Rotary tumbler

[lppd4]

I got a Frankford Arsenal rotary tumbler for Christmas of course it came with one pack of cleaning solution. Now I have none. What is the common cleaning solution? should I use the FA solution? I think I recall others using Dawn and Lemishine (what is Lemishine and where do I buy it) How much do I use? All help is appreciated.

 

[9mmPatriot]

Lemishine is a citric acid that is available at any grocery store. I use citric acid from the canning saction, much cheaper and one small container has lasted for 2 years... You only need a single 9 mm case full per batch.

You'll need 2 and a 1/2 pounds worth of steel pends in order to properly use the tumbler.

Add 1 tablespoon of dawn dishsoap as well.

Too much of the lemishine or citric acid powder will discolor your brass.

 

[Bastogne71]

Any dishwashing soap will do but Dawn seems to be the preferred brand for most people. Lemishine is found in the detergent aisle of most grocery stores. It is used to prevent spotting on glasses in a dishwasher so you’ll find it close to the Dawn.

I use about a teaspoon of soap and a quarter teaspoon of lemishine per load of brass. The pins do most of the cleaning so you don’t need very much soap.

The wet tumbling yields the brightest shine on your brass both inside & out of anything else I’ve tried but it does involve more prep work to get there. Enjoy your new toy!

 

[tlawler]

I use a small squirt of Dawn ultra and a pinch of Lemishine. Don’t over do it with the Lemishine. It will tarnish your brass. It will still be really clean, but you won’t have that “new brass” look. 9mm patriot mentioned the SS pins, but I’m assuming they came with your tumbler. I’ve got a Lyman Cyclone that came with 5 lb. of pins and I’m still using my original ones. You’ll lose a few, of course, but having one of those spinning separators and a good magnet helps you keep most of them.

 

[TXBryan]

This advice has been offered here before. About a 9mm case full of Lemi-Shine per load is plenty and won't leave any residue on the brass. If you're tumbling nickle plated occasionally it may turn a bluish cast if brass cases and Lemi-Shine are included in the load. No harm and actually a pretty cool color.

I use Simple Green rather than Dawn and end up with a lot less suds and just as clean.

The use of Lemi-Shine will help with water spots too. Just make sure to rinse the brass once or twice in clean water before drying. This time of year a food dehydrator works well but in the summer just spread the brass out on a towel in the sunshine.

 

[lppd4]

Thanks for all the replies. SS pins were included with my tumbler and I already have a Dillon brass separator. I also purchased a fairly powerful magnet from Harbor Freight. Just a couple of observations the rotary tumbler definitely cleans better but the cleanup is much more labor intensive. I also wouldn't think a high volume pistol cartridge reloader using a progressive reloader would want to deprime just to get the primer pockets clean. Adds to much time and another step to your process. On the other hand it will work very nicely for a single stage operator especially on rifle brass

 

[cfplinker]

My formula is 1/4 teaspoon of citric acid and 1 tablespoon of Armor-All wash and wax. The citric acid is found with the canning supplies and the Wash and Wax is in the automotive department.

Put the brass in the tumbler, fill almost full of water, and the citric acid and wash and wax, fill until full, put the cap on, start the tumbler, retighten the cap, and let 'er rip for an hour or so. Rinse with plain water three times to get rid of the soap, separate the pins if you used them, and let the brass dry on a towel.

 

[crows]

I wish I had a secret formula, I just use laundry detergent and water. No pins or other other addatives. It is amazing how clean tarnished brass comes out.

 

[Marksman]

I gave up on pins long ago, they lodged crossways in the primer pocket and were tough to remove, I tired stainless steel grit this was wearing the rubber liner out. Now I just use hot water, a squirt of Dawn and about a 1/2 teaspoon of Lemi-shine. I deprime using a universal depriming die before tumbling that way the primer pockets come out nice and clean.

 

[tlawler]

This advice has been offered here before. About a 9mm case full of Lemi-Shine per load is plenty and won't leave any residue on the brass. If you're tumbling nickle plated occasionally it may turn a bluish cast if brass cases and Lemi-Shine are included in the load. No harm and actually a pretty cool color.

I use Simple Green rather than Dawn and end up with a lot less suds and just as clean.

The use of Lemi-Shine will help with water spots too. Just make sure to rinse the brass once or twice in clean water before drying. This time of year a food dehydrator works well but in the summer just spread the brass out on a towel in the sunshine.

My formula is 1/4 teaspoon of citric acid and 1 tablespoon of Armor-All wash and wax. The citric acid is found with the canning supplies and the Wash and Wax is in the automotive department.

Put the brass in the tumbler, fill almost full of water, and the citric acid and wash and wax, fill until full, put the cap on, start the tumbler, retighten the cap, and let 'er rip for an hour or so. Rinse with plain water three times to get rid of the soap, separate the pins if you used them, and let the brass dry on a towel.

I’m going to try both the simple green and armor-all wash and wax. Thanks for the ideas. Does the wash and wax make them any slicker? It would be nice to not have to deal with one shot lube after tumbling. Also, I’ve been leaving a little air space and not filling the tumbler completely with water; do you get better results with a full tumbler? And lastly, I separate all the pins I can in the basket sifter that came with my Lyman and then dry the cases. Then I run them through my frankford arsenal sifter/separator. I find that if I do it while wet, the surface tension of the water holds some pins in the cases. When dry, they drop right out. Oh…and air fryers work great for drying brass if the wife’s gonna be away for an hour or two

 

[tlawler]

I gave up on pins long ago, they lodged crossways in the primer pocket and were tough to remove, I tired stainless steel grit this was wearing the rubber liner out. Now I just use hot water, a squirt of Dawn and about a 1/2 teaspoon of Lemi-shine. I deprime using a universal depriming die before tumbling that way the primer pockets come out nice and clean.

I use a universal depriming die in a Lee APP. Quickest way I’ve found to handle my least favorite aspect of reloading.

Lee APP - YouTube

 

[Empe]

I too use a Frankford Arsenal rotary tumbler ...the smaller one. I've been using Simple Green along with about a half cup of white vinegar and my brass comes out pretty clean. I don't use the pins as it just looks like too much extra work separating them . Granted my brass probably doesn't have the same shine to it but I reload my brass to shoot not to look at.

 

[Paul in Nevada]

I have the smaller Frankford Arsenal tumbler.
I decap before tumbling, then I use RCBS or Hornady brass cleaner concentrate. Everyone likes to tell you about their homemade recipes but the off the shelf stuff works great.

 

[oldman10mm]

Also, I’ve been leaving a little air space and not filling the tumbler completely with water; do you get better results with a full tumbler?

I've been wet SS pin tumbling now for 7 years now. I always water fill to about an inch from the top.

 

[TAROMAN]

Instead of Dawn, I use car liquid wash/wax along with Lemshine.
Seems to lube the cases a bit for sizing.
Noting that I only load handgun calibers.

 

[BillBro]

This is my brass after a soak in very hot water, lemishine, salt and Lime+Vinegar dish soap them dry tumbled in walnut shell. Yes, I dry tumble still.

 

[GypsmJim]

I use a universal depriming die in a Lee APP. Quickest way I’ve found to handle my least favorite aspect of reloading.

Lee APP - YouTube

I thought the APP was a gimmick, but I just had to have one anyway. I don't use the UDD, rather I use the appropriate caliber sizing/depriming die. Then, I eliminate the extra step later.

I just love that little toy. It's not about saving time, I simply get a kick out of watching all those little suckers fly out.

 

[jcelect]

SS pins

For those that wet tumble with the SS pins be careful and check your cases after tumbling! Some time back I bought some 32 long brass over the internet and it had been "tumble" cleaned! Great, so I put the sizing die in my press and started sizing/depriming brass. A few rounds in I broke a decapping pin. Changed the pin out and started again. 3 more cases and I broke another pin! After inspecting all 100 cases I found about 25 cases had a SS pin stuck inside which required a pair of hemostats and a far amount of tugging to get the pins out! Now I know why I have dry tumbled all my brass in corn cob or walnut shell media and Nu Shine car wax for many years!
jcelect

 

[9mmPatriot]

If stuck pins are a problem, use the angle cut chips.

Southern Shine Media

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

I shoot a number of Black Powder cartridges. (12 gauge, 20 gauge, 45-70, 45 Colt & 44-40) If you put your cases in water after firing to soften the powder fouling it turns the brass black. No amount of dry walnut or corn cob tumbling will clean that off'

The Thumbler's Tumblers #2 holds 2 pounds of brass, 4 quarts of water and 5 pounds of SS pins (of the correct size that don't get stuck in cases or flash holes!) I use Ajax Lemon deturgant, Lema-shine and the hottest water I can stand. I use 7 pints of water to give the bubbles more room to do their thing!

On Very large cases, just put in one size! When I cleaned my 45-79's they were completely stained black. I let them tumble and they look as brand new! Same with the others.

I prefer to size and deprime before tumbling, the tumbling removes case lube also!

Problems:
1) mixing cases like 45 and 38/9mm the smaller cases get stuck in the larger cases. Pin or other media get so stuck you spend hours recovering your cases.

2)I had cases stored in a barn, wasps laid eggs and mud in any 30-caliber case! The remaining larva turned the brass "Indigo", it took 4 cleanings to get them clean again!

Suggestion: I actually run the tumbler in a bathroom. So I just flush the filthy water down the toilet. (I clean my Black Powder rifles & shotguns in the toilet also. Far easier clean-up when finished! That keeps SWMBO happier!

Ivan