inexpensive brass cleaning device?

[Matt85]

so im looking around at tumblers and sonic cleaners but im new to this game so im not really sure what would work for me. unfortunately im also running low on funds as all the equipment needed for loading has drained the wallet (and i still need a new bullet mold). i need something that will clean filthy 45-70 brass, i shoot BP cartridges and the brass gets very nasty. i don't need something big as id be cleaning small batches of around 50 cases at a time. can you please recommend something?

thank you
-matt

[SteveUSP]

Try this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PF5B6DkxXH8. You probably already have one.

[gunoil]

i made this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_FpiTzVYP8

lemi-shine, dawn @ walmart. I use hot water and rinse with hot too. Lay on a towel in spare room, or 120 in oven if ya in a hurry, I always stay 700 to 1300 ahead for each cal

[mdi]

Well, FWIW, I reloaded quite successfully for 12 years before I got a tumbler. I would just wipe the cases with a damp rag (mineral spirits) as I inspected it. No worn out dies, and I could spot any defects as I inspected the brass. If you want to make a tumbler google "home made ball mills" or "home made brass/case cleaners". Another method is using a plastic coffee can, some lemishine, a drop or two of dish soap, and hot water. Put all the stuff into the coffee can, about 3/4 full, and shake for a few minutes. Drain, rinse, and dry. Your brass will be pretty clean, mebbe shiny, and good for reloading.

The price has gone up on these Harbor Freight tumblers (I got mine for $29.00 a bunch of years ago) but still a good start. You can wet tumble or use a dry media like walnut shells.
http://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result?q=tumbler

[dbosman]

We're cleaning brass in a cement mixer so I see whats happening.
Soap and water takes off the dirt in about two minutes.
The remaining several hours is removing the patina and making them shiny.

If you have a dishwasher machine, not your spouse, put the cartridges in a mesh bag and run through a rinse cycle with a half tsp or so of detergent. Or run the mesh bag of brass through a wash cycle with a bunch or work clothes.

[Matt85]

and I just did my weekly laundry... never would have thought to throw the brass in with em. :lol:

I was looking at these but im curious if they would do what I needed:

1. http://www.midwayusa.com/product/158440/lyman-turbo-1200-pro-sifter-case-tumbler-110-volt
2. http://www.buffaloarms.com/Lyman_Turbo_Sonic_Case_Cleaner_it-783788.aspx?CAT=3895

are they big enough to handle 50 45-70 brass? are they any good or just cheap junk? the ultrasonic cleaner is at the top of my price range at the moment.

-matt

[Matt85]

I ended up picking up a Lyman 1200 at cabelas today. $50 just didn't seem that bad and the reviews on these are pretty good. for the moment I bought a small thing of Lyman treated corn cob but I have a feeling I wont be willing to spend that much again.

thanks all
-Matt

[country gent]

I used a Lymann vibratory for many years, The bowl finaly fell off due to the mount base cracking from the vibration after 10-12 years of use. Corn cob works well, walnuts work good also. Iosso brass polish really speeds things up. I am now using a dillon large vibratory cleaner with corn cobs. A farm supply sttore or contractors store will have the ground corn cob in various grit sizes in 50 lb bags for sand blasting, bedding commercial polishing. Used to be 10-12 dollars for fifty lbs bag. I add a small amount of the Iosso polish with each batch and a couple ounces of rubbing alchlol dribbled in slowly while running. A couple hours and brass is clean a shinnier than when new.
I wet clean my brass fired with black powder first with boiling water lemi shine and dawn dish soap, like alot of things a little is better. I put the brass in a platic tub ( oxi clean container) a few drops ( literally) of dawn dish soap, and maybe 1/2 teaspoon of garnular lemi-shine. While doing this I running a pot of water thru the Mr Coffee (;-)) ( Hot water fast) Pour the water to cover cases and aggitate to mix and work the cases. Let soak for 10 - 15 mins or cool to touch. Pour of and rinse a couple times with hot tap water. Lay out to dry. when dry polish. You will remove most gunk crud and fouling with the wash making your polishing media last much longer. Deprime before washing. A simple punch and base or a hand tool works great for this. Corn cob and walnut last longer than you think they will this way. My bag of corncobs is still 1/2 - 3/4 full and is over 7 yrs old. Brass wet pre cleaned, dried and then polished looks good after an hour after a couple its like a mirror.

[TheDoctor]

I have a friend that cleans his boresnakes in his dishwasher. Once I found that out, I wouldn't use any eating or drinking items at his house anymore. It may not be an issue, but I am concerned with possible lead contamination from doing that.

[mac60]

I do like mdi does. I have one of the dual drum harbor freight rock tumblers. A little hot water, some lemishine and a squirt of dawn dish soap. Let it run an hour or two and you'll have some clean/shiny brass. Only works for small amounts as each drum is limited to 3lbs. total weight.

[EMC45]

I use a coffee can (plastic W/ handle). I put Dawn, lemon juice or vinegar and water as hot as the tap will get. I shake until I get wore out and let it set for a while. I shake it some more then I rinse under the cold tap until the water runs clear. Scatter on a towel on the hood of my black pickup in the GA sun and they are dry in about an hour. I have a Hornady "Pro" tumbler, but use the wet wash method more than anything.

[MtGun44]

Lyman vib type tumbler, corncob from drillspot:

http://www.drillspot.com/products/499763/econoline_526020g-40_40_lbs_blast_media

capful of NuFinish car wax/polish in the tumbler and you get like new brass
with slight slick feel from wax, tarnish is abated for a long time.

That is enough corncob for about a decade for most folks, your use rate
may be different.

Bill

[OBIII]

I use a Harbor freight 2 drum tumbler, can do about 45 de-primed 30-06 cases in each drum, with lemi-shine, dawn dish liquid, about 1lb of stainless steel media, filled with hot water. Tumble for about 4 hours, looks brand new, inside and out. No problems with stm being stuck in primer holes.

[MtGun44]

Corncob of the right size doesn't stick in the primer holes to any significant degree.
I'd personally avoid any wet method due to the mess and time involved in
drying. I can tumble a batch in 1/2 hour to 2 hrs depending on how dirty and
then directly load it. Can't really understand all this fascination with the
wet methods, the last thing I want to fiddle with around reloading is water.
Corrode stuff, needs to be dried and messy, wet cleanup is not my idea of
a fun time.

Bill

[badbob454]

I use the citric acid bath for a few hours .about 2 tablespoons in a large folgers coffee plastic container.add water dissolve and add brass ..wait 2 hours , pour off the water agitate and get all the water I can shake off ... then I add this to my small walnutmedia in my lyman tumbler the walnut media will dampen and soak up any excess water acid solution and will polish near as nice as stainless will in @ ...1 hour hope you understand this . if not send me a pm with ?'s