Wet Tumbling

[Brasso]

I want to start wet tumbling but need some starting info. What size stainless steel media do I need and what is the normal liquid to media ratio? Thanks in advance guys.

[BLAHUT]

For me; I just use the ss pins that are about 1/4" long, about 5 lbs in tub, some lemi shine, about a teaspoon, and simple green, a few squirts, hot water and run for about 1 hour. This is after de-priming. After wrenching off and drying, I then put into the corn for about 1 hour to polish..

[ddeck22]

Fill you tub up 75% of the way with brass, fill with water and tumble (adding some citric acid and dish soap).

In terms of pin size, go for longer as suggested previously, otherwise you will be picking them out of flash holes and primer pockets. That would be my suggestion.

[Walter Laich]

let's go down the rabbit hole on media choice

I've been using SS chips (think fingernail clippings) they don't get hung up in primer pockets or small caliber cases
take less time vs. pins
magnetic so the same magnet you'll use for pins will work though with my method I haven't had to use a magnet in a coon's age (in the wild = 2-3 years, in captivity = up to 20)

Disclaimer: I am not connected in any way with the company other than a very happy customer

couple of places sell them:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/southernshinemedia/
and for those who aren't on facebook▼
https://tbbullets.com/southern-shine-media-2/?fbclid=IwAR1PX1sSRHftbAelxKQ0uCuXbS3mtZ1UTyNc_48d UU1sBSYX26_8_DCpbXo

I use the Rebel 17 Tumbler but all wet tumblers will work https://stainlesstumblingmedia.com/

½ to 1 oz of the cheapest car wash/wax that wally world sells (the wax will keep the cases from tarnishing (have some over 3 years old since wet tumbled that still are as bring and shiny as the day I cleaned them

¼ teaspoon of LemiShine (this is what puts the shine on the brass (more is NOT better)

1 gallon of water

run the machine for 2½ hours

drain water/chips/cases through a large kitchen strainer (everything but water will be in the stainer
put chips/cases in my dry rotary media separater

fill the lower half of the clamshell with water

rotate 10 times (chips fall down into the bottom--water is important here to have this happen)

drain water (careful not to pour out chips) can use the strainer to do this if you wish

refill and do a rinse

pour out water

rotate the cage with cases in to get rid of water--remember the bottom of the clamshell is now empty

dump cases on a towel and see-saw back and forth to further get rid of water droplets

lay out in TEXAS sun for an hour or two to dry (could leave under a ceiling fan inside overnight to dry, too

back to the bottom half of the clamshell--pour water and chips back through the strainer to get rid of water.

chips can go back in the tumbler wet as they are stainless and won't rust

takes longer to explain than to do

[Moleman-]

I have the big Frankford wet tumbler. Resize first usually, but at the very least deprime to keep the primers from corroding and sticking. Fill it up to the top of the full dia section with brass, 5# of the pins that came with it, 1/2 teaspoon lemonshine, tablespoon of dawn or two of wash-n-wax and let it go for 1.5-3 hours depending on how dirty they are. We have a water softener, so I use reverse osmosis water to rinse to keep from getting spots. I have not fired up my trusty vibrating tumbler since getting this wet tumbler. Getting ready to prep about 1600 30-06 cases some of which are dirty enough I don't want to run them through the sizer die, so deprime, tumbler, size & trim on the press and likely another hour trip back to the tumbler with pins to clean off the lube and die burnishing marks and smooth out the case mouths from trimming. Did these last week, L-R 8x57, 303, 8x56R, and the last two are 30-06. Everything but the 303's have been loaded only because I have another 400 303 cases that need sized/trimmed and tumbled.

[Brassmonkey]

I use ss chips, if you buy them new run them for a few hours by themselves with water and a dash of soap. They will have sharp edges that smooth out, that would otherwise scratch up the brass. also a bit of machine shop oil /coolant you will want to wash away before getting it on your brass.

[oley55]

to sorta piggy back on Walter's great post, I have read a great deal about the chips and would probably go that route if I didn't already have 15+ pounds of pins. (my tumbler drum is 8"X23.5" and holds a LOT of brass and water.) I find with the combination of water tension and suds, you gotta take a lot of effort to not have the pins floating off during the rinse process. I suspect the chips are less likely to float and/or stick inside the brass due to water tension. Have never really had a problem with pins in the flash holes.

Only a wee bit of Lemi-shine is needed. I use about half a teaspoon in my large drum with a squirt of Dawn dish soap. I go 2/3 full of brass and add water to just below full. Leaving too much space only creates an opportunity for the trapped air to expand and possibly create a pressure leak.

https://www.ammobrass.com/product-page/stainless-steel-cleaning-media-chips-for-wet-tumblers

[Leadmad]

I've been using a Frankford Arsenal wet tumbler for 6-8 years now and for me is the best thing ever for cleaning brass, I stopped using pins nearly 2 years ago and apart from a light carbon inside the cases I think its better without, I'm using a mix of citric acid, dishwash Detergent and a splash of dishwasher powder and the brass simply agitates itself enough to clean the outside spotless and taps off the bulk of the carbon from inside the cases, the only downside is the large rifle primer pockets sometimes need a light clean out with a tool.

The dishwasher powder was the gamechanger for me I believe it has some caustic in it and instead of 2 hours the brass now does 45 mins and is spotless.

Those that use the pins will often complain about the powder thru expander die in pistol cal cases binding, and since I stopped using the pins the light carbon coating inside the cases has stopped the binding

Cheers

[Brasso]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I'll get some stuff ordered.

Brasso

[Nueces]

If using SS pins, there are about three generally available diameters, all about 0.255" in length. The smallest pins run about 0.041" in diameter and earned a nasty rep for stuffing two into flash holes. The larger 0.047" ones eliminate this mess. Larger ones of diameter 0.060" or so also work, but offer way fewer pin ends per pound of pins. The ends do the cleaning work, so the clear choice is 0.047" diameter.

[Hitnmiss]

Happy New Years everyone.

I use a paint shaker to wet tumble brass. Fill a clean paint can to just about halfway full. A little bit of lemon shin and some dawn dish soap. Add some boiling hot water to just over the top of the bass, add the lid and start the shaker. Depending on how dirty the brass is. It may take an hour or so of shaking to clean the brass. When done, I dump the brass in a strainer and rinse with boiling hot water and let them dry overnight on a toil.

[kenrh]

I just did two loads yesterday, without pins, just the standard squirt of Dawn and a sprinkle of Lemi Shine. That will wash the inside and polish the outside. Which is all you need for safe sizing and final appearance.
Pins are a PITA, I don't use them.