Separating the pins

Brand new operator of a Frankford Arsenal tumbler here.
My first batch of really badly tarnished, 25 year old, once fired, .45 brass came out better looking than I expected.
I used a 1/4 tsp of lemon shine, and a dollup of Armor all soap/wax, and the supplied pins.
 Most of the pins got separated into my rinse bucket as I took the brass out of the bucket, but more than a few stayed in the brass to end up on on a large beach towel  (Hope my wife doesn't read this).

So looking toward the future, I know that if I keep doing things this way, I will be buying lots more pins.
How do you all separate / recover the pins ?

Use this:
https://www.frankfordarsenal.com/case-cleaning/case-cleaning-separators/wetdry-media-separator/507567.html#start=1
No pic at above link, try this:
Midway

Use the half with the solid bottom filled with water and as you rotate the separator all the pins will fall to the bottom. Use the magnet pickup tool to retrieve the pins.

What Tony said.
You need the separator

And the magnet

I get by find with the magnet and just using the strainer ends that come with the tumbler. Just get an old plastic tub to dump the water and pins into then use the magnet to retrieve the pins, no need for the full size separator.

We disagree

james r chapman wrote:We disagree

 Just the tumbler may work fine...it's just a lot easier with the separator and the magnet....

I use a tray separator. I think the rotating one would fling pins all over the place. I rinse through all the brass turning them upside down to dump the pins. It is a time consuming process but I am satisfied with it.

weber1b wrote:I use a tray separator. I think the rotating one would fling pins all over the place. I rinse through all the brass turning them upside down to dump the pins. It is a time consuming process but I am satisfied with it.

Have a friend show you how the separator works.

Throw the pins away.  Problem solved. I used my pins twice...never again and my brass is okay without them.   bob

If you throw them away...throw them my way! I'll fling/split  them at/with Jim!

I use a separator, turn it slowly you wont lose the pins. I got a paint strainer cloth and dump the pins and water in, then rinse them good. The cases are then rinsed, then I'm done. I dump cases in towel, take the towel ends and move them back and forth drying the outsides. Dump them on a baking sheet thing and warm em up with a heat gun and they'll dry out. Mine stay shiny inside and out for months.
Stan

Try this 

Dump the water and shake the canister in a 5 gallon bucket. Shake and shake! 90% of the pins will fall in the bucket. Dump the brass i
On a towel and use the magnet to pick up the rest. Drain the 5 gallon bucket and then put the pins back into the canister! Easy

I don’t bother with pins.  For pistol brass I don’t decap before tumbling.  Rifle I do because they dry quicker.  I don’t mess with primer pockets.

Get the separator, especially if you plan on doing rifle cases too. And buy a magnetic wand. If you plan on dumping the waste water into a sink inside the house or laundry room, you probably should buy a screen for the sink drain and a small magnet to fit inside. This will help keep from pouring the pins down your sink trap.

Thank all of you for your replies.
Obviously there are differing opinions on the best way to separate pins, and brass. Or to use pins at all.

I have decided that at my age, time is too valuable to waste shaking brass, and picking up tiny pins, so I am ordering a separator , and a magnet from Amazon.

So much for the kids dreams of inheriting a life of ease.....Jim

jimsteele wrote:Thank all of you for your replies.
Obviously there are differing opinions on the best way to separate pins, and brass. Or to use pins at all.

I have decided that at my age, time is too valuable to waste shaking brass, and picking up tiny pins, so I am ordering a separator , and a magnet from Amazon.

So much for the kids dreams of inheriting a life of ease.....Jim

Smart man! They will have a life of ease using the separator also!

The separator sits in a bucket.  I cut notches in the side of my bucket so it sits lower and the pins do not fly around.  

Works the balls!
David

Wobbley, I never thought of using the tumbler without the pins. Just water, Dawn & Lemishine? That'll save a lot of time. I don't care if my brass is super shiny, as long as it's pretty clean. I'd rather spend my time somewhere else. I'm gonna give it a try. Thanks for the idea.

The separator comes with a lid! How can the pins go flying? They can’t

I use my RCBS media separator. Pour cases/pins into basket, fill the tub with water, spin cases back and forth for 30-60 seconds. All pins in tub.
Easy as that.
However, ultrasonic is a LOT faster and there are no pins. Just doesn't polish as well.
Then again, 30 minutes in 20/40 corn is more than clean enough.

I don't use pins. The outside of the cases are just as clean. The insides just don't get bright. Who cares? It saves a ton of time and won't make a difference at the target.

I'm still fairly new to reloading 45, I haven't been using pins and cases are clean enough for me.  However, on the third reload I am starting to get some high primers, so I may need to use pins to clean the primer pockets.  Anyone else have that issue?

Brass Juice

I bought the bucket / media separator, and the magnet, from Midway. Delivered yesterday.
 Now I need to shoot up some .45 ammo so I can see how well it works.
I'm thinking the magnet ( housing ) is going to rust as soon as it gets wet from the pins ?