Wet Tumbler/Nickle Plated Brass:

[M71]

My wife purchased a heavy duty rock polishing tumbler a few years ago for $35.00 and has never used it. It looks similar to a "Thumler" except it has two drums. The electric motor is a "Dayton" 1/3 HP. She recently said "That thing has to go." Well the light bulb went on and I'm ordering the "Ultra 47's (.047 diameter) Stainless Steel tumbling pins to polish my brass with it. The only 100 ct. new 45-70 brass I could get recently was "Nickle Plated" Remington. Will this system work equally well with plated brass? Thank you.

[Jailer]

It will work but you'll end up with a burnished finish on the brass instead of a smooth shiny finish.

[Randy C]

I did some 38 and 357 with SS it cleans the primer pockets better and the inside the brass better but if you look close, you can see the marks from the SS pins , and my 4570 that I did you can see the marks it is large brass. I looked at some of my brass that I have not cleaned and it looks like a new chromed bumper on a car and it is still dirty. 4570 brass I would clean with a corn cob media you can put it in your tumbler and you can buy it already treated or do it buy hand you don't have that many.
Feel free to pm me if you want.
Randy C

[Randy C]

It will make smaller caliber Brass look like new but large brass you can see the rubbing and dings from the SS.

[M71]

Well, so much for my great idea. Since I already have a vibratory cleaner that cleans well I think I'll stay with it. My interest with the tumbler was mostly to clean the insides of the cases and the primer pockets. Thank you for sharing your expertise.

[Bayou52]

My wife purchased a heavy duty rock polishing tumbler a few years ago for $35.00 and has never used it. It looks similar to a "Thumler" except it has two drums. The electric motor is a "Dayton" 1/3 HP. She recently said "That thing has to go." Well the light bulb went on and I'm ordering the "Ultra 47's (.047 diameter) Stainless Steel tumbling pins to polish my brass with it. The only 100 ct. new 45-70 brass I could get recently was "Nickle Plated" Remington. Will this system work equally well with plated brass? Thank you.

I've SS wet tumbled much nickle plated 38/357. Absolutely no issues - the stuff comes out with a mirror finsh. You can actually reduce tumbling time by 1/3 or so over brass.

[BIGRED]

Works fine. But do not mix brass and nickel together.this is where you will get a burnished look. The brass color transfers to the nickel.

[Randy C]

I did some 38 and 357 with SS it cleans the primer pockets better and the inside the brass better but if you look close, you can see the marks from the SS pins , and my 4570 that I did you can see the marks it is large brass. I looked at some of my brass that I have not cleaned and it looks like a new chromed bumper on a car and it is still dirty. 4570 brass I would clean with a corn cob media you can put it in your tumbler and you can buy it already treated or do it buy hand you don't have that many.

Randy


Well, so much for my great idea. Since I already have a vibratory cleaner that cleans well I think I'll stay with it. My interest with the tumbler was mostly to clean the insides of the cases and the primer pockets. Thank you for sharing your expertise.

If you have a double tumbler you should Order some SS from STM you will use it when you are ready and you will be impressed with the results. I have used SS on everything at one time or another, I did not regret it I like the way it cleans the primer pock's and the in side of the brass I have learned that nickel takes a long time to get dirty like brass. I would bet you could put some in warm water with a 1/4 teaspoon lemi shine and 2 table spoons of Dawn with out the pins for 30 min and you would be amassed at how clean nickel or brass will come, if you fell like it try a few of your 4570 brass buy them self, let them dry then stick them in your other cleaner to polish them, and let use know how it works.