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Thread: Brass cleaning / polishing
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January 28th, 2013, 11:13 AM #1
Brass cleaning / polishing
Hello all. I have recently came across a fairly large amount of once fired .223 and .45 brass. So of course this gave me an opportunity to spend money on a new hobby.
I purchased the Frankford Arsenal tumbler kit as well as the Hornady ultrasonic cleaner. I have a few been question if you all don't mind? I searched, but have been coming up with many different answers. I initially tried JUST the ultrasonic and the brass seemed cleaner but very far from polished. I read about the Lemishine, Nu-finish, etc. I was looking for step by step instructions and recommendations if someone was kind enough to do so?
-Can anyone explain the amount of times (8 minutes?)and steps to clean/polish the brass?
-Can I tumble in the media immediately after the ultrasonic cleaner to get the "shiny" look?
-Is it ok if the brass is still wet after the ultrasonic cleaner to put right into the tumbler with the media and polish?
-Is there a faster way to dry the brass or will the tumbler dry them out?
Sorry for all the questions, but I can't give up this free brass. Thanks!
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January 28th, 2013, 12:30 PM #2
Re: Brass cleaning / polishing
Can anyone explain the amount of times (8 minutes?)and steps to clean/polish the brass?
2. I usually clean in 100 round lots, throw them in the Lyman 1200, top off with walnut shells, add a cap of nu finish and a little mineral spirits and start it up and run for around 2 hours.
3. Empty my "vibratory cleaner" and give the brass another good once over. Some have some tarnish, usually not brand new shiny, but clean enough to do the job.
Can I tumble in the media immediately after the ultrasonic cleaner to get the "shiny" look?
Is it ok if the brass is still wet after the ultrasonic cleaner to put right into the tumbler with the media and polish?
Is there a faster way to dry the brass or will the tumbler dry them out?
Unless you are bench rest shooting, and demand perfection with every case absolutely identical, there really is no need."Disperse you Rebels! Damn you! Throw down your Arms and Disperse!" British Major Pitcairn at Lexington April 19, 1775
"Sometimes reasonable men must do unreasonable things" Marvin Heemeyer
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January 28th, 2013, 12:38 PM #3
Re: Brass cleaning / polishing
762- Thank you for all that information. I appreciate the thorough response.
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January 30th, 2013, 10:47 AM #4
Re: Brass cleaning / polishing
Hey I'm new to this and have a few questions. Why only 100 rounds? How many times can you re-use the media, average? Is the nu finish for cleaning? What are the mineral spirits for? Do you really top it off so it is full to the top? Thanks! Assume I know nothing in your responses lol.
I'll be using a 18 lb Harbor Freight vibratory tumbler. I have a bag of walnut media from them also. I'm not sure how course it is. Any recommendations on that?
Thanks!In America arms are free merchandise such that anyone who has the capital may make their houses into armories and their gardens into parks of artillery. - Ira Allen, 1796
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January 30th, 2013, 11:05 AM #5Senior Member
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Re: Brass cleaning / polishing
Like everything else in reloading, different people / different strokes. But:
- Tumbling brass normally 2-3 hours, up to overnight. Ultrasonic cleaner, 4-6 minutes (in a cleaning solution)
- Wouldn't recommend tumbling immediately after ultrasonic cleaning, as the brass will be wet (inside and out). I've never done it, but I would expect some amount of tumbling media to stick to the brass, inside and out - and a lot of media dust to remain stick inside the cases.
- After ultrasonic cleanng, spread the wet brass on a flat pan (e.g., baking pan) and put in the oven on very low heat for @ 30 minutes, or until dry inside.
I have both tumbler and ultrasonic cleaner. I normally deprime brass, then ultrasonic cleaner. The ultrasonic does a much better job removing residue from the inside of the case and flash hole than a tumbler. (I don't worry much about getting a shiny case exterior, because it doesn't make a better shooting cartridge... but, tumbling after the cases are dry certainly won't hurt anything.)
Depriming first as an additional step takes a little more time - but I fire cases several or many times, so I like to avoid build up inside the cases.
After the brass is clean, I resize and proceed with normal loading steps.
Don't use my tumbler often, only if I encounter some extremely tarnished cases - then tumble them, deprime and ultrasonic. If the cases are extremely tarnished, this process makes them a little prettier, but not much.
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January 30th, 2013, 11:18 AM #6
Re: Brass cleaning / polishing
Why only 100 rounds?
How many times can you re-use the media, average
Is the nu finish for cleaning? What are the mineral spirits for?
Do you really top it off so it is full to the top
I'm not sure how course it is
You should be fine, some of it is trial and error and finding out what works best for you.
Good luck."Disperse you Rebels! Damn you! Throw down your Arms and Disperse!" British Major Pitcairn at Lexington April 19, 1775
"Sometimes reasonable men must do unreasonable things" Marvin Heemeyer
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January 30th, 2013, 12:33 PM #7
Re: Brass cleaning / polishing
I've been tempted by the ultrasonic cleaning methods but so far just plain tumblin' has worked great.
I use 50/50 mix of walnut shell/corn cob media.
Fill half the tumbler with brass, I never count.
Add media, shake until I can't see the brass, couple of dryer sheets cut into strips, a capful of car polish, and 2 hours later things come out pretty nice and clean (and relatively shiny).
Don't over think it. You can't go wrong with any method.
As far as media changing. I'm still using the stuff I put in 2 years ago and I tumble 1-4x per month.Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading.
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January 30th, 2013, 02:08 PM #8
Re: Brass cleaning / polishing
Tumbling works great for me. I've looked into going the ultrasonic route a few times but the results I have seen just don't do it for me. 2.5 or 3 hours of tumbling with some of this and a cap full of brass polish and my cases come out looking like mirrors. I usually run 200-300 in the tumbler per batch.
That media I linked works better than anything else I have tried, and you simply cannot beat the price. That bag is enough to fill a pair of 5 gallon buckets.Let us hope for the best, but let us also prepare for the worst.
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January 30th, 2013, 04:20 PM #9
Re: Brass cleaning / polishing
I hadn't heard of the dryer sheet trick before. Thanks for the tip.
I've been using some walnut that my dad gave me and that should last a while but, as someone mentioned, Harbor Freight sells walnut media too. I've seen it in store and their web site lists it in both fine and coarse grades for $23/25lbs (http://www.harborfreight.com/catalog...esult?q=walnut). I figured that was a good deal the next time I need it. I'm sure the car polish and mineral spirits or even plain brass polish methods are cheaper but I've been using Dillon's case polish and the brass comes out looking mostly new.
That link is another good tip. It's even cheaper than the stuff I just mentioned from Harbor Freight. Either way 25 lbs, 40 lbs, that should last a long time depending on how much tumbling you're doing.
Here's a question for you guys on the order in which I tumble/size/deprime. I've only ever done straight walled pistol cases by myself with carbide dies so I don't lube the cases. I've reloaded for rifles before with my dad but I'm going to be doing more on my own now. I'm going on his advice and this method has never let him down so I have no reason to doubt it but I thought I'd get some other opinions while we're on the subject. The press is a Dillon 550 progressive so sizing, depriming, and priming is all done at stage one. He likes to lube the cases, size/deprime/prime, then tumble to get all the lube off of them to help keep the other stages' dies (powder, seat, etc.) clean before moving to said stages. I'll also be tumbling once before size/deprime/prime to keep the sizing die clean. Thoughts?
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January 30th, 2013, 04:43 PM #10
Re: Brass cleaning / polishing
Have always used "Roger's Sizing Magic Dust". Works great on all pistol straight walled cartridges, including .45-70's.
I usually put whatever cases (tumbled, but not deprimed or lubed) I'm reloading into a 1 gal. Ziploc bag, put a few squirts of "Magic Dust" in the bag, seal it up, then gently roll it around in my hands for about twenty seconds, being careful not to inadvertently open the bag and scatter my cases all over the floor. The motion helps distribute the dust across all cases.
I think of it as pixie dust, for it sure works its magic - no stuck cases - and no BS! It's affordable and one bottle lasts a long time.
FWIW, also use a Dillon 550B for about 10-15K rnds per year, depending on what's going on...
Here's the link: http://www.kingshooters.com/magic-dust-p-25767.html- bamboomaster
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