Wet Tumble Recipes

DiverDan

Active Member
Hi all. Just purchased my first wet tumbler with some stainless media.

Just wandered what everyone’s favourite recipe of various cleaners gives them the best results for shiny brass? I am hoping to need some sunglasses to reload! 😎
 
Auto car wash with synthetic polymer wax (instead of dishwashing soap), and Lemishine (just shy of a full 9mm case full). This is in a Thumbler B sized drum, and any where up to 200+ .223 cases. The polymer wax helps resist tarnishing over time if the cases aren't going to be loaded or used in the near future.
 
Auto car wash with synthetic polymer wax (instead of dishwashing soap), and Lemishine (just shy of a full 9mm case full).<snip>

You must be American, @DiverDan is from just west of Birmingham (the original one not the one in Alabama) we don't get Lemishine here.
Lemishine is citric acid, Sodium Suphonate (type of surfactant detergemnt) and Ethanol/Alcohol.
A dishwashing tablet is the hydroxide/surfacant with a touch of alkalyne salt, bleaching agent and sodium silicate. The action is slighty rougher than Lemishine which helps breakdown the carbon deposits and serves to polish the brass.
Citric Acid is added to dissipate the soap turning it into a lye solution/sodium citrate, which reduce any foam and removes limescale/hard water deposits.

Citric Acid and Dishwasher tablets cost a lot less than Lemishine (by volume).
Citric Acid can be added to jams and marmalades to make them taste zesty - Lemishine makes jam taste like sh*te.
 
Warm water, splash of Fairy liquid and a sprinkle or citric acid to counteract the hard water.

Wet tumbling is mechanical cleaning, don't need anything special. Pin size is more important for getting into the primer pockets and corners.

Dry mine in a towel, shake em up then in a cheap food dehydrator to dry fully. Keep drying temp super low to retain the shine, too warm and they go dull. Limescale leaves the white spots.

👍 Good luck
 
I find most of my brass comes out dull. Theough I do tumble aggresivly and for quite a while.

First clean the resize lube (lanolin) with paraffin.
Then tumble in hot water, with washing up liquid and some dishwasher shine agent (surfactant).
Drain, clear the pins whilst I swill in fresh water. Then lay out on a bedsheet (I do big batches) in the sun. Or a couple of metal buckets on the woodstove in winter.
 
This seems to be a popular mix, found it on snipershide or similar US forum, works very well.

Citric acid 1tsp
Armour all wash and wax 2 tbps

Then rinse in deionised water before drying.
 
I find most of my brass comes out dull. Theough I do tumble aggresivly and for quite a while.

First clean the resize lube (lanolin) with paraffin.
Then tumble in hot water, with washing up liquid and some dishwasher shine agent (surfactant).
Drain, clear the pins whilst I swill in fresh water. Then lay out on a bedsheet (I do big batches) in the sun. Or a couple of metal buckets on the woodstove in winter.
Try using cold water. Hot water seems to accelerate the oxidation.

TBH, someone commented here about not using pins at all, so I tried it. Surprisingly, it came out pretty well. Not nearly as polished and bright, but still shiney and clean.
 
Thanks for the recipes guys, tried some
Out over the last few days along with some experimentation of my own and the best so far has definitely been a squirt of car was and wax (meguiars) with a teaspoon of citric acid. However I do have some more to try 😁

Just as a free bit of info for everyone, don’t (please) put any form of polish in with the water 🤣 I did this on Friday and it seems like the bonding agent in the polish mixed with the dirt from the cases and then stuck to them in a greasy/waxy film inside and out.

So now after many many rinse cycles, wipe downs and moments of staring hopelessly into the tumbler in a fixated gaze hoping I hadn’t ruined £80 worth of brass, we’re back to square one 🤣
 
Say 'No' to wax ...

Dishwasher tablet (not a whole one) and 1/4 teaspoon of citric ....
A dishwashing tablet is the hydroxide/surfacant with a touch of alkalyne salt, bleaching agent and sodium silicate.
Dishwashing machines use a detergent/soap designed not to foam up (unlike Fairy which is designed to create lots of bubbles).
The chemical soup this creates is very slighty abrasive which helps breakdown the carbon deposits and serves to polish the brass.
Citric Acid is added to dissipate the soap turning the mixture into a lye solution/sodium citrate, which reduce any foam and removes limescale/hard water deposits.
 
Thanks for the recipes guys, tried some
Out over the last few days along with some experimentation of my own and the best so far has definitely been a squirt of car was and wax (meguiars) with a teaspoon of citric acid. However I do have some more to try 😁

Just as a free bit of info for everyone, don’t (please) put any form of polish in with the water 🤣 I did this on Friday and it seems like the bonding agent in the polish mixed with the dirt from the cases and then stuck to them in a greasy/waxy film inside and out.

So now after many many rinse cycles, wipe downs and moments of staring hopelessly into the tumbler in a fixated gaze hoping I hadn’t ruined £80 worth of brass, we’re back to square one 🤣
Hot water and plenty of fairy liquid and they’ll be fine
 
Last edited:
Hi all. Just purchased my first wet tumbler with some stainless media.

Just wandered what everyone’s favourite recipe of various cleaners gives them the best results for shiny brass? I am hoping to need some sunglasses to reload! 😎
 
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