Wet tumbling brass problem solved

[HeavyMetal]

For those who have had unexplained issue with the brass they clean in a wet Stainless Steel pin tumbling set up I have the answer!

Been using my Frankford Arsenal wet tumbler for most of a year now and have been very happy with it, learned years ago with the dry type that you can't mix different caliber case's while cleaning, ever have a 22 case stuck in a 32 auto case stuck in a 9mm case stuck in a 40 case stuck in a 45 auto case??

I have, before cell phones or I'd have a picture, LOL!

Well I recently had a similar issue with the wet pin system tumbler but instead of a case jamming issue it was a bunch of brass 45 auto case which came out of the cleaner a dull grey color rather than the bright brass color I usually get.

Cause? Your gonna like this: a handful of Nickeled case's in a batch of range pick up that I was cleaning for reloading!

Never had the issue before because I dislike Nickel case's, and haven't cleaned any 38 or 357 case's with the wet system yet so had no other experience with that problem.

I believe the SS pins rub some of the Nickel finish off and spread it around to the brass finish while tumbling, currently I broke out an old dry walnut type vibrating tumble and am polishing the "tarnished" case's in that.

First batch came out perfect so it is a contact type tarnish effect and can be cleaned easily with the dry type media, interesting in that I found the inside of the case's perfectly clean and shiny but the outside tarnished badly.

From now on I will inspect and separate nickel case's and clean them separately from yellow brass, just wanted to post my findings as I have seen other posts where the poster was as confused as I was about the sudden loss of bright shiny brass!!

Today's other project will be to clean a sample of 9mm brass in the wet SS pin set up and see if the pins are contaminated !!

with luck their not but only one way to find out.

Hope this helps others avoid the same problem.


HM

[Artful]

Thanks - I'm glad you put this up for us.

[sukivel]

Interesting...I shall separate and inspect as well.


Envoyé de mon iPhone en utilisant Tapatalk

[matrixcs]

When sorting before tumbling be sure to remove steel and the training brass that looks nickel plated... it is not and has a slightly different color than real nickel just a few of them in a batch will turn all the brass dark (yellow and nickel). The training brass is silver in color and has a purple dye washed on it. All the ones I collect end in the trash..

[EDG]

You have identified a common phenomenon that occurs in industry a lot.

Stainless steel sheet, bar and plate gets handled by heavy equipment including fork lifts and cranes with clamps.

These items are all carbon steel and when the carbon steel slides across the stainless the plain carbon steel gets rubbed off onto the stainless.
The carbon steel stuck to the stainless created an active place on the skin of the stainless that promotes the start of corrosion.

Another version of this is the brushed finish of a stainless pistol or shotgun. When scuffed or scratched it is sometimes recommended that you remove the scratch with steel wool.
The steel wool can transfer to the stainless creating active a surface that can start corrosion and staining of the stainless steel.

[VHoward]

I wet tumble nickel plated brass with regular brass all the time without this dulling effect. It all comes out shiny.

[HeavyMetal]

Perhaps this is a side effect of the Lemi shine??? Can't see the Dawn doing it.

VHoward what do you use for a cleaning agent when you wet tumble?

[Carrier]

I have put Federal nickel cases with brass cases using Armour All wash wax with lemi shine and not had any issues. Nickel and brass cases look like new.
I don't know about the ones you are talking about.

[JimB..]

Have mixed nickel and brass, no problems with dawn and lemishine. Double check what you think are nickel cases with a magnet.

[NyFirefighter357]

Not only have I mixed brass and nickel, I also have used carbon steel media as well and never had a problem. A couple of issues I know of is, too much acid (lemi-shine), too much soap, leaving the tumbler sit for a long period after it stops a without rinsing, causes the goo to settle onto the cases. Media not clean at start. I also have the F/A tumbler I use 1/8th-1/4 tsp acid and 2 drops of soap. filled to top with water. Check in an hour, if the water is very dirty I replace it.

[w5pv]

Working with brass,I wash the brass in soapy water rinse and rewash in citric acid and then put the brass in my vibratory tumbler and they come out looking brighter than new brass.I have a wet tumbler but almost never use it any more.

[VHoward]

Perhaps this is a side effect of the Lemi shine??? Can't see the Dawn doing it.

VHoward what do you use for a cleaning agent when you wet tumble?

Armor All car wash and wax and Lemmishine.

[nun2kute]

I wet tumble nickel plated brass with regular brass all the time without this dulling effect. It all comes out shiny.

X2 This:

Last batch I did was with liquid Dishwasher soap (cheap brand), citric acid form the health food store and Armorall W&W. Nichol AND Brass looked like I just bought it.

My water gets so dirty, I never re-use it. But I did accidentally leave a wash sit idle too long once and got what you described. Just rewashed it for new look.

[Nueces]

In my limited experience, weird outcomes like this indicate dirty pins. I've had funny colored brass a time or two and fixed it by tumbling just the pins with Dawn or Simple Green, followed by a thorough rinse.

[Walter Laich]

I have put Federal nickel cases with brass cases using Armour All wash wax with lemi shine and not had any issues. Nickel and brass cases look like new.
I don't know about the ones you are talking about.

+1
sounds like you have some other kind of brass in with the nickel and brass. I know the steel cases will cause havoc in the wet tumblers

[Conditor22]

Discovered a new to me trick for wet tumbling brass yesterday. I soaked the dirty brass in hot water + 1 teaspoon of citric acid and 3 pumps of dawn mixing them around well then letting them sit for a few minutes. Mixed them well again then poured off the black water (they actually got pretty clean doing this) then I did my normal 7# pins 2 gallons hot water 3 pumps dawn 1/2 teaspoon citric acid (lemi-shine) then tumbled for 1 hour, great results in a shorter time frame and the water wasn't near as black when I poured it out
---------------------------300 BO-----------------------------------------------------------------------------556

[Gtrubicon]

I fill my tumbler with hot tap water, wash n wax and lemishine. Even in the winter months the water is still very warm after a 3 hr tumble. It produces great results every time.

[TheDoctor]

I have that issue if I have nickel and brass mixed, if it runs for longer than a minimum amount of time. That being said, it's done with a magnetic stirring tumbler I made, and cleaning time is about 15 minutes normally. Should have a larger capacity rotary tumbler in a few days, but I won't try to intentionally recreate that effect.

[mdi]

I do not have a problem with case-in-a-case mishap nor grey colored brass because the second step (after picking up my brass) is inspection. Also I've never had a problem with 45 ACP small primed brass and rarely find a 380 with my 9mm, because I just look...

[Bayou52]

I also routinely wet tumble mixed brass and nickel cases with no discoloration. Not sure why OP is getting those results.

Cold water + lemi-shine + auto wash and wax = jewelry like brass...

Pic of typical results:



Bayou52