ultrasonic cleaner vs tumbler cleaning?

[socal s&w]

I also have the 1200 and use just about a cap to a cap-and-a-half full of Nu-Finish for the tumbling operation. It usually takes about 2.5 to 3 hours of tumble time to get them really, really shiny.

I also 'thin' the Nu-Finish with mineral spirits, which does two things, it extends the Nu-Finish and helps the media to absorb the concoction.

You can adjust the suit your needs, but this should give you something to go by at least.

Works great!

 

[thedane]

Thanks SoCal S&W! I'm looking forward to super bright cases. I'm not sure if I want to try to wash them first in the washing machine like oldRoger. Do you put them in loose or in some sort of bag...

 

[R1_Demon]

Definitely some good info in this thread. Especially for those of us just getting into reloading.

 

[thedane]

I tried the Nu-Finish and walnut shells. The brass comes out looking almost new! I did notice that the brass seems to be harder to size? Has anyone else had this experience?

 

[venomballistics]

I can see some use for an ultrasonic cleaner as it would take care of the primer pocket crud and all the fowling.
Bear in mind though, that while immaculate, the method wont do much about the roughened finish left from the chamber during the firing and extraction cycles.
Its use may extend the service life of media in your tumbler as well as some tumbler time though ... horse a piece I suppose.

 

[socal s&w]

Harder to size?

I have experienced just the opposite, it seems easier to size. I was assuming that the wax made it easier, gliding maybe?

I have carbide dies in my SDB and do not lube my cases at all though. Maybe that's the issue with your problem?

No problems here.

 

[Downlow411]

Just use the oven

I also have a cleaner and use the water, vinegar, dish soap solution. It works just okay, nothing spectacular, but they are clean around the primer pocket and inside.

I usually then run them through the vibratory and polish them up with the media and Nu-Finish, then they are SHINY!!!

I have heard recently though that stainless steel 'pins' used in a tumbler actually does both, cleans pockets and inside and polishes to a bright shine. Some of the pictures that I've seen attest to that too. You still need to use a soapy water solution, so there will be drying involved after tumbling.

The best part is that there is not much in the way of dust if these methods are used.

Stainless Steel media procedure with pictures - Calguns.net

Put your wet brass in a metal colander and pre heat the oven to 240 degrees and insert brass filled colander and after about 30 minutes, clean dry brass note: let cool before handling.

 

[thedane]

I used the Lyman green corn cob media for years. It has an abrasive powder mixed in with the media. The Nu-Finish cleans much better than the Lyman but it does seem harder to size. Maybe the powder residue in the Lyman media helps in the sizing. OR- Maybe I'm just getting weaker...

Anyway, thanks for the Nu-Finish tip!

 

[JohnnieB]

I used the Lyman green corn cob media for years. It has an abrasive powder mixed in with the media. The Nu-Finish cleans much better than the Lyman but it does seem harder to size. Maybe the powder residue in the Lyman media helps in the sizing. OR- Maybe I'm just getting weaker...

Anyway, thanks for the Nu-Finish tip!

Could be that Nu-Finish and whatever Lyman puts in their green corn cob media don't play well together.
Before using Nu-Finish with my tumbling media, my carbide resizing dies picked up a brass patina ever few hundred rounds, now they don't.

 

[thedane]

JB,

I'm not mixing the Nu-Finish in with the Lyman. I replaced the Lyman corn cob with medium coarse, untreated walnut shells and added the Nu-Finish to that.

I use carbide dies for all of my pistol resizing. The 41 Mag and 44 Spec brass I resized seemed to be a little harder to size with the Nu Finish walnut shells vs. the Lyman corn cob media.

However, I just resized a batch of .45 ACP and they seemed just as easy as before. Go figure.

 

[mexica]

I've been using water with citric acid. I bought the harbour freight u/s unit, and so far after I recap, and a few 480 second cycles, everything is as clean as I need it.

 

[Gary]

I buy Simple Green at Home Depot for about $10.00 a gallon. I deprime first and then soak the brass in it for an hour or so. It does a good job and is reusable. I use this method when I have extremly dirty cases to clean. For polishing between loads I tumble for an hour or so. I aim for "reasonably clean and polished". I have never found that highly polished brass shoots any better of lasts any longer.

 

[firearmsunlimited]

Try Birchwood Casey Case Cleaner. The solution is concentrated and goes a long way. I mix it with distilled water for the reason previously mentioned in this thread. The diluted solution needs to be heated. An cheap crock pot works well. This procedure will clean the outside, inside and primer pocket in a few minutes. If you want very shiny brass you can follow-up with tumbling in walnut shell with Iosso case polish for an hour or two.

 

[Nemo288]

The best part is that there is not much in the way of dust if these methods are used.

I actually use this "dust" to my advantage. I leave it on the cases
after tumbling them and find that sizing in carbide dies is for
sure smoother. It also polishes the cases and, slowly, the dies.
After uncounted thousands of rounds I swear my dies are smoother.
I will not be parting with them soon

___
Nemo

 

[AZ CHUCK]

Walnut shell can be bought at feed stores-- it is very very cheap about $20.00 for 50 pounds sack clean meda makes it clean go fast.

 

[TAROMAN]

I tried an ultrasonic unit and it seemed to do no better (or faster) than just shaking the cases for a couple of minutes in a Tupperware tub with hot water and my chosen cleaner (Bar Keepers Friend)

 

[compshootfl]

My best solution so far has been Simple Green...I mix it with hot water, 1 cup to water...it cleans really well, shines the brass and is biodegradable. I run two 8 minute cycles and rinse. Works even better with nickel plated brass.

 

[lvlender]

Tip for using birchwood casey brass case cleaner

Try Birchwood Casey Case Cleaner. The solution is concentrated and goes a long way. I mix it with distilled water for the reason previously mentioned in this thread. The diluted solution needs to be heated. An cheap crock pot works well. This procedure will clean the outside, inside and primer pocket in a few minutes. If you want very shiny brass you can follow-up with tumbling in walnut shell with Iosso case polish for an hour or two.

Birchwood Casey brass case cleaner works like a charm. Try it and you'll be a believer. Here's a tip. Mix up the working solution in a clear plastic of glass container. Drop in the dirty brass, put the container outside in full sun and come back in an hour or so. The sun wull heat up the mix, (like sun tea). The hot mix and sun heating the brass REALLY cleans the metal. No tumbling needed afterward. The mix can be reused many times. Just pop the container back into the sun.

 

[tlay]

I have both. I have a Lymann ultrasonic cleaner and used the Lymann solution. It worked really well. I tried to save some money when I ran out of the brass cleaner and ordered some on Flea-bay. Doesn't work very well. I like the fact I can use the ultrasonic on gun parts with the steel/gun parts solution. I keep the vibratory cleaner around to help out.

 

[elpac3]

I have used a number of case cleaning methods over the years. Just got a Thumler Tumbler and 5 pounds of SS pins. Add water, 1/4 tsp. lemi-shine and dish soap and brass comes out better than new. Clean inside and out. Primer pockets are surgically clean.

I have had some range brass that looked absolutely terrible, tarnished, oxidized and it came out like factory new. I have found it takes 2 hours for .38 / .357 / .44 / .45 cases and 4 hours for my .270 . If you have nickle plated cases, do not run them much longer then 90 minutes or the pins will start chipping off the nickel plate.

Will never go back to the vibrator and cobbs or walnet shells. Have a magnet handy though because some of the pins will get away and end up in the bottom of the sink.