Author Topic: brass cleaning ideas  (Read 998 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Scibaer

  • Central Michigan, USA, Earth
  • Trade Count: (25)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1686
  • FATE FAVORS THE WISE
brass cleaning ideas
« on: January 27, 2008, 04:37:09 AM »
has anyone come up with a home made case tumbler, or have a good simple way of cleaning fired brass ?
 if i can get away from having to buy a electric or manual tumbler i'd be willing to go that route and see how it goes.
any ideas ?

Offline Grumulkin

  • Trade Count: (33)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2028
    • http://www.orchardphoto.com
Re: brass cleaning ideas
« Reply #1 on: January 27, 2008, 07:16:17 AM »
The simplest and best way to clean fired brass I know of is an electric case tumbler.

Offline Hairtrigger

  • Trade Count: (10)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2010
Re: brass cleaning ideas
« Reply #2 on: January 27, 2008, 07:23:06 AM »
A good tumbler is money well spent. You can make one but probably won't save that much. I have 2 but prefer the Lyman with the auto flow

Offline Lead pot

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • A Real Regular
  • ****
  • Posts: 743
  • Gender: Male
Re: brass cleaning ideas
« Reply #3 on: January 27, 2008, 08:59:54 AM »
I use a tumblers tumbler with water and ceramic Medea ands coolaid
It will make the case inside and out look as new, primer pockets and all.

Kurt
Dont go were the path leads,go were there is no path and leave a trail.

Offline adirondacker

  • Trade Count: (26)
  • Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 459
Re: brass cleaning ideas
« Reply #4 on: January 27, 2008, 09:25:33 AM »
an old friend,passed away now,was tired of not being able to do enough large brass at once.he shot a lot of 30/06,and liked to to large batches say 500 or at a shot.his wifes clothes dryer quit heating but still rotated,with a little duct tape over the vents and the blower disconnected he had a pretty darned big tumbler.seems like it held at least 50 lbs of media.he set it up on his back porch,i think with the heat elements unhooked/not working it only needed 120v.worked pretty good as i recall.i don't remember how many brass could be done at a time but it was a pile.myself,i prefer the lyman,i have the 1200 uniflow,although i find it easier to just dump the brass and sift it,oh and walnut media seems to be quickest.
  how bout one hooked up to  a stationary excersize bike,i bet that would work pretty good,get your excercise and some clean brass.lol

Offline LaOtto222

  • GBO Supporter
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3828
  • Gender: Male
Re: brass cleaning ideas
« Reply #5 on: January 28, 2008, 01:01:50 AM »
I understand your interest in saving some money on reloading equipment. I am a do-it-yourselfer and will build anything I can before buying. I just do not see how you can build something for the cost of a vibrating brass cleaner with satisfactory results. You can buy a vibrating tumbler in the $50 - $60 dollar range. Unless you have just the right junk laying around to make something satisfactory, lay down your hard earned cash and do it right. I bought a Tumbler's Tumbler years ago (before the vibratory types came out) and I am still using it. There was a thread not long ago about putting media in a cloth bag with suitable media and running it in a clothes dryer. It would have to make a heck of a racket and not sure if the results would be satisfactory and do not know if your wife would put up with it. I have talked to my wife about using the oven to bake on finishes and got that shot down right away.
Great men have vision and resolve to make dreams come true.

Offline LaOtto222

  • GBO Supporter
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3828
  • Gender: Male
Re: brass cleaning ideas
« Reply #6 on: January 28, 2008, 01:06:03 AM »
I almost forgot about the liquid methods of cleaning brass. You can purchase a kit that consists of a 5 gal bucket, a dipping basket and concentrated brass cleaner. You mix water with the concentrate in the 5 gal bucket and then dip the brass in the solution for a period of time. I think it cleans the brass, but does not polish it. It ends up with a dull brass finish.
Great men have vision and resolve to make dreams come true.

Offline buffermop

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • A Real Regular
  • ****
  • Posts: 946
Re: brass cleaning ideas
« Reply #7 on: January 28, 2008, 03:39:11 AM »
Check out Ebay for a used one. Some real super deals at times. ;)

Offline Lead pot

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • A Real Regular
  • ****
  • Posts: 743
  • Gender: Male
Re: brass cleaning ideas
« Reply #8 on: January 28, 2008, 06:21:04 AM »
I have a friend that is heavy in this trigger pulling race gun shooting ::) ;D and he kept complaining his Dillon case cleaner was not big enough to keep up cleaning the cases.
I suggested getting one of those small tumbling cement mixers, well he did and is now as happy as a Fox in the Chicken pen.
He is using ceramic media with Sagebrush liquid case cleaner solution.

Kurt
Dont go were the path leads,go were there is no path and leave a trail.

Offline DDelle338

  • Trade Count: (2)
  • Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 306
  • Gender: Male
Re: brass cleaning ideas
« Reply #9 on: January 28, 2008, 07:19:52 AM »
  I made one out of an old Ice Cream Freezer. Been using it for about 9 years now. It works too good to think about buying a REAL tumbler.  Yea, I'm frugal (read... CHEAP).
Life's a Bitch, But the puppies are cute.

Offline quickdtoo

  • Global Moderator
  • Trade Count: (149)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 43301
  • Gender: Male
Re: brass cleaning ideas
« Reply #10 on: January 28, 2008, 07:39:49 AM »
Glenn,

Here are some decent buys on vibratory cleaners, I use one of the Frankfort Arsenals that are very similar to the two below, it can be found on sale for $35-$40. They work very well with crushed walnut shells which can be picked up at a pet supply store, add a little tumbling additive a couple times a year and you're good to go. I use an old wok and a vegetable BBQ basket to sift the media from the cleaned cases. ;)

Tim

http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=000157631318

http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=00194TA04835

RCBS on sale at Cabelas
"Always do right, this will gratify some and astonish the rest" -  Mark Twain

Offline Scibaer

  • Central Michigan, USA, Earth
  • Trade Count: (25)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1686
  • FATE FAVORS THE WISE
Re: brass cleaning ideas
« Reply #11 on: January 28, 2008, 09:42:29 AM »
i guess im looking at buying a tumbler then. i though for sure there'd be a old timer or whoever who had a nifty way of cleaning up brass. i think i'll pass on the cement mixer, clothes dryer, margarita mixer ideas and get me a tumbler.
the ebay idea sounds good, maybe i'll take a peek there and see what i can find, before going the midway / shooters supply route.
 im not being cheap, im 'exploring my options'  ;D ..
thanks all,
glenn

Offline tvc15

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Avid Poster
  • **
  • Posts: 185
  • Gender: Male
Re: brass cleaning ideas
« Reply #12 on: January 28, 2008, 12:23:48 PM »
   I clean range brass with a mix of vinegar lemon juice and water to get the dirt  off. Then I rinse with cold water stick them in some Iosso for few seconds, rinse with hot water and let them dry overnight.

   I bought a quart container last year and probably cleaned 500 rounds with 1/3 of the bottle. It cleans them up real shinny
     

                                                                                                                 TVC15



Offline Hairtrigger

  • Trade Count: (10)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2010
Re: brass cleaning ideas
« Reply #13 on: January 28, 2008, 12:30:14 PM »
To the people that use liquid

 Do you do this before depriming and sizing? To prolong the life of my sizing die I like to have the brass clean before sizing but don't want to get liquid trapped in the primer pocket

Offline Lead pot

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • A Real Regular
  • ****
  • Posts: 743
  • Gender: Male
Re: brass cleaning ideas
« Reply #14 on: January 28, 2008, 03:08:22 PM »
Since I shoot black powder I deprime with a universal die I don't size my cases, then soak them in soapy water a few minutes and throw them in the tumbler with the seramic media and water with a cap full of cleaner and let them tumble for a couple hours dump them over a window screen clasefier and put them in the oven at 300 degs for 20 minutes if I'm in a hurry to reload them or let the sun dry them.
They shine better then new cases and the primer pockets are also clean.
I have found nothing that works better and the Media lasts for ever,three years so far for me.

Kurt
Dont go were the path leads,go were there is no path and leave a trail.

Offline tvc15

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Avid Poster
  • **
  • Posts: 185
  • Gender: Male
Re: brass cleaning ideas
« Reply #15 on: January 30, 2008, 12:20:55 PM »
I wash the brass with the vinegar/lemon juice/water before depriming or re sizing.   TVC15

Offline Hairtrigger

  • Trade Count: (10)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2010
Re: brass cleaning ideas
« Reply #16 on: January 30, 2008, 01:54:14 PM »
I wash the brass with the vinegar/lemon juice/water before depriming or re sizing.   TVC15

Do you find moisture in the primer pocket when you punch the old primer out?

Offline quickdtoo

  • Global Moderator
  • Trade Count: (149)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 43301
  • Gender: Male
Re: brass cleaning ideas
« Reply #17 on: January 31, 2008, 11:01:09 AM »
Glenn, if you're not in any hurry to get the case cleaner, Midsouth has theirs on sale for $30 available in April.

Tim

http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=047-sr100&fromsearch=yes&submit=GO
"Always do right, this will gratify some and astonish the rest" -  Mark Twain

Offline Scibaer

  • Central Michigan, USA, Earth
  • Trade Count: (25)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1686
  • FATE FAVORS THE WISE
Re: brass cleaning ideas
« Reply #18 on: February 01, 2008, 01:18:12 PM »
Thanks Tim, thats sounds just about right.. i'll ckeck on that in April

Offline quickdtoo

  • Global Moderator
  • Trade Count: (149)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 43301
  • Gender: Male
Re: brass cleaning ideas
« Reply #19 on: February 01, 2008, 01:24:42 PM »
If you preorder now, you get it for $27!! In April the price will be $40.

Tim

"Always do right, this will gratify some and astonish the rest" -  Mark Twain