Wet stainless pin tumbling

[Airman Basic]

Tried this stuff

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001GJ9K8C/

instead of Dawn. Seems to leave a slightly slick finish, almost like NuFinish in the walnut media.

[Silverboolit]

That is what I have been using, also. Works great and available at Wallyworld in the auto dept.

[Airman Basic]

BTW, works in the ultrasonic, too.

[siamese4570]

Ok, all peening aside, can someone "splain" how this process works. I get the wet tumbling part but how do you separate the media, dirty water and cases. Also to you have to rense the cases and the media. How long do you typically tumble. Years ago I had one of the little tumblers that use the dry (walnut) media. It was slooooow. Educate me.
siamese4570

[Airman Basic]

Several options here:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...tainless-media

[cheese1566]

Brings old bullets to life!

[Bayou52]

Brings old bullets to life!

Interesting-

How long did you wet tumble those FMJ projectiles?

Did you use Dawn and Lemi-Shine like with casings?

[preparehandbook]

I eagerly read through this thread as I am shopping for a new tumbler and this wet stainless steel pin method seems to get the job done.

My DIY tumbling system has produced some pretty severe peening.

I have access to a tire machine at my work's maintenance shop so at night when everyone has gone home I dismount a forklift tire off of one of the larger forklifts.

I then insert a pound or so of brass and my special formula:

- 12 gallons distilled water
- 1 quart Dawn antibacterial soap
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 drops (no more than 2 drops!) of hydrogen peroxide
- 20 fist sized rocks
- 5 corn cobs (why use corn cob media when corn cobs are free?)

I let this tumble through a normal 10 hour day in our potholed yard and then dismount the tire to retrieve my brass the next day. But I have been seeing what I now know is called peening:


Strangely enough, this case had no projectile when I started:


Some side-peening:


A well tumbled shell ready for reloading:

[Bayou52]

Impressive results! I've now been convinced to change my media to one pound fist sized rocks....

[HiVelocity]

I leave out the Dawn dish detergent; and use the cheapest dishwasher detergent you can find. I use about 1 healthy tablespoon full and let the tumbler run overnight for really dark and nasty cases; 4-6 hours for once fired that aren't that bad. Rinse using a plastic spaghetti strainer and a large salad bowl to catch my pins.

Just food for thought.......

HV

[cheese1566]

Interesting-

How long did you wet tumble those FMJ projectiles?

Did you use Dawn and Lemi-Shine like with casings?

I did my usual tsp or so of LemiShine with a small squirt of dishsoap (Ivory maybe?). I use a Thumler B regular model with water to about 3/4 full. I rarely fill it all the way up. Bullets only on this run.
I usually run brass about 3 hours, but I got delayed and did about 4 on the bullet batch.
I just afraid they'll tarnish up.
I like run my brass in my vibratory tumbler a while to give it a coating of NuFinish after I SST tumble.
Bullets dont work very well in a vibe tumbler, they just sit in the bottom and jiggle.

[Bayou52]

I just afraid they'll tarnish up.

On the issue of returning tarnish after SS wet tumbling, one approach is to apply a small amount of WD 40 in the palm of the hand and simply rub it on a handful of projectiles at a time. An extremely thin film is all that's needed to create an oxidation barrier.

I do this with brasses, and it keeps that newly tumbled, bright yellow brass appearance.

Of course, this degree of appearance is just a personal choice for me, as the brasses are completely clean, even if they later turn a bit darker over time.

Happy Tumbling!

Bayou52

[Bayou52]

I just afraid they'll tarnish up.

On the issue of returning tarnish after SS wet tumbling, one approach is to apply a small amount of WD 40 in the palm of the hand and simply rub it on a handful of projectiles at a time. An extremely thin film is all that's needed to create an oxidation barrier.

I do this with brasses, and it keeps that newly tumbled, bright yellow brass appearance.

Of course, this degree of appearance is just a personal choice for me, as the brasses are completely clean, even if they later turn a bit darker over time.

Happy Tumbling!

Bayou52

[ftut]

So now I've learned why my brass ends up looking like copper. I have a water softener and I'm using to much lemoshine. If I recall I used about 2 or 3 tsp per gallon of water. Does anyone know the correct about to use to prevent the copper color?

[Bayou52]

So now I've learned why my brass ends up looking like copper. Does anyone know the correct about to use to prevent the copper color?

With using Lemi-Shine, just remember that more is definitely not better, as you've learned the hard way.

I use a Thumler's model B tumbler. It has a 15 pound capacity. With a drum this size, I use only 1/4 of a teaspoon of Lemi-Shine. I routinely get highly bright yellow brass after a 4 hour tumble. For me, 4 hours is the sweet spot of tumbling time - all parts of the brass comes out bright.

Bayou52

[skeet1]

The instructions that came with my tumbler from STM says 1/4 teaspoon of Lemi Shine, 1 to 2 tablespoons of detergent and water to about an inch from the top when the drum is sitting on it's end. This has worked out well for me.

Ken

[Bayou52]

The instructions that came with my tumbler from STM says 1/4 teaspoon of Lemi Shine, 1 to 2 tablespoons of detergent

Skeet1 -

Just FYI -

I am familiar with the instructions from STM you refer to. I got my set up from them as well. However, in my own experience, I've found that no more than 1 teaspoon of Dawn is needed per drum.

I find that 1 -2 tablespoons of Dawn per drum produces too much suds with no greater benefit.

Just my experience.....

Bayou52

[skeet1]

Bayou52
Thanks I'll try it with less detergent. You are right that there is a lot of suds. What I usually do is place the drum on end in the sink and let clear water run and over flow to get rid of the suds and the dirty water.

Ken

[Bayou52]

Hi, Ken -

What's your preferred method of drying your brasses after tumbling?

I'm always interested in learning different techniques used by folks....

Thanks -

Bayou52

[R.Ph. 380]

Skeet1 -

Just FYI -

I am familiar with the instructions from STM you refer to. I got my set up from them as well. However, in my own experience, I've found that no more than 1 teaspoon of Dawn is needed per drum.

I find that 1 -2 tablespoons of Dawn per drum produces too much suds with no greater benefit.

Just my experience.....

Bayou52

I have found that you can cut your cleaning time almost in half if you stop at 1&½ hours rinse and re make your solution with fresh dawn and lemishine. Stop again at 2 &½ hours and you're done. If you get the initial tarnish and dirt out, they clean up even faster.

Bill