeble mind, is more important than the actual size otherwise.
MAGNETIC pickup is very important. You need to use a magnet for most of the sorting, removal of the pins from the brass. Also, you will get the pins everywhere and a magnet is the only way to grab them from a smooth (floor) surface. Unless you have long fingernails...
Uniformity, in my feeble mind, is more important than the actual size otherwise.
MAGNETIC pickup is very important. You need to use a magnet for most of the sorting, removal of the pins from the brass. Also, you will get the pins everywhere and a magnet is the only way to grab them from a smooth (floor) surface. Unless you have long fingernails...
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- Rumpshot
- Posts: 3998
- Joined: Fri Aug 15, 2008 11:56 am
Re: Stainless steel pin tumbling media
By the way, 5 pounds were included with my Frankford Arsenal Tumbler. I believe they will last me a long time. I really like my tumbler and the final results.
I take dirty range run brass and tumble, often just with water for about an hour to do a basic clean. I then decap, maybe resize (that is up to you), and do a "finish" tumble with with the Lemishine and dawn detergent. Rinse well and ready to sort, size and load with clean primer pockets and flash channel.
I take dirty range run brass and tumble, often just with water for about an hour to do a basic clean. I then decap, maybe resize (that is up to you), and do a "finish" tumble with with the Lemishine and dawn detergent. Rinse well and ready to sort, size and load with clean primer pockets and flash channel.
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- Steamforger
- Posts: 2785
- Joined: Mon Aug 18, 2008 5:41 pm
Re: Stainless steel pin tumbling media
I'm still using the same pins from the original pack that came with my Frankford tumbler. I have a decent-sized, plastic tote I got at Wally World. I spread the wet pins out in it and let them dry under the kitchen window. Reuse as necessary.
- HTRN
- Posts: 12397
- Joined: Wed Aug 20, 2008 3:05 am
Re: Stainless steel pin tumbling media
The standard size for pin media for cleaning brass is .047x .255.
STM sells it for 40 bucks for 5 lbs on Amazon.com.
STM sells it for 40 bucks for 5 lbs on Amazon.com.
HTRN, I would tell you that you are an evil fucker, but you probably get that a lot ~ Netpackrat
Describing what HTRN does as "antics" is like describing the wreck of the Titanic as "a minor boating incident" ~ First Shirt
Describing what HTRN does as "antics" is like describing the wreck of the Titanic as "a minor boating incident" ~ First Shirt
-
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Re: Stainless steel pin tumbling media
Denis, have you talked to commercial suppliers. Its obviously not a product made specifically for shooting.
- Netpackrat
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Re: Stainless steel pin tumbling media
Cognosce teipsum et disce pati
"People come and go in our lives, especially the online ones. Some leave a fond memory, and some a bad taste." -Aesop
"People come and go in our lives, especially the online ones. Some leave a fond memory, and some a bad taste." -Aesop
- Denis
- Posts: 6570
- Joined: Fri Aug 22, 2008 5:29 am
Re: Stainless steel pin tumbling media
Great minds.... I intend to call Pellets LLC and ask who their European competitors are. If there is an industrial application for this stuff in the US, there's bound to be one here too. Failing that, I'll get a quote from them for surface delivery of their minimum commecial order (50lbs of pins).BDK wrote:Denis, have you talked to commercial suppliers. Its obviously not a product made specifically for shooting.
Here's at least one German industrial source of stainless polishing media: http://www.wkd.de/sPINner-Zubehoer
and a French one: http://www.gpi-tribofinition.fr/consomm ... noxydable/
so I seem to be on the right track...
-
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- Joined: Fri Jun 20, 2014 11:14 pm
Re: Stainless steel pin tumbling media
All manner of nifty looking stainless steel polishing media
"Whatever you are burnishing: electrical parts, medical instruments, aerospace parts, industrial parts, automotive parts, jewelry, bearings, or tools, you’ll find the right steel tumbling media and finishing media for your metal refinishing job, here at FOX."
Might give you a list of industries to talk to... You know, for polishing the metal parts you make as part of your machining hobby...
"Whatever you are burnishing: electrical parts, medical instruments, aerospace parts, industrial parts, automotive parts, jewelry, bearings, or tools, you’ll find the right steel tumbling media and finishing media for your metal refinishing job, here at FOX."
Might give you a list of industries to talk to... You know, for polishing the metal parts you make as part of your machining hobby...
- HTRN
- Posts: 12397
- Joined: Wed Aug 20, 2008 3:05 am
Re: Stainless steel pin tumbling media
Mostly, we use ceramic media for deburring in the tumblers.
HTRN, I would tell you that you are an evil fucker, but you probably get that a lot ~ Netpackrat
Describing what HTRN does as "antics" is like describing the wreck of the Titanic as "a minor boating incident" ~ First Shirt
Describing what HTRN does as "antics" is like describing the wreck of the Titanic as "a minor boating incident" ~ First Shirt