Wet stainless pin tumbling

[skeet1]

I am amazed at the Thumblers Tumbler and stainless pins I am now using, they clean brass like nothing I have ever tried before.
I got my tumbler about two weeks ago from STM and have since tumbled rifle and handgun brass and I can tell you that no amount of tumbling in a vibrating tumbler with any kind of media I have ever used comes even close to the stainless steel pins. With my old tumbler the outside of the case looked petty good but the inside of the case and the primer pocket were never clean.

I just got done tumbling some .45 ACP cases that I had all ready tumbled in my old RCBS vibrating tumbler and that looked OK and now they look brand new. What a difference!

Ken

[John Boy]

Ken, using pins in a rotary with burnishing solution peens the ends of your brass - more so with thin wall cases. To test, take the hook of a fish hook inserted in the case. Pull it out. If it catches? Peened brass.

[skeet1]

Ken, using pins in a rotary with burnishing solution peens the ends of your brass - more so with thin wall cases. To test, take the hook of a fish hook inserted in the case. Pull it out. If it catches? Peened brass.

Well I don't know about peened brass but these cases are shiny smooth as they were when they were new and I expect that they will work a lot better that those that still have the dirt left in them. I would also be very surprised if a fish hook did not catch on the inside of a brass case as the hook is a lot harder than the brass not to mention sharp.

Ken

[alha]

I've been using mine for a couple months, and not sure what the burnishing solution is, I use a small amount of Dawn and some Lemi-shine, which I agree does a fabulous job on them inside and out. I started out using too much soap, and have been dialing it back to about a tbsp, seems to still clean them, but I have soft water here which makes a big difference.

[beefie]

I have a friend who has a cement mixer. Cleans 5000 rds of .45 brass at a time. He's a commercial loader. Does a batch for me for $10. when I have small batches of some other caliber, I put it in socks, tie them off, toss them into the washer with the other laundry. Then put them in the sun, under rat wire,so the birds don't steal them, or put them on cookie sheets and in the oven, with it set on lowest heat and the door left open a few inches.

[gofastman]

agreed, ss pins are great!

[John Boy]

Then put them in the sun, under rat wire,so the birds don't steal them, or put them on cookie sheets and in the oven, with it set on lowest heat and the door left open a few inches. Ever consider the fast and easy way to dry brass? A hair dryer!
How to Dry Wet Brass in Under 2 Minutes! (http://www.theopenrange.net/forum/index.php?topic=7653.msg56060#msg56060)

[montana_charlie]

I would also be very surprised if a fish hook did not catch on the inside of a brass case as the hook is a lot harder than the brass not to mention sharp.
If you know for a fact that John Boy is full of beans, it would make sense to poo-poo his advice about fish hooks.
But, if you even suspect that he might be speaking from experience, it would pay to resist disparaging his 'help' until you have a chance to get some experience of your own.

You've been using your pins for two weeks.
What he described is a commonly discussed topic among people who have been using rotary tumblers and wet media for years.

CM

[chsparkman]

I've been rotary tumbling with ss pins for two years now, and I have not noticed any problems. What am I looking for? If the ends are peened, what does this mean for the reloader?

[VHoward]

I would like to know what to look for also. I've also been using stainless pins in a rotory tumbler for a couple of years and have not had any problems. Any pics of these "peened" edges?

[beefie]

I aint got a hair dryer, and wouldnt waste my time on such a thing. The oven thing works great, if the sun aint bright.

[elginrunner]

I found a old dehydrator at the flea market for $5. It drys a full load of brass in no time flat......

My only grip about the SS pins, is when I use lanolin to size my cases, the dawn just does not cut it. I have to let them tumble for a few minutes in cheap Iso alcohol.....before I shines em' up with the pins.

[skeet1]

I wasn't saying that John Boy was full of beans If I had I'd have made it plain.

If you know for a fact that John Boy is full of beans, it would make sense to poo-poo his advice about fish hooks.
But, if you even suspect that he might be speaking from experience, it would pay to resist disparaging his 'help' until you have a chance to get some experience of your own.

You've been using your pins for two weeks.
What he described is a commonly discussed topic among people who have been using rotary tumblers and wet media for years.

CM

[clodhopper]

Peening can be a problem if you champher/deburr the case mouth before cleaning.
Belling of case mouths after cleaning makes peening a non issue in my pistol reloading.

[gunoil]

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

Use lemi-shine from walmart and dawn.

Dry rack with 5$ floor fan, boolits and brass. Stucco wire.
http://i1113.photobucket.com/albums/k511/putt2012/855F6E5A-964E-415D-8FE5-E73412258F35-139-0000041378238055_zps6d28a2af.jpg

[montana_charlie]

I wasn't saying that John Boy was full of beans If I had I'd have made it plain.
No, you did not say that.
What you said was that his 'fish hook test' would not tell you anything valuable.

That is the 'disparaging' which I mentioned ...

For those who came along later with questions concerning the peening of case mouths ...

If you run your brass through the normal two-die or three-die reloading set, you will never be troubled by mouths rolled by tumbling in ceramic or steel media. The reason being that your cases are totally 'uniformed' in those dies, so any peening gets removed.

Those who reload cases that are NOT sized (or resized) in reloading dies often DO detect peened mouths.
The amount of 'roll' on the edge of the mouth is invisible, but it can be detected is several ways ... a sharp point being one of them. For myself, I have an expander plug that is exactly .460" in diameter. That is the expected size of my cases are after firing.
If that plug won't slip into a freshly prepped case, I know the mouth needs to be 'ironed out' so there is no damage when I thumb-seat a paper patched bullet. I see it on something less than 10% of my brass.

A series of discussions about the peening effect has some convinced that it comes from wet tumbling in hard media.
Another theory is that the Thumler's Model B with the high-speed motor is the culprit, and that the slower tumblers do not 'abuse' the brass so badly.

Now you know what the deal is, and you can decide if it matters to you ...

CM

[VHoward]

Thank you for the explanation. I don't do paper patch bullet loading and do use a three die set up so I haven't seen this problem.

[Silverboolit]

AI have been experimenting with a different detergent, trying to keep the tarnishing away. I have had good luck with ArmorAll car Wash and Wax. Available at Wallyworld in the auto section. It seems to give a 'waxy' coating on the brass. I haven't seen any disscoloration in 3 weeks on my test sample that I did.

[armexman]

I'm confused.
How can those little SS pins roll a case mouth. I too have been using the SS pins, Dawn dishwashing liquid and Lemi-shine for 3 years and I have never seen "rolled" case mouths. Perchance, MC is talking about bigger sized media?
For those whom use SS pins; de-prime in a Lee Universal de-prime die and then size when clean and shiny. Your sizing dies will love you for it.
I do not paper-patch yet, but when I do, worrying about rolled edges will be least of my worries.

[Crash_Corrigan]

I will never go back to dry media tumbling after I have been using a Thumbler's Tumbler with SSM, lemi shine, dawn and hot water. I deprime with a lee universal deprimer first. This is done whilst watching TV on a wooden TV tray table on which I have an old Lee Challenger press. Then they go into the tumbler for about two hours. I take the container to the kitchen sink and run hot water into it and thereby rinse out most of the nasty black water and then I reload more dawn and lemi shine and they go back in for another hour.

They come out looking better than when they were new from the factory. I load up my 9 mm's in a Dillon XL 650 and after the boolits have been lubed by my Star they have a mite extra lube on them. After a run thru the Dillon I have an excellent round except that they usually have extra lube on them. The Dillon dies are easy to clean as you only have to remove a pin and the guts drop out for cleaning in mineral oil. I do this every couple of thousand rounds or so. If I did not then I might start to have issues with seating dies so loaded with lube that the boolits are seated too deep and that is a major no no with 9's.

Now they go into a vibratory tumbler with corn cob for an hour or two with some nu finish car wax. Emerging from the last process they are just gorgeous. Super clean and they have a nice thin wax coating that is slicker than goose snot. The lead boolits are all a uniform dark grey in color and they feed in my 5 9MM's perfectly.

I never said it was an easy or fast process but I enjoy any time I spend in the shooting/reloading/casting/prepping skills as it calms me down and allows me to immerse myself in a pleasurable activity and lets me think I am saving money. Besides there is something special in knowing that the round you are shooting maybe the 20th reloading of a brass case, maybe the third or fourth time that lead in your boolit has journeyed down inside a gun barrel and that you did everything in your power to produce a very shootable, accurate and consistent round and you did it yourself.

Besides where can you obtain a 9 MM round for about four cents today. I brought out a decent Sig Sauer 9 MM for my good buddy to Waterloo, Iowa in June and it was fortunate that I brought along a few tobacco cans of reloads to practice with as there was not any 9MM ammo available at any price in the area during the two weeks I was there. I left the ammo with him and advised him to save the brass and to gather any other brass he can find before he comes out to visit in October. I told him that I would be more than happy to refill his cases if he would help me with the procedure. As a bonus he works for a metal recycler as a 18 wheel driver and he promised to bring out 500 lbs of lead when he comes. That makes me a very happy camper.

[zuke]

I paper patch.
I deprime, tumble then go thru the step's to reload it.
When I use my LEE collet dies with PP boolit's there is no difference.

[mold maker]

The Peening is caused by the brass, loaded with wet SS pins, striking each other without the cob, or walnut media to cushion it, It's not a big deal if your gonna expand the mouth. What it amounts to is a micro roll crimp.

[mdi]

And an added feature of super shiny, clean inside-and-out cases is they shrink your groups by .01%!:kidding:

[Springfield]

So if we are a long range shooter that doesn't resize the brass before reloading we will care about the peening, but if we are like most of use here and use a 2-3 die set to reload we won't care? OK, then I don't care. I don't paper patch either. I usually use my walnut vibrating cleaner but if the primer pockets start to get too dirty or I just want clean insides then I use the SS rotary tumbler. Or if I just get a batch of very dirty cases I use the SS. I doubt my 45 Colt pistols or my 44-40 rifles will really care, but clean brass is nicer to work with. It would have been nice if John Boy would have told us why we should care about the peening instead of just criticizing the guys who use it.

[zuke]

Here's 4000 word's worth of pic's.
Let me know if more pic's are required.

http://i807.photobucket.com/albums/yy356/zuke_bucket/DSCF1256.jpg

http://i807.photobucket.com/albums/yy356/zuke_bucket/DSCF1257.jpg

http://i807.photobucket.com/albums/yy356/zuke_bucket/DSCF1258.jpg

http://i807.photobucket.com/albums/yy356/zuke_bucket/DSCF1259.jpg

[skeet1]

So if we are a long range shooter that doesn't resize the brass before reloading we will care about the peening, but if we are like most of use here and use a 2-3 die set to reload we won't care? OK, then I don't care. I don't paper patch either. I usually use my walnut vibrating cleaner but if the primer pockets start to get too dirty or I just want clean insides then I use the SS rotary tumbler. Or if I just get a batch of very dirty cases I use the SS. I doubt my 45 Colt pistols or my 44-40 rifles will really care, but clean brass is nicer to work with. It would have been nice if John Boy would have told us why we should care about the peening instead of just criticizing the guys who use it.

Springfield,
Thanks for saying what you did. It says it better than I did. I guess I must have pushed someones sensitivity button.

Ken

[mdi]

I've been working with metals all my life and I'm having trouble seeing how small diameter pins, in a liquid, tumbling with brass cases could cause "peening". No offence to the "peening author", but there must be other factors involved...

[dbosman]

In my opinion, peening is caused by other brass banging the pins into the mouth of the case.
I've not wet tumbled long enough to roll the edge over, but I do see cases with very tiny serrations where the rim has been bent in and out. I've not seen that with just dry media.

[Bayou52]

I've been SS wet tumbling for 2 years, and have been continually amazed at the results.

I have never seen this "peening" that I've read others mention. Not to say others haven't seen it, but in my experience, I have not. Admittedly, I have not examined the case mouth edges under a microscope or even a strong glass. But if that's what it takes to see it , then for me, "peening" is a complete non-issue.

Moreover, even if some small measure of case mouth "peening" did occur, the "peens" would be completely removed by the sizing die, deburring tool and/or chamfering tool.

Nothing compares to spectacularly bright, yellow brass. That level of brilliance may indeed be just my own personal preference given the satisfaction of the results.

Then again, isn't that the precise reason why we handloaders choose to do what we do?

Bayou52

[M Hicks]

I have been using SS pins to clean brass for close to four years. The results I get are similar to the pictures zuke posted which I feel are worth more than the 4000 words he advertised. I haven't noticed peening on cases that have been tumbled for an hour or the ones that I accidentally tumbled for eight hours. If it is there, it hasn't affected loading or accuracy on calibers from 9mm to 300 win mag.

Skeet1, that individuals "sensitivity button" is frequently pushed. Some don't say anything if they don't have anything nice to say. Others get excited when they can attempt to stir the pot and cause tension.

I dry mine by running them through a vibratory tumbler with lizard litter in it for about 15 minutes. It works for me.

[Bayou52]

I dry mine by running them through a vibratory tumbler with lizard litter in it for about 15 minutes. It works for me.

That's an interesting method of drying your brass after wet tumbling. Sounds effective, too.

My personal method of drying the brass is simple, but effective, too. I use a manual rotary media separator. After the water is drained, I put a large dry towel in the basket with the wet brass. After tumbling, 90+ % of the remaining water is absorbed by the towel. So little dampness is left in the cases that setting them out on a plastic tray for an hour or so completely dries them out - no dryers, heaters, dehydrators, ovens, heat lamps, etc., etc., etc. - ever.

Happy tumbling-

Bayou52

[M Hicks]

Bayou52,

I use the RCBS media separator to get the pins out of the cases. Fill the bottom half with water, dump in the brass and pins and tumble it with the water hose running. It also helps to rinse off the brass. Once the water runs clear I'll lift the cage that holds the brass out and continue to rotate it. This gets rid of enough excess water that when I toss the brass into the vibratory tumbler the media doesn't become and stay a wet mess.

The walnut stuff lizard litter is made out of works much better than corn cob also. The corn cob seems to absorb and retain moisture. The walnut does not. Once I no longer see little clumps in the tumbler I know it is dry.

They both seem like effective ways, just tailored to us individuals.

[Bayou52]

Great procedure, M Hicks!

I sure enjoy that wet tumbling. And it's evident you do, too!

Happy tumblng -

Bayou52

[mtgrs737]

I just finished doing a small batch of 223 brass and I am amazed at the results! The cases look brand new even the primer pockets are clean. I use the std. mix of dawn, lemi-shine, and hot water. I make sure that the water is over the brass so that the water cushions the impact of the cases inside the drum. I am going to see about a extra large sieve at wally world to separate the pins from the nasty black water. The pins from the guy in swapping and selling work great! I have cut back on the Lemi-shine so that it does not eat the zinc out of the surface of the brass and turn them copper colored.

[Bayou52]

I have cut back on the Lemi-shine so that it does not eat the zinc out of the surface of the brass and turn them copper colored.

Good point. I use no more than 1/4 TSP of Lemi-shine per 15 pound tumbling drum for the same reason.

Bayou52

[Love Life]

Dang. All this talk of zinc leaching and stuff makes me feel bad about the 3 HEAPING eating size spoons of citric acid I dump into each drum I tumble. Odd that one...

If you look at the picture you can see the 'serrated' case mouth from the SS tumbling. The mouth has not been peened in. In testing I have found this to be a non issue for accuracy out to 500 yds, but never tested beyond that because I really didn't care.

Personally I think the peening is a non issue for most tumblers. You may get negative results from SS tumbling in a cement mixer or 5 gallon drum where the fall at the top of the revolution is longer, but from your standard drum I doubt it. Also high RPMS can also cause the peening when coupled with the long drop in a cement mixer.

Moral of the story? Don't SS tumble in a cement mixer...

After my first firing of brass I size, SS clean, trim, reload. All of my match brass gets love from the Ultrasonic and a bit of flitz.

[Bayou52]

If you look at the picture you can see the 'serrated' case mouth from the SS tumbling.

Interesting, Love Life.

As mentioned in a prior post, after SS wet tumbling, I have not had the "serrations" you've described and shown in your photo in any of my brasses. Perhaps it's attributable to the respective volumes of pins, water and brass we are using together with the speed and configuration of the respective tumblers.

Bayou52

[kbstenberg]

Has anyone had any problems when using a soap other than Dawn?. I think I'm using some cheep stuff. But my brass comes out looking good and not tarnishing later. Kevin

[alha]

I have the issue on one or 2 of my loads that Mtgrs737 mentioned, so I think I'll dial back the Lemi-shine a bit. I have a water softner, so I guess I really don't need to use much of it to get the desired results. I thought that they discolored because I was tardy on completely drying them out, now I know better. This place is truly the Bomb diggity, SO much good information that is shared!

[7of7]

I switched to simple green instead of dawn.. When I used dawn, my brass started coming out like it was coated with a thin coat of black rubber.. Simple green doesnt do that. I have a Lortone tumbler, octagon barrel interior, and I have cleaned some black sunburned brass, returning it to like new appearance. Some of that brass came out pitted..so it was tossed.. It takes roughly 3 cycles through the tumbler, and the first two times, the water comes out looking like watery chocolate.. I mainly did it to see if I could do it. Quite a while ago, I bought some fairly tarnished 45 brass.. cleaned it up as best I could with corn cob, walnut shell, but the stainless was wonderful. All of it came out looking new. I haven't noticed any peening of case mouths, so it isn't an issue for me.

[Airman Basic]

Tried this stuff

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001GJ9K8C/

instead of Dawn. Seems to leave a slightly slick finish, almost like NuFinish in the walnut media.

[Silverboolit]

That is what I have been using, also. Works great and available at Wallyworld in the auto dept.

[Airman Basic]

BTW, works in the ultrasonic, too.

[siamese4570]

Ok, all peening aside, can someone "splain" how this process works. I get the wet tumbling part but how do you separate the media, dirty water and cases. Also to you have to rense the cases and the media. How long do you typically tumble. Years ago I had one of the little tumblers that use the dry (walnut) media. It was slooooow. Educate me.
siamese4570

[Airman Basic]

Several options here:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?209902-separating-22-cases-from-stainless-media

[cheese1566]

Brings old bullets to life!

80011

[Bayou52]

Brings old bullets to life!

Interesting-

How long did you wet tumble those FMJ projectiles?

Did you use Dawn and Lemi-Shine like with casings?

[preparehandbook]

I eagerly read through this thread as I am shopping for a new tumbler and this wet stainless steel pin method seems to get the job done.

My DIY tumbling system has produced some pretty severe peening.

I have access to a tire machine at my work's maintenance shop so at night when everyone has gone home I dismount a forklift tire off of one of the larger forklifts.

I then insert a pound or so of brass and my special formula:

- 12 gallons distilled water
- 1 quart Dawn antibacterial soap
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 drops (no more than 2 drops!) of hydrogen peroxide
- 20 fist sized rocks
- 5 corn cobs (why use corn cob media when corn cobs are free?)

I let this tumble through a normal 10 hour day in our potholed yard and then dismount the tire to retrieve my brass the next day. But I have been seeing what I now know is called peening:
80075

Strangely enough, this case had no projectile when I started:
80074

Some side-peening:
80076

A well tumbled shell ready for reloading:
http://www.texaninthephilippines.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Matchbook-size-of-Pure-Gold.jpg

[Bayou52]

Impressive results! I've now been convinced to change my media to one pound fist sized rocks....

[HiVelocity]

I leave out the Dawn dish detergent; and use the cheapest dishwasher detergent you can find. I use about 1 healthy tablespoon full and let the tumbler run overnight for really dark and nasty cases; 4-6 hours for once fired that aren't that bad. Rinse using a plastic spaghetti strainer and a large salad bowl to catch my pins.

Just food for thought.......

HV

[cheese1566]

Interesting-

How long did you wet tumble those FMJ projectiles?

Did you use Dawn and Lemi-Shine like with casings?
I did my usual tsp or so of LemiShine with a small squirt of dishsoap (Ivory maybe?). I use a Thumler B regular model with water to about 3/4 full. I rarely fill it all the way up. Bullets only on this run.
I usually run brass about 3 hours, but I got delayed and did about 4 on the bullet batch.
I just afraid they'll tarnish up.
I like run my brass in my vibratory tumbler a while to give it a coating of NuFinish after I SST tumble.
Bullets dont work very well in a vibe tumbler, they just sit in the bottom and jiggle.

[Bayou52]

I just afraid they'll tarnish up.

On the issue of returning tarnish after SS wet tumbling, one approach is to apply a small amount of WD 40 in the palm of the hand and simply rub it on a handful of projectiles at a time. An extremely thin film is all that's needed to create an oxidation barrier.

I do this with brasses, and it keeps that newly tumbled, bright yellow brass appearance.

Of course, this degree of appearance is just a personal choice for me, as the brasses are completely clean, even if they later turn a bit darker over time.

Happy Tumbling!

Bayou52

[Bayou52]

I just afraid they'll tarnish up.

On the issue of returning tarnish after SS wet tumbling, one approach is to apply a small amount of WD 40 in the palm of the hand and simply rub it on a handful of projectiles at a time. An extremely thin film is all that's needed to create an oxidation barrier.

I do this with brasses, and it keeps that newly tumbled, bright yellow brass appearance.

Of course, this degree of appearance is just a personal choice for me, as the brasses are completely clean, even if they later turn a bit darker over time.

Happy Tumbling!

Bayou52

[ftut]

So now I've learned why my brass ends up looking like copper. I have a water softener and I'm using to much lemoshine. If I recall I used about 2 or 3 tsp per gallon of water. Does anyone know the correct about to use to prevent the copper color?

[Bayou52]

So now I've learned why my brass ends up looking like copper. Does anyone know the correct about to use to prevent the copper color?

With using Lemi-Shine, just remember that more is definitely not better, as you've learned the hard way.

I use a Thumler's model B tumbler. It has a 15 pound capacity. With a drum this size, I use only 1/4 of a teaspoon of Lemi-Shine. I routinely get highly bright yellow brass after a 4 hour tumble. For me, 4 hours is the sweet spot of tumbling time - all parts of the brass comes out bright.

Bayou52

[skeet1]

The instructions that came with my tumbler from STM says 1/4 teaspoon of Lemi Shine, 1 to 2 tablespoons of detergent and water to about an inch from the top when the drum is sitting on it's end. This has worked out well for me.

Ken

[Bayou52]

The instructions that came with my tumbler from STM says 1/4 teaspoon of Lemi Shine, 1 to 2 tablespoons of detergent

Skeet1 -

Just FYI -

I am familiar with the instructions from STM you refer to. I got my set up from them as well. However, in my own experience, I've found that no more than 1 teaspoon of Dawn is needed per drum.

I find that 1 -2 tablespoons of Dawn per drum produces too much suds with no greater benefit.

Just my experience.....

Bayou52

[skeet1]

Bayou52
Thanks I'll try it with less detergent. You are right that there is a lot of suds. What I usually do is place the drum on end in the sink and let clear water run and over flow to get rid of the suds and the dirty water.

Ken

[Bayou52]

Hi, Ken -

What's your preferred method of drying your brasses after tumbling?

I'm always interested in learning different techniques used by folks....

Thanks -

Bayou52

[R.Ph. 380]

Skeet1 -

Just FYI -

I am familiar with the instructions from STM you refer to. I got my set up from them as well. However, in my own experience, I've found that no more than 1 teaspoon of Dawn is needed per drum.

I find that 1 -2 tablespoons of Dawn per drum produces too much suds with no greater benefit.

Just my experience.....

Bayou52

I have found that you can cut your cleaning time almost in half if you stop at 1&½ hours rinse and re make your solution with fresh dawn and lemishine. Stop again at 2 &½ hours and you're done. If you get the initial tarnish and dirt out, they clean up even faster.

Bill

[Bayou52]

Pretty good ideas. Thanks for sharing.

[VHoward]

I have found that you can cut your cleaning time almost in half if you stop at 1&½ hours rinse and re make your solution with fresh dawn and lemishine. Stop again at 2 &½ hours and you're done. If you get the initial tarnish and dirt out, they clean up even faster.

Bill

I only tumble mine for 2 hours to begin with and they come out shiney like new.

[skeet1]

Hi, Ken -

What's your preferred method of drying your brasses after tumbling?

I'm always interested in learning different techniques used by folks....

Thanks -

Bayou52

I am still experimenting but so far I like laying the cases on a cookie sheet in the hot sun. I don't know what I'm going to do in the winter time, maybe put the cookie sheet in the oven at very low temp.

Ken

[Bayou52]

FYI -

The drying technique I've used for some time now uses the rotary media separator. After separating the pins from the cases, the water is removed from the separator. The cases are still in the basket. Next, simply throw a dry towel in the basket with the wet casings and rotate the basket vigorously. The dry towel will capture 90+ % of all of the water that remained in the casings.

Next, simply put the barely damp casings in a plastic tray and let them set in open air to finish drying out. It'll only take an hour or so. No need for heaters, dryers, ovens, heat lamps, etc., etc.

In my experience, at least, this technique works great.

Bayou52

[VHoward]

Food dehydrator for 10 to 15 minutes.

[Bayou52]

Hi, All -

This thread started by a poster who said he was using automobile wash & wax instead of dishwashing liquid for wet tumbling. Sounds like an interesting technique, but I've never tried it.

If anyone uses wash & wax for wet tumbling instead of dishwashing liquid, a couple of inquiries from your experiences -

1. How much wash & wax do you use per batch,

2. Do you still add Lemi-Shine,

3. What's the benefit of using wash & wax instead of using dishwashing liquid,

4. Does wash & wax impede/slow the return of tarnish?

I'd like to hear from you and learn a bit more about this.

Thanks!

Bayou52

[tjones]

Finally found some stainless media. http://www.kingsleynorth.com/skshop/product.php?id=46590&catID=789

Dumb me Ive been looking in the wrong place for years. A little Dawn or Joy and a little water make brass brand new looking brand new.

[Hawkeye45]

I have a couple of questions related to this thread (1) how much pure citric acid you'll you use instead of Lemi-shine? (2) has any one used the SS balls like come with the moly coat process?

Mr. Ed

[Bonz]

I wet tumble 12 pounds of brass at a time in my 40lb commercial tumbler. When finished, lots of rinsing and then put all the brass in a bath towel and shaken. Then I spread them out on another towel that is on a table directly under the ceiling fan in my office. The ceiling fan finishes the drying job.
80240

[Bayou52]

Very nice....

A small bit of my recent handywork:

Share the BLING!

[Gillie Dog]

I have a couple of questions related to this thread (1) how much pure citric acid you'll you use instead of Lemi-shine? (2) has any one used the SS balls like come with the moly coat process?

Mr. Ed

#1) Lemi-Shine is so close to pure cirtic that you use the same amount. My source of citric is anhydrous food grade and when tested against Lemi-Shine I could tell no difference. A couple of tests done on Lemi-Shine came up with 95% or better citric.

#2) Not me.

GD

[kbstenberg]

Skeet I use the cookie sheet / oven now. It works. I set the oven on the lowest setting (185 ) 20 minutes heat time. Shut oven off let brass stay in oven till cool.
I only let my brass in the tumbler and pins for 1.5 hrs. and I clean my brass everyother time i use it.

[detox]

I have a couple of questions related to this thread (1) how much pure citric acid you'll you use instead of Lemi-shine? (2) has any one used the SS balls like come with the moly coat process?

Mr. Ed

The thin pins get into and clean primer pocket best.

[Love Life]

From what you see in the tubs (grungy and dirty brass) to squeaky clean in 2 hours. Hose water, 3 heaping spoons of pure citric acid, and a 3-4 second squirt of dawn. No changing water in between, no praying or ceremonial dances. Just nice and clean brass everytime.

[montana_charlie]

From what you see in the tubs (grungy and dirty brass) to squeaky clean in 2 hours. Hose water, 3 heaping spoons of pure citric acid, and a 3-4 second squirt of dawn.
Ulp! ... how big is your tumbler?

CM

[Love Life]

To clarify. I do not get all 5 tubs (1,000 lbs) of brass clean in two hours!

I run 22 lbs of brass at a time, 23 lbs of pins, water up to the neck of the drum, 3 heaping spoons of citric acid, and dawn. Tumble for 2 hours and done.

My tumbler is the biggest one offered by Bigg Dawg Tumblers. I think it is 8 inch pipe, but would have to verify. That tumbler has run 4 hours a night almost every week night and 12 hours a day every saturday since early April. My only regret is that I did not buy the double drum system from the get go, but that little beast has cleaned well over a ton (literally) of brass. All I've ever had to change was one of the rods after dropping the full drum on it and bending it...

[Bayou52]

Impressive..........

[Love Life]

Something else to chew on. The easiest way to separate brass from pins:

Buy the Dillon media separator or any media separator with a squirrel cage and a tub. Fill tub with water, put open squirrel cage in tub, dump brass into squirrel cage, close squirrel cage, rotate squirrel cage in water (in tub) until pins stop falling out, remove sqirrel cage from water and tub, shake over water and tub, dump shiny brass on blanket.

All you have to do now is dump the water from your media tub, and put your pins back in the SS tumbler and keep cleaning. I may wash my pins out with hot water and soap every 1,000 lbs of brass or so.

[detox]

I use the RCBS Sidewinder tumbler filled with 5lbs of stainless pin media. I clean small batches of 50-100 cases after shooting at the range. Fill with hot water and lemi-shine then let tumble 3 hours. I towel dry then use my vibratory and corncob media.

I seperate stainless pins by pouring brass and pins thru large wire colander and over large bowl of water. I stir my brass with hands to remove pins while colander is setting in large bowl of water.

[Bayou52]

The easiest way to separate brass from pins:

Buy the Dillon media separator or any media separator with a squirrel cage and a tub.

+1 on this type of rotary media separator. It is highly effective and easy to use in my experience. The one I have came in a kit from STM along with the Thumler's Tumbler and SS pins.

Bayou52

[prs]

I'm confused.
How can those little SS pins roll a case mouth. I too have been using the SS pins, Dawn dishwashing liquid and Lemi-shine for 3 years and I have never seen "rolled" case mouths. Perchance, MC is talking about bigger sized media?
For those whom use SS pins; de-prime in a Lee Universal de-prime die and then size when clean and shiny. Your sizing dies will love you for it.
I do not paper-patch yet, but when I do, worrying about rolled edges will be least of my worries.



It is not the little stainless rods that do the peening, it is the way the cases tumble against one another. I use a wet tumbler with NO stainless or other media other than the liquid and the cases themselves. I get the slight case mouth peening and I get very clean brass inside and outside. I even leave the spent primers in and the pocket floors are "almost" totally clean. I dry mine in a convection oven to be sure the pockets with spent primers still present are totally dry. It is over kill, but I use 250F with 30 minutes after the whole batch comes fully up to the "pre-heat".

prs

[Bayou52]

prs-

Any photo of the peening you are seeing?

I'm asking since I've never seen any on my brasses.

Thanks -

Bayou52

[detox]

Today i tumbled 50 regular brass cases with 50 nickle plated cases. All of the plating was removed from nickle brass. This is good...no more flaking when crimped. All brass is Remington 357 magnum.

[VHoward]

That was fast. It usually takes mine 4 or 5 trips through the tumbler to remove all the plating.

[Stephen Cohen]

I wish these pins were available in Australia, may have to spend a week chopping mig wire.

[Bayou52]

I wish these pins were available in Australia, may have to spend a week chopping mig wire.

Perhaps you can check with these folks for international shipping:

http://www.bullseye-reloading.com/

FYI-

I am not affiliated with this company.

[Stephen Cohen]

Thank you bayou . will do.

[Bayou52]

Hi, Stephen -

For my own information, can you let me know if they ship to Australia?

Thanks!

[Airman Basic]

Okay guys, I've been reading about skipping the pins and just cleaning with hot water, Dawn, Lemishine and a little wash and wax stuff from ArmorAll. Tumbled in Model B for four hours. Came out just like the pins. Clean as can be. Shiny and all that. Just started another load decapped to see if it cleans primer pockets, too. But even if it doesn't, I'm about to put five pounds of stainless pins up for sale, I think. This was grungy range pickups in all stages of nastiness. I can't tell them apart. They all look new. Some of y'all try it and see what you think.80645

[VHoward]

The reason for the pins is so you can do it in an hour. I usually let it go for 2 hours though.

[Bayou52]

Okay guys, I've been reading about skipping the pins and just cleaning with hot water, Dawn, Lemishine and a little wash and wax stuff from ArmorAll. Tumbled in Model B for four hours. Came out just like the pins. Clean as can be. Shiny and all that. Just started another load decapped to see if it cleans primer pockets, too.80645

Airman Basic -

Interesting method.

Could you please post your results with primers removed? I'm interesed in learning those results. If your results are good, I may try it out.

Please inform of your additives and tumbling time.

Thanks so much-

Bayou52

[Airman Basic]

The reason for the pins is so you can do it in an hour. I usually let it go for 2 hours though.

One or two hours vs four hours without having to mess with separating the pins from the brass is a no-brainer for me.

[VHoward]

Separating pins from brass is not all that difficult. Takes only a couple of minutes.

[Love Life]

Separating pins is not that difficult as said above. However, I just stuck 22lbs of grungy milsurp 308 brass in my tumbler with no pins to see what happens. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. I'll update.

[Bayou52]

Separating pins is not that difficult as said above. However, I just stuck 22lbs of grungy milsurp 308 brass in my tumbler with no pins to see what happens. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. I'll update.

I'm anxious to learn of the results.

Bayou52

[d_man2]

I use stainless pins in my tumblers along with a squirt of whatever flavour of the day dish soap and a quick squirt of vinegar. Up here in Canada for whatever reason we cannot get lemi-shine so I said to myself if it is the citric acid that does the work, perhaps a different type of acid would work as well.....it does. I have read some blogs where they do not recommend any type of acid with the brass as it will "etch" the brass. From what I have seen, my brass will long since have worn out from over shooting before I have anything to worry about my brass being etched. Just make sure if you do use any type of acidic cleaner that you rinse your brass well with clean fresh water before you dry them.

[SpotHound]

aussie sapphire in NSW sell excellent pins and burnishing compound 2.5 Kg pins and 250 g compound for 80 bucks

http://www.aussiesapphire.com.au/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=89_236&products_id=2876&zenid=5ce8538e0a5e0456a7e704d11674a27c

[rcav8r]

If one trip through the tumbler is removing the plating from the cases, then perhaps pins with cut (rough) ends instead of smooth ends could be the culprit?

Just a thought.

[Love Life]

I'm anxious to learn of the results.

Bayou52

It shows promise. I let it run for my standard 2 hours, and it was clean. Just not the standard of clean I expect. If I let it run longer it may have looked like diamonds in the setting sun (my standard), but I don't have time for that.

[Bayou52]

It shows promise. I let it run for my standard 2 hours, and it was clean. Just not the standard of clean I expect.

That's very interesting, Love Life. I may just try removing the pins and then wet tumbling. I'll let it tumble for a full 4 hours. Problem is, I'm caught up at the moment, and have no brasses that need tumblng.

Bayou52

[M Hicks]

It shows promise. I let it run for my standard 2 hours, and it was clean. Just not the standard of clean I expect. If I let it run longer it may have looked like diamonds in the setting sun (my standard), but I don't have time for that.

Are the insides of the cases clean also. I may have to try doing this myself. I run about 15 pounds of pins right now with my tumbler filled half way with brass. It can do about 3000 9mm cases at a time. Less weight from the pins would mean more brass.

[Love Life]

The insides were clean, but they weren't mirror clean like usual.

[M Hicks]

Thanks Love Life. Appreciate the response.

[rattletrap1970]

I've been doing this kind of tumbling for a while now and I've had absolutely no issues. It simply is the best way to prep cases.

[USAFrox]

That's very interesting, Love Life. I may just try removing the pins and then wet tumbling. I'll let it tumble for a full 4 hours. Problem is, I'm caught up at the moment, and have no brasses that need tumblng.

Bayou52

Just because I'm such a nice guy, and want to help you out, I'll let you clean about 50 lbs of brass that I have sitting around dirty. And out of the goodness of my heart, I won't even charge you for this opportunity. :bigsmyl2:

[Bayou52]

Just because I'm such a nice guy, and want to help you out, I'll let you clean about 50 lbs of brass that I have sitting around dirty. And out of the goodness of my heart, I won't even charge you for this opportunity. :bigsmyl2:


Can anyone get in on this?

[Dale in Louisiana]

Don't tumble .45-70 and .30-06 in the same batch. I had a few .45-70's and about seventy .30-06 that needed processing so I dumped them all into one load.

When I went to rinse the cases and recover the pins, half the .45-70's had a .30-06 case stuck in them, neck-first, and in each instance the .30-06 case was filled with pins.

Everything got clean, but I thought the phenomenon was interesting, right there with disappearing socks and multiplying coat hangers.

dale in Louisiana

[Bayou52]

Yes, good point -

The same is true for any differing caliber brasses for which one could fit inside of another. The smaller ones will get stuck inside of the larger ones during the tumbling process, and neither will get thoroughly cleaned.

Happy Tumbling-

Bayou52

[Walstr]

I have a friend who has a cement mixer. Cleans 5000 rds of .45 brass at a time. He's a commercial loader. Does a batch for me for $10. when I have small batches of some other caliber, I put it in socks, tie them off, toss them into the washer with the other laundry. Then put them in the sun, under rat wire,so the birds don't steal them, or put them on cookie sheets and in the oven, with it set on lowest heat and the door left open a few inches.

Won't the lead products of combusted primers contaminate your clothing?

[KCSO]

How much media and braas is the Model B suppose to handle. According to brownell's 5 pounds of pins and 1 gallon of liquid and 2 pounds of brass. I can't even get my drum to turn with anything like that. The B is old but new drive shapts and new belts. I am going to try belt dressin on the drum but if 150 rounds of 9MM at a time for 4 hours is as good as it gets, I'm back to the vibrator.

[KCSO]

How much of a load does the Model B handle for you folks? According to Brownell's 5 pound of media and 2 pounds of brass with 1 galon of liquid. Mine won't rotate the drum with more than about 3 pounds of pins and 150 or so 9mm's. I upgraded mine with new everything just to try pin tumblling and if this is as good as it gets...

[Bayou52]

How much of a load does the Model B handle for you folks? According to Brownell's 5 pound of media and 2 pounds of brass with 1 galon of liquid. Mine won't rotate the drum with more than about 3 pounds of pins and 150 or so 9mm's. I upgraded mine with new everything just to try pin tumblling and if this is as good as it gets...

I have a model B Thumler's tumbler, but it's called a high speed model. It's about a year old. The model B high speed has a 15 pound capacity: that's 1 gallon of water (8 pounds), 5 pounds of SS pins and 2 pounds of brass.

Even at this maximum capacity, the drum starts rotating without assistance when the switch is turned on, and maintains its rotation nicely until the tumbler is turned off.

Did you try oiling each bushing on each shaft and both motor bearings as well?

Do you have the proper belt with proper tension? Just some ideas.....

Bayou52

[hawgfan]

I am tumbling tonight, I will try this without pins and let everyone know. I will try and get before and after pics.

[rondog]

I use a small cement mixer from Harbor Freight, 25# of pins, and the usual sauce. I can run a 2.5 gallon bucket full of brass with no sweat. Don't mix sizes that will nest, but .45acp/.45 Colt/.44 mag./.44 Special/etc. can all be mixed. I also run many different rifle calibers all together as well. It works very well! I dry them on a cotton movers blanket in the sun, but they have to be toweled off first or they'll tarnish while you watch.

But I agree about running them through a second tumbler with corncob and NuFinish, they'll really sparkle and it lubes them too.

[hawgfan]

I just checked Harbor freight, do you have the model number of the cement mixer. I can't find any on there website.

[hawgfan]

Ok I tumbled for 3 hrs without SS pins. Below are the before and after pics. I have to say if all you care about is looks, then this is the way to go. It really didn't get anything on the inside of the case clean. I could still see carbon build up. Now these were old range pick-ups, so there is no telling how long they have been out in the weather. I used 1/4 teaspoon Lemi-Shine, and 1 tablespoon of Dawn.


Before.

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii9/hawgfan0705/IMG_3492_zpsf2b93ff0.jpg (http://s260.photobucket.com/user/hawgfan0705/media/IMG_3492_zpsf2b93ff0.jpg.html)



After.

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii9/hawgfan0705/IMG_3493_zps5c558b0b.jpg (http://s260.photobucket.com/user/hawgfan0705/media/IMG_3493_zps5c558b0b.jpg.html)



I couldn't get a good shot of the inside of the case.

[Bayou52]

That was pretty much the same experience I had with the batch of brass I tumbled pinless: mostly clean on the outside (with some slight residual tarnish), heavy residue remaining on the inside, and primer pockets about 50% clean. All in all, not too shabby for no pins at all.

Having experimented with this, I've added my pins back to the drum for the impeccable results I've become accustomed to with wet rotary SS tumbling.

Bayou52

[hawgfan]

I added mine back as soon as I looked inside the case.

[KCSO]

The shafts the drive belt and such are all brand new and oiled. I eventually got it to rotate bu using belt dressing on the drum rims but not with a full load yet. I assume the problem is that the drum has been used for years and is polished smooth it's bright shiny metal on the contact area. The pins do clean the case inside and out well and I sure like clean primer pockets. I m use to fillin a couple of vibrators with 10 pounds of brass at a shot so the limited quantity with the thumler is a little different. I may have to get a cement mixer.

[rondog]

I just checked Harbor freight, do you have the model number of the cement mixer. I can't find any on there website.

91907. Just search for "cement mixer" on the HF site. On sale for $149.95, use a 20% coupon, don't let 'em tell ya no, they'll take it.

Oh, with the mixer, you'll need to cover the mouth up or it'll slop water/foam/pins out! I use a big trash bag, folded and tied on with string, works great. You'll also want to do this on a large, flat concrete surface to catch the pins that will try to get away.

I find that a mortar mixing tub from Home Depot is a valuable aid for dumping the brass/pins/water into, I put the tub on a mover's dolly to wheel it around on the patio.

Use a Frankford Arsenal media separator, the blue one with the bucket, works great.

And get a #42288 magnet on a pole from Harbor Freight too. Very handy for picking up the pins that get loose.

[M Hicks]

And get a #42288 magnet on a pole from Harbor Freight too. Very handy for picking up the pins that get loose.

I don't have that one but I do use one of the Craftsman telescoping ones for picking up small fastners and tools when dropped in engine compartments. Those things help immensely.

[Bayou52]

I don't have that one but I do use one of the Craftsman telescoping ones for picking up small fastners and tools when dropped in engine compartments. Those things help immensely.

Question on using magnets with these pins - once a magnet is used to pick them up, and they become magnetized, do they tend to thereafter lump together?

[rondog]

Question on using magnets with these pins - once a magnet is used to pick them up, and they become magnetized, do they tend to thereafter lump together?

Mine are just barely magnetic enough for the magnet to get them. If they clump it's not apparent, and they'd quickly separate and soon as they start moving.

[M Hicks]

I haven't noticed it at all Bayou52. Given the small size and minimal mass of the pins, if they became magnetized from the short duration they are actually on the magnet, I don't think they would have enough force to continue holding other pins at rest or during tumbling.

I have picked up a decent amount at one time, maybe 10-15, and as soon as I removed them from the magnet they were rolling around loose in my hand and didn't seem any more attracted to eachother than before.

[rondog]

91907. Just search for "cement mixer" on the HF site. On sale for $149.95, use a 20% coupon, don't let 'em tell ya no, they'll take it.

Oh, with the mixer, you'll need to cover the mouth up or it'll slop water/foam/pins out! I use a big trash bag, folded and tied on with string, works great. You'll also want to do this on a large, flat concrete surface to catch the pins that will try to get away.

I find that a mortar mixing tub from Home Depot is a valuable aid for dumping the brass/pins/water into, I put the tub on a mover's dolly to wheel it around on the patio.

Use a Frankford Arsenal media separator, the blue one with the bucket, works great.

And get a #42288 magnet on a pole from Harbor Freight too. Very handy for picking up the pins that get loose.

Here's my mixer in action. You can see why I cover up the mouth of it by tying a trash bag over it.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dejE4iL9UK8

[Bayou52]

That's a pretty nice hi-capacity set up there. The trash bag over the mouth of the mixer is a great idea.

Bayou52

[ColColt]

That is a serious tumbler! what, half a bottle of Dawn and four ounces of Lemi-Shine?

I tried mine out yesterday and it worked great. I tumbled just the media first to clean it of any oils left over from manufacturing and it was dirty.

[rondog]

That is a serious tumbler! what, half a bottle of Dawn and four ounces of Lemi-Shine?

I tried mine out yesterday and it worked great. I tumbled just the media first to clean it of any oils left over from manufacturing and it was dirty.

No, I just use a small squirt of Dawn and maybe a heaping teaspoon of Lemishine. The Lemishine seems to be the real secret to removing crud. Results are great but the process is a PITA. Separating 25# of pins from a whole bucketful of brass is time consuming, getting that much brass dried without tarnishing or water spotting is a chore, and you need a large concrete area to use the mixer on - those little SS pins like to escape and scatter.

[Bayou52]

Separating 25# of pins from a whole bucketful of brass is time consuming

Questions - with that large a batch of pins and brass:

1. What method do you use to separate the pins after tumbling?, and

2. If you are using a standard size pin, do you check all the brasses for pins stuck in the flash holes? Or do you use a larger size pin?

Thanks for the info!

Bayou52

[sparky45]

Ever see the youtube video by Jerry Micelik (sp) ? He uses a cement mixer for five gallons at a time. Check it out.

[rondog]

Questions - with that large a batch of pins and brass:

1. What method do you use to separate the pins after tumbling?, and

2. If you are using a standard size pin, do you check all the brasses for pins stuck in the flash holes? Or do you use a larger size pin?

Thanks for the info!

Bayou52

1. I use the cheapo Frankford Arsenal media separator with the bucket, the blue one. Fill bucket with water, and roll it around, just like with dry media except for the water.

2. Don't know the pin size offhand, but never had one stick in a flash hole. They're much smaller than the flash holes. I got the pins from Pellets LLC., they knew exactly which ones I needed.

<edit> I measured a pin, they're .041 x .265.

[ColColt]

Here you go...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5y_dsP3dsM

[Bayou52]

Ever see the youtube video by Jerry Micelik (sp) ? He uses a cement mixer for five gallons at a time. Check it out.

From the video, if I heard correctly, Jerry Miculek seems to just use the cement mixer, water and detergent. He says the roughness of the mixer is sufficient for cleaning the brass. It doesn't look like media is used by him.

[mold maker]

That's correct, he is just cleaning the brass. If polishing is required it's done seperately.

[xacex]

I'm starting this on the other side of capacity. The Harbor Freight dual drum rock tumbler. I know it is not a long term solution, but I can do 4# of brass at a time, and that's about what I shoot in a session by myself. I just have to run it more often when I get range pick ups, or take family out. Got my pins, lemi shine, dawn, and el chepo tumbler for under 100$. Got to start somewhere. Gives me time to find the parts for a bigger tumbler, since my vibratory tumbler fried the motor last week.

[ColColt]

I'm impressed with the Thumler's Tumbler. I got to use it for the first time the other day cleaning the 40 cases I shot at the range Friday. Dash of Lemi-Shine, squirt of Dawn and enough water to cover the brass, the pins did an admirable job of cleaning the cases inside and out. A bonus for me was how well it cleaned the primer pockets. I decapped at the range and threw the cases in a container of soapy water till I got home and rinsed and then put the cases in the tumbler for three hours. I don't regret buying the tumbler at all and wish I had found out about it earlier. I'm going to run 100 dirty 45 ACP cases through it later today. No pins were stuck in the cases or primer pocket of those 40 40-70SS cases.

[Bayou52]

Sounds like a great wet tumbling result, ColColt. I, too, enjoy tumbling with the Thumler's, and for me, the capacity of the Thumler's is more than enough.

[w0fms]

xacex, that's all a lot of us use and probably ever will. The HF rock tumbler isn't much of a rock tumbler, but works GREAT for doing "normal non-retired guy" amounts of brass! ;) I still dry tumble in crushed walnut shells ("Lizard Litter" from PetCo) and NuFinish afterwards.. it keeps the brass from darkening more than two shades and runs through the dies really well. Towel dry and running in the Walnut Shells and NuFinish works great, BTW for drying...

[rondog]

Yeah, I've found that wet polishing gets them really clean and shiny, so much so that they'll tarnish quickly and they're very dry. A final tumble in 20/40 corncob w/NuFinish makes them sparkle and protects from tarnishing some, and provides a little lubricant.

[Bayou52]

Yeah, I've found that wet polishing gets them really clean and shiny, so much so that they'll tarnish quickly and they're very dry. A final tumble in 20/40 corncob w/NuFinish makes them sparkle and protects from tarnishing some, and provides a little lubricant.

I've never tried the step of a final timble in Nu-Finish, but the results sound good from those who have reported on it.

On the other hand, I have wet tumbled a batch substituting Armor-All wash & wax for Dawn. I used 2 tablespoons for a batch in the Thumler's. The results were good, but I did notice that there were only minimal suds in the drum. Next time, I will double the amount to 4 tablespoons. The results for the reappearance of tarnish, moreover, were good. The tumbled batch has been exposed to open air for 10 days now with no noticeable reappearance of tarnish.

Bayou52

[ColColt]

After a three hour tumble yesterday my cases today had a tarnished look but I don't know for sure if my annealing them had anything to do with that or not. The got a second run through the other Lyman 1200 and now look better.

[Bayou52]

After a three hour tumble yesterday my cases today had a tarnished look but I don't know for sure if my annealing them had anything to do with that or not. The got a second run through the other Lyman 1200 and now look better.

That's a very fast reappearance of tarnish on the brass - just one day.

Just curious, what was your recipe for that batch?

[ColColt]

All five pounds of the pins, 40 cases, 1/4 tsp of Lemi-Shine and a squirt of Dawn for three hour spin. And, just enough water to cover the brass.

Tarnish may be a little too strong...more like dull as compared to when I first took them out of the tumbler.

[Bayou52]

Tarnish may be a little too strong...more like dull as compared to when I first took them out of the tumbler.

I've also noticed that immediately after tumbling, the brass has more of a high, bright yellow appearance. After being laid out, this high, bright yellow color becomes more of a richer, golden color. The Amor-All wash & wax seems to have allowed the brass to retain more of that high, bright yellow appearance. Sounds similar to the results reported from the use of Nu-Finish.

Bayou52

[Dale in Louisiana]

Follow the instructions found on the STM site. Don't over do the Lemishine or citric acid. Rinse well. Let me say that again, rinse well. The first time I used the tumbler, I didn't. I oven-dried, had a tray of shiny brass. The next day it was obviously tarnished.

On the next try, I rinsed through several changes of water. It's still shiny.

dale in Louisiana

[w0fms]

Thanks for the heads up on the Armor-all wash and wax. I read that elsewhere before. I'd like to try that -- AND -- the NuFinish. I have hard-ish well water and I think that causes the tarnish. After a month or so (I know, shoot more.. it's hard with a full time job, four kids and the local range always being closed for CCW classes every weekend) they are about two shades more "brassy" colored... like a trumpet would be colored though.

They are fine and look as good as new ammo. But they are just so "purdy" right out of the pins...;) If that will give me one shade lighter I'd do it! ;)

Fred

[ColColt]

On the next try, I rinsed through several changes of water. It's still shiny.

That could have been my problem. Not that they still don't look good but I just gave them a lick and a promise rinsing.

[Bayou52]

Thanks for the heads up on the Armor-all wash and wax. I read that elsewhere before. I'd like to try that -- AND -- the NuFinish.

Fred -

If you do wet tumble first with the Armor-All and then do a follow-up dry tumble with NuFinish, could you please post your results?

I'd be interested in learning the outcome. Thanks -

Bayou52

[xacex]

I have been using just 2 cap-fulls of Armorall wash and wax with .5cc dipper of LS with great success with the HF 6 pound rock tumbler. It does more brass faster, and cleaner than my vibrating tumbler. No tarnish with the wash and wax. Now I need a food dehydrator to dry my brass faster.
With this unit I am using 1 pound of pins for each drum, and filling it up to almost the top with brass. Add LS, soap, warm water, and in a couple hours they are perfect, like new! I have some in right now that I trimmed to see it it will take care of deburring for me as well.

[rondog]

I've found that I have to dump my brass onto a cotton towel, dry them off with another cotton towel, then spread them out on a cotton movers blanket in the sun to dry. They'll stay shiny this way. When I just spread them out wet on a cheap non-absorbent movers blanket in the sun, they'd tarnish right before my eyes.

[Bayou52]

When I just spread them out wet on a cheap non-absorbent movers blanket in the sun, they'd tarnish right before my eyes.

That's interesting. After tumbling, I simply put a towel in the rotary media separator with the wet brass. After rotating for 30-40 seconds, 90% + of the remaining moisture is absorbed. Then, I just air dry the brass for an hour or so in a plastic tray.

The tarnish does not seem to return, and there's nearly no effort to this technique.

Bayou52