Quiet brass cleaning?

TMoney · November 30, 1999, 04:58 AM

Apartment living. I'm looking for an alternative for cleaning brass. A tumbler would be nice, but the noise is prohibitive. Any suggestions on this one? Or do the standard tumblers have optional mufflers? Safe and soundless. TMoney

Hal · November 30, 1999, 06:30 AM

Perhaps this may help:
http://www.thefiringline.com/NonCGI/...ML/000454.html
:Used in conjunction with one of the cleaner burning powders, this method could hold promise.

------------------
CCW for Ohio action site.
http://www.ofcc.net
Do what you C.A.N.

http://thematrix.acmecity.com/digital/237/cansite/can.html

JoeHatley · November 30, 1999, 09:52 AM

Maybe try placing the tumbler in a large cardboard box? Just make sure it's big enough to allow the air to curculate, so it doesn't overheat.

If your building has a laundry room, take you r tumbler with you and do your wash. By the time you got everything fluffed and folded, your brass should be "laundered" too.

Good Luck..

Joe

------------------
Go NRA

Big Bunny · November 30, 1999, 06:03 PM

Well... (I use 5% citric solution with a little detergant added)citric acid sold for preserving purposes works quietly enough and is cheap from supermarkets too. (May need some buffing on stained brass sometimes with 000 wire wool).

You could easily run EG a Lyman Turbo-Twin(wet+dry) tumbler daytime, but there is some dust/pollution hazard in confined spaces for the dry bowl.
Night may be a complete no-no !

G7 and others do a case-cleaner solution but it is far more expensive and is no better in my experience.

------------------
***Big Bunny***

Long Path · December 1, 1999, 01:26 AM

If there's no one at the apartment when you're off to work, just fire it up as you walk out the door. When you get back, there's shiny clean brass to reload. Make sure it runs while sitting on carpet-- a thick folded towel under it helps, too. Otherwise, set it on the floor of your closet, and close the door. Vibratory case cleaners are the best thing since sliced bread.

Long Path · December 1, 1999, 01:35 AM

Oops! Re-tap.

[This message has been edited by Long Path (edited December 01, 1999).]

TMoney · December 1, 1999, 08:23 AM

Thanks for the replies. I really have to forgo the tumbler, since I work a graveyard shift. I'm looking for a citric acid supply at the moment, and since I don't have tons of brass, this should do fine. (I'll tumble before too long, I'm certain). I just need something to get me through this portion of it. I did shoot my first 30 rounds of 7mm reloads yesterday, and my grouping was superb - for me. Haven't shot that well since boot camp. I'm looking forward to tighter groups, longer distances. Safe shooting! TMoney

WalterGAII · December 1, 1999, 09:45 AM

If you're only reloading rifle ammo at the moment, then you could use the Lee trim system, chucking the holder in a portable electric drill. Put a little brass cleaner on some fine steel wool and you can easily clean the brass while performing the trimming function.

------------------
Shoot to kill; they'll stop when they're dead!

TMoney · December 2, 1999, 05:53 AM

protoolman, I have, indeed, found it difficult to find citric acid. The store employees get this blank look, then show me to the 'bath oils'. So much for public eddicashun. I'll give this a whirl; it sounds good. I really appreciate the help. Strange, though, as helpful as we all are to one another, why is it so difficult for us to get the unindoctrinated to the range and convert them into shooters? Safely shooting and reloading, TMoney

Hal · December 2, 1999, 06:01 AM

I was just looking at the Maytag in the basement and wondering,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Seriously, if I took a pillow case and some media, set the dryer on a no heat setting wwould it be too violent an action? No,not my wife's reaction to it, I can always take her out to eat or something while the evil deed is being done, I mean the tumbling action of the dryer.

------------------
CCW for Ohio action site.
http://www.ofcc.net
Do what you C.A.N.

http://thematrix.acmecity.com/digital/237/cansite/can.html

**Mal H** · December 2, 1999, 12:17 PM

Hal, intuitively I don't think it would work because it isn't violent enough. A vibratory cleaner really bangs the media grains hard against the cases in thousands of hits per minute. You would have to "dry" them for days to achieve the same thing the conventional cleaners do in hours. Also, I think the cases banging together in the dryer may give them lots of microdents. (Note to self - send new word notice to Webster's.)

BigG · December 2, 1999, 02:28 PM

Hal, I ran 45 ACP brass, decapped and resized, thru the Maytag WASHER many times with great results. You can even add a little TSP, sold in Hardware/paint departments as Aluminum Siding Cleaner, to the water. Brass comes out gleaming.

But, as you astutely observed, make sure the wife is out when you do it!

------------------
Be mentally deliberate but muscularly fast. Aim for just above the belt buckle Wyatt Earp
45 ACP: Give 'em a new navel! BigG

Big Bunny · December 2, 1999, 04:01 PM

CAREFUL with padding etc under the tumbler/vibro cleaning stand...you can block off the cooling air ventilation system most of them have. Result can be a "cooked" motor !

It is important not to remove/leech the components of the brass alloy or weaken the case with EG stronger acids. Citric is used here for preserving fruits etc in dry powder form and is available at all supermarkets.No more than 5% for "normally dirty or corroded cases".

ALSO...remove the primer before using wet solutions(unlike vibro types due to blocking) as some will corrode in by electrolysis and be the cause of decapping pin breakages or worse..a siezed primer.

Maybe try a traditional home-cooking/preserving shop for the citric acid, it does not smell and has a lovely green tinge at 5% !

------------------
***Big Bunny***

Big Bunny · December 3, 1999, 12:14 AM

ADDENDUM....Try the "spices" counter/rack in the supermarket for your citric acid powder.

------------------
***Big Bunny***

Joefo · December 3, 1999, 03:59 PM

Citric acid is also called sour salt. It is usually in the spice isle of your local supermarket. One brand is "Spice Tree". Made by
Colonna Brothers Inc.
North Bergen, N.J. 07047

Joefo

------------------

Robert the41MagFan · December 4, 1999, 05:01 PM

There is a way to reload without a tumbler for cleaning cases at all. I was loading some 10mm this morning and realized the these cases have never been in the tumbler and they have been fired over 10 times. They still look new. These are chromed cases, I use chrome primarily to distinguish same size cases quickly, use brass 40S&W and chrome 10mm. I just wipe them before resizing, that's it and that simple.

Robert

Hal · December 4, 1999, 07:12 PM

Robert,
I believe the cases you refer to are nickle and not chrome. And, yes, that does work for me also. I use .38 brass and .357 nickle plated. I didn't do it on purpose, it just happened that all of the .357 brass I had was nickle.

------------------
CCW for Ohio action site.
http://www.ofcc.net
Do what you C.A.N.

http://thematrix.acmecity.com/digital/237/cansite/can.html

TMoney · December 5, 1999, 02:28 AM

Friends, I want all of you to know how much I appreciate your help. I did the soaking and shaking and drying. It works, but as stated earlier, it's not the absolute best. Then, not having to worry about a wife's interference at the appliances, I experimented with some dry media in the dryer (without heat, of course), and spent an hour vacuuming out the dryer. A good time was had by all! lol.. Since the cost was never a consideration in the first place, I headed to one of the local gunshops and got myself a MidwayUSA tumbler. It isn't nearly as loud and annoying as vacuuming, shaking, soaking, and drying. I also found that if I run the washing machine, dryer, and the tumbler at the same time, I can hardly hear my neighbors banging on the wall! Thanks again for the advice. Safe shooting to you all. TMoney

Hal · December 5, 1999, 06:13 AM

Oh, my GAWD!

I-CAN-NOT-BELIEVE-YOU-ACTUALLY-PUT-THAT-IN-THE-DRYER!!!!!

ROTFLMAO!

I was KIDDING when I said that!

Thanks, I needed that. What a great way to start the week.

------------------
CCW for Ohio action site.
http://www.ofcc.net
Do what you C.A.N.

http://thematrix.acmecity.com/digital/237/cansite/can.html

**Mal H** · December 5, 1999, 12:37 PM

DOH!!! Didn't you notice Hal said to try it in a pillow case? Now I've got to clean up my keyboard again. Jeez, between things like this and Dennis' posts, I'm going to have to join the Keyboard of the Month Club.

One little tip I use to cut down on the noise, or at least the noticing of the noise, is to use a timer switch to run the tumbler. I set the timer to run for 3 hrs from about 2AM to 5AM. Nobody notices the sound at that time and I wake up to nice shiny brass with my coffee! In an apartment you still might want to muffle it in a closet, for example, keeping in mind that the tumbler needs some air circulation for cooling.

Since you got the Midway tumbler at a gunshop and not directly from Midway, be sure it isn't the model that catches on fire. Or if it is, be sure it has been modified by them. There was a recall on one model within the last year. If you have any doubt as to the status of your model, you should call Midway asap.

Big Bunny · December 5, 1999, 03:46 PM

Well that's the trouble with the Internet, no real harm done this time, but you never know what is safe/correct and who people really are.
Personally I have no gripe with the FL and to me it is absolutely "tops", but I do sincerely believe that a greater status then "senior member" is appropriate as regards weighting for advice to often inexperienced first-timers.

We are maybe talking about the future of reloading here in many countyries, the "bombs on the internet" scandal in Aus. was enough for our Federal Government Nannies to block some "naughty" sites for everyone, for ever.

Don't laugh, it could happen to you!

------------------
***Big Bunny***

**Mal H** · December 5, 1999, 05:00 PM

Big Bunny, I know I must have missed something here. So please pardon me when I say:

Huh? What's an FL?

Bill Hebert · December 7, 1999, 03:27 PM

How about "O Great Wise One" as you graduate from "Senior Member"? What about "So Full of It"? Come on guys, we can make something with this.....

alan · December 8, 1999, 01:14 AM

to dampen tumbler noise, and avoid "cooking" the motor, try the following. Take 3 plastic parts boxes,120 degress apart, and set the timbler up on them. this will allow a good gap, for air circulation. Place the parts boxes and tumbler on top of a folded bath towel. That I believe, will take care of your problem

Big Bunny · December 8, 1999, 03:19 PM

Alan: some tumblers "walk" and could fall off your quietening stand maybe ?

Mal H.: "FL"=Firing Line...yep, youse are on 'er!

Maybe the criterion for "senior member" should be greatly tightened, rather than a fatuous new class being created?

------------------
***Big Bunny***

November 30, 1999, 04:58 AM	#1
TMoney Senior Member Join Date: November 25, 1999 Location: Dallas Posts: 617	Apartment living. I'm looking for an alternative for cleaning brass. A tumbler would be nice, but the noise is prohibitive. Any suggestions on this one? Or do the standard tumblers have optional mufflers? Safe and soundless. TMoney

November 30, 1999, 06:30 AM	#2
Hal Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 1998 Location: Ohio USA Posts: 8,563	Perhaps this may help: http://www.thefiringline.com/NonCGI/...ML/000454.html :Used in conjunction with one of the cleaner burning powders, this method could hold promise. ------------------ CCW for Ohio action site. http://www.ofcc.net Do what you C.A.N. http://thematrix.acmecity.com/digital/237/cansite/can.html

November 30, 1999, 09:52 AM	#3
JoeHatley Senior Member Join Date: July 1, 1999 Location: Iowa Posts: 2,135	Maybe try placing the tumbler in a large cardboard box? Just make sure it's big enough to allow the air to curculate, so it doesn't overheat. If your building has a laundry room, take you r tumbler with you and do your wash. By the time you got everything fluffed and folded, your brass should be "laundered" too. Good Luck.. Joe ------------------ Go NRA

November 30, 1999, 06:03 PM	#4
Big Bunny Senior Member Join Date: August 9, 1999 Location: New South Wales - Australia Posts: 605	Well... (I use 5% citric solution with a little detergant added)citric acid sold for preserving purposes works quietly enough and is cheap from supermarkets too. (May need some buffing on stained brass sometimes with 000 wire wool). You could easily run EG a Lyman Turbo-Twin(wet+dry) tumbler daytime, but there is some dust/pollution hazard in confined spaces for the dry bowl. Night may be a complete no-no ! G7 and others do a case-cleaner solution but it is far more expensive and is no better in my experience. ------------------ *Big Bunny*

December 1, 1999, 01:26 AM	#5
Long Path Senior Member Join Date: May 31, 1999 Location: N. Texas Posts: 5,899	If there's no one at the apartment when you're off to work, just fire it up as you walk out the door. When you get back, there's shiny clean brass to reload. Make sure it runs while sitting on carpet-- a thick folded towel under it helps, too. Otherwise, set it on the floor of your closet, and close the door. Vibratory case cleaners are the best thing since sliced bread.

December 1, 1999, 01:35 AM	#6
Long Path Senior Member Join Date: May 31, 1999 Location: N. Texas Posts: 5,899	Oops! Re-tap. [This message has been edited by Long Path (edited December 01, 1999).]

December 1, 1999, 08:23 AM	#7
TMoney Senior Member Join Date: November 25, 1999 Location: Dallas Posts: 617	Thanks for the replies. I really have to forgo the tumbler, since I work a graveyard shift. I'm looking for a citric acid supply at the moment, and since I don't have tons of brass, this should do fine. (I'll tumble before too long, I'm certain). I just need something to get me through this portion of it. I did shoot my first 30 rounds of 7mm reloads yesterday, and my grouping was superb - for me. Haven't shot that well since boot camp. I'm looking forward to tighter groups, longer distances. Safe shooting! TMoney

December 1, 1999, 09:45 AM	#8
WalterGAII Junior member Join Date: November 7, 1999 Posts: 1,516	If you're only reloading rifle ammo at the moment, then you could use the Lee trim system, chucking the holder in a portable electric drill. Put a little brass cleaner on some fine steel wool and you can easily clean the brass while performing the trimming function. ------------------ Shoot to kill; they'll stop when they're dead!

December 2, 1999, 05:53 AM	#9
TMoney Senior Member Join Date: November 25, 1999 Location: Dallas Posts: 617	protoolman, I have, indeed, found it difficult to find citric acid. The store employees get this blank look, then show me to the 'bath oils'. So much for public eddicashun. I'll give this a whirl; it sounds good. I really appreciate the help. Strange, though, as helpful as we all are to one another, why is it so difficult for us to get the unindoctrinated to the range and convert them into shooters? Safely shooting and reloading, TMoney

December 2, 1999, 06:01 AM	#10
Hal Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 1998 Location: Ohio USA Posts: 8,563	I was just looking at the Maytag in the basement and wondering,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Seriously, if I took a pillow case and some media, set the dryer on a no heat setting wwould it be too violent an action? No,not my wife's reaction to it, I can always take her out to eat or something while the evil deed is being done, I mean the tumbling action of the dryer. ------------------ CCW for Ohio action site. http://www.ofcc.net Do what you C.A.N. http://thematrix.acmecity.com/digital/237/cansite/can.html

December 2, 1999, 12:17 PM	#11
Mal H Staff Join Date: March 20, 1999 Location: Somewhere in the woods of Northern Virginia Posts: 16,947	Hal, intuitively I don't think it would work because it isn't violent enough. A vibratory cleaner really bangs the media grains hard against the cases in thousands of hits per minute. You would have to "dry" them for days to achieve the same thing the conventional cleaners do in hours. Also, I think the cases banging together in the dryer may give them lots of microdents. (Note to self - send new word notice to Webster's.)

December 2, 1999, 02:28 PM	#12
BigG Senior Member Join Date: May 19, 1999 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 4,334	Hal, I ran 45 ACP brass, decapped and resized, thru the Maytag WASHER many times with great results. You can even add a little TSP, sold in Hardware/paint departments as Aluminum Siding Cleaner, to the water. Brass comes out gleaming. But, as you astutely observed, make sure the wife is out when you do it! ------------------ Be mentally deliberate but muscularly fast. Aim for just above the belt buckle Wyatt Earp *45 ACP: Give 'em a new navel!* BigG

December 2, 1999, 04:01 PM	#13
Big Bunny Senior Member Join Date: August 9, 1999 Location: New South Wales - Australia Posts: 605	CAREFUL with padding etc under the tumbler/vibro cleaning stand...you can block off the cooling air ventilation system most of them have. Result can be a "cooked" motor ! It is important not to remove/leech the components of the brass alloy or weaken the case with EG stronger acids. Citric is used here for preserving fruits etc in dry powder form and is available at all supermarkets.No more than 5% for "normally dirty or corroded cases". ALSO...remove the primer before using wet solutions(unlike vibro types due to blocking) as some will corrode in by electrolysis and be the cause of decapping pin breakages or worse..a siezed primer. Maybe try a traditional home-cooking/preserving shop for the citric acid, it does not smell and has a lovely green tinge at 5% ! ------------------ *Big Bunny*

December 3, 1999, 12:14 AM	#14
Big Bunny Senior Member Join Date: August 9, 1999 Location: New South Wales - Australia Posts: 605	ADDENDUM....Try the "spices" counter/rack in the supermarket for your citric acid powder. ------------------ *Big Bunny*

December 3, 1999, 03:59 PM	#15
Joefo Senior Member Join Date: March 22, 1999 Location: NY Posts: 165	Citric acid is also called sour salt. It is usually in the spice isle of your local supermarket. One brand is "Spice Tree". Made by Colonna Brothers Inc. North Bergen, N.J. 07047 Joefo ------------------

December 4, 1999, 05:01 PM	#16
Robert the41MagFan Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 1999 Posts: 1,233	There is a way to reload without a tumbler for cleaning cases at all. I was loading some 10mm this morning and realized the these cases have never been in the tumbler and they have been fired over 10 times. They still look new. These are chromed cases, I use chrome primarily to distinguish same size cases quickly, use brass 40S&W and chrome 10mm. I just wipe them before resizing, that's it and that simple. Robert

December 4, 1999, 07:12 PM	#17
Hal Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 1998 Location: Ohio USA Posts: 8,563	Robert, I believe the cases you refer to are nickle and not chrome. And, yes, that does work for me also. I use .38 brass and .357 nickle plated. I didn't do it on purpose, it just happened that all of the .357 brass I had was nickle. ------------------ CCW for Ohio action site. http://www.ofcc.net Do what you C.A.N. http://thematrix.acmecity.com/digital/237/cansite/can.html

December 5, 1999, 02:28 AM	#18
TMoney Senior Member Join Date: November 25, 1999 Location: Dallas Posts: 617	Friends, I want all of you to know how much I appreciate your help. I did the soaking and shaking and drying. It works, but as stated earlier, it's not the absolute best. Then, not having to worry about a wife's interference at the appliances, I experimented with some dry media in the dryer (without heat, of course), and spent an hour vacuuming out the dryer. A good time was had by all! lol.. Since the cost was never a consideration in the first place, I headed to one of the local gunshops and got myself a MidwayUSA tumbler. It isn't nearly as loud and annoying as vacuuming, shaking, soaking, and drying. I also found that if I run the washing machine, dryer, and the tumbler at the same time, I can hardly hear my neighbors banging on the wall! Thanks again for the advice. Safe shooting to you all. TMoney

December 5, 1999, 06:13 AM	#19
Hal Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 1998 Location: Ohio USA Posts: 8,563	Oh, my GAWD! I-CAN-NOT-BELIEVE-YOU-ACTUALLY-PUT-THAT-IN-THE-DRYER!!!!! ROTFLMAO! I was KIDDING when I said that! Thanks, I needed that. What a great way to start the week. ------------------ CCW for Ohio action site. http://www.ofcc.net Do what you C.A.N. http://thematrix.acmecity.com/digital/237/cansite/can.html

December 5, 1999, 12:37 PM	#20
Mal H Staff Join Date: March 20, 1999 Location: Somewhere in the woods of Northern Virginia Posts: 16,947	DOH!!! Didn't you notice Hal said to try it in a pillow case? Now I've got to clean up my keyboard again. Jeez, between things like this and Dennis' posts, I'm going to have to join the Keyboard of the Month Club. One little tip I use to cut down on the noise, or at least the noticing of the noise, is to use a timer switch to run the tumbler. I set the timer to run for 3 hrs from about 2AM to 5AM. Nobody notices the sound at that time and I wake up to nice shiny brass with my coffee! In an apartment you still might want to muffle it in a closet, for example, keeping in mind that the tumbler needs some air circulation for cooling. Since you got the Midway tumbler at a gunshop and not directly from Midway, be sure it isn't the model that catches on fire. Or if it is, be sure it has been modified by them. There was a recall on one model within the last year. If you have any doubt as to the status of your model, you should call Midway asap.

December 5, 1999, 03:46 PM	#21
Big Bunny Senior Member Join Date: August 9, 1999 Location: New South Wales - Australia Posts: 605	Well that's the trouble with the Internet, no real harm done this time, but you never know what is safe/correct and who people really are. Personally I have no gripe with the FL and to me it is absolutely "tops", but I do sincerely believe that a greater status then "senior member" is appropriate as regards weighting for advice to often inexperienced first-timers. We are maybe talking about the future of reloading here in many countyries, the "bombs on the internet" scandal in Aus. was enough for our Federal Government Nannies to block some "naughty" sites for everyone, for ever. Don't laugh, it could happen to you! ------------------ *Big Bunny*

December 5, 1999, 05:00 PM	#22
Mal H Staff Join Date: March 20, 1999 Location: Somewhere in the woods of Northern Virginia Posts: 16,947	Big Bunny, I know I must have missed something here. So please pardon me when I say: Huh? What's an FL?

December 7, 1999, 03:27 PM	#23
Bill Hebert Senior Member Join Date: May 15, 1999 Posts: 180	How about "O Great Wise One" as you graduate from "Senior Member"? What about "So Full of It"? Come on guys, we can make something with this.....

December 8, 1999, 01:14 AM	#24
alan Senior Member Join Date: June 7, 1999 Posts: 3,847	to dampen tumbler noise, and avoid "cooking" the motor, try the following. Take 3 plastic parts boxes,120 degress apart, and set the timbler up on them. this will allow a good gap, for air circulation. Place the parts boxes and tumbler on top of a folded bath towel. That I believe, will take care of your problem

December 8, 1999, 03:19 PM	#25
Big Bunny Senior Member Join Date: August 9, 1999 Location: New South Wales - Australia Posts: 605	Alan: some tumblers "walk" and could fall off your quietening stand maybe ? Mal H.: "FL"=Firing Line...yep, youse are on 'er! Maybe the criterion for "senior member" should be greatly tightened, rather than a fatuous new class being created? ------------------ *Big Bunny*