I have a brand new Thumlers Model B tumbler. I have never used media cleaning before. I put in 100 30-06 cases after full length sizing. I tried 1/4 tub, then 1/2 tub, and finally ended up with 2/3 of a tub (barrel) of Crushed Walnut media. This was based on "clanging". I don't want to have my brass beat itself to death on other brass. Any Guidence would be appreciated. How Much Media should I put in there. I havn't a clue what I am doing. My objective is clean brass rather than shiney brass, but, shiney is ok too. thanks in advance. rc

If it is a vibratory 'tumbler', then about 2/3 to 3/4 of the bowl should be filled. If it is a rotary tumbler, I cannot help.
With the vibratory, you should end up with a smooth rolling motion of the media and cases as they are moved up and then to the centre and back down in a slow wave motion.
You should be cleaning before you full length resize, as the primary goal is to ensure the cases are clean and won't damage your dies, with a secondary aim of making them shiny.

If you load the media and brass into a vibratory tumbler and turn it on, the mass will vibrate and clang. It takes a minute for the vibration to mix the brass & media together, and get the load turning over. Then, it quiets down. Like Al said, fill it about 2/3 full of media.

Thumler's model B is rotary. I don't know much about them for brass cleaning.

http://thumlerstumblersrocktumbler.info/tumble/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/thu140-gp.jpg

:)

They work best when loaded about 3/4 full, there has to be space for the media and brass to 'tumble'. I have made lexan covers for mine so i can see it as it turns, works great.
Oh yeah, it won't ding up the brass.

Also, you can use wet media in the B with its original rubber liner and Neoprene lid seal. Ceramic and other media are also available. Board member Humpy has been using stainless steel media and soapy water with success. None of these items work in a conventional reloader's grade vibratory cleaner, though there are industrial grade vibratory tumblers with much bigger motors that will work with the heavier media.

The nice thing about the Thumbler B is it is more quiet than a vibratory case cleaner. The downside is they take twice as long. The latter drove me to get a vibratory cleaner when I was young and impatient. Now I have to use a timer on my tumblers so there is still some brass left when I finally get around to remembering I left them running. The time just doesn't matter that much. Especially not if you cycle through your cases in rotation so that some are always ready for the next loading session, leaving you in no hurry to get the most recently fired ones prepared.

I'm not sure how many cases that thing is set up to hold at a time, but 100 0-6 cases seems to be a bit much all at once to me .... ????

I usually do about 50 in my vibratory tumbler .... and DO use a bit of jewelers rouge in with it if you aren't already, it will help a bunch.

The B is pretty good size. I can't say I ever counted how many '06 cases it holds? Thumbler makes an industrial grade vibratory machine with 57 lb capacity, and says it will hold 1000 '06 cases. They give no number for the B, but do say it holds 15 lbs. So, if you went by weight alone, that would scale down to 250 cases, assuming the rotary and vibratory weight and volume capacities have some equivalence?

Two thirds to three quarters full of media should be just about right for you. The "clanging" of brass hitting each other is normal for your type of tumbler. It won't damage the brass as the distance it falls in the tumbler is far less than if ejected from a rifle and hitting the ground. If you want shiney brass, try some brass polish without ammonia. Ammonia weakens cartridge grass. I have had good service from Flitz, Midway, and Dillon brass polish. You can try different tumbling durations but my Viking rotary tumbler seems to do its' best with an overnight tumble.

As an aside note: You can simultaneously tumble different calibers at the same time for more efficiency provided none of the brass will fit into the casemouths of any of the other calibers. You can probably get by tumbling any mixed brass from the .30 caliber family while I can tumble .45 Colt with .44 S&W Special brass without problems. If I try to tumble .38 S&W Special with .45 ACP, the smaller caliber gets jammed into the larger and becomes locked together with impacted media. Best wishes.

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As an aside note: You can simultaneously tumble different calibers at the same time for more efficiency provided none of the brass will fit into the casemouths of any of the other calibers. You can probably get by tumbling any mixed brass from the .30 caliber family while I can tumble .45 Colt with .44 S&W Special brass without problems. If I try to tumble .38 S&W Special with .45 ACP, the smaller caliber gets jammed into the larger and becomes locked together with impacted media...
Right, and I have the same trouble with my vibratory. I can tumble .223 with .30-06, though. Even though the .22 neck can fit in the .30 mouth, there's enuf case body that won't fit that will vibrate to pull the cases apart again.
But, 9mm sticks in .40, and .40 sticks in .45, and I sometimes need pliers to pull them apart!

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. . .
But, 9mm sticks in .40, and .40 sticks in .45, and I sometimes need pliers to pull them apart!

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Yes, and what galls me is that the part of the case that is jammed into a casemouth never gets cleaned leaving me with half shiney half tarnished cases that beg to be tumbled again. Aargh!:D

Thanks to all that have replied. Has anyone tried liquid cleaning. A few years back, I used Calgon dishwashing detergent (brass deprimed in plastic strawberry baskets) and ran them through my wifes dishwasher. There was h*ll to pay, but, even the primer pockets were clean. Had a lot of water spots though. Guess I should have used the ZiP Dry with it.... Only half way joking. I think Calgon has dried chlorine in it though. Ok, back on track, I ran the tumbler for about 6 hours. I do have case "lip" pounding, and I think I will re-champfer the case mouths. I will keep playing with the time. I shoot alot of Lake City 06 cases and they are cleaner than when I pulled them from the ammo cans (some have been in service for 10 or more loads). If this can clean Lake City, it can clean anything. They are the toughest cases I ever saw. I feed them through an auto-loader so they always need full length sizing. I do re-anneal the case mouths when they get "hardened". Love this rotary tumbler, I just have to figure it out. thanks again. rc

... Has anyone tried liquid cleaning...
There's an active thread on that question: http://shootersforum.com/showthread.htm?t=57102

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Two thirds full of media and then 100-200 cases. You'll be fine.

They are SLOW but do a good job. I had one 20 years ago and it did double duty cleaning cases and mixing paint in paintballs. I sent it off to live with a friend when I moved North. Really dumb thing to do.

Thanks to all that have replied. Has anyone tried liquid cleaning.

If you only need to clean the brass and not shine it there is a simple inexpensive method. I don't own a tumbler or vibrator cleaner and don't really see a need for one.

Decap using a Lee Decapper and uniform the primer pocket. When you get your batch ready simply put them in a plastic tub with common dish deterget, my wife is presently on an Ivory Ultra kick. Use hot water for both the wash and the rinse being free with the sloshing motion. I usually do about 100-200 at a time, generally range pick-up brass, and bake dry in the oven for about 15 minutes at 225 degrees (just above the boiling point of water). I roll them between my hands during washing and rinsing, it only takes a couple of minutes. They come out squeaky clean. You will be surprised how much crud is washed away.