StueyD, I add a desert spoon full of citric acid to two pints of water and bring to the boil. Add you brass and stir, then leave for 10 minutes to cool down. Shake and dry them off, then put in your dry tumbler (mine is a Lyman turbo twin, with walnut media ). One hour of tumbling and they are like new.
Dry tumblers are rubbish.. Whats a cheapish alternative
- Thread starter StueyD
- Start date
Bavarianbrit
Well-Known Member
Rutland lad
Well-Known Member
I was under the impression that T CUT contained ammonia which isn’t good for brass ?
south-nofolk-stalker
Well-Known Member
Done me alright for well over a decade
Rutland lad
Well-Known Member
I’m sure you’re right.
But I’m also positive I’ve seen on this forum that ammonia is bad for brass. It may well be that the amount of ammonia in T CUT is not enough to be an issue, but I ask because I used to put a couple of drops of metal polish in my tumbler until I read that.
But I’m also positive I’ve seen on this forum that ammonia is bad for brass. It may well be that the amount of ammonia in T CUT is not enough to be an issue, but I ask because I used to put a couple of drops of metal polish in my tumbler until I read that.
south-nofolk-stalker
Well-Known Member
I whop it in by the good glug, personally not done my brass any harm
Can't see it make any difference. It's not drowning in the stuff for weeks at a time. The ammonia will only be a bother in it's gas form and if the lids off the ammonia will evaporate in no time.
Rutland lad
Well-Known Member
I’ve just about given up with the dry tumbler now anyway - it’s into the ultrasonic followed by a spin in the drill with either fine wire wool or a bit of scotchbrite. Brings the cases up a treat.
I've never had a tumbler but I've just ordered some parts to make my own budget wet tumbler. I'm hoping that a washing machine motor does the trick. I'll put a post up when I'm finished
Eric Cortina of USA F class fame and custom shop advocates the less handling ethos. This includes no clean approach, even when annealing. He determined that any range dirt shouldn’t be enough to damage a die. I’ve got a stainless steel setup myself. Although the dies are hard the brass is soft and I see it being forced into the case. I have no engineering experience so won’t risk it.
This, with warm water, a spoonful of citric acid, and a spoonful of washing up liquid. Tumble after de-priming and before re-sizing. Final rinse in rainwater or de-min, and blow dry with hot air gun....simples, and quick.
Mines a 5kg size, which I needed when I was reloading for two people and 5 calibres.
Had it for some years now..........and it works. Get the pins here:
Demetrius
Mines a 5kg size, which I needed when I was reloading for two people and 5 calibres.
3KG Rotary Tumbler Jewelry Polisher Finisher Machine Stone Coin + Polishing Bead | eBay UK
New 3 Kg Rotary Tumbler, Jewelry Polisher & Finisher, Super Finishing. The jewelry polisher tumbler can be used for surface polishing, chamfering, dressing, rust removal, roughing, precision polishing, black spot removal, and fine grinding.
www.ebay.co.uk
Had it for some years now..........and it works. Get the pins here:
Demetrius
If you want a low capacity tumbler, say doing 20 or 30 cases at a time, depending on what calibre they are, then have a search on a well known "auction" site for jewellery tumblers. You don't need to spend a fortune and they don't take up much space. Along with some pins and a suitable cleaning product, you're good to go at less than half the price of a dedicated brass wet tumbler from the usual suspects.
Bavarianbrit
Well-Known Member
But it makes your hours spent at the loading bench much more enjoyable IMO as it feels like I am loading new cases.
