Sonic cleaner for brass

[Wilsknife]

Has anybody used a sonic cleaner for brass cleaning? I just acquired one and would like other's input before I use it.
Thanks for you replays.

[somedude101]

Wow I am the first person to vote on this poll. I tumble my brass with corn cobb media, but an ultrasonic cleaner sounds nice due to the fact that there is no real cleanup afterword.

[jmort]

I need clean. Don't need abrasive tumbler media or shiny brass, just clean. Sonic for me.

[NoZombies]

I use a rotary tumbler and SS media. It gets the brass very nice and clean.

I've used ultrasonic before, but the problem for me was lack of capacity.

If using the ultrasonic, do yourself a favor and make your cleaning solution as hot water, a few drops of dawn or similar (the detergent acts as a surfactant) and enough citric acid to bring the solution to about 5%.

[somedude101]

Is brass not shiny with ultrasonic cleaner like it is with a tumbler?

[dromia]

Tumble in fine walnut for smokeless with a rotary tumbler.

I'm not a fan of wet cleaning as it is a chew on.

I do wet clean my BP brass with ceramic media as I need to get the insides cleaned, I've tried stainless steel pins but don't find them any better than ceramic and the pins are more of a pain to manage.

I have an ultrasonic cleaner but capacity is an issue although I do use it for cleaning parts and moulds sometimes, just don't like wet cleaning.

[RobsTV]

If cleaning time with my HF ultra sonic cleaner is done for longer than needed, brass can turn from shiny to a darker dull color. For those times, I fill it's lined tub to capacity with the cleaned dull brass, then run one cycle of straight vinegar, with nice and shiny cases the end result. (rinse with water immediately afterwards).

How long does it take to tumble brass to a nice shiny look, (with clean primer pockets if desired)? I see posts stating they tumble for 3 hours or more, some saying 24 hours. Some say tumble 3 hours then decap and tumble another 3 hours. While Ultra-Sonic cleaning is indeed lower capacity, the spotless shiny results of a tub of brass only takes 20 to 40 minutes, depending on caliber. So capacity vs total time required might put sonic cleaned way ahead. When finished, simply put the cleaner away, with no other cleanup required, and ready to go next time. Usually shoot several different calibers, and separate them, then quickly decap prior to cleaning. I like clean primer pockets, and the only die that every sees dirt or shooting residue is the separate decapping die.

Also, what you use for cleaning makes a huge difference. After much experimenting with things we already have around the house, found that Bar Keepers friend, a little vinegar only on first cycle, and only 1 or 2 drops of dawn did the best job. However, mix wrong quantities and poor results. For example, if I used 3 drops of dawn instead of normal 1 drop, it took longer to clean, and brass was discolored much sooner. Do not use things like the plastic tray included with many cleaners, as it will absorb some of the ultrasonic energy. I use a glass meatloaf/bread pan that fits the tub almost perfectly.

[Zymurgy50]

I have the Hornady magnum sonic cleaner, capacity is 3 quarts. Mine will do 200 .223 cases at a time, or +/- 900 .22lr for jacket making.
For the .223 i use lemishine (about one teaspoon per quart) and one drop of Dawn dish soap in distilled water (we have a lot of iron in the well water, and the softner gets some of out, but not all), and set the temp at 130f. I preheat the water in the microwave for a couple minutes to avoid waiting on the tiny heater in this unit. Run one 5 minute cycle, lift out the basket and shake the brass around for a few seconds, then one more 5 minute cycle and rinse. In the winter the brass goes on a towel under the woodstove (dont know how warm that gets, but we had a dog that would sleep with his head under there), in the summer the brass sits on a towel on top of the picnic table in the sun for a few hours.
My brass never got this clean with a vibratory tumbler.

[khmer6]

Capacity is a pain. :banghead: but good for calibers you don't shoot a lot

[Nickle]

I've got both, and use both.

I've also got a crock pot I set aside for use with a citric acid bath. I tend to use unsweetened Kool-Aid, first ingredient is citric acid.

[MrWolf]

I have the RCBS sonic. It is big enough to fit my S&W 1911e in the basket to give you a feel for its size. I have used the RCBS cleaner and the citric acid. I aso will use a HF rotary rock drum to clean brass with walnut. What I have figured out is for the majority of my brass, 5 minutes at 140 degrees with a 5% citric solution works well. I will sometimes run them again in the RCBS cleaning only becase I have some and I pick up leftover brass at the range. For the really old brass that looks like steel, I do a citric bath then a walnut tumble then a RCBS bath - overkill but I have the solutions on hand. I also deprime before I clean. To dry, I use a food dehydrator at about 100 degrees for a few hours.

[MaryB]

Sonic cleaner with Ball fruit fresh (citric acid) and hot tap water in my Harbor Freight cleaner (Identical to the Lyman Turbo Sonic 2500). I run 2 cycles with the citric acid then a distilled rinse in a bucket. Into the oven at 160 to dry. If a case looks really tarnished/dirty after a quick spin with 000 steel wool cleans it up.

[Dryball]

Sonic Cleaners are the bomb specially when used with the Lemi-bath. The only reason to tumble in media after a sonic clean is to possible draw a tiny bit of moisture out or, in my case, to add a protective coat so the loaded rounds won't tarnish so quickly.

[MrWolf]

I use the walnut after the citrus to clean up the "pink" brass, as I picked up a lot of dirty, old brass that had been outside for awhile. Cleaning it more lets me give a better visual on its condition.

[Sensai]

I use ultrasonic to clean. I use tumbler to shine, if I feel the need. Mostly I'm just after clean, so mostly the ultrasonic.

[Nickle]

I swage bullets, and make 22 LR cases into jackets. Wet cleaning is essential for this. I bought an RCBS ultra sonic cleaner, and it works great. My mixture is 2-3 packets of unsweetened Kool Aid and a bit of Dawn dish washing liquid to the recommended amount of water. Citric acid is the primary ingredient of that Kool Aid. Been using it for years to clean nasty brass, before tumblers were the rage.

[No_1]

It is amazing how things tend to click at the oddest times. I have a commercial cleaner that only has a on/off switch for the heater which means the only heat control I have is off and HOT. I think it needs a PID controller.

[popper]

Hornady sonic for me for > 1 yr. Works great with citric acid & down.

[Rick45Colt]

I use both a vibratory tumbler and sonic. I use the vibratory for big batches and the sonic for small ones. It just depends on the shooting session I just finished. I have been thinking about getting a true tumbler but have not made my mind up completely.

[Airman Basic]

Picked up one of these today:
http://www.harborfreight.com/25-lite...ner-95563.html
We'll see how it works. Sounds faster and easier than separating stainless pins or walnut hulls.