Brass wet tumbling additive?

[Major 2]

I was given some Milsurp 30-06 circa 1972 and 77 vintage, no clue when it was fired in the last 50 years.
So, I set about to de-prime, remove the crimp and tumble it, in another thread I chronicled the process & outcome.

My solution of SS pins, Zip wax &  Lemi Shine mentioned above netted harmonious results.

[Roosterman]

What be "Zip Wax"?

[Major 2]

IT Be car wash   

BTW note this bottle was purchased a K-mart ...I have no idea how long ago I bought it....
note the price $2.27  I guess 25 or 30 years ago 

Still about 1/2 full.... still works just fine.

K-mart went bankrupt
As of April 2022, only K-mart 3 locations remainng in the US: in Miami, Florida; Westwood, New Jersey; and Bridgehampton, New York.

[Cliff Fendley]

Gad Zooooks 

After reading all the "pointers" and personal processes, "Wet" tumbling is way more work than necessary for reloadable brass.  Sheesh.  No Way

People are still hazardous to yer health

Pretty much the exact same process as dry tumbling so if it's more work than necessary then all cleaning of brass is more work than necessary. To each their own I guess. Depends on whether you want shiny brass or dull.

Personally I like shiny plus the fact I haven't bought any new tumbling media in years since whenever I started wet tumbling. Maybe I'll live long enough to wear out the stainless pins. I can only hope I do.

[Coffinmaker]

Hi Cliff 

Nah.  Not Quite.  I dump my fired brass inna sink wid White Vinegar and let soak for 30 Minutes.  No work involved.  Then I rinse and dry it.  Drying is done inna oven.  No work involved.  Rinse takes 5 Minutes, very little work involved.  Dump straight into the media and turn the tumbler on.  Only work involved is to flip the switch.  Separate from the media (turn crank two minutes) and DONE.  By my math, I only have 7 to 10 minutes actual work involved, up to 500 cases.  Takes less work for the whole process then it does to just recover the little pins.  Nanny Nanny Poo Poo

PS:  ALMOST forgot.  I don't dare about shiny brass.  Just doesn't matter.  Only needs to go BANG after all.

[Major 2]

+ 1 to Cliff Fendley

My tumbler does the work, less than a minute to add the ingrediencies and the brass.

Filp the switch, about 1 hour or so turning, then
dump the contents into a RCBS tumbler separator, spin that for about 30 seconds
and Bobs your Uncle.

The Zip wax is a wash as well. and the wax in it keeps the brass bright.

To each their own, this is my routine.

[Coffinmaker]

Ha!  thibbit thibbit thibbit     

[Cliff Fendley]

Hi Cliff 

Nah.  Not Quite.  I dump my fired brass inna sink wid White Vinegar and let soak for 30 Minutes.  No work involved.  Then I rinse and dry it.  Drying is done inna oven.  No work involved.  Rinse takes 5 Minutes, very little work involved.  Dump straight into the media and turn the tumbler on.  Only work involved is to flip the switch.  Separate from the media (turn crank two minutes) and DONE.  By my math, I only have 7 to 10 minutes actual work involved, up to 500 cases.  Takes less work for the whole process then it does to just recover the little pins.  Nanny Nanny Poo Poo

PS:  ALMOST forgot.  I don't dare about shiny brass.  Just doesn't matter.  Only needs to go BANG after all.

What do you mean recovering pins? Do you think we dump them out in the driveway? LOL The pins are the media, they are contained same as whatever dry media you're using. Not sure how all of that is any less work it sounds like what you do is more work. Oven drying, soaking, etc.

I just dump mine in the rotary tumbler fill with water with a dash of dawn and lemishine. I guess that takes a couple minutes or so. Come back three hours later or so, dump most of the water off and dump the brass in the separator and spin it over a few times (actually takes less revolutions than with dry media) and then set brass out in the sun. If no sun oh well, your brass may have some spots. Just dump the pins back in the tumbler same as you do with any media. I usually do that a couple days later or whenever I think about it after it dries but don't really have to. I guess it's about the same, maybe ten minutes of my time cleaning brass. The tumbler does the rest of the work.

OH edit, how many years and many thousands of pieces of brass have you cleaned with the same media? I'm about 13 years now on my stainless pins and thousands and thousands and thousands and thousands and again and again and again. I don't reckon they will ever wear out in three lifetimes. I've started doing smokeless brass with the wet tumbler because I never have to buy more media.

To each their own though, what works for some might not for others. I don't plan to change my methods because it can't be any simpler.

[Coffinmaker]

Aw Cummon 

Oh cummon Cliff.  Nothing personal, just having a little fun with this thread.  You have your sense of humor surgically removed at birth or sumpthin??  Lighten Up fer Pete's Sake.

PS:  I do have to change out the media about once every year.  Makes it tough on the lizards atta pet store. 

[Roosterman]

This lemmieshine stuff leaves my pins all stuck together and as hard as a brick. What's up with that?

[Major 2]

This lemmieshine stuff leaves my pins all stuck together and as hard as a brick. What's up with that?

   unknown, I've not had that happen to me.

How much Lemi Shine are you adding?
You only need 1/4 teaspoon, a cap of Zip and just cover the brass with water.

[Roosterman]

   unknown, I've not had that happen to me.

How much Lemon Shine are you adding?
You only need 1/4 teaspoon, a cap of Zip and just cover the brass with water.

I think I'm using a massive overkill. I just shake some out of the container. I'll have to measure next time.

[cpt dan blodgett]

The only good reason I can think to start using my wet tumbler is for Black Powder brass.  Occasionally work on BP loads for one of the various 45/70s gathering dust in the safes.  Up till now have just soaked in water with a bit of vinegar and dry tumbled.  Bought a wet tumbler years ago on sale prolly should use the darn thing.  Many claim wet tumbling really reduces lead dust exposure.  There may be a valid argument for wet tumbling all brass.

[Buckshot Bear]

The BEST thing about wet tumbling is the saving of your lungs and lower lead levels of not just yourself but your family and especially if you have young children or grandchildren.

[Roosterman]

The only good reason I can think to start using my wet tumbler is for Black Powder brass.  Occasionally work on BP loads for one of the various 45/70s gathering dust in the safes.  Up till now have just soaked in water with a bit of vinegar and dry tumbled.  Bought a wet tumbler years ago on sale prolly should use the darn thing.  Many claim wet tumbling really reduces lead dust exposure.  There may be a valid argument for wet tumbling all brass.

Is there any other powder other than black?

[Drydock]

Back from the Grand Muster, dumped the deprimed brass in the tumbler, dumped in the pins, dumped in enough water to just cover the pile, then spun for 4 hours.  Dumped the whole mess in a mesh strainer set on a bucket to drain off the water, then dumped pins and brass into my old Dillon rotary separator and spun a few times to get rid of the pins.  The brass will dry in the separator overnight, and the pins remain in the Dillon tub until the next time.  Except for the spin and the dry the whole process took about 5 minutes.  Brass is a nice copper color, no chemicals used at all now.  I really like how the pins clean out the primer pockets.

[ira scott]

"I really like how the pins clean out the primer pockets."  THIS!  and the fact that it is easier for the brassers to find when it is shiney, especially now that cartridge cases are apparently made of gold!

I use pretty much the same method as Drydock, plus a squirt of Dawn.

B.N. Scotty