How to Use Berry’s Vibratory Tumblers
Step 1: Choose Your Media
Start by selecting your preferred cleaning media. Options include corn cob media, walnut media, or stainless steel pins, which are all excellent for removing oxidation and polishing brass to a high shine.
Step 2: Load Your Brass
Add your brass cases to the tumbler. Ensure not to overload; check the “Tumbler Brass Capacities” tab on our website for guidance on how many casings each model can comfortably clean.
Step 3: Add Polishing Additives
For an extra shine, squeeze in some of Berry’s Brass Bright Polish. This will help remove any remaining dirt or primer residue and enhance the luster of your brass.
Step 4: Start Tumbling
Secure the lid, turn on the machine, and let it run. The QD-500’s clear domed polycarbonate lid allows you to check the progress without interrupting the cleaning cycle. Typically, the tumbling process will take between 2 to 3 hours, depending on the volume of brass and the type of media used. The clear lids on our tumblers allow for easy monitoring of the process.
Step 5: Finish and Separate
Once the tumbling is complete, use a media separator like Berry’s Pro Rotary Brass Sorter/Media Separator to easily extract the shiny brass from the cleaning media. If you are wet tumbling use a paper towel after separating to help speed up the process of drying your cleaned brass.
Pro Tip: Take a used dryer sheet, tear it into four strips, and add it to your media. This will capture a significant amount of dirt and primer residue. Be sure to remove the strips while wearing gloves and avoid breathing in the dust during this process, as primer residue can be harmful. Dispose of the strips in a covered garbage can.
