Wet tumbler resolutions

[DynoDan1]

Ha!
Well okay, I just got back from the range today and I'll have some before and after pics for ya within the next few days.
I shot almost 600 rounds and am old and pooped so it'll take me a bit of time to see your bet and raise ya!

 

[KYregular]

Dry tumbler with lizard litter, turned on before bed and dumped later the next day, good enough for me.

 

[CryptKeeper5]

I use a mixture of Dawn, Lemmi shine and Meguiars "Cherry" glaze wax. Put everything into my "Thumlers Tumbler" with 5lbs of SSpins and let it go for an hour or so. After that, pull all the brass out, dump any pins and rinse in HOT water. Roll in a couple of towels and put in front of a fan to completely dry. If I get some REAL dirty range brass, I'll toss that into my dry vibratory first to knock off the big chunks first....

 

[MetalMan52]

I've been depriming, ultrasonicly cleaning the cases, let them dry and then tumble in walnut shell/corn cob media. It cleans the primer pockets and inside of the cases and then gives them a good shine. I haven't had a problem with sticking but have to make sure that the flash holes are not hiding any media.

 

[DynoDan1]

I’ll see your clean cases, and raise you a triple case load and a better lighted frame.

Your draw.

Okay, here's some before/after pics.
I just use hot water (a little over 3/4 full), Dawn dish soap, a dash of salt and steel pin media.
A little paint bucket, spoon, a magnet inside a plastic bag, a sieve and a blow dryer from back when I had more hair..
Run in my HF dual tumbler for 30-60 minutes, depending on how nasty the cases are that I pick up at the range.
Remove the steel media with the magnet in the bag, rinse the cases in hot water and blow dry which takes all of 2 minutes.
Oh, and your call!!

 

[Demi-human]

Okay, here's some before/after pics.

Oooh, yeah! Badda Bling!

 

[DynoDan1]

Oooh, yeah! Badda Bling!

Bada Boom, Baby!!!

 

[Dane R. Marley]

How much of Armor All Wash & Wax do you put in your wet tumbler? I am planning to purchase a Frankford Arsenal Large Wet Tumbler and I will use SS Chips.

I picked up my FA RT, a FA Magnet, and I ordered 10 lbs of SS Chips Southern Shine. When the chios arrive I will put the through a cleaning cycle in the tumbler to wash off SS Dust and any Industrial grease or oils.

I do need to pickup some type of sorting pans and buckets.

 

[Blue68f100]

Are your chips magnetic? I've heard some are not. Normally a std media separator works just fine. I would not use more than 5# at a time. Chip shavings are more abrasive than the pins, sharper edges.

 

[DynoDan1]

Are your chips magnetic? I've heard some are not. Normally a std media separator works just fine. I would not use more than 5# at a time. Chip shavings are more abrasive than the pins, sharper edges.

Are you asking me?
If so, yes my media is magnetic, they are steel pins.
I bought 10#'s and have only used a small handful for each tumbler since I first started using the wet tumbling method 2.5 years ago.
Between the amount of water, the weight of the brass, the miscellaneous mixture of cleaning solution and the SS media, too much weight makes the tumbler strain and will prematurely wear out the drums, drive belt, gears and motor so I only put 25 cases per drum (comes with 2).
I have cleaned thousands and thousands and thousands using this method and it works very well and my tumbler has had no issues.

 

[BigCheese]

I made the resolutions to quit wet tumbling due to stickey brass in carbide dies and bullets refusing to seat and not be deformed from pressure.

I took my wet tumbler and made a dry tumbler with it. I filled it to the brim with new walnut and nu finish car wax, about half a bottle and tumbled for 4 hours. With the media settled I add 1000 38special cases first then fill up with my media and run for 4 hours. My cases are clean around the 2 hour mark yet I just go for 4 hours.

They are shinny enough to load as is but I have been letting the 1000 piece lots tumble in a vibratory tumbler with ni finish treated corn cob for around 8 hours while I sleep.

Since I made this resolution I no longer experience sticky cases in my dies, deformed bullets, any issues.

After wet tumbling, soak the cases in a solution of 3 oz/gallon of Armor All car cleaner/wax. Drain but do not rinse. Lay out on a towel to dry. This will leave a wax film on the cases which will eliminate the galling problem.

 

[DynoDan1]

I made the resolutions to quit wet tumbling due to stickey brass in carbide dies and bullets refusing to seat and not be deformed from pressure.

I took my wet tumbler and made a dry tumbler with it. I filled it to the brim with new walnut and nu finish car wax, about half a bottle and tumbled for 4 hours. With the media settled I add 1000 38special cases first then fill up with my media and run for 4 hours. My cases are clean around the 2 hour mark yet I just go for 4 hours.

They are shinny enough to load as is but I have been letting the 1000 piece lots tumble in a vibratory tumbler with ni finish treated corn cob for around 8 hours while I sleep.

Since I made this resolution I no longer experience sticky cases in my dies, deformed bullets, any issues.

Sheesh!!
Seems like a lot of time.
Guess if you're satisfied with the results, carry on.
I can't do 1000 cases at a time but then again I'm in no hurry. I have about 1000 cases ready to go at any given moment of .38 spcl, .357 mag,
9mm and .308. Just got to load some powder and bullets.
I take to the range about 600-700 rounds on every outing, don't always shoot all of my rounds, I just take that many just in case I want to shoot them.

 

[Dane R. Marley]

Are your chips magnetic? I've heard some are not. Normally a std media separator works just fine. I would not use more than 5# at a time. Chip shavings are more abrasive than the pins, sharper edges.

yes

 

[Dane R. Marley]

After wet tumbling, soak the cases in a solution of 3 oz/gallon of Armor All car cleaner/wax. Drain but do not rinse. Lay out on a towel to dry. This will leave a wax film on the cases which will eliminate the galling problem.

Over the winter I will be depriming and cleaning 400 lbs of Rifle and Pistol Brass. Half of it is already deprimed. I plan to resize all of the Rifle Brass and cut to proper length before storage.

I was going to use the Armor All car cleaner/wax at the start of the cleaning cycle for my Pistol Brass. Since I use Dillon or Homemade Lube for my Rifle Brass I was going to use Dawn concentrate for my Rifle Brass. Do you see an issues with that?

 

[Blue68f100]

Over the winter I will be depriming and cleaning 400 lbs of Rifle and Pistol Brass. Half of it is already deprimed. I plan to resize all of the Rifle Brass and cut to proper length before storage.

I was going to use the Armor All car cleaner/wax at the start of the cleaning cycle for my Pistol Brass. Since I use Dillon or Homemade Lube for my Rifle Brass I was going to use Dawn concentrate for my Rifle Brass. Do you see an issues with that?

The only thing that will happen is the brass will tarnish quickly. Not needed for lube since you have to anyway to size. Just use your vibrating tumbler to remove the lube with some wax added in.

 

[Highland Lofts]

I have been useing the Frankford wet tumbler for a couple of years now using the standard mix of cleaning agents, a cap full of ArmorAll Wash & Wax, 1/2 a teaspoon of Lemi-Shine Booster and a small squirt of Dawn dish soap and generally run it for 45 minutes to an hour. Dump the black water, rinse and fill back up with hot water and go another ten minute then drain and dry.

Someone posted above about adding just ArmorAll to the last cycle, it is suppose to leave a was coating on the cases.

So that I think will be my routine now.
Tumble 45 minutes to an hour, rince, tumble again for 15 to twenty minutes with just ArmorAll.
I have a couple hundred pounds of range brass that I am separating that I will tumble and I get done deer hunting in mid December.
If your brass is nice before tumbling I don't see why you just can't use the wash & wax at the get go.

 

[Dane R. Marley]

The only thing that will happen is the brass will tarnish quickly. Not needed for lube since you have to anyway to size. Just use your vibrating tumbler to remove the lube with some wax added in.

for my rifle brass I have always deprime, clean, resize and trim to length. Then I store it in an air tite container till I load.