How much LemiShine and Soap in Wet Tumbler?

[Hanzy4200]

I've been using a wet rotary tumbler for about a year. Love it. Way better than vibratory. I noticed something today. I was working a large batch of 30-30. I had to run it in two batches. My first batch came out shiny and bright. Second came out somewhat dull. Everything was identical, other than I don't measure my LemiShine or the ArmorAll Wash n' Wax I use. Is there a correct amount you all have found? I use the Frankfort Arsenal Lite.

[Dusty Bannister]

I run the Lyman Cyclone and use 1/4 teaspoon of Lemi-shine and 1 Tablespoon of Armorall wash and wax. I start with hot water and let it run for 3 hours. When done, you should still have foam in the container. Usually, I do not need to run the pins, unless there are dark stains to deal with. I suspect the capacity is similar to what you are using.

[nhyrum]

I use about the same as dusty, but I don't measure. One gloop of wash and wax and about a 9mm case worth of lemi shine. I measured with the cap of the car wash and a 9mm case for a while and paid attention to about how much it looked like, so after a while, I just eyeball it now. Probably as accurate as a bar tender needs to be even with the occasional "oops, that's too much" I've never really had an issue other than the occasional cases turning pink from too much lemi shine, now I add the lemi shine first, that way I can pour some water out and dilute how much I put in. It's more important to not have too much lemi shine than soap. Too much soap and I just have to rinse more. How much lemi shine you will need also depends on how hard or soft your local water is.

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[Hanzy4200]

I think my problem is excessive LemiShine. I've been using probably 2 teaspoons. Hope I didn't weaken the brass.

[Kra176]

1 45 acp case full works great

[lightman]

The amount of LemiShine depends on your water. You just have to experiment with it. I used a dipper made from a 9mm case at my last house. I'll have to experiment here at my new house.

I use a cap full of the ArmorAll Wash and Wax. Then I rinse the cap under the running water when filling the drum. You want enough Wash-in-Wax to leave suds when you open up the drum at the end of your tumbling session.

When wet tumbling, every once in a while I have a batch that comes out dull for no apparent reason. When this happens I tumble the media (pins) for a couple of hours in Dawn. But the problem could easily be having a water company employee off on vacation and a different employee running the water plant. Or the phase of the moon! Or something.........???

[fredj338]

I think my problem is excessive LemiShine. I've been using probably 2 teaspoons. Hope I didn't weaken the brass.

Yeah waaay to much lemi. A level tsp will treat 1gal. I just use a couple drops of liquid detergent. Though wet cleaning for me is too much trouble.

[super6]

I clean with a with a small amount of limi shine and dawn detergent, Let the stainless pens do the rest.

[Super Sneaky Steve]

I always got mixed results with Lemishine. Someone on the forum mentioned a cap full of lemon juice. It works just as good and way more consistent.

[Huskerguy]

I will offer a different formula. How much brass are you attempting to clean? The reason I ask is most people want to know how much lemi shine or dawn or whatever but for me a big part of the equation is the amount of brass.

I save up until I have a red folgers can full of brass. I put it in with pins and fill up with hot water a few inches over the brass. I put in a 9mm cartridge full of lemi shine, a good shirt or two of dawn and a cupful + of armorall wash and wax. I run things for 1.5 - 2 hours depending on how grungy it is. It comes out very nice.

Bottom line is no formula will be complete without knowing the amount of brass. YMMV

[44Blam]

Seems like a shot of dawn dish soap does a good job with steel pins...

[sukivel]

Also, I noticed the type of case lube determined if the cases came out shiny or not. I use Imperial lube on my rifle brass and tumble afterwards, and are dull, but with spray on lube they are shiny. Makes sense…

I use an extra Lee powder dipper for my Lemishine.


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[high standard 40]

This topic has been discussed many times. I have been wet tumbling with SS pins for several years, and at first struggled with consistent results. After much trial and error came upon a technique that works very well to deliver repeatable results. I'll explain. If you change the volume of brass that you tumble, you also change the available space for water and pins. You should also then change the volume of citric acid and Dawn (or other soaps). Otherwise you change the "recipe" of the cleaning solution every time you tumble. The cure for this is very simple. I premix my cleaning solution in one gallon jugs. One gallon of water and my measured recipe of citric acid an Dawn. I premix several gallons ahead of time, ready to use.This way, the cleaning solution always has the same proportions of ingredients and my results are always the same.

[super6]

This topic has been discussed many times. I have been wet tumbling with SS pins for several years, and at first struggled with consistent results. After much trial and error came upon a technique that works very well to deliver repeatable results. I'll explain. If you change the volume of brass that you tumble, you also change the available space for water and pins. You should also then change the volume of citric acid and Dawn (or other soaps). Otherwise you change the "recipe" of the cleaning solution every time you tumble. The cure for this is very simple. I premix my cleaning solution in one gallon jugs. One gallon of water and my measured recipe of citric acid an Dawn. I premix several gallons ahead of time, ready to use.This way, the cleaning solution always has the same proportions of ingredients and my results are always the same.

Now that right there is as analytical as it gets! I think I will switch to that system. Thanks for sharing!

[kevin c]

For 1500-1700 undecapped 9mm cases, using the FA Platinum tumbler, I’ll add 2 tsp of citric acid, 2 table spoons of ArmorAll Wash and Wax and hot water to cover, 90 minute run. Two or three rinses, a spin in the separator to remove most of the water, a few rolls in a towel sling and air dry in the sun.

Bright shiny exteriors. Case interiors range from spotless on some brands of once fired brass to pretty dark on multi fired brass, but I’m mostly indifferent to that, and often don’t want to go to the trouble of using pins.

Rarely I’ve had loads that came out dull, but there’s no pattern that I’ve figured out other than it happens more often with a bigger load of brass and maybe more often with pins.

One unusual result with my process is with Winchester purple lacquered nickel brass, their special practice ammo: it comes out gray, like the Russian steel cased ammo (though I’ve confirmed that it’s non magnetic and brass colored underneath when the surface is filed). Regular nickel cases mixed in don’t turn color, though they might have a slight darkening and dulling that goes away with a quick run in corncob.

[pertnear]

If you have a consistent process (mix) & over time your results are less shiny or grayish it's time to clean your pins. Put the pins in a bucket with enough water to cover about an inch over. Add DEP purple degreaser & swish thoroughly & let set for 30 min. Then wash the pins thoroughly multiple times with fresh water & put back in the tumbler. I've only used DEP but other degreasers may work as well. Every 4 or 5 tumble sessions I clean the pins - its part of my process. It does make a difference!

[Gunor]

Case Lube - Dillon…I pre-wash with Citrus Degreaser. Rinse with hot water. Then SS pins and soap and Lemi-shine.

[charlie b]

I haven't use citric acid in my rotary wet tumbler. Water and Dawn with the SS pins. Usually 2hrs. They come out nice and shiny.

I use citric acid when I don't want to tumble. Good example being my ultrasonic cleaner. It cleans really well but no shine. Add the citric acid and cases come out pretty nice.

If I really want them sparkling inside and out they spend 20min in the ultrasonic (without the citric acid) and then 2hr in the tumbler. This gets insides and primer pockets really clean.

[Hanzy4200]

Thank you all. I ran another batch last night and cut way back on LemiShine. Great results. As to how many cases I run, I typically fill the tumbler about 3/4 full. I should upgrade to the larger model. I bought this smaller one for one purpose. Tumbling my .22 suppressor baffles. Gave it a try on brass and have never looked back.

[cobia]

I will offer a different formula. How much brass are you attempting to clean? The reason I ask is most people want to know how much lemi shine or dawn or whatever but for me a big part of the equation is the amount of brass.

I save up until I have a red folgers can full of brass. I put it in with pins and fill up with hot water a few inches over the brass. I put in a 9mm cartridge full of lemi shine, a good shirt or two of dawn and a cupful + of armorall wash and wax. I run things for 1.5 - 2 hours depending on how grungy it is. It comes out very nice.

Bottom line is no formula will be complete without knowing the amount of brass. YMMV

I have similar thoughts.. With my smaller Frankford and 5# of pins..
I use a 9mm of Lemi and tablespoon+ of Dawn and hot water, (rinse well when done). I found that 3/4 full of brass works much better than 1/4 full with the pins. I believe it's the way it mixes the pins and brass better. More emulsified mixture if you will?

[Shiloh]

9mm case about half full of LemiShine. Doesn't take much.

Shiloh

[high standard 40]

There are more things to consider than the recipe of cleaning agents and water.

1. Like the ratio of the volume of cases vs volume of pins.
2. The ratio of available space in the tumbler drum
3. The rotational speed of the tumbler drum.
4. The effectiveness of any baffles in the drum to facilitate the agitation of the cases and media.
5. The length of time you tumble.

All will affect results.

[high standard 40]

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