Stainless Pellets

[XDROB]

This has probably been asked before, but has anyone used the Stainless Steel Pellets instead of the straight pins? And if so, are they better then the pins? I just started wet tumbling and like the way the primer pockets come out.

On another subject: does anyone out there have a favorite cleaning solution that they have developed and the brass comes out shiny? I can't seem to find a mixture that the brass comes out like new. I can get it like new with #5 Frankland Arsenal corn in my vibratory tumblers.
But it doesn't clean primer holes very well.

Thanks for any answers,
Rob

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[TexasGrunt]

I use the chips from Southern Shine Tumblers. They are the best SS media I've found.

I use a bit of Dawn and about a 9mm case full of citric acid/Lemishine.

[blikseme300]

Much depends on how dirty the brass is and what quality of water you use. Where I'm at the city water is quite hard so more LemiShine than recommended is used to get the desired result. IMHO, there is no universal recipe so you need to do some experimentation to get where you want to go.

[M-Tecs]

I haven't tried them but I have read good things about them.

[jmort]

I use the chips. They will scratch the brass a bit, but you can cut the cleaning time down a lot so that is minimized. I am more conserned about clean and saving time.

[XDROB]

I like shiny, like new looking brass. It's easier to find on ground and my dies stay a lot cleaner longer.
So with that said. So you guys who are using only chips can you achieve the like new look using only chips?

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[lightman]

I've never used any stainless other than the pins. The chips are reported to work well but I've never heard of anyone using the pellets. In wet tumbling I think the citric acid is the part that makes everything shiney.
When using stainless media I use citric acid and dishwashing soap. LemiShine and Joy are very popular. This seems to be the favorite formula. Many have substituted some type of auto wash and wax in place of the dish soap. In dry media I put a cap full of automotive polishing compound and a cap full of mineral spirits in and run it enough to mix it up before I add the brass. The stainless will do a good job on primer pockets and makes for very shiney brass. My corncob mix also makes the brass shine but does not clean the primer pocket as well. If wet tumbling you will have to experiment with your formula to make it work with the type of water that you have.

[Walter Laich]

Southern Shine user here, too.
I found I could cut time in half with same results

I use lemishine and Armor-All Wash and Wax. does a good job cleaning and there will be a wax coating (you can't feel it but it's there) that keeps the brass shiny. Have some in garage that is in open container that is still shiny after 2 years--brass darkened a bit but shine is as it was the day it came out of the tumbler

Southern Shine can be found on Facebook if you want to see examples

[jmort]

"I found I could cut time in half with same results"

I am gradually working the time down below half. I have not got to the point of diminishing returns. I am thinking it could be 1/3 or possibly 1/4

[SlowBurn]

does anyone out there have a favorite cleaning solution that they have developed and the brass comes out shiny?

Hi,

Our water is pretty soft. I started with 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


I had a few batches come out with pink brass (too much acid)

Since, then I've reduced brass, soap and acid:


10 lbs stainless media
7 lbs brass
about 2 US gallons hot water
1 tbs Dawn
1/2 tsp Lemi Shine


I tumble for 3 hours (probably more time than is needed), and pockets are clean, and brass is very shiny. Water is filthy, black but still has soap suds.

g'luck!

[XDROB]

Alright thanks. I started out a few years ago using 2 tumblers with number 5 Frankford Arsenal corn media and a tablespoon of Midway Polish. Primers in because I did not want to get the primer hole clogged. After that I would deprime and size and was not happy with the way the primer holes looked, wanted them cleaner. Started reading and hearing more about stainless steel pin tumbling, so I got a Tumbler and pins. And was very surprised on how dirty the water was even after the brass had already been cleaned with the corn media. Lately I have been started to hear more about the stainless steel chips or pellets so that's why I started this post. The first batch I did came out cleaner but the brass was not shiny so I had to run it through my my corn media again. Was wondering if anyone is achieving a like new brass look with just stainless pins and wet tumbling?

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[SlowBurn]

Alright thanks. I started out a few years ago using 2 tumblers with number 5 Frankford Arsenal corn media and a tablespoon of Midway Polish. Primers in because I did not want to get the primer hole clogged. After that I would deprime and size and was not happy with the way the primer holes looked, wanted them cleaner. Started reading and hearing more about stainless steel pin tumbling, so I got a Tumbler and pins. And was very surprised on how dirty the water was even after the brass had already been cleaned with the corn media. Lately I have been started to hear more about the stainless steel chips or pellets so that's why I started this post. The first batch I did came out cleaner but the brass was not shiny so I had to run it through my my corn media again. Was wondering if anyone is achieving a like new brass look with just stainless pins and wet tumbling?

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I get shiny results with the recipe I posted above - see http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?286774-another-cheap-wet-tumbler&p=3362654&viewfull=1#post3362654 for pics of the results

[XDROB]

Slowburn, I noticed you didn't put any kinda wax like Nufinish or something like that. I've noticed that a few other people didn't either .
I'm wondering if it was just my mix that didn't allow the brass to get shiny. I definitely like your homemade tumbler.


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[bouncer50]

What i do 3 pounds of pins fill with hot water and a little soap. After a hour drain out the black water. Refill with fresh water and less soap another hour then pour out less black water. Another hour without soap just hot water just flush out with hot water. And my brass looks new. You do not mop a floor with dirty water and expect the floor to look clean.

[XDROB]

bouncer. Too funny, I am new to stainless/tumbling. So I'm going to try all ideas.
Is the wax to put a coating on the brass to keep it from tarnishing?
Thanks.
Rob

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[SlowBurn]

Slowburn, I noticed you didn't put any kinda wax like Nufinish or something like that. I've noticed that a few other people didn't either .
I'm wondering if it was just my mix that didn't allow the brass to get shiny. I definitely like your homemade tumbler.


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I haven't tried a combo soap/wax yet. People claim the wax will reduce tarnishing - makes sense to me. After washing, I rinse well until the water is clear. I have contemplated a final rinse with a soap/wax like Nufinish; just haven't gotten around to it yet.

[woodbutcher]

:D For the same reason that the ol boy went fishing(just for the halibut)try some distilled water.Might make a difference.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

[XDROB]

I started a thread, but now I can't find it?
As said above I'm new to
S/S tumbling. Just tried about gallon or two hot water, 1 tbs lemishine, 2 tbs of Blue Corral car wash. This is what comes out after 3 hrs, two clean water rinsed. What am I doing wrong?
Brass on lower left is what I guess is about 6 hrs dry tumbling with # 5 Frankland media. But can't get primer pockets clean.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170512/d7c82c352e1bd370ac87a6fad028c235.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170512/c3edb28b23a53f771bae4c275fe053e1.jpg

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[Gillie Dog]

You should be able to get shiney like the dry tumbling.

Experiment changing one thing at a time.

Like go to Dawn instead of car wash, maybe more surfactant is needed to keep dirt in suspension. Or go to more car wash to get more soap in the mix. Soap keeps the crud in suspension so it does not coat the brass.

Then go to twice as much Lemishine leaving every thing the same. (pink brass means to much citric acid/Lemishine)

Hot water is good, stay with it.

You will find hours of tumbling is not needed once you get the recipe correct for what you are doing and the water you have.

Keep at it and you will find the proper mix. Using 2 gallons water maybe is the problem. Your quantities citric and soap look like they are for 1 gallon water but the pins and brass look like 2 gallons of water size.

GD

[XDROB]

GD, Thanks for the advise. I don't won't to give this up. Because I want like new shiny, primer holes and all. And you can't get with dry tumbling.😁

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[XDROB]

So, do I need to use the lemishine if I run this load through again? What makes the brass shiny? I thought it was the pins.

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[Gillie Dog]

So, do I need to use the lemishine if I run this load through again? What makes the brass shiny? I thought it was the pins.

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Yes on Lemishine. The citric acid, which is what Lemishine is, is a large part of the shine. The pins help with rubbing off the crud which is stuck on.

Lots of folks just wash in Dawn and citric, no tumbling, with good results but in my humble opinion the pins clean the inside and primer pockets the best.

I am leaning towards not enough soap by your pictures and crud is depositing/sticking onto the cases but experiment.

GD

[XDROB]

Ok, Thanks again!!

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[Gillie Dog]

30 minutes.

Dawn
Lemishine
About 1 gallon hot tap water (nice soft water where I lived then)
Thumblers B
5 lbs pins
2 lbs brass


Took some experiments to get there when I first got the machine. Moved and had to start all over again but only took a couple tries.

GD





195392

[XDROB]

Now your just thumbing your nose at me. LOL

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[Gillie Dog]

Nope, mine did not look good to start with but I was able to make it work.

Keep trying. I have faith.

GD

[XDROB]

Just joking. I will run batch through again tommarow.

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[SlowBurn]

Just tried about gallon or two hot water, 1 tbs lemishine, 2 tbs of Blue Corral car wash. This is what comes out after 3 hrs, two clean water rinsed. What am I doing wrong?

Hi Rob. I can see why you're disappointed.

From your pics, it looks like the brass is plenty clean, but very dull.

Remind us, what is the size of your tumbler and how many lbs pins do you use with how many lbs of brass - there's a big difference between 1 gallon and 2 gallons.

After filling your tumbler with pins, brass, soap and lemi-shine, add hot water to about 90% full - you want some air in the tumbler.

Are you sure that you don't have a nasty steel or aluminum cartridge in your mix? I've had to redo a batch when a steel cartridge sneaked into the tumbler - one cartridge was enough to turn the entire batch into a clean, but dull lot.

When you dump the water, does it still have some suds? When you pour off the water, it should be filthy black with some soap suds on top. Perhaps you don't have enough soap for your water hardness?

Also, I have read about some people getting greasy pins that required several short wash/rinse cycles before the pins were clean and didn't contaminate the brass. Another test to consider if nothing else helps.

Last thought is that maybe Blue Corral and lemi-shine don't play nice together - you could try any household dish washing soap to rule out that variable

IMO, 2 tbs is way more lemi-shine than you need for 2 gallons of water.

g'luck, keep trying and let us know how it works out!

[XDROB]

I will attempt again tommarow. Will measure water, pins, brass. I do have Dawn soap. I want shiny brass and I Will Have It or I will die trying 😂

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[XDROB]

Ok, measured all components.
1. 5 lbs pins
2. 6.5 lbs brass (45 acp)
3. Tumbler holds 1 1/2 gallons watet.

From what's been said it sounds like I need more pins, which I do have another 5lbs. And use Dawn not car wash soap.
Is there a correlation with amount of water and Lemishine?

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[L Erie Caster]

I think you are tring do to much brass

Don't use to much LemiShine. More is not always better.
195457
Done with ArmorAll wash n wax, 1/2 gal cold water, 9mm case full LemiShine, for 2 hours

[JimB..]

You have plenty of pins.

[XDROB]

I'm laughing my a__ off. Ran brass through again, 1 tbs Lemishine, two squirts Dawn, 1 1/2 gallons hot water. Ran tumbler (Frankland Arsenal Premium model) for 45 mins. And hooolllddd your breath I HAD SHINY BRASS!! YAHO!! Then I had a great idea. Dumb ***!! I hadn't put any wax or polish to keep it from tarnishing. So I dumped some Mothers Carnuba wax in and tumbled again for about 20 mins. Opened her up and found totally dulled brass. Thought wax was good idea. NOPE!!

Will redo tommarow, no wax.


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[Gillie Dog]

Told you I had faith........ In you...............

I use Armorall "Premium" Wash and Wax successfully, Wally World is cheapest place I found and a bottle is a many year supply for me, in place of Dawn on my own once fired brass. My own is cleaner than range brass but some indoor range once fired I purchased was "clean" also.

Your having fun now................ Have at it..........

GD

[XDROB]

Yup!! I'm in the run now.

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[SlowBurn]

I'm laughing my a__ off. Ran brass through again, 1 tbs Lemishine, two squirts Dawn, 1 1/2 gallons hot water. Ran tumbler (Frankland Arsenal Premium model) for 45 mins. And hooolllddd your breath I HAD SHINY BRASS!! YAHO!!

Yay! Glad to hear about your success.

[XDROB]

Thanks 😁

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[DocSavage]

I use only a 1/4 teaspoon of lemoni shine,warm water and a squirt of Dawn dish soap and my brass is as shiny as the op's.

[XDROB]

SUCCESS !! 1 hr. 1 tsp Dawn, l maybe 1/2 tsp Lemishine, hot water.
Also on another note one the best storage containers and it's free (sort of). 2lbs Folgers coffee plastic can with a more or less moisture proof snap on lid. I have about twenty of them. Write what's in they with a black Sharpie. When changing contents wipe off with brake cleaner and re -label. [emoji3] https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170515/6640dc7c83ecd00f986c8bb72d28eba7.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170515/ec261a9b60d09a7b1b56f5782c091cd6.jpg

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[tankgunner59]

For a simple wet tumbler I use a HF rock tumbler and I fill it about two thirds full of water as hot as the tap will get. Then I put in about 1/8 teaspoon of lemishine and a squirt of dawn dish soap and stir it with a plastic slotted spoon ($1 at the dollar store). Put the brass in , seal and tumble for 30 minutes and the brass comes out shiny clean. Usually the primer pockets are just as clean, once in a while I have to clean a few.

[XDROB]

That was my quest. I could got new like shine with #5 corn, but the primer pockets were not clean. So started S/S wet tumbling. So if you go up in thread you'll see what if been up against. I'm a Happy tumbler now.
Want to thank all who helped. 😁😁

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