- Location
- Over the rainbow
I'm going to try your cleaning recipe, but I wonder if this is what makes the real difference between your setup and everyone else's..
SS Tumbling, achilles heal.
- Thread starter Kelly Timoffee
- Start date
I'm going to try your cleaning recipe, but I wonder if this is what makes the real difference between your setup and everyone else's..
Got my HarborFreight dual 3lb rock tumbler on Saturday and ran some brass through them yesterday. I was only going to use this tumbler for my 308 and 223 brass but damn, it cleans so well I'm tempted to just run all my cases through this process. Even uber dirty, tarnished range brass came back looking new.
Before:
After:
I found that there isn't a lot of capacity on these little tumblers so I did some experimenting by reducing the amount of SS pins and water in order to add more cases. I dropped the amount of SS pins from 1lb to 3/4lb and use only enough water to reach 1/2" from the top of the brass. They came out looking just as well as using the 1:1:1 ratio for a 3lb tumbler. So I'm thinking, for those who have the 15lb Thumler's Tumbler, instead of a full gallon of water, you can use just enough to almost cover the brass. Did some reading on the rock tumbling forums and sure enough, they recommend only using enough water to fill 1/2" or so from the top of the rocks (or brass in this case). I'm going to cut down the amount of SS pins to 1/2lb and test that out tonight.
Before:
After:
I found that there isn't a lot of capacity on these little tumblers so I did some experimenting by reducing the amount of SS pins and water in order to add more cases. I dropped the amount of SS pins from 1lb to 3/4lb and use only enough water to reach 1/2" from the top of the brass. They came out looking just as well as using the 1:1:1 ratio for a 3lb tumbler. So I'm thinking, for those who have the 15lb Thumler's Tumbler, instead of a full gallon of water, you can use just enough to almost cover the brass. Did some reading on the rock tumbling forums and sure enough, they recommend only using enough water to fill 1/2" or so from the top of the rocks (or brass in this case). I'm going to cut down the amount of SS pins to 1/2lb and test that out tonight.
elimsprint
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Kelowna, BC
So if I get this right you put water in the sonic tank, put solution and cases head down I would presume, in beakers and then run? Why not straight into the cleaners tank? Do you use a special type of glass beaker? I have read that you have to "condition" whatever fluid you use in the tank to remove air-bubbles or something like that, do you do that?
- Location
- In the middle of gopher country
Ditto
- Location
- Over the rainbow
I tried out the vinegar/water/soap solution in my Hornady cleaner without noticeably better results when compared to my usual Hornady sonic cleaning solution. I suspect crazy_davey's amazing results are at least partly due to having a higher quality, lab grade, sonic cleaner.
New Camper
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Lurking in the woods near SFRC.
I expect you are right: A question I started wondering early in this thread is how wide is the quality range between different ultrasonic cleaners? Mine works to make brass clean enough... but just enough. It'd be nice to have some more room for a higher quality clean hence my interest in this thread.
- Location
- AB foothills
You could be right... Although I don't think this one is very high end compared to some.
- Location
- Annapolis Valley, NS
I also agree type of ultrasonic cleaner and perhaps the method of use plays a large roll in how good the brass cleans up. However using the hornady solution or vinegar water solution (I never tried a 50/50 mix) seems after a couple of trials to be about equal. Even though the primer pockets are not always "clean" the residue is soft and wipes out easily. There is a cost to the hornady solution, just over a 1.00 per oz around here, not sure of the total cost of the vinegar/water solution but the Hornady solution can be captured into a container, the sediment allowed to settle and then the solution poured through a filter media and reused if cost is a concern, it also has very little noticeable odour to me.
My ultra sonic cleaner supports a plastic basket and the fluid seems to be what imparts the vibration with a slight vibration imparted through the plastic, I wonder if a glass beaker (or one of my wife's measuring cups) directly contacting the bottom of the ultrasonic cleaner would impart a different frequency?
My ultra sonic cleaner supports a plastic basket and the fluid seems to be what imparts the vibration with a slight vibration imparted through the plastic, I wonder if a glass beaker (or one of my wife's measuring cups) directly contacting the bottom of the ultrasonic cleaner would impart a different frequency?
Ok I have been looking for a Thumler since the beginning of Jan and most places are out ? My son want's to polish rocks, I want to try the SS tumbling so I see it as a win win Does the treasureseeker web site have them but doesn't update the web site ? Ideas ?
Does the treasureseeker web site have them but doesn't update the web site ? Ideas ?
- Location
- West Quebec
Ok I have been looking for a Thumler since the beginning of Jan and most places are out ? My son want's to polish rocks, I want to try the SS tumbling so I see it as a win win
Calling them would be wise..
