Stainless steel tumbling media

[JRLesan]

I built a new tumbler here a while back to experiment with the stainless steel pins. They do a good job - better than anything else I've tried over the years - but the shine doesn't last. The cases tarnish back up almost overnight and after several weeks don't look so good. Anyone else play with this stuff yet???

[edler7]

I've been using it a couple years, no problems. I read about some guys having this problem and it seems to be related to their local water chemistry and hardness. Are you using lemi-shine in your tumbler water ?

My recipe is a couple tablespoons of Dawn dish soap and 1/4 teaspoon of lemi-shine. Tumble a couple hours, then rinse in clear water, a final rinse in another dab of lemi-shine and water then into the oven for an hour or so at 250. I bought a plastic sheet rock mud box at Lowes for a few bucks, makes a nice brass holder/rinse pan.

I've also seen that guys run them in a vibratory tumbler with a little nu-shine for about 30 minutes after they are dry. Seems to keep the shine on them longer.

[308gunman]

Do they make a tumbler for the SS media that is resonably priced?

[JRLesan]

Is it necessary to use 'DAWN' versus 'Joy' which is what I used? I did use 'Lemi Shine' but could see no difference between 2 test groups; one with and one without the 'Lemi shine'. I could not find a reasonably priced wet tumbler which is why I built my own out of an old 'SAS' frame and other components.

[Stishooter]

harbor freight dual-drum-rotary-rock-tumbler for 49 bucks and with coupon online cost me 39...

[Stishooter]

@ 308gunman harbor freight dual-drum-rotary-rock-tumbler for 49 bucks and with coupon online cost me 39...

[longranger10]

I built a new tumbler here a while back to experiment with the stainless steel pins. They do a good job - better than anything else I've tried over the years - but the shine doesn't last. The cases tarnish back up almost overnight and after several weeks don't look so good. Anyone else play with this stuff yet???

We have had a few people have similar problems. I've got a few things for you to try: Make sure you rinse your media and brass really good when you are done using it. Run just the media with soap and water to help clean it too. If you use too much LemiShine it will cause tarnishing. If none of those options works then after you have cleaned the brass and rinsed it really good give it a quick bath in a bucket of clean water with 1/4 tsp. lemishine them let it dry.

-STM

[40Super]

I use the pins in my Lyman 1200 vibratory and use Dawn( it just works real good) and cheapo laundry detergent(plenty of both1/4cup ea?), plus just a small dash Lemon shine. more lemonshine will cause the soap to go "flat" plus cause dark brass. For my water I need it to feel really slippery from the soap, it allows the pins to "float" around. When I have to much lemonshine in it the pins want to pack and not churn. I also have to really , really rinse the brass off good, till all hint of the soapy feel is gone, otherwise the brass will get dark overnight.

As long as I get the ratios good , I get clean brass in 10-15min. I can't say it's the easiest method of cleaning brass but they sure do look Purdee !:mrgreen:

[edler7]

Is it necessary to use 'DAWN' versus 'Joy' which is what I used?

I don't think it makes a lot of difference. They are both detergent, and their job is to make water wetter. Dawn is what I have seen recommended, maybe that's because that was what was in the kitchen (like at my place).

[lmfd20]

I use the dish detergent from the dollar store and lemishine. My last run looked better. I ran for about two and a half hours with the soap and ran fresh water through until it was somewhat clear. Then added lemishine and ran another 30mins. I let them air dry in my sun room under the fan. They are still laying on the towel and look brand new about 48hrs later. I've been lazy and haven't got around to putting them up.

[phil3333]

my way of doing it is I run the brass in my rotary tumbler for 1 hour and I do not use the
cheap dish soap it didnt work well for me, then they go on a towel with a high speed fan
blowing on them for 1/2 hour then in my vibratory tumbler for 1/2 hour to finish drying
and to add a more lasting shine this gives you a shine that last the brass in the pic here
are around three weeks old

65889

[anotherred]

I've noticed mine tarnish over time. I do rinse excessively after tumbling, so I really doubt that is a factor. Its only noticeable comparing fresh tumbled vs. "old" brass. From what I'm guessing its just normal patina that happens with the brass as it sits. Maybe retumble in a vibratory with some wax would seal the brass form the air and keep it looking as bright as possible. That little darkening don't bother me, so I'm leaving it at good enough.

[40Super]

Put the lemonshine in with the soap and only run it one time instead of in 2 separate loads. It'll come out with the same shine.

[ACrowe25]

Man, it is hard to argue those results. I need to really look into one of these. Those that use... any recommendation for a tumbler? Any use the rock tumblers at harbor freight?

[M-Tecs]

I haven’t been having any issues with Dawn soap & Lemi-shine for smokeless cases but my blackpowder cases are coming out bronze colored. Any suggestion on how to get the like new shine the smokeless cases have?

[Racenviper]

I use Dawn and Lemi-shine, my brass comes out of the tumlber great looking, then it turns a dark color. I have seen mix results of brass tarnishing or it doesn't. I live on a well with salt treatment for water hardness, this is the one thing no one talks about when praising or dissing this method. I think the type of water used be it well softness treatment or city water is a must in trying to understand mixed results we see here.

[Russ in WY]

Mite try the Citric Acid as a last cycle . It leaves a protective coating on even after a warm water rinse , that seems to last for ever . Stays nice and bright if that's what U-R after.. My 2¢, Russ...

[Racenviper]

Lemi-shine is citric acid.

[Russ in WY]

True , However the Citric Acid that I used & was referring to was a Brewer's grade[Pure white powder]. I have the Lemi-shine , & it appears to be a granular compound & says with "Oil's".... can't say there is or isn't a difference... Russ...

[Bullet Caster]

M-Tecs,

Your brass will look more like brass after tumbling if you cut down on the detergent. I've tried several runs with citric acid, detergent and ss pins. The more soap you add, the more bronze coloured they become. A little detergent goes a very long way. What happens is that you override the citric acid in the Lemo Shine with the phosphates in the detergent. The phosphates cause the bronze colour. Hope this will help. BC

[Love Life]

I use food grade, non GMO, organic citric acid with my acid wash and my SS tumbler.

2 reasons. I can buy it in bulk and it is cheap. I should add more to the cost for "Green Brass"

[40Super]

I have the opposite results, I need to use quite a bit of soap and litterally just a dash of Lemonshine. I need the water to feel real slippery and soapy. The more lemonshine I add, the more the slippery goes away and the pins don't circulate as good. Also with more Lemonshine I add the darker my brass comes out. I have a water softener and a rural well(high iron), so depending on water "makeup" will depend on what works. Everybody should start with a set amount of soap, then slowly add Lemonshine in dash incriments to find that perfect ratio, then write it down.

[Canadian reloader]

I use 1/4 teaspoon of Lemon Shine 2 teaspoons of Sunlight dish soap and water out of our R/O machine no scum of water spots. Shines like new[smilie=s:

[huntnfish72]

My cases come out great. 8 lbs brass. 1 tsp dawn. 1 lemi shine 5 lns pins

[max range]

I too had tarnish problems. The brass was "virgin brass" clean after using SS pins but it didnt last long and I didnt like waiting for them to air dry either. So I tumble in corn cob and "New Finish" car wax for about 20 min. After 45-60 min with the pins.

They come out dry and protected from tarnishing. I like my brass to look shiny plus I like the inside of the case to be mirror bright too.

You might say I am doing it twice but the results are the brightest brass and they stay that way. Tarnished reloads telegraph possible inconsistancy.

[Bayou52]

I've been using SS media tumbling for about a year now. To help keep tarnish from reappearing on the wet tumbled brass, I do a couple of things:

1. Cold water is used both in the tumbling and in the rinsing (the media separation) phase,

2. In the rinsing phase, I add 1 tsp of the liquid Lemi-Shine Rinse agent (as opposed to the Lemi-Shine crystals) to the cold water. I rinse the newly tumbled brass in the cold water containing the rinse agent, and agitate for a bit to separate the pins and bath the brass in the rinse.

I've got brass setting in an open plastic tray for 8 months still sporting a nice, shiny look.

Does anyone else have any experience using Lemi-Shine Rinse Agent in such a way?

Bayou52

[Silverboolit]

I use the HF dual tumbler with satisfaction. Two problems with it are: the drive belt (O ring) just wears to the point of breaking. I use 3 7/8 in. O ring for a replacement. The other is the capacity. It is a little short. I get the 'refresher' pack of pins from STM. It is like 2 #'s of pins as each of the barrells hold 1 # of pins. Have fun.

[Bayou52]

Has anyone had any problems with SS pins getting stuck in flash holes? The diameter of the pins that came with my tumbling kit is 0.041".

This size pin was giving me stuck pins in 3 - 5 % of the brasses. I've switched to a larger diameter pin, 0.047". In several thousand cases, so far not a single stuck pin.

I'm interested in hearing how others are dealing with the stuck pins in the flash holes issue.

Bayou52

[longranger10]

We've got a sale going on at STM which ends tonight for Media Separators. Check it out (http://www.stainlesstumblingmedia.com/media-separator-deluxe.html), great deal for a separator if you need one!!

[rondog]

Has anyone had any problems with SS pins getting stuck in flash holes? The diameter of the pins that came with my tumbling kit is 0.041".

This size pin was giving me stuck pins in 3 - 5 % of the brasses. I've switched to a larger diameter pin, 0.047". In several thousand cases, so far not a single stuck pin.

I'm interested in hearing how others are dealing with the stuck pins in the flash holes issue.

Bayou52

I think my pins are .041 x .265, or thereabouts, and I've yet to see any stuck in a flash hole.

[Dutchninja]

Bayou52 - I had stuck pins in flash holes in about the same percentage you stated when I first used them. Prior to sizing or any other operation I do check the flash hole for obstructions. Its another step but with how clean the cases get, I'll take the hit. Anyways, it also seems, for me that I have had less and less stuck in the flash holes the more I have used them. I've tumbled probably 100K, or more, worth of pistol and rifle brass and I'm still using the first bag of pins I've ordered from STM. Some batches have been decapped, other still have the primers in place. If I do see pins stuck in the flash hole now I will discard those pins. I haven't seen any issues with the flash hole that would explain anything either. I might get the larger size if i need more pins, per Rondog

I've been trying to get so much 38 cleaned up, I've been getting up in the middle of the night to switch over loads. That's why I love this type of case cleaning, I don't have to buy media all the time. Haven't used either of my vibratory tumblers in three years. I gave all my walnut and corn cob media to my father in law.

I'm on city water and have not had any tarnishing issues listed. I've used lemon shine (the granular stuff not the liquid) quite a bit, but dish washer magic (granular) works well too if you just happen to buy every bottle of lemon shine the store had!

[Bayou52]

Bayou52 - I had stuck pins in flash holes in about the same percentage you stated when I first used them. Prior to sizing or any other operation I do check the flash hole for obstructions. Its another step but with how clean the cases get, I'll take the hit. Anyways, it also seems, for me that I have had less and less stuck in the flash holes the more I have used them. I've tumbled probably 100K, or more, worth of pistol and rifle brass and I'm still using the first bag of pins I've ordered from STM.

I'm on city water and have not had any tarnishing issues listed. I've used lemon shine (the granular stuff not the liquid) quite a bit, but dish washer magic (granular) works well too if you just happen to buy every bottle of lemon shine the store had!

Dutchninja -

Sounds like we've had nearly identical experiences using the standard size pins. Like you say, if you don't mind checking the flash holes, you're OK.

In addition to switching to a larger size pin, the only other change I've made since getting my set up from STM has been to the recipe - I'v switched from using Dawn dishwashing liquid to using Armor-All auto wash & wax. The wax agent keeps those brasses bright and shiney!

Bayou52

[Dutchninja]

I've let some brass that I've tumbled out sit for a while and they do become some what flat in their shine but still gleam 10x as much as I could get with corn cob or treated walnut. I have found the dawn soap at SAMs club that's for "professional use" (the one with the pump dispenser) to be thicker than the standard stuff. Haven't tried armour all, sounds interesting

[Dutchninja]

FWIW, I just ran some numbers for the amount of cases I've tumbled so far in the past two years. I can approximate the numbers as I'm selling what gets cleaned up in addition to my own personal reloading. With the very first 5 lbs of pins I purchased I have easily processed and cleaned more than 200K of pistol and rifle brass. I have not had to replace any belts, gaskets, or anything else on the tumbler. I know I don't have five pounds of pins in it now, (more likely 4lbs or less) due to them getting lost in the separating process or while being poured back into the tumbler. I run a magnet to pick up the ones that have fallen into the concrete abyss. I'm going to have to sell my vibratory tumbler because I don't for see a use for them anymore!

[Baja_Traveler]

I haven’t been having any issues with Dawn soap & Lemi-shine for smokeless cases but my blackpowder cases are coming out bronze colored. Any suggestion on how to get the like new shine the smokeless cases have?

I get the same results with black powder cases. You have to tumble in a two stage process to get shiny brass when shooting BP. Dump them in the tumbler with only Dawn and tumble for 1/2 hour, then dump the black water and rinse until clear. Then run the brass like you normally would with Dawn and Lemishine. Its that initial slug of charcoal/sulphur stuff that bonds to the brass and turns it dark, by knocking it down at the start the brass looks great.

[Dutchninja]

I've had the same experience as Baja with BP cases. I had maybe 100 38 Long colt that were incrusted with this powder and gunk mix. The water on the first run seemed almost thick when I dumped it. I had to wash the SS pins out twice too. Ran the cases again for just a bit, came out perfect. The only problem i had was they were balloon head cases, had a lot of the pins stuck inside. Had to remove them one my one... PITA