It's loaded with half walnut and half corn media since I didn't buy enough the 1st time. I've done about 3-4 thousand rounds already and this is my last batch which is .338. I've ran it multiple time for about 5hrs but the neck is still dirty. I've also tried the Nu finish polish with dryer sheets. Is my media too used up and dirty already? How do you tell when it's time to change media?

Before Tossing out the old media, try it by adding paint thinner.  First run the tumbler with the brass and have the grains of walnut fill the cases.  Depending on the size of your tumbler (I use the vibratory type and my tumbler takes about 4-1/2 gallon of media) slowly add the paint thinner just enough to get the grains damp,  I would tumble mines  for four to five hours and have no problems with the brass getting shiny. 

The next step is to resize and deprime then I would use Simple Green in my Hornady ultrasonic cleaner.  This way, you would wash out any oil residue, clean the insides including the primer pocket.  I would let it dry out in the sun (usually two days).  You can speed things up by putting them in an oven  for an hour at 250 degrees. 

After drying, I would then tumble them again, this time using dry media for 1 hour.

Before Tossing out the old media, try it by adding paint thinner.  First run the tumbler with the brass and have the grains of walnut fill the cases.  Depending on the size of your tumbler (I use the vibratory type and my tumbler takes about 4-1/2 gallon of media) slowly add the paint thinner just enough to get the grains damp,  I would tumble mines  for four to five hours and have no problems with the brass getting shiny. 

The next step is to resize and deprime then I would use Simple Green in my Hornady ultrasonic cleaner.  This way, you would wash out any oil residue, clean the insides including the primer pocket.  I would let it dry out in the sun (usually two days).  You can speed things up by putting them in an oven  for an hour at 250 degrees. 

After drying, I would then tumble them again, this time using dry media for 1 hour.

I have a little different routine. I decap all the dirty brass in a decapping die. Then I run them through my ultrasonic cleaner (I will try simple green next time). Let them dry. Then I resize (trim if necessary) then tumble them in walnut which I either add Flitz to polish or a little lighter fluid (I will try paint thinner when I run out of lighter fluid).

I have read quite a few articles pertaining to any differences in ammo that is reloaded in dirty brass compared to perfectly clean and shiny brass. And in every article they could not find any differences in the way the ammo shot. I personally prefer shiny looking cases so I clean mine.

I've been squirting charcoal lighter fluid to my dry media prior to running a batch of pilau brass.
I used to use kerosene before, but clf seems to be cheap and available.
The only time I get my shells wet is if there is significant black tarnish.
Then I soak them in warm water with a chemical cleaner that contains oxalic acid, like zud.
Then dry them in the hot Waipahu sun and dry tumble.

I confess to only cleaning once in the vibratory tumbler for used brass before decapping.
Guess I should also clean after resizing to get any lube off.  I only wipe down the case with a paper towel after lube/resize.
Will look into the Hornady ultrasonic for this second clean.

I confess to only cleaning once in the vibratory tumbler for used brass before decapping.
Guess I should also clean after resizing to get any lube off.  I only wipe down the case with a paper towel after lube/resize.
Will look into the Hornady ultrasonic for this second clean.

I used to only vibrate once at the beginning. But then I got lazy and started using the vibratory tumbler to clean off the lube. Helps save my arthritic fingers from pain. Also, back in the day when I reloaded on the mainland and had lots of room and money I had a second bowl for my vibratory tumbler. I had cob in one and walnut in the other.

When I clean brass it's only small batches maybe up to 200 9mm or 100 .223/300 BLK.   Is a ultrasonic cleaner better for small batches than like the Frankfort Arsenal wet tumbler?    Seems like got more steps with the wet tumbler but Amazon has a good price and deal for the Frankfort tumbler.
Also do you guys just dump the water down your drain, or dump it in your yard?

When I clean brass it's only small batches maybe up to 200 9mm or 100 .223/300 BLK.   Is a ultrasonic cleaner better for small batches than like the Frankfort Arsenal wet tumbler?    Seems like got more steps with the wet tumbler but Amazon has a good price and deal for the Frankfort tumbler.
Also do you guys just dump the water down your drain, or dump it in your yard?

I can't speak to tumbling but I can to ultra sonic. I am sure tumbling is more thorough than ultrasonic. My ultrasonic does a good job inside and out on my brass but does not always do a good job on the primer pockets. I would say 10%-25% of the primer pockets are not perfectly clean. I use the solution up to 8 hours of cleaning. Not sure how often you change the water/solution in a tumbler.

wet tumbling will get cases cleaner than a dry, vibe tumbler or ultrasonic
I hear case wars?!

If I go with wet tumbling and decap prior to tumbling, is another round of wet tumbling  necessary after lube/resize? 
Thanks for the input guys about wet tumbling vs. ultrasonic.   The prices for the RCBS ultrasonic and Frankfort Arsenal are similar so might get the F.A. wet tumbler.
When I used my dry tumbler with walnut, after I used a swab to clean the inside but was not a good cleaning.

When I clean brass it's only small batches maybe up to 200 9mm or 100 .223/300 BLK.   Is a ultrasonic cleaner better for small batches than like the Frankfort Arsenal wet tumbler?    Seems like got more steps with the wet tumbler but Amazon has a good price and deal for the Frankfort tumbler.
Also do you guys just dump the water down your drain, or dump it in your yard?

The water is properly disposed of.   

If I go with wet tumbling and decap prior to tumbling, is another round of wet tumbling  necessary after lube/resize? 
Thanks for the input guys about wet tumbling vs. ultrasonic.   The prices for the RCBS ultrasonic and Frankfort Arsenal are similar so might get the F.A. wet tumbler.
When I used my dry tumbler with walnut, after I used a swab to clean the inside but was not a good cleaning.

Decap the cases so that the wet tumble and pins can clean out the primer pockets.  Sometime the pins may get stuck in the flash hole, so you'd have to watch for that.  I don't retumble after lube and size.  I just wipe the lube off, or use oldfart's method of spraying off the cases with non-chlorinated break clean to get the lube off.

Decap the cases so that the wet tumble and pins can clean out the primer pockets.  Sometime the pins may get stuck in the flash hole, so you'd have to watch for that.  I don't retumble after lube and size.  I just wipe the lube off, or use oldfart's method of spraying off the cases with non-chlorinated break clean to get the lube off.

I just throw the cases covered in lube in my vibratory tumbler and let the walnut shells deal with it. One hour and they are done.

The water is properly disposed of.   

Okaaay, roger that.

Must have some good salesmen on this forum cause I'm getting sold on wet tumbling.   Will see what kind of post Christmas deals come out.   
I think that like Inspector does a quick final tumble after lube, maybe there's a bigger dry media that will clean off the lube and not get in the flash holes.

Must have some good salesmen on this forum cause I'm getting sold on wet tumbling.   Will see what kind of post Christmas deals come out.   
I think that like Inspector does a quick final tumble after lube, maybe there's a bigger dry media that will clean off the lube and not get in the flash holes.

Flash holes are media magnets. Doesn't matter stainless, walnut, corn cob, it all gets stuck in there. 

Buy a bottle of Lemishine dish detergent.   Soak in warm water agitate here and there, dry then tumble...brings back the shine.

Just got the Thumler model B.  I know lots of guys especially on youtube use Lemishine with Dawn.  Since Oahu don't have hard water like CONUS, is Lemishine still necessary or is Dawn enough.

I use both, not to much limishine. It will leave spots. Rinse and dry with a fan.

I use both, not to much limishine. It will leave spots. Rinse and dry with a fan.

+1
use just a little bit of the lemishine.  A little goes a LONG way.

Does Longs or Walmart sell Lemishine?