Cleaning brass

[quarterbore]

When I bought my tumbler secondhand it already had media in it. I just bought some lyman media, tufnut part #7631396. I've tumbled some brass for a couple of hours and it's shiny but covered in the dusty residue from the media. Do I need to add some cleaning solution to the mix? I know a guy that uses "brasso", not sure if I should go that route and contaminate my brand new media. In the future I'm planning on moving to a stainless media in the future.

[stangfish]

Pretty common and will not do your dies any justice if not cleaned before you size them. Some guys use dryer sheets to keep the dust down. You can wash your brass as well and dry them in the oven on a cookie sheet at about 200 degrees. If it is a vibratory tumbler dont use the SS media in a wet solution n it. The weight will destroy the motor and the plate it is attached to.

[quarterbore]

Sorry, should have been more clear. It's a vibratory tumbler, and I'm currently using brand new lyman tuffnut media with no additives or cleaners in it. I'm pretty sure that there was brasso in my old media since I bought the tumbler used from the guy that uses brasso. I'm debating swapping to stainless media in the future.

[stangfish]

So the stainless media is done with a wet solution. It is not recomended in a vibratory tumbler that utilizes bowl. I guess you could try it. I ended up with a broken RCBS tumbler.

[rjtfroggy]

I've been using a RCBS for a little over 3 years and my brass comes out spotless. A little Nu-Finish(around 2 capfuls) every other time I use it is all it takes. I can't remember the last time I chaged the media and I usually do 100 cases at a time, some times twice a week (winter). I leave the spent primers in so the flash hole and primer hole do not get plugged up. Wipe them off send through universal drimer then lube and size,file trim and then off to the case prep(rcbs), put in primers then into ammo boxes ready to go all set for reloading.
I shoot all summer & fall with out reloading so I end up with a lot to do during the winter including my winter shooting.

[Dennis]

Some guys use dryer sheets to keep the dust down.

The above suggestion works.


I can't remember the last time I changed the media and I usually do 100 cases at a time

My media turns black, I probably change it about every 5 cycles. Never tried Nu Finish, does it keep the media clean? Or what is the secret?

Dennis

[memilanuk]

Nu Finish is a car polish - when used in with dry tumbling media such as walnut shell or corn cob it works the same as Dillon 'Rapid Polish' and other similar products, with the advantage of generally being cheaper and available locally at the auto parts / hardware store. It is generally considered 'safe', or at least 'not harmful' - unlike Brasso.

[masterblaster]

Dont use any polish with ammonia in it.

[Nor Cal Mikie]

What you end up with when using any polish added to your media is a coating on the brass. If you want "uncoated" brass, use Corn Cobb media with nothing on it. The brass comes out looking like new.
And, the "used" dryer sheets will keep the dust formed from the media from getting on the brass.
The Stainless Steel Media won't work in a vibratory tumbler. It just settles out to the bottom.

[masterblaster]

When you burn out the RCBS get a Thumbler Tumbler.

[243LPR]

Lyman does have a polishing solution that you add to the media when it starts getting dry. Thats what I use and have had good luck w/it. Never heard about the dryer sheet trick,one sheet per batch?

[quarterbore]

When you burn out the RCBS get a Thumbler Tumbler.

That's the tumbler I'm using. I've got a couple dryer sheets in it now, we'll see how it turns out in a couple hours.

[Dennis]

Never heard about the dryer sheet trick,one sheet per batch?

I take a full sheet and cut it up into 2" squares. Works great. If you put a whole sheet in, it will bundle up the brass. Simply, a whole sheet won't work, just cut it up into small squares.

[masterblaster]

You have a Thumbler Tumbler? or a vibratory cleaner? If a Thumbler Tumbler, it should rotate on a spindle with rollers, it should be red. Does it look like this one?

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/426185/thumlers-tumbler-model-b-high-speed-rotary-case-tumbler-110-volt



That's the tumbler I'm using. I've got a couple dryer sheets in it now, we'll see how it turns out in a couple hours.

[quarterbore]

The link doesn't work for me. It says Ultra-vibe 18 on the label. It has a red base and the rest is black. I imagine it's fairly old, I bought it about 5-6 years ago, and it wasn't new then.

[BaconFat]

The link doesn't work for me. It says Ultra-vibe 18 on the label. It has a red base and the rest is black. I imagine it's fairly old, I bought it about 5-6 years ago, and it wasn't new then.

Thumler's Tumbler uses kind of a barrel shaped container with a rubber liner and is designed for wet tumbling although you can use dry media. Thumler's Ultra-Vibe is strictly a dry media system. Does your Ultra-Vibe have the on/off switch built into the power cord?

[quarterbore]

Yes