Wet tumbling brass

[Flare]

Sure looks like it You have some skills for sure
Corey

 

[Nevadajim]

Thumblers Tumbler. Love it. I use brass pins, cream of tartar or Lemi-Shine and some dawn dish detergent. Works great.

Where so you get the brass pins?

 

[Dentite]

Wet stainless tumbling is far superior to anything else IMO.

I use the extreme Rebel 17. Works great. There are other options on the market now since I've bought mine so I don't know all the options.

I also use their media separator which works great. Pins are very easily removed and it only takes a minute. I use dry paper towels in the separator to dry the brass and prevent water spots.

I clean with dawn detergent and pins. Then drain and rinse and do a quick cycle with armour all wash and wax to give the brass a thin coating of wax to prevent galling when resizing with carbide dies and no lube (straight walled cases) and prevents oxidation of the raw brass.

I've owned a harbor freight tumbler that we used for rocks. I wouldn't recommend it for two reasons. Tiny capacity and ours wore out in a fraction of the time I've used my rebel 17 and it's going strong still.

 

[Velvet]

Where so you get the brass pins?

Stainless Steel Media (2 lbs)

Stainless Steel Media (2 lbs) by FRANKFORD ARSENAL Product Overview: These Frankford Arsenal Magnetic Stainless Steel Tumbling Pins are designed to clean brass cases giving a "like new" look. In contrast to other tumbling media, like corn cob or walnut, stainless steel doesn't create dust...

www.midsouthshooterssupply.com

 

[Sam Summey]

For you guys wet tumbling your brass what tumbler are you using? Do you like it or wish you had another one? Tumblers to stay away from?


Corey

It all depends on how many pieces of brass I tumble, small batches 40-50 rifle, 100 or so pistol, I use the Thumblers, for large quantities is use a mortar mixer from Harbor Freight.

 

[freddiej]

I have a custom made wet tumbler, I got it off e-bay, 35 pound capacity, 15 pounds of pins, one ounce of RCBS's wet tumbler media, hot water, tablespoon of dawn, and a tablespoon of lemi-shine. 2 hours later the brass comes out and the next batch goes in. I can use the "soup" between 4 and 6 times without having to tumble longer. yes, I experimented once and found even though the liquid was dang near black it still cleaned and shined the brass. best part, the carbon in the primer pocket was either gone or nearly gone. best time saver I know.

 

[5gauss]

For you guys wet tumbling your brass what tumbler are you using? Do you like it or wish you had another one? Tumblers to stay away from?


Corey

Even harbor freight works fine for smaller quantities...60.00 and mine has done hundreds/ thousands w no issues..

 

[SCSCHNUR]

This is what I use made it myself. Has timer so I can run it 20 min ,1hour, 2 hours or 3 hours that way it shuts down by itself.
Dawn dish soap or car wash soap little lemon shine. Also use distilled water. Bigger sized stainless steel pins so they don't get aught in flash hole. Before on the right after the left. I can do several hundred 223, 308, 6.5 creedmoor at a time.

 

[HOT TUNA]

I have the Frankfort Arsenal Tumbler. Been using it for a couple years now. Love it. Since I've had it I haven't used my vibratory tumbler once and likely never will use that messy loud thing again.

 

[brian11]

eBay sellers and various others have the Thumlers Tumbler. Amazon and lots of others have the pins. A simple google search will reveal all the details. Or get everything on one place at www.stainlesstumblingmedia.com I use the Thumlers I got from an ebay seller and I got the pins at the above link. They also have own "improved" heavy duty tumbler. Cleanup is a bit more work with them, but they will clean even the nastiest range brass that's been laying on the ground for months or years. Just don't leave the brass in the tumbler for an extended period. I did that once and eventually the water started to blacken the brass, so I had to hand polish the outside with a scotchbrite pad, then redo them.

When you take them out, dry with a towel, then I put mine in the oven at 150 for a couple hours, or you can put them in a can with a lip on the bottom (to avoid direct contact and too much heat transfer) and put them on the wood stove until they are completely dry inside and out..

 

[nvschütze]

This is a good idea. To make it better, just lay a piece of old sheet in it and then the pins won't go down into the bucket and create problems in getting them back out and back into your storage container. I use a cheap Dollar Tree colander that exactly fits a five-gallon bucket. I have a large piece of old scrub top to cover the holes in the colander, and the separation of the water and pins proceeds ahead slicker than snot on a hoe handle.

 

[crystalgayleguy]

I have the frankford arsenals wet tumbler hot water a little dawn a little lemishin when done I pick out brass put in a coffee can fill and rinse twice so that you get all the pins out then tumble in vibrating tumbler to dry haven't tried brass wash yet I have two of them

 

[crystalgayleguy]

I have the frankford arsenals wet tumbler hot water a little dawn a little lemishin when done I pick out brass put in a coffee can fill and rinse

 

[nvschütze]

… then tumble in vibrating tumbler to dry.

I dry my brass in my oven, set to 225 degrees. Two hours or so does the job, and they are DRY. No worries about annealing the entire case at 225; brass does not anneal until around 750 degrees. I prefer a 13 x 9 Pyrex glass baking dish...