Need to clean really tarnished brass?

[Charles L. Cotton]

I've been way behind tumbling brass for so long I didn't know where to begin. I use the large Dillon tumbler CV-2001, with crushed walnut shells from Clemtex. I used a brass polish called Rooster Bright for years, but the price that was always high finally got to the point I had to do something else. For about five years now, I've been using the cheapest car polish I can find and it's usually NuFinish.

Today I found some brass that was severely tarnished. I tumbled it for two hours with walnut hulls and NuFinish and although it was clean, it looked terrible. I decided to try a small amount of Mequiars' #2 and the results were amazing! I may start using it on all of my brass. It's only about $2 higher than NuFinish when bought through Amazon, so cost isn't a factor. Plus, unless you are cleaning muddy brass, the same load of walnut hulls will last a long time.

So, if you have some really nasty brass, you may want to give this a try. I may even try some Turtle Polishing Compound on severely tarnished brass. A polishing compound is abrasive, but only marginally so, but I'll use it only on the worst of the brass.

Chas.

Edited to Add: Forget what I said about using Meguiar's!!! Some of it works very well, some of it is terrible. Stick with car polish or whatever else you like.

[Beiruty]

I went from Ultrasonic Cleaning to SS Wet Tumbling, Once I saw the first batch done, the Hornady Ultrasonic Cleaner is collecting dust on the rack.
I only use a squeeze or two of Armorall Wash and Wax and half a spoon of Lemishine in Frankford Arsenal Wet tumbler.

50mins and here is a sample

[Charles L. Cotton]

I used a Tumler's Tumbler for many years, but went to vibratory cleaners because they are so much faster! I must admit that I like the looks of brass that have been cleaned in a rotary tumble using stainless steel pins, but it would take a huge rotary tumbler to match the capacity of my Dillon. Also, I don't want the added work of having to dry the brass.

I'd be surprised to find any car polish that has ammonia. It would be very harmful to both clear coat and base coat.

Chas.

[Charles L. Cotton]

I went from Ultrasonic Cleaning to SS Wet Tumbling, Once I saw the first batch done, the Hornady Ultrasonic Cleaner is collecting dust on the rack.
I only use a squeeze or two of Armorall Wash and Wax and half a spoon of Lemishine in Frankford Arsenal Wet tumbler.

50mins and here is a sample

Thanks a lot; now I have another iron in the fire! I need to build a large (5 gal.) wet tumbler. How do you dry the brass? The primer/primer picket would tend to hold water quite well and I don't want it in my press.

Chas.

[Beiruty]

Chas,

The last batch (in the picture above) was run maybe 45min to 50mins. I have the food dehydration type dryer for Brass. However, To get the SS pins out of the cases, I do use Lyman media separator and I spin the cases in both directions for few minutes. This way, SS pins are out, water is expelled out of the cases. I lay the cases down on old shower towel 30 minutes or so. Then, rubbing the cases with the towel and said cases are good to go on the press.

Also, if I need to clean the primer pocket.
1) SS Wet tumbling for 30 mins
2) Air Dry or Hot Air Dehydration.
3) Deprime and size, On AP with case feeder, 1-stage only. It goes very fast...
4) SS Wet tumbling for 30 mins
5) Air Dry or Hot Air Dehydration.

Result: As clean as new including the primer pockets.

I tried the oven drying method too. Pre-heat to 175F-180F, lay the cases on cooking sheet in the oven for 20min or so. Remove the cases from the oven. Let them cool and they are good to go too. Media Separator may cut the oven time by 50%.
That being said, my wife was like

[Charles L. Cotton]

Forget what I said about using Meguiar's!!! Some of it works very well, some of it is terrible. Stick with car polish or whatever else you like.

Chas.

[Crossfire]

Are you guys shooting this or making jewelry?

[Keith B]

Are you guys shooting this or making jewelry?

[mrvmax]

FYI
Putting several pillow cases full of brass in your dryer is very effective, and loud.
Forgetting to remove said brass before the spousal superior returns home is also VERY LOUD.

Smaller amounts of brass are dried quickly in a sock (I use the gun storage "socks") using a hair dryer - it takes 30-40 seconds to dry around 50 pieces of brass. I can see how the clothes dryer would work well for large amounts, I never process over 100 rounds at a time so the hair dryer method works for me.

[1wise1]

For tarnished or really dirty brass I use Citric Acid (Whole Foods or health food stores have it). A very small amount - quarter of a tea spoon of the powder in a gallon of hot water poured over a dish pan or bucket of brass. Stir or swish it around and let it sit for 10 or 20 minutes then drain off the mixture and keep it for the next batch. Just reheat to a boil and pour again. Air dry for a dull shine or tumble in walnut or other mixture of choice.

[Charles L. Cotton]

I'm starting to agree with Crossfire. We aren't making jewelry!!

I seriously looked into wet tumbling, but that's way too much work. Separating the stainless pins from the brass, then drying the brass are two operations I don't have to deal with with my current system.

I can run my Dillon vibratory cleaner for about 2 to 2 1/2 hrs using walnut hulls and car polish and the outside of the brass looks great. It doesn't clean the inside, but in 40+ years of reloading, that's never been a problem.

Thanks for the information folks, but added work is something I don't need.
Chas.

[tomneal]

My brass seems shinier when tumbled with corn cob than it does with walnut.

[flintknapper]

I can run my Dillon vibratory cleaner for about 2 to 2 1/2 hrs using walnut hulls and car polish and the outside of the brass looks great. It doesn't clean the inside, but in 40+ years of reloading, that's never been a problem.

I use a vibratory cleaner, walnut shells, NuFinish AND a few used 'dryer sheets' (clothes softeners). My wife thinks the dryer is eating them. I'm good with that.

The dryer sheets collect a lot of the dirt/grime that is removed by the walnut shells. If you don't 'clean' your media this way then you will always have less than shiny brass.

The NuFinish does help impart a protective 'finish' on the brass and probably helps a little in removing tarnish, but the abrasive action of the Walnut Shells is responsible for most of the work.

The Dryer sheets come out looking pretty dirty after a couple of uses, proof that they are helping remove the crud that is floating around in the media.