another cheap, wet tumbler

[SlowBurn]

I discovered that I don't like cleaning primer pockets. Actually, I discovered that I hate cleaning primer pockets. After reading the many posts here showing off brass cleaned using a wet tumbler, I decided that I needed one too, and that I could probably put one together without spending much money.

I started with an old free treadmill from the local "buy and sell". I was hoping for a DC motor with speed controller, but instead found an AC motor with a mechanical CVT - cool.

Next component was a short length of 6" PVC pipe found in the junk pile at a local construction site. I had to buy a PVC cap and a rubber cap - these were the most expensive purchases.

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5775/20429404923_2113f67275_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/x8h3kn)

I was targeting 2 gallon capacity, so trimmed the pipe, glued in some speed bumps and glued on the cap.

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/657/21050480975_57187858ce_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/y5adBa)

I chopped out the middle of the treadmill, and re-welded the end roller on top of the frame - the intent was to transfer most of the weight onto the driven roller, and let the idle roller just balance the load. I shortened the uprights and reused the on/off switch and the speed control knob - turn clockwise to pivot the motor tighter, causing the CVT pulley to expand and decrease roller speed. I reused the plastic frame caps/feet - the tumbler doesn't travel when turned on. To keep the load from rubbing the pulley, I bought a roller ball. A scrap piece of UHMW plastic keeps the load from walking the other way.

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5618/20429418143_f4ba103298_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/x8h7gi)

3/4" plywood rings increase the diameter to provide clearance for the rubber cap - now I understand why many of the PVC pipe designs use a glued on reducer. Scrap pieces of split 6" pipe are glued on to keep the plywood rings in place.

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/660/21024254596_d8a7c0b2f5_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/y2QNqd)

I'm using a fairly standard recipe:

10 lbs stainless media
7.5 lbs brass (about 300 rounds of .303 British)
about 2 US gallons hot water
1.5 tbs Dawn
1 tsp Lemi Shine


https://farm1.staticflickr.com/776/21040536122_48968e08a0_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/y4hfmb)

My wife has the best cooling rack ever - works great for sorting and drying brass.

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5645/21050465875_278d493873_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/y5a97P)

The original handle makes it easy to transport and store upright, taking a bit less space. The new rubber feet were the last purchase - all in, I spent about $33.

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/613/21058112631_7c825d75b3_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/y5Qker)

Thanks to all who've posted details about their home-made tumblers; helped me to get out of primer pocket cleaning.

[Expat74]

Nice work and great looking brass :) I wish mine held 2 gallons and 300 cases of .303. I don't think you need hot water. I do mine with cold water, I tried both hot and cold and for me there was no visible difference in the end. They come out pretty much the same as yours. The pins scrub your primer pockets good, no matter what the temperature.

[MrWolf]

Nice job! I also use hot water as I felt it made a difference.

[Bayou52]

Very nice.....

[Vann]

Nice ingenuity, as heavy as that tread mill is built you could probably do 50# of brass at a time with no problems.

[PbHurler]

Great job, love the idea on the drying rack!

[William Yanda]

I use a citric acid solution as a rust remover. I have found that a hot solution is much more effective than a cold one, at any rate(pun intended)effective much faster. Going back to High School Chemistry, subject; How to increase the speed of a reaction, a)add a catalyst, b)decrease particle size, or c) raise the temperature. So, if cold works, hot probably works faster.

[cajun shooter]

Just remember to clean your SS pins as they will spoil a load of brass if not cleaned. I learned this years ago when I first started using the pins and one of my loads was a grey looking color after the cleaning cycle was over. Later David

[SlowBurn]

Just remember to clean your SS pins as they will spoil a load of brass if not cleaned. I learned this years ago when I first started using the pins and one of my loads was a grey looking color after the cleaning cycle was over. Later David

Thanks David

Do the pins need anything more than a thorough rinse? I'm sneaking a look through the Mrs' kitchen, looking for a fine strainer to "borrow". Haven't found anything yet - maybe a reusable coffee filter?

-Steve

[MostlyOnThePaper]

Nice job!

Taking a cue from a friend who processes brass commercially my next addition to the process was a dehydrator, $50 at Menards.

[Walter Laich]

Summer sun in Texas also does a great job of drying brass. Winter sun isn't bad either

[Bayou52]

Just remember to clean your SS pins as they will spoil a load of brass if not cleaned. I learned this years ago when I first started using the pins and one of my loads was a grey looking color after the cleaning cycle was over. Later David


Goes to show how similar practices differ from person to person: In 3 years of wet tumbling, I've never cleaned the pins and never had an issue......Have gotten high sparkling brass every time....

Happy Tumbling -

Bayou52

[Rory McCanuck]

Summer sun in Texas also does a great job of drying brass. Winter sun isn't bad either

He lives in Vancouver, he's heard legends about this 'sun' thing, but never seen it himself...:bigsmyl2:


Thanks David

Do the pins need anything more than a thorough rinse? I'm sneaking a look through the Mrs' kitchen, looking for a fine strainer to "borrow". Haven't found anything yet - maybe a reusable coffee filter?

-SteveAfter using it for rinsing brass, it probably shouldn't be put back into service with food.
I picked one up from the Dollar Store. It's not the usual strainer, is has a doubled screen.
They sell it as being for mushing fruits and berries through to remove all the seeds and pits.
Stainless and actually quite heavy, it was well worth the $3.

[SlowBurn]

He lives in Vancouver, he's heard legends about this 'sun' thing, but never seen it himself...:bigsmyl2:


It's not as bad as that... It usually only rains twice a week; once for 4 days and once for 3 days.


I picked one up from the Dollar Store. It's not the usual strainer, is has a doubled screen.
They sell it as being for mushing fruits and berries through to remove all the seeds and pits.
Stainless and actually quite heavy, it was well worth the $3.

Sounds like exactly what I need - 10lbs of pins in a reusable coffee filter is likely a "try once, fail once, move along" proposition.

[Rory McCanuck]

Sounds like exactly what I need - 10lbs of pins in a reusable coffee filter is likely a "try once, fail once, move along" proposition.
And there's that Spousal Approval Factor, as well ;)

[Pee Wee]

You can get the dehydrater at harbor freight for $20.00 with coupon. Works great

[pretzelxx]

I just dry my brass with a towel and toss it under a window fan at an angle.. But wet tumble is by far easiest for me to get primer pockets clean. I just recently saw that someone doesn't use lemishine and soap at the same time, supposedly they counter each other... My results say it works peachy! But who knows. I always use hot tap water tho.

[SlowBurn]

I'm loving the wet tumbler...

I received a batch of "range pickup" .303 brass in the mail this week. I have a new rule, "Brass with spider nests inside the cartridges get washed before de-priming."

Some of this brass was almost black so it's worth before and after photos.

Before:
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/697/21665816308_203361d295_o.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/z1wYn3)

And, after:
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/638/21665818228_efa30294af_o.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/z1wYW9)

From left to right, in pairs: berdan primed BPD :sad:, IMPERIAL, WW-SUPER, FC (not necessarily the same cartridges as in the "before" photo)

The black Winchester and Imperial cases didn't come out shiny yellow like the FC, but the spider webs are gone, the pockets are clean, and they're ready for the sizing dies now.

[Pee Wee]

$20.00 bucks at harbor freight.




Nice job!

Taking a cue from a friend who processes brass commercially my next addition to the process was a dehydrator, $50 at Menards.

[MostlyOnThePaper]

I'll check that out!