Air compressor with wet media

[MMERSS]

I've read a few posts regarding how to dry brass after tumbled with wet media. I use stainless media and an air compressor to dry the insides. Does anyone else use the air compressor? I've heard of an oven and hair dryer but never used these methods.

The air compressor takes a few seconds for three rounds. I rotate between neck and primer pocket with two to three second bursts rotating two times each while running the compressed air across the brass openings. You can see the water vapor shoot out of the holes the first pass. This method works well but haven't read of anyone else using this method.

So are there any others out there or better methods?

 

[MudRunner2005]

I have thought about the air compressor, but haven't tried it yet. I normally just set them on paper towels on the bathroom counter and let them dry for a day or 2, then tumble them.

I wish I was stainless media tumbling...Heard it works phenomenally.

 

[htrebor]

I normally just let the brass lay on a towel for a couple of days but if I'm in a hurry I will use compressed air to blow them out then heat them with a heat gun on low.

 

[varmintH8R]

I just give 'em a shake to get the excess out and put them in the oven on "warm" for 15 or 20.

 

[SidecarFlip]

When I do use wet media, I use my wife's food dehydrator to dry the brass. It will take a thousand at a time if necessary and takes about 30 minutes.

I'd be leery about compressed air unless there was a coalescing filter upstream and/or a Motorguard. Compressed air all contains entrained aersols (oil and water vapor) from the compressor and the storage tank.

The dehydrator my wife has costs about 50 bucks on Amazon.com.

 

[MMERSS]

When I do use wet media, I use my wife's food dehydrator to dry the brass. It will take a thousand at a time if necessary and takes about 30 minutes.

I'd be leery about compressed air unless there was a coalescing filter upstream and/or a Motorguard. Compressed air all contains entrained aersols (oil and water vapor) from the compressor and the storage tank.

The dehydrator my wife has costs about 50 bucks on Amazon.com.

I never thought about using a dehydrator. I have two American Harvest dehydrators sitting above my air compressor. I'll give one a try next media cleaning. Thanks.

I use a filter on my compressor.

 

[Broz]

I pat them off after rinsing by rolling on a double paper town and tap the excess moisture out neck down.

Then either let them dry neck down in an oversized loading block so moisture can escape over night. Here in MT with the dry air it does not take long especially this time of year. I have done two batches in the past 2 days.

If not and I want to go on I run them through the annealing machine and they are bone dry.

Jeff

 

[tomt]

I use my air compressor all the time. I dry tumble and use the compressor to get the dust off. After ultra sonic cleaning, each case gets a blast and let air dry.

 

[westcliffe01]

I don't have a compressor, but if I did I would blow through the neck and try to get the water out the primer pocket. I shake the shells to make sure I get all the pins out, then tap the case mouth on the towel to get any big drops out. After I have the whole batch on the towel, I pick up the towel by the corners to capture them all and give them a good rubbing on the outside. Then I pour them into a plastic bin and let them dry. I avoid leaving them on a damp towel since that takes a lot longer to dry.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Jeff...

Get a dehydrator and pat you wife instead. She will appreciate it more.....lol

 

[Rhino79]

Mine go straight from my tumbler into the media separator. From there I put them on a bath towel, and shuffle them back and forth to get the majority of the outsides dry. From there they go onto a disposable sheet pan and into a 180 degree oven for 45-60 minutes. I've done thousands this way and they come out perfectly dry and spot free.

 

[pwrdbycotn]

Right before I'm ready to turn my tumbler off I start the oven preheating to 350*. I set the tumbler in a large sink and start the water running warm and rinse all the brass under the warm water to get the few remaining pieces of stainless media and the dirty water off. I set all the brass on a towel and once I'm done I wrap the brass and kind of roll them around in the towel for a minute or so. Once that's done the oven is heated and I place all the brass on a cookie sheet and place in the oven for 5 minutes. The brass comes out dry and shiny. I tried the air compressor method but here in southeast Missouri we have so much humidity that the air compressor gathers a lot of moisture. I've also just let them air dry and that works fine unless you are wanting to starting loading right away.

 

[MachV]

I quit tumbling brass in media after I started washing brass before putting it in the tumbler! A little vinegar and dish soap gets the brass good enough for my needs.
Just put in plastic jar and shake rattle and roll the brass a couple of minutes. Then rinse with hot water and drain well, put on an old towel and let dry in the sun=It don't take long @ 5200' in the high desertlightbulb

 

[SidecarFlip]

I quit tumbling brass in media after I started washing brass before putting it in the tumbler! A little vinegar and dish soap gets the brass good enough for my needs.
Just put in plastic jar and shake rattle and roll the brass a couple of minutes. Then rinse with hot water and drain well, put on an old towel and let dry in the sun=It don't take long @ 5200' in the high desertlightbulb

Interesting concept and something I need to try. Could you elaborate a bit....

What type of vinegar (white or cider or it don't matter)? and what brand of dish soap?

Sounds like that would work in a bowl tumbler as well.