SS Media = Light Brown tarnish on brass????????

[rbertalotto]

When I use SS pins with distilled water (from my dehumidifier) and a little squirt of Dawn in a "Tumblers Tumbler" my brass comes out with a light brown tarnish. Clean as a whistle, but stained. I then dry the brass and tumble in my vibrating cleaner with corncob and a touch of "Brasso" for about 30 minutes.

Brass comes out like new. Tranish all gone.

But I wish it came out of the SS media without the tarnish.

Any ideas what I'm doing wrong? (I can't find "Lemishine" anywhere around here)

[VHoward]

Lemishine is usually found in the dishwashing soap aisle with the rinse agents. It is a water softener with citric acid in it. If you can't find some cleaning agent with citric acid in it, then try lemon juice.

['74 sharps]

I have never found a need for distilled water. Liquid dish soap and straight citric acid works well. Citric acid is available online and is inexpensive.

[Iron Mike Golf]

I recommend you keep the Brasso away from your shooting brass. And anything else with ammonia in it. You might want to consider pitching that brass. Search for this: brass "stress corrosion cracking" ammonia

Bottom line: traces of ammonia can make brass brittle, which is not a good thing for cartridge cases.

[Love Life]

I waould say you added to much soap to the mix. That will usually "Bronze the brass". Also did your bass have case lube on it before SS tumbling? That will leave a wonderful coating on everything. The inside of the drum, the pins, and the brass. Super hot water and Dawn is your friend if that happened...

[rbertalotto]

I had a discussion years ago with a metalurgist about Brasso and firearm brass. He confirmed that a tablespoon or two in a vibratory cleaner with corncob would not hurt or weaken the brass. I've been doing it for 40 years with zero issues. But thanks for the concern......

Anyways...... I use very little dawn. And I washed the brass in 160 degree hot water with Dawn to remove the SPG lube residue.

I'm going to have to find that Lemishine.

[Bonz]

2 gallons cold water, 1/2 tsp Lemishine & 3 tablespoons Dawn dish detergent works for me in my wet tumbler

70472

[rbertalotto]

NICE!

What tumbler are you using if I might ask?

[freebullet]

This forum is too helpful, all that new looking used brass has got me wanting to make a rotary tumbler & get ss pins.

[Bonz]

NICE!

What tumbler are you using if I might ask?

The commercial tumbler ( 40 pounds ) from Stainless Steel Media, link on the tool bar. I can wash 15 pounds of brass per load and the machine is definately heavy duty and comes with a lifetime warranty. Its a big investment but it will be the last tumbler I buy =and= no more corn cob, crushed walnut shells, car polish, etc etc etc. It uses electricity, water, dawn dish soap & lemishine.

There are also a few members that sell tumblers made out of PVC pipe.

I tried the "budget model", the thumbler tumbler first. Does a great job but no lifetime warranty, definately not heavy duty and can only wash about 2 pounds of brass per load. I don't know about you, but I load a minimum of 500 rounds at a time, more like 1000 rounds at a time most of the time. That photo is 15 pounds of 45acp that I washed today.

[Love Life]

From dirty in the totes, to super clean in 2 hours in my Bigg Dawg tumbler. Sure makes it nice and pretty!

[USMC87]

I can't wait to get mine finished so I can quit being jealous of you guys brass.

[Bonz]

I don't wash a lot of Nickel plated brass but when I do, the brass ends up tinted black. And I have no idea why... Anyone have any idea why the nickel plated brass gets a black tint to it after wet tumbling ?

70518

And yes, I separate the brass from nickel plated brass and don't wet tumble them together