Somebody tell me I'm crazy

[corbanzo]

So here is my idea.  I have a couple revolvers that need to be fully gutted for their bi-bienniel.... well, lets just say they need it.

And they will get the full rub down and lube and yadda yadda.  But here is my new idea, instead of trying to make sure all the surfaces keep their luster, why not just throw the parts into my tumbler and let it do the work?  Any body ever give this a try?

[John Traveler]

Vibratory tumbling and polishing are industrial processes for deburring and cleaning preparation.  BUT they are carefully controlled processes using shaped abrasive media, and exposure times.

What you are suggesting can certainly be done, but you may not like the results.

Taking irregular shaped parts, of different sizes, and subjecting them to indescriminate tumbling will likely give you a bunch of randomly dinged-up parts.  Critical edges and surfaces like sears, trigger, and hammer notches may be damaged, and you lose a fine trigger pull.  Loss or self-dismantling of parts is also likely. Finish loss to one extent or another is almost certain.

Why would you even consider it?  Are you that lazy or careless with your weapons?

[trotterlg]

I have never even considered doing that.  I still would not consider doing that.  After you sober up you will probably not consider it either.  Larry

[charles p]

I may be Crazy, but what I do with semi auto rifle and shotgun trigger groups is heat a plastic bowl of hot water in the microwave, take it out and add degreaser, then submerge the gun parts into the solution.  Do not put the degreaser in the microwave!  I used a wooden spoon to stir the parts and water.  All oil and grease will soon rise to the top and can be poured off.  Rinse the parts in more hot water and shake off the excess water.  Place the hot parts on a towel to blot and air dry.  The remaining film of water evaporates quickly.  The parts should now be very clean.  Some parts will require a light film of oil to prevent rusting.

I have also cleaned partially disassembled fishing reels using the same process. 

Please let me know if this is a harmful practice.  Seems to work OK.  Been doing this for 30-40 years.  Ought to work for your pistol parts.  The moderate water temp is not be hot enough to change the temper of any metal parts.

[gunnut69]

Cleaning with water has the advantage of removing any residue from corrosive primers but other than that I much prefer solvent based cleaning. The parts are soaked in a solvent tank, usually in a field stripped condition. Of course wood and plastics should aviod solvents although Mineral spirits won't damage most gun plastics. A brush and flow of colvent is then used to remove loosened crud. Many armorers faced with large numbers of weapons to service use a solvent bath in a ultra-sonic vibrator to clean without much more than removing wood grips and field stripping. I have not tried the ultraconic cleaners but they likely work at least OK. Nothing is really better than a thorough tear down and cleaning. In anything less there are places that simply get missed. The first that comes to mind is the trigger return spring on the A5 Browning. A flat spring mechanically locked into the trigger assembly base it routinely is found rusted into oblivion..a practice the water method of cleaning you descibed would be likely to agravate. 

[corbanzo]

Somebody explain to me how my parts are going to get "all dinged up" and possibly ruin in corn cob media?  My brass still keeps its chamfer in the media, no way in hell it is going to damage steel.  I'm not talking about bead blasting, just see if i can make it that much smoother, polished, in a very fine way. - corn cob as I said.  

[Keith L]

If you put parts of different size, shape and weight they will all vibrate around in the media at different speeds banging into each other causing dings and scrapes.

[corbanzo]

Hmmmmm... still failing to see how six pieces are going to damage each other in a tumbler....

[yukondog]

I would not do it, try it and let us know how it works.

[gunnut69]

Vibrating cleaners such as case cleaners can be fairly violent but the vibrating machines used by manufacturers such as Remington use ceramic or rubberized abrasive media to 'vibra-hone' certain parts. They create a worn finish.. Some Remington Express model 870's fail to function new out of the box.. Still even with just carncob media as the cleaning agent you must admit there are hardened steel parts in the also.. I strongly advise you to not do that.. The delicate sear edges might possibley be damaged.. Just soak in solvent and clean with a brush. The ultra sonic cleaners I spoke of use very high pitched vibrations with much less energy. They are not very likely to move the parts around,, plus the technique I spoke of insert the field stripped weapon into the liquid solcent which propogates the vibrations causing the crud to be shaken loose. The parts don't receive enough energy to move very much.. And just a small note. if asking the opinion of others thought to have greater experience one should really be more receptive of their comments. I am as prone to lazyness as any one and always strive to make my job as simple and easy to accomplish as possible while still maintaining a good result. Case vibrators can be used to clean gun parts but the caveat is that some damage may be experienced. Soak and spray/brush clean, rinse and dry, reassemble.. simple and no changes.  Do as you wish...of course..

[Graybeard]

OK you're crazy. Always happy to accomodate. 

[corbanzo]

Hey, I finally found somebody that agrees with me on something.