[bazineta]

If you're doing wet tumbling, i.e., water, stainless steel pins, Lemishine and Dawn, you're aware of the following two things:

a) Wow, does it get the brass clean.
b) Man, the pins are annoying to separate.

Tried something new today, and it worked great. Two gold panning pans. The first one, 1/4" mesh:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008B0T5Z2?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00

The second, 1/50" mesh:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BP3D50S?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00

My pins measure 40 thousandths in diameter, so they fall through the first pan easily, but can't make it through the second. These pans stack perfectly on a standard 5 gallon bucket if desired. Pour out the wet tumble mixture onto the large mesh, give it a stir, the pins fall through. Those that don't are stuck in the cases, run your magnet (you do have a magnet, of course...) over the cases and you're done. The stainless media is trapped in the lower pan and cleans up easily there.

Definitely the fastest and neatest way I've found; you're not finding pins everywhere afterward as seems common with other approaches.

 

[jmorris]

The big Dillon media separator works as well on wet brass with stainless as it does dry with corncob or walnut. Fill the tub with water and you also get a final rinse.

 

[picker]

Good tip, thanks the way I do it is when through tumbling pour all contents in one of these
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/73...standard-media-separator?cm_vc=ProductFinding Sitting on a 5 gallon bucket run water over the brass as you shake and agitate it by hand.
Most of the pins fall through into bucket, take brass and lay it out to dry on a towel or two, run your magnet over them to collect any pins that may be there .
Pour the water off your pins and rinse then put then in an pan to dry, or just put them back in tumbler like I do.
Best/picker

 

[Olympus]

This: http://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/product/productId/5379

Makes separating pins a breeze.

 

[Dolton916]

The Dillon is pricey but top notch. Destroyed two FA tumblers before making the move I should have made to start with.

 

[gorman805]

Intersting cosidering stainless is supposed to be non-magnetic

 

[picker]

This: http://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/product/productId/5379

Makes separating pins a breeze.

I'm gonna get me one of these, thanks
Best/picker

 

[bazineta]

Intersting cosidering stainless is supposed to be non-magnetic

Depends on the type. Austenitic stainless typically isn't magnetic, while ferritic stainless usually is.

 

[Sparky!]

I have a similar mesh filter that I use and then pour some fresh water over them to get all the nasty water off the brass. fits in a 5gal bucket perfectly. Then I tumble them in a rotary media separator to get the pins to let go of the brass. It's been the best method I've found for rinsing and separating without loosing pins.

 

[tchostler]

i use magnets to help control the pins.

 

[tcook90]

I pour the brass and pins from the tumbler through a strainer:

-- $2

Then I use a Salad Spinner to get the pins out of the cases:

-- $4

Granted, I'm using a Harbor Freight rock tumbler, so it's only a couple hundred cases at a time.

 

[bbqncigars]

I use a Frankford Arsenal media separator in the top of a bucket of water. A few slow back-n-forths drop all of the pins into the bottom.

 

[Gray dome]

Great tip!

If you're doing wet tumbling, i.e., water, stainless steel pins, Lemishine and Dawn, you're aware of the following two things:

a) Wow, does it get the brass clean.
b) Man, the pins are annoying to separate.

Tried something new today, and it worked great. Two gold panning pans. The first one, 1/4" mesh:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008B0T5Z2?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00

The second, 1/50" mesh:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BP3D50S?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00

My pins measure 40 thousandths in diameter, so they fall through the first pan easily, but can't make it through the second. These pans stack perfectly on a standard 5 gallon bucket if desired. Pour out the wet tumble mixture onto the large mesh, give it a stir, the pins fall through. Those that don't are stuck in the cases, run your magnet (you do have a magnet, of course...) over the cases and you're done. The stainless media is trapped in the lower pan and cleans up easily there.

Definitely the fastest and neatest way I've found; you're not finding pins everywhere afterward as seems common with other approaches.

Great tip, bazineta! That's what I like about this site. Someone usually has a better idea. Proves the adage - 'Many' heads solve most problems. Thanks for your tip. I think a call to Amazon is in order tomorrow.

 

[Lug Nuts]

Although I do not wet tumble, I have been cross-utilizing my gold prospecting equipment for media separation since day one. After collecting brass in the winter when snow, mud, and slush are part of the equation some of the larger diameter pans/buckets help with initial cleaning.

It is also fun to use the gold prospecting equipment to find little pieces of yellow metal that are a bit more valuable than brass. :rock:

 

[daboone]

I use a Frankford Arsenal media separator in the top of a bucket of water. A few slow back-n-forths drop all of the pins into the bottom.

I use the Frankford Arsenal Standard Media Separator which fit perfectly in the top if a 6 gal paint bucket. No need to spin, no handle to turn just a couple of swirls and all the media/SS pins separated. Not bad for about $8 and free shipping.

 

[Capt Ramius]

The big Dillon media separator works as well on wet brass with stainless as it does dry with corncob or walnut. Fill the tub with water and you also get a final rinse.

Ditto. My Lyman separator works the same. Final rinse is the bonus; then grab all the pins up with a magnet inside a plastic bag - peel the bag off the magnet and all the pins fall off.

 

[Ret. 622]

Great Idea

Great idea Bazineta. Pans were much sturdier than I expected. Your system works great.

 

[bazineta]

Thanks Ret. I too was surprised by the quality of the pans, but then, I don't prospect, so it took me a while to click that they're for dealing with, well, rocks, apparently like the ones in my head.

The thing I really like is that I'm a tall guy, and with a pair of these on top of a bucket in the sink, they're at the perfect height. I find dealing with fiddly things while bending over to be annoying, and these bring things up to a height where it's nice and comfortable.