Wet Tumbling - Video of my process

[chasehooks]

^ I taught her. I just did it with an empty basket, if you must know. See? a work-around!
She checks the depth to make sure it's worth her time. One time I tricked her into helping me when I was only washing about half a pound of 9mm brass. She was irritated, so now she checks.

I just ran a small batch of .223/5.57 and realized the smaller load didn't get as shiny (being ran for the same time). May be hard to tell in the picture.

[MadPick]

Here are a few photos of the screen







Screen strength was one of my big concerns, but it's pretty tough. Once I pour the contents of the tumbler (five pounds of media plus brass) into it and rinse it out, I pick up the screen by the edges and I don't worry about the bottom falling out. I do put a support hand under the center of it when I carry the whole mess out to the garage, but I don't think I really need to.

Yeah, I'm doing some necrothreading here because this screen is STILL badass:



What you see there is five pounds of media plus 18.75 pounds of bullets (750 175-grainers) . . . so about 24 pounds total. I can pick up the screen, and the bottom still isn't blowing out! I do carry it with a hand supporting the bottom so I'm not going to press my luck, but I can lift up the edge and slide a hand under it without any issue.

It's a winner!

[Clark Kent]

Thanks for the demonstration. I'll stick to rough corn cob for pistol brass and fine for rifle brass (with a bit of Nu Finish car polish added to the media).

[Caveman Jim]

Damn you guys with all your fancy smancy methods of cleaning brass...
For years I’ve been using the big ass Thumlers with CC/Walnut media and that was close enough for the girls that I go with.
And 6 months after @Rocketscott cleaned some really disgusting and stained 223/556 cases for me...
I AM SUCKED INTO THE RABBIT HOLE YET AGAIN but a little deeper it seems!!!

Thanks guys...

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Drying in my Summer room @ 90°...

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[MadPick]

Hahaha . . . nicely done, Jim!

[Nitro_Guns]

I have that same tumbler and 30+ pounds of pins that I still have never used....LOL

Maybe some day.

Those cases look damn good Jim.

[Caveman Jim]

Thanks. I figured I’d give it a whirl.
While getting the SS pins into a pan to dry I knocked the smaller pan with 1/4 of the pins onto the shop floor...
Good thing I had a magnet handy...

[Caveman Jim]

^ I taught her. I just did it with an empty basket, if you must know. See? a work-around!
She checks the depth to make sure it's worth her time. One time I tricked her into helping me when I was only washing about half a pound of 9mm brass. She was irritated, so now she checks.

I just ran a small batch of .223/5.57 and realized the smaller load didn't get as shiny (being ran for the same time). May be hard to tell in the picture.

Hmmmmmm. I ran 1000 deprimed 9mm cases through this cleaner the other day and they came out looking so bright I had to wear my Oakley’s. Tonight I just got through running about 500+/- 223 with same liquid measurements and run time as last night and they look like they were cleaned in my vibratory Tumblr...
It might be because the 223 were deprimed and resized with lanolin/Heet lube .... Hmmmmm

[MadPick]

Yeah, I've found that I need to use more "soap" (whatever you're using) when I'm tumbling lubed brass.

[Caveman Jim]

Yeah, I've found that I need to use more "soap" (whatever you're using) when I'm tumbling lubed brass.

Thanks buddy.
I thought I was using too much soap with 1 teaspoon of Dawn, a little lemo shine, 3 tablespoons of Maguire's auto wash/wax.
I guess I’ll bump up the numbers except for the lemo shine.

[Pablo]

Yeah, I've found that I need to use more "soap" (whatever you're using) when I'm tumbling lubed brass.

Thanks buddy.
I thought I was using too much soap with 1 teaspoon of Dawn, a little lemo shine, 3 tablespoons of Maguire's auto wash/wax.
I guess I’ll bump up the numbers except for the lemo shine.

That should be plenty of soap in the tumble.

You overlubed, OK OK OK, you need to degrease first. Bucket with Simple Green or LA's Totally Awesome cleaner degreaser solution first, then tumble. Do not tumble with those. Ask me how I know this.

[Caveman Jim]

Yeah, I've found that I need to use more "soap" (whatever you're using) when I'm tumbling lubed brass.

Thanks buddy.
I thought I was using too much soap with 1 teaspoon of Dawn, a little lemo shine, 3 tablespoons of Maguire's auto wash/wax.
I guess I’ll bump up the numbers except for the lemo shine.[lquote]

That should be plenty of soap in the tumble.

You overlubed, OK OK OK, you need to degrease first. Bucket with Simple Green or LA's Totally Awesome cleaner degreaser solution first, then tumble. Do not tumble with those. Ask me how I know this.

My way of thinking I’d rather over lube then under lube any day and I have never had a problem with dimples. That being said I seem to remember someone mentioned to spray cases with alcohol and wipe them with a towel before cleaning.

[Pablo]

My way of thinking I’d rather over lube then under lube any day and I have never had a problem with dimples. That being said I seem to remember someone mentioned to spray cases with alcohol and wipe them with a towel before cleaning.

I almost included alcohol has an alternative, yes will work.

[Nitro_Guns]

It might be because the 223 were deprimed and resized with lanolin/Heet lube .... Hmmmmm

What ratio are you using?

I use 99% Isopropyl Alcohol instead of Heat.
I have zero issues.

[MadPick]

Yeah, I've found that I need to use more "soap" (whatever you're using) when I'm tumbling lubed brass.

Thanks buddy.
I thought I was using too much soap with 1 teaspoon of Dawn, a little lemo shine, 3 tablespoons of Maguire's auto wash/wax.
I guess I’ll bump up the numbers except for the lemo shine.

Personally, I'd try to fix this without an intermediate degreasing or wiping step.

I went back and watched the beginning of my video (in the first post of this thread) to see if my process has changed. I've started using more and more chemicals during tumbling, but the video is pretty up to date, and in the video I'm tumbling lubed rifle brass so that's relevant too.

For most brass, I'm using about 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) of Wash & Wax. If I have lubed brass, I add a little extra in there, probably 5 tablespoons total. I've also started using a litte more Lemishine, maybe 3/4 teaspoon? Just guessing on that.