Additives to SS tumbling

[Jevyod]

I am making the switch from dry media tumbling to wet tumbling. I got the SS media, and the tumbler should be here in a few days. When I was doing dry tumbling, I would always add a bit of mineral spirits, and a cap full of "nu-finish" car polish. I liked the "waxy" coating it put on, plus it seemed to aid in keeping the brass nicer for longer periods of time. I am wondering what you all that wet tumble use to give the same coating. And do you use it alone, or with more lemishine? I plan on using lemishine, dawn dish soap and the SS media for the initial wash. I am assuming the wax coating comes in a "rinse cycle"?

[Nueces]

I do as you suggest for the first wash cycle, and the brass comes out clean and bright. Then, over the next weeks, it tends to tarnish. Retrieving brass after a cowboy match is easier if the brass is bright, so my second wash uses the same pins and LemiShine, but substitutes ArmorAll Wash'n'Wax for the Dawn. This leaves a micro coating of hard wax on the cases, which I can't see, but tarnish is eliminated. The wax survives the loading process, too.

An hour with each has served well, with a rinse between.

[dondiego]

You could also put the SS pin cleaned brass back into your dry tumbler and add you nu-finish and tumble a few minutes.

[Walter Laich]

I put Armor-All wash and wax (or whatever is cheaper) in mine. 1 oz. Nothing else but water and ¼ teaspoon of LemiShine.

just tumble and rinse at end. has a wax coating that keeps brass shiny

[Rizzo]

My method with my wet tumbler (Frankford Arsenal) is to add the SS pins and brass, then fill with hot water, add a squirt of Dawn liquid soap and a 9mm case full of Citric Acid (bought at Walmart for approx $3.00?).
I tumble for 1-1/2 hours.

I then dump out the liquid and pour the rest into an RCBS media sifter (https://www.rcbs.com/case-prep/clean/16-87076.html) that is filled with clean water.
The SS pins get separated and the cases get rinsed.

Then I dump the clean shiny cases on to a towel to dry.
Caution: Wear sun glasses as those cases are very shiny! <grin>

Optional step is to first decap the primers from the cases and then tumble.

[lightman]

Substitute some type of automotive wash and wax for the dawn.

[2A-Jay]

I wet tumble all my cases with SS Pins and Lemishine after rinsing in my FA Media Separator the go into my dehydrator for an hour to dry. They stay cleand shiny for months.

[clemje]

Don't go overboard on the Lemi-Shine... it'll stain your brass pink. I use a 44 magnum case filled to the brim and find that's plenty. It's more for softening the water than cleaning the brass. The pins and cases rubbing on each other is where the real cleaning action happens.

For a detergent, I use Turtle Wax Wash and Wax car wash. I've tried Dawn and others but always come back to the car wash/wax because it really seems to cut down on spotting/staining while the brass is drying.

Separate your cases from the media, toss the cleaned cases in a large terry cloth town to remove as much water as possible and lay them out in front of a fan to dry for a few hours. They come out looking better than new!

[Dapaki]

clemje, is that the Zip was and wax?

[clemje]

clemje, is that the Zip was and wax?

I believe so. It's what WallyWorld sells for cheap and it seems to work great. Any car wash and wax should work just fine though...

[Mal Paso]

Dawn and car wash/wax fight each other so I wash with dawn and after a plain water rinse, a rinse in car wash/wax before drying.

My boolit lube is mostly beeswax and I need Dawn to cut it. If you powder coat you could likely just use car wash/wax for whole process.

[Dapaki]

Dawn and car wash/wax fight each other so I wash with dawn and after a plain water rinse, a rinse in car wash/wax before drying.

My boolit lube is mostly beeswax and I need Dawn to cut it. If you powder coat you could likely just use car wash/wax for whole process.

I do! Thanks for the tips guys, I'll grab some TW from Wally-world. I use Dawn right now, it works but it can sometimes come out dull.

[Starsizer]

Don't go overboard on the Lemi-Shine... it'll stain your brass pink. I use a 44 magnum case filled to the brim and find that's plenty. It's more for softening the water than cleaning the brass. The pins and cases rubbing on each other is where the real cleaning action happens.

For a detergent, I use Turtle Wax Wash and Wax car wash. I've tried Dawn and others but always come back to the car wash/wax because it really seems to cut down on spotting/staining while the brass is drying.

Separate your cases from the media, toss the cleaned cases in a large terry cloth town to remove as much water as possible and lay them out in front of a fan to dry for a few hours. They come out looking better than new!

Had the wife pick up some Armor All Wash & Wax like was suggested. Wow! What a difference. My Dawn washed cases were sticking on the Dillon powder expander before and it took some upward effort on the handle to get them. Switched to the Armor All product and they slip right off with little effort. Always learning something new.

[clemje]

Had the wife pick up some Armor All Wash & Wax like was suggested. Wow! What a difference. My Dawn washed cases were sticking on the Dillon powder expander before and it took some upward effort on the handle to get them. Switched to the Armor All product and they slip right off with little effort. Always learning something new.

Awesome--glad it worked out well for ya!

[Starsizer]

Been reloading and casting for over 50 years but always seem to learn something new here. Great tips!