I've been playing around with the very same ultrasonic cleaner used in that article, trying different acid solutions such as vinegar and kool-aid, and even different solvents like acetone, brake degreaser, hoppes 9, and isopropanol. So far it seems that it cleans it up fairly well, but it's hard to get that last little bit of dirt out of the primer pocket. I'm continuing to test things though, and I'll see what I can work out.
Cleaning the brass
- Thread starter scottshotz
- Start date
Johnn Peterson
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Chemainus B.C.
Shot off a bunch of test loads in my .45-70 this afternoon and they are in my Sidewinder tumbler as we speak, using the dry walnut media. I'm still in the 'playing' stage as this is only my second go round cleaning/polishing brass. Next to 'try' is hs4570's suggestion of using rice as a cleaning media.
- Location
- South Cariboo, BC
agent_mango said:
Maybe putting fewer cases in for each run? Just an idea.
Did you try the solution mentioned in the article? Let us know how you make out with it, it's great to hear first hand results.
Amazing what works! I used Lyman Media (green stuff) in my handy dandy Lyman tumbler. After cleaning about 8 batches of brass, I split the used media in half, mixed long grain rice from the dollar store with half of the old media and gave it a whirl......works like a charm. If anything, I will cut the cost of media down!
Well here's an update from using the sonicator mentioned in that 6mmbr article. I don't know if it's because my brass was fired up to 1.5 years ago, but 24 minutes in full vinegar with soap didn't do much for primer pocket dirt, but it did clean up most of the dirt on the inside walls of the case. Same result with full strength lemon juice and soap. Therefore, I decided to break out some bigger guns. I ended up cleaning 100 out of my roughly 800 once fired cases.
What I Did:
I have some nice plastic containers that pretty much fit the whole sonicating tub, so I used it for all the cleaning. Cleaning solution was about 300 mL total, which gave a nice covering to each batch of 25 .223 cases. I swirled and tilted the solution around to make sure it got inside all the cases.
In terms of solutions, I used 24 minutes in 1:1 noname CLR, vinegar, with a touch of soap, 8 minutes in vinegar with soap, 8 minutes in water with baking soda (more doesn't hurt, baking soda is a very mild base), 8 minutes in water, and then dried them with a heat gun. I used the high heat setting, holding each case with metal tweezers and blowing ~ 6 seconds into the mouth of the case and 3 seconds on the primer pocket.
The 1:1 CLR, vinegar and the vinegar solutions can be reused for up to three batches, which is good since each 150 mL of CLR is like $1.50. Everything else is relatively cheap.
Thoughts:
The brass is quite clean, with a tiny bit of dirt visible only on the odd case here and there. Maybe shifting the brass around after every of the three initial sonications will take care of this problem.
There are just a few cases that have either a) a medium sized patina type discoloration, or b) a small brown almost rust-looking discoloration, but I can't feel any depression with my nails. Is this worth worrying about?
I'm not happy I had to use stronger acidic conditions, even though it's hard to know exactly how acidic it was using pH paper, and also the effect on the metal depends on the specific acid (look up aqua regia for an example).
What I Did:
I have some nice plastic containers that pretty much fit the whole sonicating tub, so I used it for all the cleaning. Cleaning solution was about 300 mL total, which gave a nice covering to each batch of 25 .223 cases. I swirled and tilted the solution around to make sure it got inside all the cases.
In terms of solutions, I used 24 minutes in 1:1 noname CLR, vinegar, with a touch of soap, 8 minutes in vinegar with soap, 8 minutes in water with baking soda (more doesn't hurt, baking soda is a very mild base), 8 minutes in water, and then dried them with a heat gun. I used the high heat setting, holding each case with metal tweezers and blowing ~ 6 seconds into the mouth of the case and 3 seconds on the primer pocket.
The 1:1 CLR, vinegar and the vinegar solutions can be reused for up to three batches, which is good since each 150 mL of CLR is like $1.50. Everything else is relatively cheap.
Thoughts:
The brass is quite clean, with a tiny bit of dirt visible only on the odd case here and there. Maybe shifting the brass around after every of the three initial sonications will take care of this problem.
There are just a few cases that have either a) a medium sized patina type discoloration, or b) a small brown almost rust-looking discoloration, but I can't feel any depression with my nails. Is this worth worrying about?
I'm not happy I had to use stronger acidic conditions, even though it's hard to know exactly how acidic it was using pH paper, and also the effect on the metal depends on the specific acid (look up aqua regia for an example).
Wait - are you looking for 'clean' or 'shiny'?
An ultrasonic cleaner will get brass unbelievable clean, but doesn't do so well at the 'shiny' part. It will shine the brass somewhat, but nothing like what a tumbler or 0000 steel wool can do
An ultrasonic cleaner will get brass unbelievable clean, but doesn't do so well at the 'shiny' part. It will shine the brass somewhat, but nothing like what a tumbler or 0000 steel wool can do
tubler that tumbles
As far as I know English, the verb "to tumble" does not mean "to shake with all one's might as crazy". That is why I built my own tumbler that really tumbles. The only thing I bought for it is an electric motor (4 CAD). The whole work took me an hour and a half. It is not that fast, but I leave it for the night in my basement. If I knew how to attach a picture, I would place a photo.
As far as I know English, the verb "to tumble" does not mean "to shake with all one's might as crazy". That is why I built my own tumbler that really tumbles. The only thing I bought for it is an electric motor (4 CAD). The whole work took me an hour and a half. It is not that fast, but I leave it for the night in my basement. If I knew how to attach a picture, I would place a photo.
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If you have ever watched a Vibrating tumbler it actually cycles the cases up and over the media in a "tumbling" action, as opposed to just "to shake with all one's might as crazy"
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I have nothing against shaking. I only wanted to say that the same job can be done without shaking and about 25 times less expensive.
If I have to choose between a vibrating tumbler and three extra cans of powder, I would prefer the powder.
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If I think way back to the first couple years that I went to school, I can dredge up a fuzzy memory of a science experiment where we put pennies into viniger and they came out nice and shiny a couple hours or days later. Anyone doing this on brass?
Yeah I understand where your coming from, trust me, I am the quintessential Frugal Loader. I bought a cheap ($60) Frankford Arsenal from Wholesale 2 weeks ago.....I was not cleaning my cases before getting the tumbler. I have a Lyman Twin Turbo sitting at the PO that I am going to pick up in about a 1/2 hr that I got off the EE here earlier this week. Now I wish I hadn't bought the Frankford, maybe I'll use it to moly bullets?!?!?
