Brass Cleaning / Polishing Times

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bydabeav

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Wiarton, ON
I got my new Franklin Armory Brass Cleaner last night and gave it a try. It is a vibration type polisher and I am using the corn cob media that came with the kit. The instructions said to clean and polish brass I would need to run it for 30 minutes or 60 minutes for heavily soiled brass. Well my brass was not what I would consider dirty as it was only fired once. After 3 hours it was clean but not what I would call finished.

How long should I expect to run the brass in the machine for a nice clean shell?

Is there anything I could be doing wrong?

Is there a better media I could be using? (note: Walnut shells not an option as they will kill me)

Any tricks on speeding up this process with the equipment I already own?
 
Some use rice, I tried it way back when. Occasionally a grain will get stuck in a flash hole and is hard enough to deflect the de-capping pin enough to break it if you are not careful. Ask me how I know.:rolleyes:

As far as your corn cob goes, it may take some time if you want really shiny brass as cob is not as aggressive as walnut. You may want to try a polish with your cob. Brasso, Nu-finish, to name a few.
 
Added the polish that came with the kit. Even after 3 hours you can still see the black burn area near the top if the shell. Will post a pic when I get home.
 
Your brass will be clean when it is clean, I have let my tumbler go all night some times. Its like a dishwasher, sometimes if you don't rinse the plates off and let the food dry on too long you may have to run it a second time.

I switched to wet tumbling with stainless steel media because like you I felt it was taking too long. Just remember with vibratory cleaners it depends on your brand and type media you are using, and how dirty your brass is. Just remember walnut cleans and corncob polishes so pick you media adoringly.

Many people first clean with walnut shell and after sizing use corncob to remove the lube and polish the case.
 
Cleaned and polished have different meanings. After the initial ride in the tumbler, your once fired brass was likely clean enough to be reloaded, but not polished/shiny as you may have expected.

Really not required but if you want you brass to look brand new, you need a more "aggressive" media along with a table spoon or two of brass polish will do magic. That and time. If important carbon deposits remains on the case insides along with heavy stains on the outside, you might want to consider ultrasonic cleaning (more handling-rinsing-drying). But again, for the polished finish, a ride in the tumbler will be required afterward.

Let us know how you manage.
 
joe-nwt said:
Some use rice, I tried it way back when. Occasionally a grain will get stuck in a flash hole and is hard enough to deflect the de-capping pin enough to break it if you are not careful. Ask me how I know.:rolleyes:

As far as your corn cob goes, it may take some time if you want really shiny brass as cob is not as aggressive as walnut. You may want to try a polish with your cob. Brasso, Nu-finish, to name a few.
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Ok I an typing with a smile on my face because I think this may be a dumb question........what type of rice? lol

I have minute rice in the polisher now but is seems to have no effect and is just turning to dust.

Thanks in advance
 
bydabeav said:
Ok I an typing with a smile on my face because I think this may be a dumb question........what type of rice? lol

I have minute rice in the polisher now but is seems to have no effect and is just turning to dust.

Thanks in advance
Click to expand...

Just regular rice. I think minute rice is already partially cooked and then dried again?

I just did the rice thing as an experiment. I didn't like it. But you do run into people that use it regularly.
 
Nothing can touch Stainless media.

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reloader said:
I have to agree to, I love my stainless media.
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^^^ AMEN ^^^

I've found if you toss the rinced brass in a container then fill it with rubbing alchol (and give it a few good shakes) to displace the water... then place out to dry - it speeds your dry time dramatically! And no water spots on the brass either! lol


On a side note... I had the exact same setup as the OP did before I switched to stainless. Dillion case polish- a few globs in every time you change the media worked wonders!
 
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