Windex?!!

[Jim]

I usually put a tablespoon or so of mineral spirits in my walnut media when I set up to tumble fired brass. Yesterday, I put a bunch of .308 brass in the tumbler and couldn't find my mineral spirits. Irritated, I got the Windex out from under the sink and wet the media with that. "Work or don't, that's what's goin' in."

Two hours later, I cut the tumbler off, took the top off and thought I had found the fountain of youth. The brass was beautiful and shiney. I would never have thought that Windex would do that.

[lead4me]

Really?? I was just loading my tumbler with 44/444 brass think I'll give it a go. Let ya know in a couple of hours.

[acguy45]

Alot of things work in a pinch it seems. You might want to check the label though alot of windex and windex type glass cleaners contain ammonia. Brass and ammonia don't really paly nice with each other over a period of time.

[Jim]

I found this on the Johnson & Johnson site (http://www.windex.com/en-US/Pages/Faq.aspx):

"The following products do not contain ammonia. They can be used in cases where ammonia is not recommended for use on surface.

Windex® Crystal Rain™

Windex® Multi-Surface with Glade® Clear Springs™

Windex® Multi-Surface Antibacterial

Windex® Multi-Surface Vinegar

Windex® Outdoor Multi-Surface Concentrated Cleaner

Windex™ Outdoor All-in-One Glass Cleaning Tool"

It never occured to me to check the contents. As it turns out, I have the last one listed.

[WILCO]

That's great Jim! Thanks for the heads up. I stopped using Brasso for the above mentioned reason.

[MGySgt]

If I am not mistaken - Vinegar is also detrimental to brass - I remember reading that it will etch the brass.

FWIW

[Four Fingers of Death]

I have always used media from the gunshop, but now have a humoungous bag of corn cob media which was actually pet bedding. What should I add to this for cleaning brass?

[MGySgt]

FFOD - New Finish car polish is what a lot of us use. Works as good as the stuff Dillion sells.

put a glob in run the tumber or vibrator cleaner a few minutes to disperse the stuff and then dump in your cases.

[Four Fingers of Death]

New Finish doesn't ring a bell (but then again, I haven't washed my truck for several years). I will have to have a look around.

[Guesser]

NuFinish is in the bright orange bottle at the parts store or Walmart. I had a bottle of Lyman polish and a bottle of NuFinish, I can't tell the difference in the product, except the price.

[MGySgt]

Try liquid Turtle wax also

[max it]

ditto, i use anything...glad to know not to use ammonia, but anything else: This thread taught me that mineral spirits work well. that one i didnt know. mostly my walnut shells are from the bird store. 10# for around $3. doesnt get any better.
actually whatever the cheapest car polish is my favorite, walmart, big lots, target they all get my attn.

max

[milprileb]

To expedite the saturation of media with Nu Finish, I mix it with mineral spirits and dump in tumbler and let it run to mix in well with media. Just makes Nu Finish disperse a bit faster.

YMMV. Will try Turtle was liquid though !

[dauntlessdave]

To expedite the saturation of media with Nu Finish, I mix it with mineral spirits and dump in tumbler and let it run to mix in well with media. Just makes Nu Finish disperse a bit faster.

I've used that combo for years with what I consider great success. Haven't tried Windex but don't really care to until this formula doesn't work any longer.

[Tristan]

To expedite the saturation of media with Nu Finish, I mix it with mineral spirits and dump in tumbler and let it run to mix in well with media. Just makes Nu Finish disperse a bit faster.

YMMV. Will try Turtle was liquid though !

This is what I do, too.

Works well, but takes time if the brass is particularly tarnished.

Thanks for the heads up on Windex, Jim. I'll try to find some of the one you used without ammonia and load up a new batch of media with it.

- Tristan

[Mooseman]

A very good use for REGULAR Windex is at the range after shooting any gun with corrosive primed ammo. A good flush down the chamber and bore followed by a swabbing will not only flush the corrosive salts but will also attack any copper fouling in the process due to the ammonia content. The surfactants/detergents and water work on the salts. Then you can clean as normal when you get home and oil the gun for storage.
Hints from Gunouise !!! lol

[3006guns]

A good flush down the chamber and bore followed by a swabbing will not only flush the corrosive salts but will also attack any copper fouling in the process due to the ammonia content.

Didn't the OP just state that Windex is ammonia free?

[MGySgt]

Didn't the OP just state that Windex is ammonia free?

Some windex is and some isn't. Also this one is talking about barrell cleaning vice brass cleaning. Most barrel solvent have amonia in them (if not all)

[Four Fingers of Death]

Try liquid Turtle wax also

Yep! We can get Turtle Wax here! I have several bottles downstairs, unused gifts (maybe my rellies are trying to tell me something!).

[MtGun44]

Nu Finish, not New Finish.

Bill

[rednexx]

Has any one here tried Flitz media additive? I find it works very well.

[wrinkles]

I use rice as the media and add a cap of nufinish every so often.

[a.squibload]

Rice is probably too large to get stuck in the primer holes?
I've about had it with walnut shell, works good but most of my cases
get bits of shell stuck in 'em.
I'll try it!

[wrinkles]

I've never had a problem with rice getting into the primer holes.

[MGySgt]

Bill is correct Nu Finish - spelling isn't one of my strong suits!

[Four Fingers of Death]

Bill is correct Nu Finish - spelling isn't one of my strong suits!

Actually, you spelt it correctly, they have spelt it wrong, but, it is their product and they can call it what they want. :)

[Hardcast416taylor]

Has any one here tried Flitz media additive? I find it works very well.


Yes, I have used the tumbler type of Flitz. It did indeed make the brass look like it was just formed. The only down side of it is it seems a bit pricey to me.Robert

[Lead Fred]

Been using a squirt of Brasso for decades now, aint goona change any time soon

[MtGun44]

Brasso has ammonia, deteriorates the brass chemically, causes cracks over the long
run.

And four fingers is right on the spelling issue - you spelled it right for everything except
this particular product, they are wrong, really. OTOH, someone trying to find it on the
web has to have the right spelling, why I bothered to mention it.

Bill

[Lead Fred]

Then it must be an darn long time. Ive been using the same 120 cases for over 10 years now.
They have been cleaned and fired 20-30 times so far. Ive been throwing some out due to stretched primer pockets, not neck cracks

[Lloyd Smale]

I too have used brasso on and off for over 30 years and never saw it hurt a thing. Keep in mind that theres is a very small amount of ammonia in it and that your only using a teespoon of it in your brass and when you add it and run your tumbler to mix it in that alot of what is in it evaportates very quickly. Ive done enough brass in my life both using it and not to say without a doubt it does nothing to your brass. If your getting premature brass failure its more likely a bad batch of brass then anything brasso is doing to it. Just another one of those urban ledgends that should have been put to rest years ago.

[nanuk]

New Finish doesn't ring a bell (but then again, I haven't washed my truck for several years). I will have to have a look around.


I have had 4 trucks and the only time they get washed is when it rains.

washing doesn't get where it counts anyways...

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

generally, I add liquid car wax to my tumbling media...whatever is cheapest, many times I get partial bottles of it near free from garage sales.

If I have some stubborn stained brass, besides the wax, I add Turtle wax's "Polishing Compound" paste, I dilute it with 90% Isopropyl alcohol till it pours like liquid car wax. I've tried the "Rubbing Compound" also, but it seems too aggressive for my tastes. Many times Menards has the "Polishing Compound" on sale for $0.99.
Jon

[MtGun44]

Ammonia damage to brass is not an urban legend, but I have no doubt that low enough
concentrations such as you say, may well be acceptable, and your experience
shows that it apparently is. Personally, I'll stick to Nu Finish.

Bill

[Mooseman]

EVERY reloading manual I have says right in it "Do NOT use ammonia Based polishes on Brass because it weakens it" as the ammonia attacks the copper in the brass...as well as every tumbler polish maker advertises "contains no ammonia".

Why risk possible damage to a gun or yourself by weakened Cases , when it can be avoided by following directions and using something else thats relatively inexpensive ??? Thats one lottery I am not gonna play !

[milprileb]

Rice: probably good enough on pistol brass (large mouth) but on rifle, there is a
chance all your rice may not come out readily and be wedged inside the case , thus
changing volume and potential pressures.

I had this problem with some larger grade of crushed Walnut hull media and had to be careful to use a probe to insure each rifle case was clear of media... gets even more dynamic if its a .223 case.

My solution: buy the finest grade of crushed walnut hulls at the pet store. The stuff pours out of rifle cases like water. End of problem, end of risks.

[wrinkles]

I use rice on .223, and 308 on a regular basis and have no problems with it getting stuck in the case. Corncob media on the other hand was a bear to remove from inside the case.

[MtGun44]

"Corncob was a bear to remove from the inside of the case."

HUH?! How are you managing this?

I have been using it for 25-30 yrs, it falls out instantly IME, shaking the
brass in a chicken fryer 'screen pot' thing for 20-30 seconds for a few hundred
cases. If you use the wrong size and use it with deprimed cases, it can jam
a single grain in the flash hole, but that is the worst thing I have
ever seen.

Bill

[wrinkles]

I was using animal bedding corncob. I guess it's larger than what you use because I chunked it after the second try that along with a few cases I didn't want to have to mess with trying to get the media out.

[tomme boy]

The bedding corn cob is too large for 223. I used to have a 243 an it would stick in that also. I think it would be OK for straight wall casings. I may go get some from walmart and try that. Normally I use walnut from the pet store for everything.

[Lead Fred]

"Corncob was a bear to remove from the inside of the case."

HUH?! How are you managing this?


Bill

a pick thru the primer pocket, then 165lb of compressed air.

There aint no media left in the cases



Why risk possible damage to a gun or yourself by weakened Cases

Ive not seen any such problems with the cases I use. I build 105% nasty hot rounds.
There has never been one case that shows signs.
Thats why

[a.squibload]

A lot of what I tumble is for making jackets, still has spent primers in it.
Maybe I'll check at the pet store for fine walnut.
What's a good size of corncob grit? Might try that some time.

Never used wax or polish, been doing the citric acid soak before tumbling,
it works. Have to dry the cases though, polish in the media might be easier.

I bought the cheapest rice they had on the way home today, if it doesn't work out
we can eat it up! I like fish & rice, or pork chops & rice, or chicken & rice, or....

[DukeInFlorida]

Corn cob media and walnut media come in various sizes. If you're using product that is dust fine, or nearly so, then you are buying and using the wrong size of the product.

I believe that the size that I use is the 14-16 size, and never have any issues with media getting stuck inside cases.

I use a mixture of mineral spirits and NuFinish, as others have suggested. I add more when the media starts looking dry (dusty), and I can't smell the mineral spirits any more.

Please don't use any products containing ammonia on your brass. First, it will attack the copper in the brass, as Mooseman said. Also, it will quickly cause the brass to return to a green (corrosion) condition.

One of the keys to success with media tumbling is to load the tumbler correctly. Polishing isn't just about the media pushing up against the brass. It's more about the brass pushing the media up against the brass. That is to say that most people UNDER load their media tumblers.

Here's the best way to load a tumbler:

1) Completely empty the tumbler of media. I keep a 3 gallon bucket close at hand for that purpose.
2) Add brass to the tumbler. By adding the brass to an empty tumbler, you can fit more in. I fill mine at least to 1/2 of the volume of the tumbler. Sometimes bit more than that. I don't worry about weight. I fill to volume.
3) Finally, add the media to the top of the brass. The media will fall down into the cracks and crevices, and you should be able to put quite a bit into the tumbler. Fill with media until the tumbler is quite full to the top. Install cover, and tighten.
4) I always allow the tumbler to run about 5 minutes (for the cases to fill up with media), and then open it up, and top off the media as needed. If you don't have a full bowl, the brass won't move in it's cyclonic action, and the cleaning will take longer.
5) A couple to three hours is usually enough to achieve a nice bright shine, and clean brass.

If I have dirty/dusty/muddy brass, I wash that off as much as possible ahead of time (fresh water only), and allow that to dry. I have an old batch of media, which contains some dust/sand, etc. I do a fast tumble in that **** for 1/2 to knock the same stuff off the brass, and then switch out the media to new media, and process as above.

[Ausglock]

FFOD. Where did you get the bag of Corn cob from?
I've looked in all the local pet stores around northern NSW, and they have no idea.

[Four Fingers of Death]

FFOD. Where did you get the bag of Corn cob from?
I've looked in all the local pet stores around northern NSW, and they have no idea.

My mate imported a pallet load from the States. Came in 35lb bags, worked out at $AU54 :(

Trouble is, most of the guys who said that they would buy it, ended up getting the cheap ultrasonic cleaners that appeared on the market here recently and welched on him.

[azrednek]

Guess I'm weird. I haven't been adding anything to my media and the brass comes out of the tumbler just fine. If I'm having a problem with static, using a spray bottle I add a few shots of water.

[Four Fingers of Death]

Guess I'm weird. I haven't been adding anything to my media and the brass comes out of the tumbler just fine. If I'm having a problem with static, using a spray bottle I add a few shots of water.

I think the specific firearms media such as Lyman's, etc already has stuff in it to help the polishing process. That is all I have used until now and they worked fine.

[twotoescharlie]

I use a small chunk of jewelers rouge in my polisher-tumblers, last a long time and you don't have to replace it very often.

TTC

[Jim]

I never had any idea that a simple comment about Windex would go to three pages. Just goes to show ya' where our interests are.

[azrednek]

I think the specific firearms media such as Lyman's, etc already has stuff in it to help the polishing process. That is all I have used until now and they worked fine.

I've been using ordinary pet bedding for better than 15 years. I've also used rice given to me by a Y2K Doomsdayer and some hard and stale dry dog food.

The few times I've put brass on a table at a gunshow. I've added a piece of Jeweler's Rouge to the media. The rouge gives brass a poshed gold appearance, often makes the brass' surface look better than new. I can more often than not get my asking price on the highly polished brass.



I never had any idea that a simple comment about Windex would go to three pages. Just goes to show ya' where our interests are.

The subject of the best additive for tumbling always brings plenty of opinions. Not just here but any gun related newsgroup. I'm convinced all the suggestions are good but I'll continue using just my media and no additives. Possibly I have to leave it in the tumbler a bit longer but it works fine for me.

[Jim]

I'm enjoyin' readin' all these responses. I'm learnin'!

[Four Fingers of Death]

I'm enjoyin' readin' all these responses. I'm learnin'!

That reminds me of the old joke, 'did you hear about the butcher that stopped for a short rest and sat back on the mincing machine, he got behind in his work!'

[Lloyd Smale]

no doubt your correct. I think though that many of us add to the media to make it clean faster and in some cases like when your brass is real nasty or has water spot corrosion on it regular media would take about forever to get totaly back to looking like new. I usually throw a bit of brasso or new finish in if its picked up range brass but once the brass is back in good shape regular media will clean it just fine.
Guess I'm weird. I haven't been adding anything to my media and the brass comes out of the tumbler just fine. If I'm having a problem with static, using a spray bottle I add a few shots of water.

[a.squibload]

My tumbler is an old rock polisher so it doesn't need
to be full. Cylindrical, rotates on it's side.
I use it about 1/3 to 1/2 full of media, works fine.
Gonna try rice, hope brown rice is OK!

[MC One Shot]

I use rice as the media and add a cap of nufinish every so often.

Are you using a tumbler or vibratory cleaner?

[wrinkles]

Vibratory.

[DLCTEX]

Drillspot is my source for corncob media. Free shipping.

[a.squibload]

Tried the rice, not as aggressive, more of a polish, but it works.
Still found some media stuck in the primer holes but not as many
and they came out easy with just a tap on the table.
And it's a lot cheaper!
I'll try it a few more times with different conditions of brass,
at the least it's good as an alternate.
Still wanna try corn as well.

[Twinkiethekid]

I will have to try windex one of these days. Sometimes I clean them by hand with 0000 steel wool if I dont have a lot. If I have a lot I will let the tumbler run all night that will get them super shiny.

[Four Fingers of Death]

I was walking throught the garahe today and saw an orange object in amongst the junk on the shelves. Lo and behold, a bottle of Nu Finish!.

I put it on my bench for later. Going o/s in a few days, flat out. I will try it out ina month or so when I get back.

[fishhawk]

I have been reading this and I guess I just don't get it with using brasso for the media. If you let the ammonia evaporate before adding the brass whats going to attack the brass? If the ammonia is gone its gone isn't it? steve k

[Longone]

So today I tried Nu Finish for the first time along with a new batch of corn cob. Well can someone tell me why the corn cob is all loaded up in the base of the 45's? I mean it has coated the inside of the cases.

I ran the tumbler with the new media and the Nu Finish for about 20 minutes to get the chunks broken up and coat all the CC. So is the CC the problem (it is a finer size than I used to use)? Never had this happen before. I think I bought the CC from Grainger or one of the other industrial suppliers.

Where do you buy your CC media?

Longone

[MGySgt]

How much NU Finish did you use? Only should have been a few (3 at the most) cap fulls. then add one or two capfulls each time you run it.

[Longone]

I believe it is a static problem not the fault of the Nu Finish. My CC media is fine and when you turn the case over and tap it on a piece of wood 99% of the media falls out.

Longone