Brass cleaning ... what am I doing wrong

[Dazza9t9]

Having ‘overcooked’ a batch of cases in the oven many years ago, I bought a Lakeland food dehydrator ...... life is now easy.

Apart from that..... I ultrasonic the brass in lots of 20-25 depending on the calibre, in 2 Asda pickled onion jars sitting side by side in the tank ..... filled with rainwater and a less than level teaspoon of food grade citric acid crystals and a drop of Fairy for 8 mins with the water at 30c.

Cases are then rinsed under cold water, then into a 2l jug of hot water with a teaspoon of bicarbonate, sieved into another 2l jug and rinsed off again, keeping the bicarbonate mix for the next lot. Then I use an airline to blow the excess water off/out of the cases and into the dehydrator. Job done.

cheers
Fizz

what is the purpose of putting the cases in jam jars? I’ve seen a few people doing it and I couldn’t understand why?

ive just bought a dehydrator, should be here in a day or two

 

[Alantoo]

what is the purpose of putting the cases in jam jars? I’ve seen a few people doing it and I couldn’t understand why?

ive just bought a dehydrator, should be here in a day or two

It means you do not have to clean the main tank out every time. It is only the liquid in the jar that gets dirty and you refresh that every time. You just match the water levels in tank and jar. I put 20 - 25 odd cases into a honey jar, and put a couple of jars in each time.

Alan

 

[Dazza9t9]

It means you do not have to clean the main tank out every time. It is only the liquid in the jar that gets dirty and you refresh that every time. I put 20 - 25 odd cases into a honey jar, and put a couple of jars in each time.

Alan

that makes perfect sense. My U/S is only small. Just over a litre

 

[Alantoo]

that makes perfect sense. My U/S is only small. Just over a litre

It would probably still make sense for you to try, still probably easier to swill out a jar than the tank...

Alan

 

[Dazza9t9]

It would probably still make sense for you to try, still probably easier to swill out a jar than the tank...

Alan

yeah I will do when I clean my next batch

 

[fizzbangwhallop]

It means you do not have to clean the main tank out every time. It is only the liquid in the jar that gets dirty and you refresh that every time. You just match the water levels in tank and jar. I put 20 - 25 odd cases into a honey jar, and put a couple of jars in each time.

Alan

I don’t know the size of Alan’s tank or whether he keeps it full all the time, ie from day to day...... I tried that once but the stainless in my tank isn’t as stainless as I’d hoped and it developed small surface rust spots over a week. For me..... the jam jar mix of citric is good for the batch I’m doing ...... eg the other day I did 150 odd 22-250 cases between the 2 jars in my 7l tank. (And, of course, I never took a picture)

cheers
fizz

 

[Alantoo]

I don’t know the size of Alan’s tank or whether he keeps it full all the time, ie from day to day...... I tried that once but the stainless in my tank isn’t as stainless as I’d hoped and it developed small surface rust spots over a week. For me..... the jam jar mix of citric is good for the batch I’m doing ...... eg the other day I did 150 odd 22-250 cases between the 2 jars in my 7l tank. (And, of course, I never took a picture)

cheers
fizz

View attachment 159755

I have emptied my 9litre (sold as 10L) Chinese GT Sonic tank only once over the last 4 or 5 years, and that prompted me to look for an alternative! I have left the same water in since I discovered the jam jar system...no rust spots yet. I would imagine it most likely some contaminating specs of steel grinding dust that prompted your rust spots. Those are the classic causes of spot rusting on stainless.

The iron specs need only be microscopic. I went to look at the Vasa, the capsized medieval warship ship raised in Stockholm many years ago, and was struck by the pile of Ø6" cannon balls which were beside a Ø2" bore cannon...evidently the oxide volume becomes up to 7 times the original, so the stain from a tiny steel spec on the stainless surface is out of all proportion...red or white scotchbrite or nitric or citric acid are good for removing them.

We are on very lime-y spring water, so it may also be accelerated by the chlorine in your water. I have taken the precipitated lime scum off the surface with a kitchen towel a few times.

Even if you drain the clean water every time it is still an advantage using the jars and not having to get the clag out of the corners of the tank. But the disadvantage is you have to condition the fresh water by running the transducer for half and hour get it to full effect.

Alan

 

[Stalker62]

I bought a massive Ultra-Sonic cleaner online.

Turns up and it's just about big enough to clean one my wife's earrings...

 

[Utectok]

The discolouration particularly at the bottom of the case is a worry. At least bin the ones with the discolored bases IMHO. The temper and hardness in the bottom of the case is important. Dont dry them in the oven

 

[Utectok]

The discolouration particularly at the bottom of the case is a worry. At least bin the ones with the discolored bases IMHO. The temper and hardness in the bottom of the case is important. Dont dry them in the oven

I just read earlier posts and brass hardness has been covered by more knowledgeable people than me so Im shutting up

 

[fizzbangwhallop]

We are on very lime-y spring water, so it may also be accelerated by the chlorine in your water. I have taken the precipitated lime scum off the surface with a kitchen towel a few times.

Even if you drain the clean water every time it is still an advantage using the jars and not having to get the clag out of the corners of the tank. But the disadvantage is you have to condition the fresh water by running the transducer for half and hour get it to full effect.
Alan

I‘m in a hard water area at the end of the Chilterns so I just fill the tank out of the rainwater butt .... its been standing a while so it’s pretty much de-aerated to start with and I try to do it gently without creating any bubbles... my u/s has got a de-gaussing function which helps.


cheers

fizz

 

[Dazza9t9]

Cracked it.

ive Bought a food dehydrator, so I’ve put some cases through the ultra sonic.Rinsed then into the dehydrator

very pleased with the results.

Thank you all for your input and help

just need to find some more 243 cases now

thanks again
All

 

[Neddle]

I clean in ultrasonic cleaner using citric acid and Luke warm water 4*4min cycles, then the rinse in warm water in sink, then shake out excess water, pop in a sainsburys reusable vegetable bag and hang in the hot pressure for 48hrs

 

[Sakoodin1]

You shouldn’t really need to put them in the ive ???i ultrasonic clean mine with white vinegar and distilled water 59/50 mix with a touch or fairy liquid fir 16 mins then drain and pop them into a bowl of boiling water for 3 mins and drain then I just give a quick shake off and pop them into a reloading tray Neck down for the night in a 20 c room and they come out grand,probably not as bright as tumbling or manually polishing but plenty clean/bright enough for me.