Getting brass cleaned of dirt, sand, etc. is practical. Polishing brass is just window dressing. Being finicky, I clean and polish, but realize that it only makes me feel good to see pretty brass.
Brass polishing...I am confused
- Thread starter sniper
- Start date
Actually clean shiny brass is easier to see cracks and other things. Is pretty but practical to do. Don't use much nickeled brass but it's easier to see cracks etc too. I've just about finished checking all the 38 brass for problems. Out of over5000 pieces I found 31 cracks and more than 70 out of round/crushed that I missed before cleaning... But I'm glad it's done.
Pins????????????????????
A few years back I purchased some 32 cal brass over the internet from a private party! The brass arrived bright and shiny! I started to reload and a few rounds in the depriming/sizing process I broke a decapping pin. Replace the pin and went back to depriming/resizing. Less than ten rounds later I broke another pin! Time to investigate! ? ! After inspecting all of the 250 brass I found approximately 50 brass with SS pins wedged inside, which were a bear to get out of the brass! Lesson learned, don't wet tumble and stick with the corncob media, with Nu Shine added! I tumble in my shop over night, when I'm in the living room. The brass ends up bright and the Nu Shime makes the brass slippery to the touch, making the press operate a little easier!
jcelect
A few years back I purchased some 32 cal brass over the internet from a private party! The brass arrived bright and shiny! I started to reload and a few rounds in the depriming/sizing process I broke a decapping pin. Replace the pin and went back to depriming/resizing. Less than ten rounds later I broke another pin! Time to investigate! ? ! After inspecting all of the 250 brass I found approximately 50 brass with SS pins wedged inside, which were a bear to get out of the brass! Lesson learned, don't wet tumble and stick with the corncob media, with Nu Shine added! I tumble in my shop over night, when I'm in the living room. The brass ends up bright and the Nu Shime makes the brass slippery to the touch, making the press operate a little easier!
jcelect
There are pins of a specific size that will pass through the flash hole, and not long enough to jam sideways in a primer hole. Solves the problem.
Just curious, but aren't most "out of round" and "crushed" cases easily fixed in the sizing/flaring stage of reloading? Unless you are talking about some seriously deformed brass - which should be easy to spot even before tumbling.
Or am I misunderstanding what you are talking about?
ArchAngelCD
Moderator, SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
I think you're correct but like you said, unless it's really crushed. Out of round stuff usually comes right back into round from sizing.
That's been my experience...
OK I have to jump in here on this, do you really think its the media that cleans the brass? I for one don't, is the walnut or corn cob harder than the bass its self. I believe the brass is cleaned and shined by vibrating against each other and the media collects the dust and dirt. If you think this is bull then put ONE case in your tumbler and see how long it takes to polish that one piece of brass.
Rice, corn cob, walnut all will collect the dirt and dust, a drier sheet also will collect the dust.
there are times I have taken brass, filled a bucket with water and a little vinegar agate with my hands and dry, amazing how clean just a bath will get them. I am only worried about getting it clean enough so I don't harm my dies.
Rice, corn cob, walnut all will collect the dirt and dust, a drier sheet also will collect the dust.
there are times I have taken brass, filled a bucket with water and a little vinegar agate with my hands and dry, amazing how clean just a bath will get them. I am only worried about getting it clean enough so I don't harm my dies.
I agree !
That's why SS pin wet tumbling became popular as an option.
Both have their drawbacks, dust vs drying. I got rid of my dry tumblers and have gone to wet SS pins.
- Joined
- Aug 9, 2005
- Messages
- 8,987
- Reaction score
- 11,139
I started cleaning brass forty or so years ago, about the time tumblers (and a little later, the vibratory cleaners) became very popular. Before that, virtually everyone used "dirty" brass even if we didn't know it was dirty. I'm unaware of any handloader experiencing problems caused by that simple method, or lack of method.
I've alway used media that was marketed as suitable for cleaning brass cartridge cases. I've never used pet store material or other media that was sold for various other kinds of cleaning.
There may be no difference in any of these products except price, but having used no pet store or other products, I can't say for sure. I can say I've never had the dust problem many complain of. Any dust has been minimal at best. I tumble brass in a garage. I still use only dry media most of the time, never trying liquid, pins, or any ritualistic procedures but have used additives (polish?). The additives shorten cleaning time but don't really clean any better. I've found the drier sheets and paper towels really do nothing in terms of effectiveness, but if your experience has been different, certainly don't change your routine.
In my experience I have found that cases that are out of round slightly bent(rifle) cases are usually not able to really be straightened completely...as far as revolver(like the 70 or so I pitched out ) can be saved but using them in my progressive presses just doesn't make practical sense. Progressive presses work better with nice concentric round cases. Out of round slightly bent crushed rifle brass won't get used as it is all culled sized trimmed etc etc. But don't be fooled into believing all damaged cases are returned to factory shape...it ain't so... well maybe with some cases in collet sizers. When the sizing buttons come through a case neck it can be stretched sometimes more on one side of the case than others
Handyman163
Member
- Joined
- Aug 30, 2012
- Messages
- 12
- Reaction score
- 5
I use crushed walnut with some cut strips of dryer sheet in a vibratory tumbler. I add 1/2 oz of NuFinish to the media the first few times using the fresh media, or as I feel polishing erformance declines. Once I've added about 2-3 total oz of NuFinish (1/2 oz at a time, once a week or so as needed), I just add 1/2 oz of Odorless mineral Spirits instead of the NuFinish - this adds some moisture to the mix, cuts way down on dust, and CUTS RIGHT THROUGH carbon fouling. The polish is still in the media until you change it, and I've only ever changed my media once in 10 years of reloading...granted, I'm not as high-volume as some on here. Try the Odorless mineral spirits with the walnut shell media - it really works!
The NuFinish does make the brash shine like new, and leaves a coating on it that makes resizing a breeze. Mixed brass and nickel are hard to tell apart at quick glance because they're all so shiny/reflective. I can't imagine every getting into the wet tumbling because of the drying time and separation of media, etc. I just pour the tumbler contents into a strainer in a 3gal bucket, and move right along!
The NuFinish does make the brash shine like new, and leaves a coating on it that makes resizing a breeze. Mixed brass and nickel are hard to tell apart at quick glance because they're all so shiny/reflective. I can't imagine every getting into the wet tumbling because of the drying time and separation of media, etc. I just pour the tumbler contents into a strainer in a 3gal bucket, and move right along!
ArchAngelCD
Moderator, SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
Sorry, no way any dry media can last 10 years unless you only used it once every 6 months.
Does really nice looking brass work better than slightly grungy brass?
I have dried brass by rolling it on a towel and putting it on a cookie sheet in an oven at 150 degrees for awhile. (Without the towel, unless you want to start a fire). Using a hair drier works too!
I have dried brass by rolling it on a towel and putting it on a cookie sheet in an oven at 150 degrees for awhile. (Without the towel, unless you want to start a fire). Using a hair drier works too!
SweetMK
Member
Stop by for a visit, bring ALL of your brass,, I mean ALL!!
you can use my tumbler,,
Yes, it is THAT big,,,,
The US Army built it to tumble rusty snow chains for truck tires,,
Every thing has to shine in the Army,, I guess,,
I have tumbled 3/8" log chains that are 30 feet long,,
you can do 3 or more at a time,,
There are two compartments,, two separate lids,,
I have had it over 20 years,, great for tractor restoration,,,
you can use my tumbler,,
Yes, it is THAT big,,,,
The US Army built it to tumble rusty snow chains for truck tires,,
Every thing has to shine in the Army,, I guess,,
I have tumbled 3/8" log chains that are 30 feet long,,
you can do 3 or more at a time,,
There are two compartments,, two separate lids,,
I have had it over 20 years,, great for tractor restoration,,,
I had a friend needed to polish and graphite tumble shot he made. Harbor freight cement mixer did really well. Then he put 8000 45 auto cases in with a bag of lizard bedding(Walnut). I gave him half a bottle of auto polish...Dupont?? Turned it for 2-3 hours...came out fine...Maybe a case of overkill but he already had the mixer. Personally I use both dry and wet. The wet looks better.. and no real problems. Drying is easy here. I have 3 shot sizing screens I dump the brass in "em and in the bed of the pickup even in the winter they dry. Just shake 'em a couple time in an hour or so. In summer that brass gets HOT. BTW... I have no trouble with steel pins in cases
ArchAngelCD
Moderator, SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
That's exactly what I use and it works well for me too.
Of course I have no idea what I am talking about here, because I have never tumbled brass. But i am wondering if walnut shells and something like fine pumice would be good?
Similar threads
- Locked
