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Thread: Home made liquid case cleaner

  1. #41
    Boolit Buddy
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    Cases dry almost imediatly if you dip them in boiling hot water ,give em time to heat up and lift em out, presto, they are dry, inside and out.
    I use an old colander from the kitchen to hold the cases.

    I have been using the Burchwood Casey case cleaner for a few years, works very good and I can mix up two 1 gallon batches per bottle, so it lasts a long time. Problem is it's not always in the local store when I need it. I found some last night and it's gone up to over $9.00 per bottle here.
    I mix up the NRA formula, that is :
    2 tablespoons of SALT
    1 quart of Vinegar
    I mix up a gallon Vinegar jug when I need a new batch.
    I use it over and over and pour it onto deprimed and hosed off not muddy cases placed in a plastic tub or small bucket, then let them sit for a few minutes and pour it back into the jug. I use a plastic funnel with a stainless steel hose or faucet screen glued into the neck of the funnel so I don't loose any cases into the jug.
    This cleaner works great for me, BUTTTTTTT, be carefull, it has removed some nickle plating on some of my range pick up brass....
    I'll try some of the above formulas, Thanks guys !! "Papa Jack"
    U.S. Army Veteran, RVN 69-70, D trp.(AIR) 3/4 Cav, 25th Inf. Div. CUCHI, Helicopter Crew Chief
    Call Sign CENTAUR

  2. #42
    Boolit Grand Master
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    There comes a time when the media in the tumbler is so scrungy and dirt filled that it is no longer doing its job. You can clean it somewhat by using a cup of the afore mentioned formula to a gallon and a half of water, slooshing it around until the water is black, then straining it through a fine mesh screen. Follow by a rinse in cold water and drying in the sun and you are now one day (maybe two) older and good for another 10 to 20 batches.
    (There was a time when such frugality was for me a necessity).

  3. #43
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    After firing, my cases are vibrated in old walnut and corn cob mixed material, then I use a Midway case material remover, takes less than a minute, deprime all cases, sort and use Shaler Rislone , to lube case mouths, and size. Then I vibrate in clean fresh corn cob material and then they shine. The Rislone is the best lube material I have ever used. Apply to inside of case mouths with a Q tip. The Rislone is free as I add a quart to each oil change. Drain can into my lube bottle. A little goes a long way. As for cleaning flash holes, a needle on a cork works great!! I am too old for all that tumbling, tried it once and nearly broke my neck!!

  4. #44
    Boolit Buddy watkibe's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mumblypeg View Post
    I tumble mine first then lube and size them, that takes care of the flashole stuff. Then clean them in liquid to remove the lube. Warm oven for awhile dries them out.
    Same here. Tumbling first keeps grit out of your sizing die. The liquid I prefer is vinegar and dish detergent in very hot water. Too hot an oven will discolor brass, so use caution.
    "A society that values equality above liberty will have neither. A society that values liberty above equality will have plenty of both " - Milton Friedman

  5. #45
    Boolit Mold
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    cleaning brass

    I used the vinager, lemon juice and soap to clean cases, worked very well. I wonder if adding some salt to the mixture would do any good. Some of the other recipes uses it.
    thanks
    Mike

  6. #46
    Moderator Emeritus/Boolit Master in Heavens Range
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    If you guys want to see some real results for removing tarnish and other oxides from brass, try just a little phosphoric or citric acids instead of acetic acid (vinegar). Phosphoric is in soda pop, and citric is in lemonaid: Neither one is toxic or hazardous, but both are death on oxides.

    One spoonful of phosphoric in a gallon of hot water is plenty, and you can use and re-use it over and over. The cleaning is almost instantaneous if your solution is warm, and within a few minutes if it's cold. Yet you can leave the cases in a solution for days without harm. I've seen range pickup brass that was actually black with corrosion clean up in just a few seconds.

    And there is a huge thread on citric acid as a very successful case cleaner elsewhere on the forum. I haven't used citric myself, but there are a lot of rave reviews on the thread about how well and fast it works.

    Acetic acid (vinegar) WILL do the job, but it's slow, and it will attack the underlying brass too, though so slowly it really doesn't hurt or matter very much. Stinks too! There are choices that are SO much better.
    Regards,

    Molly

    "The remedy for evil men is not the abrogation of the rights of law abiding citizens. The remedy for evil men is the gallows." Thomas Jefferson

  7. #47
    Boolit Master
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    im just starting to reload the 5.7fn. the cases are coated with a lacquer to help with feeding. a tumbler will damage the lacquer.

    many recommend simple green.

    i have found that putting the brass in a $1 lingerie bag, and sloshing the brass around in a bucket of hot water and dawn dish soap for 5 mins really works well. no expensive acids or cleaners, no complicated or fancy mixes, no long soaks. cheap, fast, and simple.

  8. #48
    Boolit Bub
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    Would a can of soda pop work for the citric acid? along with the dish soap an vinegar? i was telling the better half about it and she ask me about the pop, said i dont know but somebody at cb will.
    thanks for the help !!!
    big foot

  9. #49
    Moderator Emeritus/Boolit Master in Heavens Range
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    Quote Originally Posted by bigfoot View Post
    Would a can of soda pop work for the citric acid? along with the dish soap an vinegar? i was telling the better half about it and she ask me about the pop, said i dont know but somebody at cb will.
    thanks for the help !!! big foot
    No Bigfoot, you've got it backwards: Soda Pop has a tiny amount of phosphoric, not citric. And it isn't enough to clean cases very well. I only mentioned it because some folks worry that phosphoric acid might be corrosive, and it isn't. I've never tried adding vinegar to citric or phosphoric, and would be surprised if vinegar noticably helped the action of either one. For vinegar to be effective, I suspect you'd have to use a version called GAA, or Glacial Acetic Acid. It's basicly vinegar with all the water taken out. Real nasty stuff to your eyes, nose and your lungs. I really don't recommend it.
    Regards,

    Molly

    "The remedy for evil men is not the abrogation of the rights of law abiding citizens. The remedy for evil men is the gallows." Thomas Jefferson

  10. #50
    Boolit Bub
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    Thanks molly, didnt want to wast my soda !!!!!

  11. #51
    Boolit Master
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    Can some-one with a few more active neurons please verify for me a couple of things.

    I believe the salt and vinegar / citric acid will work .....but will leach out the phosphorus in the brass making it brittle. Pink and red tinge means you have leached the brass. Causing embrittlement by the now voids left where the umm phospours was.

    I know this by resurrecting up to 100 yr old brass stoves.
    Where people have used sulphuric and other acids to clean them up.
    The brass gets a slight crazed look and fine cracks when pressurized.



    This I think is with alfa brass as used in kero stoves etc.
    I think cartridge brass is betta or another similar alloy.

    Iv'e used a splash of phosphoric acid 86% Ie: ( ph down from the hydroponic suppliers) I think they use it in swimming pools as well.Little bit goes a long way.

    Cleaned up the brass quite well but still left **** in the cases.
    I was hoping for a soak and shake would do the job of cleaning out the burnt stuff in there.

    I wasn't too successful but it made by brass shine up nice.

    I was hoping for a easy fix to clean out my cases and not so much the shiney bit.

    Please burn me if I'm wrong

    Barra

  12. #52
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    I went to Pet smart and purchased some crushed walnut media, mixed it in with some corn cob and it cleans brass and give it a good shine. Keep old dirty cleaner separate from new cleaner. I vibrate in Midway bowl vibrator with old walnut and corn cob media, then de prime with universal deprimer. Then back into corn cob and walnut clean media. Lube with Q-tip with Rislone inside necks, then lube outside necks, re-size neck only. Again back into clean corn cob and walnut media. Have big Midway basket to get all media separated from cases.
    Crank it around a few time and nearly all media is out. Go over cases to be sure flash hole is clear.
    Nice shiny brass that lasts a long time with neck sizing only. Works for .257 JDJ, 7-30 waters, 7MM TCU, and 7 X 57, as well as .38, .357. .32 H & R, and .44.

  13. #53
    Boolit Mold
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    Hot water and Lemi shine has been working well for me.............cleans the dirtyest of cases.

  14. #54
    Boolit Buddy
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    I deprime and size first then give them a 1 hour bath in a dash of mr clean, vinegar and lemon juice. I add enough boiling water to cover the cases and give them an occasional agitation. Rinse several times in hot water and spread out on a towel. Nothing fancy but it gets the job done.

  15. #55
    Boolit Bub Big brass ones's Avatar
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    I like Lemishine dish washer detergent and a sonic cleaner. Works well costs about 4 bucks at walmart and 60 bucks on sale for the cleaner at harbor freight. I use to use vinigar and dawn dish soap to clean before, but noticed that brass discolored too fast from the vinegar even after a bath in baking soda. The lemishine is citric acid based which really does a number on the tough brass, best of all it's really fast. I clean about 1000 cases per hr (40 s&w, 9mm).

  16. #56
    Boolit Man
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    Actually this post is not my favorite formula just some information that might help someone a bit.

    For members who live near a fairly large city and tumble quite a bit of brass the following might be a source for ground walnut and corn cob.

    Check out local distributor's who specialize in blasting media (sand, hull, etc used for stucco, concrete and paint removal) I can buy ground walnut for $13.00 and corn cob for $20.00 in 50# bags. Last purchase I even bought some bags that were torn for $5.00 per bag off.

    One nice thing is that they usually have various grinds available (10/14, 12/20, 14/30 etc.)

    I have 2 large Thumbler's Tumblers and my process is as follows: Tumbler #1 has a combination of 1/3 corn cob and 2/3 walnut and no more than a Tablespoon of Mineral Spirits mixed in and run for about 1/2 hour.

    I then remove the brass and place in Tumbler #2 which has the reverse mix 1/3 walnut and 2/3 corn cob with a Teaspoon of Liquid Floor Wax (which I purchased at Costco for $8.00 a gallon) and run for another 1/2 hour.

    I usually place 3 USED fabric softner sheets in Tumbler #1 after running about 3 loads and it helps take out a lot of the powder, grime, etc. I do this with each additional load in Tumbler #1, (yep, we are clean people around out house so have saved up a lot of used fabric softner sheets.)

    I am just finishing up some 20,000 rounds of 9mm and at about 15,000 I threw out media in #1 and replaced it with the media in #2 and added more walnut to the mix. I then started a new batch for tumbler #2.

    For those who have purchased brass from me in the past the above is the process I used.

    It's quick, pretty clean and inexpensive if you are tumbling a lot of brass.

    There is a 1000 ways to clean brass, the above is just my preference for doing fairly large amounts with the limited equipment I have. By the way the Thumblers Tumblers have processed over 150,000 rounds from small pistol to large rifle and still going strong after 3 years of use.
    Last edited by azshtr; 03-11-2011 at 11:40 PM.
    http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=56950
    My feedback !

  17. #57
    Boolit Master





    SSGOldfart's Avatar
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    nice,it's bound to be cheaper then the RCBS stuff you can't find most of the time anyways
    One question will the Homemade liguid case cleaner work in the new Sonic cleaners??

  18. #58
    Boolit Buddy
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    I put a new dyer sheet in the tumbler with the brass cleans the brass and the media at the same time.

  19. #59
    Boolit Bub

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    I just started using walnut media to tumble after years of cob and am having great results. Brass not as shiney as cob but damn close enuff. It's easier to tell when cob is dirty as it starts off as an off white. The walnut is brown, how do y'all know when it's time to toss it?
    "Can our form of government, our system of justice, survive if one can be denied a FREEDOM because he might abuse it?" Harlan Carter

  20. #60
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mike 56 View Post
    I put a new dyer sheet in the tumbler with the brass cleans the brass and the media at the same time.
    Hmmmm... I think I'll try that!!!


    Taylor... I used to tumble with walnut to clean my brass. I stopped because it took so darn long to get the brass clean, and walnut would get good-n-stuck in flash holes... Use a cleaning method as described elsewhere in this thread, and you only need to tumble to get the brass dry. Or set it in the sun for an hour in TX and it will be dry!

    Otherwise, just watch for the color change on the walnut, and note how long it takes to get the brass clean... When the cleaning time is unacceptably long, it's time to change...

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