Wet tumbling help

[fstdraw]

Magnetic pins? Hmm...I do tumble steel AK cases, I'd better not.

 

[YippeeKiYoRed]

Magnetic pins? Hmm...I do tumble steel AK cases, I'd better not.

Bad English on my part. They're magnetic like iron or steel. They're not little magnets themselves.

 

[Nwcid]

Well I got to try it out today. Overall I think I like it, but it is different.

First, make sure you have lots of old towels handy, I got drips everywhere plus brass, pins, caps, etc are wet. Next, pins like to jump around and get into everything.

I did 2 runs of about 2 hours each. First was with some gunked up .38 and then some pick up .223.

The only additive I had was Dawn, so that is what I used. Overall it did a good job but a few questions.

Does hot water matter? My stuff is out in my shop so I just used an outside spigot for water.
How long do you normally tumble for with very dirty, brass?
Would you ever let your brass sit overnight in the tumbler with water in it? I ask since I ran a load this evening and would have preferred to deal with it in the morning, but not sure that is a good idea.

 

[YippeeKiYoRed]

I usually go 2 hrs. Maybe longer for very dirty range brass. It might be ok overnight as long as it's submerged. Just check a few and if they're discolored run it another 20 minutes.

 

[foxmeadow]

I had the leaky lid problem, then found that if I lubed the gasket thoroughly with Dawn, and made sure the drum mouth was clean, no leaky. Also, I found some very large rimmed baking sheets at St. Vinnie's to set the whole tumbler in while running it.

 

[Katonk]

Mine also leaked when new, called FA, they sent me new gaskets, but they didn't work either...then I just wet the gasket before cinching it down, plus using the FART Wrench that I linked in post 17 of this thread...no more leaks

 

[Horn Ridge]

The only additive I had was Dawn, so that is what I used. Overall it did a good job but a few questions.

Does hot water matter? My stuff is out in my shop so I just used an outside spigot for water.
How long do you normally tumble for with very dirty, brass?
Would you ever let your brass sit overnight in the tumbler with water in it? I ask since I ran a load this evening and would have preferred to deal with it in the morning, but not sure that is a good idea.

I can write you a novel on this, just need to get some time. For now, no hot water needed. I use it from a yard hydrant year round whatever the temp. Get some Lemishine & use a 10mm brass full on anything over 1/2 a drum of water, slightly less lemishine if 1/4 drum of water.

2 hours for range dirty brass, then dump water, refill soap & lemishine another 2 hours.

Don't leave brass in water for more than 15-20 minutes. Anything longer and the brass will get black spots where it touches other brass and you'll have to retumble to get it off.

I have lots more but gotta go for now.

 

[Mikej]

Dang, you guys keep talking this stuff, and I keep thinking harder and harder about it myself.

 

[RVTECH]

Dawn is the preferred 'detergent' with most who wet tumble but you need an additive to brighten the brass such as Lemishine - but I prefer a shot of lemon juice - it's always worked well for me!

Also I have always started with hot water. I believe I does a quicker job by breaking down the Dawn and dirt on the cases faster.

 

[RVTECH]

I keep thinking harder and harder about it myself.

You ain't wet tumbling yet?

Go to Harbor Freight and get the cheepee rock tumbler and get started! Mine has always worked well and has never leaked!

Get the single tub version and not the double however.

 

[Mikej]

You ain't wet tumbling yet?

Go to Harbor Freight and get the cheepee rock tumbler and get started! Mine has always worked well and has never leaked!

Get the single tub version and not the double however.

No. There are a couple of good members that poke at me to get wet in tumbling. I must be kind of stubborn I guess. Love the way it looks and all, but it is more work than walnut tumbling. Possibly messier too if you don't have a proper place to deal with it.

When you say lemon juice, you meant bottled right?
I've also read that using lemeshine, more than the little bit recommended, gives negative results.

 

[Camelfilter]

...I've also read that using lemeshine, more than the little bit recommended, gives negative results.

I believe it depends on your water quality as well. Some folks may need more lemishine, some folks may need less.

 

[RVTECH]

When you say lemon juice, you meant bottled right?

Yep, just the cheepee stuff from the $1.25 store.

Also I have found (for me) wet tumbling to be cleaner than dry, and less hassle actually as I do it inside the house and perform separation of pins and cases in the sink. All convenient and clean!

 

[oremike]

One thing about a tumbler is you can run it wet or with dry media. You can't do that with a vibrator.

 

[Nwcid]

I had the leaky lid problem, then found that if I lubed the gasket thoroughly with Dawn, and made sure the drum mouth was clean, no leaky. Also, I found some very large rimmed baking sheets at St. Vinnie's to set the whole tumbler in while running it.

Yes, not so much the leaky lid, which did happen, but just water in general. From rinsing to dumping to clearing, etc.

 

[Nwcid]

Thank you for all the replies so far.

I did have some cap leaks, but they were easily resolved. I work with SCUBA equipment so I know how to make things water, and more importantly air tight.

I put the tumbler on my shop floor. The water comment was just everything is wet from dumping the water, to rinsing the brass to laying it out. You need a good space and towels or something that can manage the water. You need somewhere to set the damp tumbler, the damp separator, the damp brass, etc.

I understand about additives for the shine, and I might do that in the future. Right now my goal is clean and I am trying to run some really dirty brass, some will likely get scrapped. For pistol cases, they will likely just get run one time with a detergent, and then loaded since I load on a progressive they will always get tumbled with the primers in. For rifle, I will likely add a shiner when I tumble after sizing and other prep work.

 

[YippeeKiYoRed]

... Next, pins like to jump around and get into everything.

For this reason I make a point of doing as little as possible in the kitchen or where I eat. I never cook and clean brass at the same time.

When I was riding I also had a phobia of getting one in a motorcycle tire tread, like a nail. So I became very diligent in rounding up stray pins.

 

[Horn Ridge]

If it's really dirty range brass or black powder loads, my 1st 2 hour tumble is with dawn or whatever cheap stuff is on hand. My final 2 hours is with Armorall Wash & Wax with lemishine.

You really need a Dillon media separator filled with water to get the pins out efficiently. Then dump brass on towel, pat "dry" then toss into old dehydrator for 30-45 min.

 

[PiratePast40]

I use the Media Separator from STM. Makes separating very simple and easy with no mess. No magnet needed. Rinse in the basket and then dump the brass out onto a towel. Do a surface dry and then into the oven on a cookie sheet at it's lowest temp for about half an hour. If it's hot and sunny outside, I do it on a table with cookie sheets. They're usually dry before the next batch is finished tumbling. https://stainlesstumblingmedia.com/media-separator-deluxe.html

 

[ageingstudent]

I had the leaky lid problem, then found that if I lubed the gasket thoroughly with Dawn, and made sure the drum mouth was clean, no leaky. Also, I found some very large rimmed baking sheets at St. Vinnie's to set the whole tumbler in while running it.

I wet mine with some light gun oil that won't harm rubber.