Clean Brass Revisited

[Noz]

I dumped 400+- rounds of 38 Special into my Thumler, added water to cover twice, a touch of Lemishine and John Boy's recommended Scrubbing Bubbles along with  steel pins.  Tumbled it 45 minutes. Drained and rinsed and the brass would have acceptable at that point but I had other things to do so I reloaded with clean water, chemistry and pins and tumbled for 3 hours until my other chore was done.
All stains and corrosion gone with primer pockets sparkling.
I shook the pins out of the cases which causes some of the pins to escape. Wrapped my industrial magnet in a bread wrapper and made a pass over the drying cases and picked up all of the stray pins.  Inverted the bag over the tumbler and I'm ready to go again.
By far the most efficient brass cleaning routine ever.
I know the brass doesn't have to be that clean but it sure is easier for the brass monkey to find mine.

[tyrel cody]

Which Scrubbing Bubbles did he recommend and how much?

[wildman1]

Lemi Shine and Dawn will do the same. wM1

[Noz]

Which Scrubbing Bubbles did he recommend and how much?

I just bought a spray bottle, the cheapest on the shelf.
I, too, am a fan of Dawn for most cleaning applications and will be using it from Miss Lorries kitchen for future cleaning. If it doesn't work as well I know where the scrubbing bubbles are in WallyWorld.
One of the secrets of the pins is using a limited amount.  My first cleaning attempts I used the whole batch of pins (I think 5 pounds) poor results. I'm now using about 20% of the batch I bought with a lot of water.

[paledun]

Noz, while I do not know John Boy personally, we have talked on the Wire regarding his cleaning process which does provide exceptional results.  First, he uses a smaller triangular shaped ceramic media.  My ceramic media is more a round rod approzimately 5/16 long and 1/8 inch wide with beveled ends.  His media gets into primer pockets much better than does mine.  My media came from Cabelas and his came from a company in NJ, I believe but requires a rather large quantity purchase.  The exterior and interior of my 45s are an equal to his. His primer pockets are the best.  His next ingredient is Strat-O-Shine by Rio Grande which can be purchased in 5 or 25 pound boxes.  $30 for 5.  This powder mixes 3 oz per i gallon of water which becomes the liquid in wet cleaning.  Strat-O-Sheen is a burnishing compound used by jewelry pollishing. I use it and have seen no other product produce equal results.  He adds a couple oz of Scrubbing bubbles and gets REALLY CLEAN cases.  I have tried the Bubbles without any real results, and have gone back to just a dab of whatever kitchen soap the wife is using.  Still think my brass is as clean as his but he tumbles for 15 minutes and I for 2 hours to take my really BP stained brass to Starline new.  Don't think I have ever heard John Boy say anything about steel pins.  Just a thought about what I know about John B and what works for me.  Sagerider

[wildman1]

A few years back JB is the one that mentioned SS pins on this forum and provided the info for purchasing them. wM1

[Noz]

A few years back JB is the one that mentioned SS pins on this forum and provided the info for purchasing them. wM1

I cannot find the reference he made to his "new" cleaning method but it is on this forum.

[paledun]

With the recent responses, I find myself with a question.  Is the John Boy on CasCity and the SASS Wire the same person?  The posts I am referring to are all on the SASS Wire.  The JB I have conversations with is on the Wire and only started using Scrubbing Bubbles approximately one year ago.  One or two? Anyone know?  Sagerider

[john boy]

Paledun:  A recap ...
* John Boy is my SASS alias and any firearm or casting forum you may visit and see "John Boy" - it's me
* There is a 2 page tread on the the SASS Wire that was initiated when I stumbled on using Scrubbing Bubbles with Kramer K-Polish media and Strat-O-Sheen burnishing solution in a Lotrone rotary tumbler ... that cleaned my brass in 15 minutes
http://sassnet.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=229895&hl=bubbles
* If you read the thread in full, all the links are there where to purchase Strat-O--Sheen and 3mm Kramer K-Polish media.  I see now one can purchase K-Polish in 1 lb quantity - which is more than the amount needed in the tumbler (I also identified how much media is needed for a 6# barrel)... plus you can put K-Polish in your will because it doesn't wear out.  In fact, the media gets better with use! As stated, it is a polishing media!

As for cleaning brass cases, smokeless & black powder, it's like Chevy's Chrysler's & Ford's ... many folks have their own opinion to their liking's and which works best for them.  I've tried many burnishing solutions and medias (except never advocated or tried pins) ... and the resulting combination I use ... Cleans My Brass in 15 Minutes, absolutely clean inside & out.  So I don't intend to change.

Plus several years back, I lucked on a method to dry my brass in about 2 minutes ... http://www.theopenrange.net/forum/index.php?topic=7653.msg56060#msg56060

In summary, dirty brass to cleaned and dried is a  "botta bing botta boom" process for me - I'm done and on to other things to do in the reloading room

Now, I'm also going to add - if you need a process to remove rust, use the same combination I use to clean the brass. Process does take more than 15 minutes though. These parts were under 36" of salt water with mud and sand from Super Storm Sandy.  My gunsmith re-blued all 4 parts boxes of cleaned parts and save me a 'ton of money' for replacements

[Montana Slim]

I know some who like "Coke-Cola".....But they didn't approve of my use of Phosphoric acid in a diluted form.

I too have used a bunch of things few would approve of..many work to some degree. but, lemon-juice and a touch of degreaser/dishsoap is pretty good. Many of these things are just mild acids.

Slim

[SimmerinLightning]

I know some who like "Coke-Cola".....But they didn't approve of my use of Phosphoric acid in a diluted form.

... okay then...
Maybe they think you should add some corn syrup?

[wildman1]

John Boy is correct, he was not the one advocating SS tumbling media, I just checked. However there is a thorough discussion of this topic at "Stainless Steel Tumbling Rods on May 11, 2011. The different medias are discussed in depth. A good read. wM1

[Noz]

I have been giving credit to John Boy for the SSpin cleaning method. I guess I was wrong.

The method outlined above works well though, whereever it came from.



http://sassnet.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=229895

[Dick Dastardly]

Two Annual shoots.  Brass from several shooters.  All black powder, of course.  3hr tumble in CP media, change fluid, another 3 Hr's.  Sparkling clean brass.  I'll be reloading that same clean brass soon.

What more could I ask for???

DD-MDA

[wildman1]

Clean BP brass in 2 hours? wM1

[john boy]

Another cleaning application using the 15 Minute Cleaning  but took a little over a half hour:
* 11 boxes of jacketed bullets
* 1 box of 1000 GC's for 22 caliber
Found in the back of the shelf under the bench ... there were there since Oct 2012 that were under the salt water from Super Storm Sandy
100% of the bullets - bright and shiny ... close to 98% approx of the GC's - bright and shiny - but all useable

[wildman1]

Ya find any sea creatures in there JB?    wM1

[john boy]

Ya find any sea creatures in there JB?

Wildman, I don't find your post amusing, not even a tad...
The reason is, the Storm broke a basement window and I had 36" of salt water, mud and sand in the basement.  I lost $178,000 of personal property and not a penny of it was covered by flood insurance because it doesn't cover personal property.  Included were 2 safes full with long arms that required a gunsmith 7 months to repair & restore- many of the antiques not back to original condition though, especially the wood.  Fortunately, I had firearms insurance to cover this cost

[Pappy Myles]

Back at the firing line.........
When Im finished with a stage and have my brass in hand at the unloading table, I'll take my hand deprimer  and punch the spent primers out, and drop then in a container with a solution of water, dawn dish soap, and vinegar.  When leaving the range, the container goes in the back of my truck and sloshes around.  this takes care of a lot of the heavy stuff.  Once home, I drain, wash with warm water, and drop in my tumblers tumbler with dawn, lemon shine, and steel pins.  About an hour and a half does it for me.