I started reloading about two months ago, but I wasn't cleaning my brass because I couldn't afford the $175 for the tumbler. This past weekend, I figured out how to convert an ice cream maker into a tumbler. I bought a big honkin bottle of walnut shells (6 pounds) with rouge, and polished a batch of brass. Worked great. I was having some glitching with my depriming - Lee Progressive - and I had heard some of the guys talking about lubing their brass. So, I got some chainsaw oil, poured about an ounce in a big plastic bag, dumped in about 100 rounds of .45 ACP brass, and shook it until all the brass was coated. It made the depriming easy, but when I tumbled the brass, the walnut shells got all greasy. The brass came clean, but it was all greasy, and I had to wipe it off. Any way to clean the walnut shells? I've tried tossing in a couple of fabric softener sheets. They get dirty, but the walnut shells stay dark.
By the way, I found out I can buy corncob from Walmart - $2.97 for 615 cubic inches, vs. $17 for 6 pounds of walnut at the gun shop.
check your dies. If they are carbide, which more than likely they are, you should not need lube. Cleaning the brass before resizing is a good thing. It will make the process easier and save wear and tear on the dies, yes, even carbide.
Steel dies require lube. More than likely you have carbide, because if you use steel dies w/o lube you'll need a case extractor tool.
IF case lubrication is required, only a SMALL amount is needed. Never "saturate" the case. It's a waste of lube & I'm not sure about taper or straight wall pistol cases, but it can screw up a rifle case or bottleneck pistol/revolver case with hydraulic denting.
Media: When it gets dirty change it. I wouldn't mess with it. Iv'e never heard of a good way to clean it. Keep in mind when your handling this dirty stuff, it is not good for you, pretty much hazzardous. It's good to dump it now and then. Mabe get an additive to spruce up the media in between. I like Dillon's brass additive, just a cap full every now and then.
2 O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save!
3 Why dost thou shew me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? for spoiling and violence are before me: and there are that raise up strife and contention.
4 Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth.
5 Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you.
6 For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the breadth of the land, to possess the dwellingplaces that are not theirs.
7 They are terrible and dreadful: their judgment and their dignity shall proceed of themselves.
8 Their horses also are swifter than the leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves: and their horsemen shall spread themselves, and their horsemen shall come from far; they shall fly as the eagle that hasteth to eat.
First off, like Jerry said you used way too much lube. You should also use lube intended for reloading(I like Hornady One Shot). I use untreated walnut media and add about 1/2 oz of laquer thinner to the media to clean after shooting and after sizing with lube. By using one batch of media as a cleaner and another batch for polishing, my media lasts a very long time. I've never had to pitch a batch of cleaning media due to lube build up, only because it got durty and or broke down.
Otay, I think I got it. Don't use chain saw lube, and dump the yucky media. My dies are carbide, so I think I'm okay there. Thanks for the help.
Habakkuk 2:1 - I will stand on my guardpost, and station myself on the rampart, and I will keep watch to see what He will speak to me, and how I may reply when I am reproved. (NASV)
As Jerry said,Carbide dies are the ONLY way to go. no need for lube . The problem is solved. Be verry carefull of the Lee Progressivs powder measure, they stick with powder and don't dump a charge. I wondered why there were so many used presses around. learn fast when I bought one.
Habakkuk 1 
walnut hulls 
