Wet Tumbler Setup?

[rookyshot]

My US cleaner blew up over the weekend, can't complain I've had it over 10 years and its clean a whole variety of things.
I'm thinking of moving over to a wet tumbler for my cases and I particularly like the look of the Frankfurt Arsenal Tumbler.

Other than a tumbler and media what else will I need in the way of cleaning solution or can I just use a bit of car shampoo and whats the easiest way to separate the cases from the media.

Any guidance would be appreciated, thanks..

 

[Bavarianbrit]

A plastic colander to seperate. Lemishine is what Americans use to stop stains on the brass, I have had the same result with kettle descaler.

 

[phaedra]

Lemishine is used to soften the water, it's basically Citric acid which you get very cheaply off eBay. In the Frankford (7L) all you need is 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon, adding more does not make the brass any cleaner.

A good shot of washing up liquid not car shampoo as some contain a protective wax.

I've been running one for a few years now, big and noisy but certainly gets the job done, 1 to 2hrs should do most cases very nicely.

To get the pins out I dump out most of the dirty water, pour the pins, cases and remaining water into a 5gal bucket and fill with warm/hot water.

Lift out 4-5 cases at a time neck downwards and shake, pins fall into the water, cases then go into a 2 or 3L plastic jug.

Rinse the cases thoroughly, tip out the water (bounce the cases in the jug a few times to get more water out) then into a medium towel, make into a sling and whizz round about 20 times, this gets even more water out (centrifugal force!).

After that I pop them into my Halogen over at 70-80c for about 30-30mins.

 

[paul o']

5kg of citric acid Ebay £24 .
I use to use a dry media spinner to remove the pins , stopped now as gone Ultrasonic off Ebay £80 inc post , it can easy clean 50 + .300 wm cases at a time .
I made a SS pin cleaner very easy very cheap .

 

[Bavarianbrit]

I salvaged some hard disc magnets to pick up the pins using an old garden sprayer pump mechanism.

 

[rookyshot]

Lemishine is used to soften the water, it's basically Citric acid which you get very cheaply off eBay. In the Frankford (7L) all you need is 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon, adding more does not make the brass any cleaner.

A good shot of washing up liquid not car shampoo as some contain a protective wax.

I've been running one for a few years now, big and noisy but certainly gets the job done, 1 to 2hrs should do most cases very nicely.

To get the pins out I dump out most of the dirty water, pour the pins, cases and remaining water into a 5gal bucket and fill with warm/hot water.

Lift out 4-5 cases at a time neck downwards and shake, pins fall into the water, cases then go into a 2 or 3L plastic jug.

Rinse the cases thoroughly, tip out the water (bounce the cases in the jug a few times to get more water out) then into a medium towel, make into a sling and whizz round about 20 times, this gets even more water out (centrifugal force!).

After that I pop them into my Halogen over at 70-80c for about 30-30mins.

Thanks for the info very useful, if the Frankfurt unit is 7l I may take a look at their smaller one as I'm only dealing with small batches.

 

[rookyshot]

5kg of citric acid Ebay £24 .
I use to use a dry media spinner to remove the pins , stopped now as gone Ultrasonic off Ebay £80 inc post , it can easy clean 50 + .300 wm cases at a time .
I made a SS pin cleaner very easy very cheap .

What size US are you using to clean your x50WM cases?

 

[Czhowa]

Big glug of washing up liquid, splash of lemon juice and the same of rinse aid. Easiest way I've found of separating is tip the cases upside down while underwater and the pins fall out, then tip the pins and water into a sieve, was under the tap and back in the tumbler they go. Mines a homemade tumbler using a car wiper motor, bits of soil pipe and a couple of bearings

 

[paul o']

What size US are you using to clean your x50WM cases?

I got the 6lt

 

[phaedra]

Friend of mine bought the smaller FA tumbler, sold it a couple of weeks later, he found it was just too small.

 

[paul o']

depends on the amount you are doing and the time you wish to spend on it ,mine I prep and size while it gets to 60deg then add 3/4 of a scoop of citric acid and few drops of washing up stuff and run it for 1hr at a time i set up a timer with a light so I can see when there done from the house ,pop down drain them off clean wash them dry and place in the food Dehumidifier thats on at temp 70 stick more in and run a brass cleaning run for a few hours 4 hours if i'v been to wales as I'v use a lot but around 2hrs if iv just been to the range, clean and ready to reload .

 

[paulbshooting]

Got the lyman wet tumbler, came with media trays, bought stainless pins, use tea spoon of critic acid off fleabay with good squirt of washing up liquid and hot water. Spotless cases inc primers pockets. Rinse off and dry brass in ammo clips on radiators or on tray in oven.

 

[rookyshot]

Friend of mine bought the smaller FA tumbler, sold it a couple of weeks later, he found it was just too small.

Thanks for the feedback, I'll keep that in mind, I've also seen some less than positive reviews on the small unit on the FA website for the small unit but much better reviews on the large one.

 

[rookyshot]

depends on the amount you are doing and the time you wish to spend on it ,mine I prep and size while it gets to 60deg then add 3/4 of a scoop of citric acid and few drops of washing up stuff and run it for 1hr at a time i set up a timer with a light so I can see when there done from the house ,pop down drain them off clean wash them dry and place in the food Dehumidifier thats on at temp 70 stick more in and run a brass cleaning run for a few hours 4 hours if i'v been to wales as I'v use a lot but around 2hrs if iv just been to the range, clean and ready to reload .

Sounds like you've got the process off to a tee

 

[paul o']

Yes mty When the OCD kicks in it all becomes easy lol .