Brass Cleaner

Handyguy

Handyguy

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What is a less expensive solution to Dillon brass polish used in a tumbler or vibrator. I have been told you can get Brasso in a gallon jug for a very low cost alternative to the items they sell at gun shops. Can't seem to find anyone who has come up wth a home made recipy for cleaning cartridges.:cool:
 
The only thing that I have heard not to use is brass cleaner with ammonia in it, it is supposed to weaken the casings. There must be some home made polish recipes on ther internet somewhere.
 
At 6mmbr.com the guy ran a series of tests with various products in conjunction with an ultrasonic machine (Ultrasonic Cartridge Case Cleaning Made Easy by Jason Baney) to see what worked best.

I tried the vinegar solution, in my tumbler, with pretty good results. Be careful, as the article suggests, or you will cause etching.
 
Downunder we have a common household product called JIFF for cleaning cooktops and plastic benchtops without scratching them. Like a mild ajax but in liquid form and you only need a couple of squirts per batch in your media. I have herd a lot of stories to and fro about Brasso and i have used it also on and off for years with no drama`s at all, Jiff is a lot cheaper though:) regards .45-90
 
Brass Cleaning

Can of Gelcoat does the trick, one 10 second squirt per 500 rounds gives a mirror finish to your brass. Also add a square of Bounce softener sheets which appear to absorb the crud relaeased by tumbling.

Not my inventions - The original ideas and information were provided by other members of this forum.....
 
Personally, I just use a two part process. Hard walnut to scour the cases, followed by corn to clean them.

Last time I looked, my gun wasn't impressed with shiny brass. I've used the Dillon polish, and it works well.
 
I've heard about using the static sheets too, does this really work?
one thing I do before I tumble is to put my brass into my sorter, you know the thing you put your brass into to get the cleaning media out? Anyhow I use that to get all the loose dirt and crap out of the cases before I tumble them. Makes a big difference I find. I've also screened my media before, to get rid of the dust that collects in it. but that's a pain in the ass. Now I just get more media. we use the corn cob grit on the farm so I have a few bags of it.......
I've also been thinking about oyster shells for media. we have bags of that at work, grind some up fine and use that maybe?
 
Try a mixture of white rice and brown rice . About 60/40 mixture , the brown rice is slightly oily and one of our shooters uses the unlubed cases in steel dies with no problems. I use it with no liquid polishing material added, and it works fine. I get the rice at the bulk bins at the super market. Also it is not dusty, like walnut shell is.
 
"...oyster shells..." Seems to me that there's some chemical in oyster shells that makes them evil in some way. I'm most assuredly not sure. Lime dust?
In any case, brass does not need to be shiny to reload. Just cleaned of carbon.
Brasso does have ammonia in it and that's not good for brass. And it stinks of it.
Pet supply shops sell crushed walnut shells and crushed corn cob for small pet bedding by the 50 pound bag for $10 to $15. That's all you really need. no polish is required.
 
I deprime the brass first and then put 50% white vinegar and 50% hot water in a beaker with a squirt of dish detergent. Soak the brass in the beaker and then put the beaker in ultrosonic cleaner for about 10min. Rinse the brass with water and add some baking soda in the beaker to neutralize the acid and rinse the brass again. Dry the brass with compressed air or just put them under the sun. The brass came out clean and shining.
BTW, If you do not have an ultrosonic cleaner, just soak the brass in the mixture of white vinegar and hot water for 15~20min and then rinse them. It also works pretty good.
 
i have been using a shot of mothers liquid metal polish in my tumble. it keeps the dust down and comes out incredably shiny.
 
snow said:
I deprime the brass first and then put 50% white vinegar and 50% hot water in a beaker with a squirt of dish detergent. Soak the brass in the beaker and then put the beaker in ultrosonic cleaner for about 10min. Rinse the brass with water and add some baking soda in the beaker to neutralize the acid and rinse the brass again. Dry the brass with compressed air or just put them under the sun. The brass came out clean and shining.
BTW, If you do not have an ultrosonic cleaner, just soak the brass in the mixture of white vinegar and hot water for 15~20min and then rinse them. It also works pretty good.
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Yep, this has become my primary method. I need a bigger ultrasonic cleaner now, a 2 gallon model would be ideal :)

With plain water, the brass comes out nice and clean, no carbon at all and nice clean pockets too if you deprime first. Add vinegar & soap and they come out nice and shiny too
 
I've used a few different alternative products with great success. Citrus Go-Jo handcleaner with pumice works great, Automotive rubbing compound works, so do a lot of different car waxes. I haven't used fabric softener sheets, but 1/2 paper towel helps keep the walnut media clean a little longer. I use oil-field walnut shell that comes in 50 pound bags. When it gets dirty I just toss it.
 
I don't have a brass tumbler but this is what I use to clean my brass and it works great; Vinegar, Palmolive, and Fantastic spray cleaner. I mix all the liquids/brass together in a plastic jug and let it sit for 24 hours, then air dry. This works great, it's amazing how well they look after.
 
Brass cleaner

Silverback said:
I found these ones but they are not the type you add to your tumbler media, mainly a pre-cleaner for before tumbling.

http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Lobby/1221/casecln.htm
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I have used the following recipe for many years before I had the Dillon Vibratory Case Cleaner and used a home-made tumbler ( which btw came in handy a while ago when I had to send the Dillon down south for repair) :1 cup of Mr. Clean, 1tbsp of cream of Tartar, 1tbsp of baking powder. Tumble for 30min. or less and the cases come out nice and shiny. Haven't come across anything to replace Dillon's Rapid Polish 290, though.
 
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Gelcoat

Blackcloud said:
What are you refering to as "Gelcoat"???? Is this a name brand or are we talking about Gelcoat you would use one a boat?
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Yes,
I absconded with a can of fibre glass shower cleaner and, to date, the chief of operations here has not detected the missing can. You can appreciate that I am in a very tenuous stuation here.

Seriously, gelcoat plus bounce equals mirror finish on the cases in something like 2 hours of tumbling....
 
This is great information guys. What brand and where can I get an ultrasonic cleaner you guys are talking about. Also no one has still explained "Gelcoat" as in what it is and where to purchase, as what I know of it its for repair of the painted surfaces of a boat. I also tried what someone else said about household kitchen cleaner called JIF so I went and got some VIM and it sure works good and a lot cheaper than brass polish.:D
 
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