Low cost options for cleaning brass - Page 2

xandi · July 17, 2018, 04:52 PM

I clean by hand at the moment, by hand with dawn soap and hot water. I then try and scape the primer pocket clean
I also have a coffee can with some rice in it, I was trying out( not working to well) thx for the advice

tangolima · July 17, 2018, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gwpercle

A tough mesh bag and the washing machine . Use the gentle cycle and do it when the wife is gone. I wash my cases when I do a small load of shop rags and old towels I use for gun cleaning. Then run them through the dryer with the rags and towels , leave them in the mesh bag.....makes getting them out easier.
Gary

That could be the most expensive method.

-TL

Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk

marchboom · July 17, 2018, 10:28 PM

After depriming I soak the brass in water with a little LemiShine (doesn't take much. I use 1/4 teaspoon per 1 pt of water) and a small squirt of Dawn. I let it soak over nite. Then dry the outsides with a towel and then let them dry via the sun. Then into a tumbler with finely crushed walnut media with NuFinish for 90 mins. Cases look almost like new.

The difference in cost between just clean and clean and looking great is very, very small. Not worth losing sleep over. Go for clean and looking good...you will be glad you did.

mikld · July 18, 2018, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hounddawg

if you want to go super cheap wipe the outside of the case with a rag and the take a bore brush for a spin in the neck and call it done. A lot of the the BR shooters do one hole groups at 200 yards with that method

I did this for 12 years of reloading before I got a tumbler, except only occasionally used a brush.

The OP said "What are some good low cost options for equipment to clean brass?" and if he meant equipment, then a Harbor Freight rock tumbler and some walnut pet litter is prolly the least expensive, or if he meant method a bucket of water, some vinegar or citric acid, a couple drops of dish soap is as good as any for cleaning brass.

I like to leave a very light film of wax on my tumbled bullets because it retards tarnish, even when I wet tumbled

Doyle · July 18, 2018, 12:22 PM

Quote:

I like to leave a very light film of wax on my tumbled bullets because it retards tarnish, even when I wet tumbled

That's why I like using the Armor All car was that has wax in it. It leaves just enough wax to hinder tarnish but it doesn't interfere with the load.

craddleshooter · July 19, 2018, 05:07 PM

Funny thing!

Until benchrest shooters started using rock tumblers in the 1970's
and then vibratory cleaners about 10 years later,
folks successfully reloaded match grade ammo for 8 decades without tumbling.

But today, we think it is absolutely vital and critical that you tumble,
and you're exceedingly stupid if you don't own a tumbler.
So many reloaders today cannot even conceive of a time we didn't use them.

ms6852 · July 19, 2018, 09:45 PM

I use a sonic cleaner, but my brother uses all the socks that are missing the pair by putting about 20-25 pieces per sock in the washing machine using only hot water and dish soap with a little vinegar. He normally puts in about 10 socks filled with shop towels, soaks them for about 20 minutes than turns the washer on .

craddleshooter · July 20, 2018, 07:30 PM

Watched a youtube where they used Simple Green. I tried it and it worked pretty good. I would say that method should do well until you get a tumbler. One word of caution, even though it is Simple Green and stated as none toxic, I read an article that you should not get it on your bare skin. Put the brass in the solution of hot water and a table spoon of Simple Green and stir with a sick or wooden spoon for a couple of minutes. Left in the solution too long and it will tarnish brass. (over night, etc.)

gwpercle · July 20, 2018, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by craddleshooter

Watched a youtube where they used Simple Green. I tried it and it worked pretty good. I would say that method should do well until you get a tumbler. One word of caution, even though it is Simple Green and stated as none toxic, I read an article that you should not get it on your bare skin. Put the brass in the solution of hot water and a table spoon of Simple Green and stir with a sick or wooden spoon for a couple of minutes. Left in the solution too long and it will tarnish brass. (over night, etc.)

Do you think Simple Green smells ...funky ? To me has an off putting odor.
Gary

xandi · July 23, 2018, 04:23 PM

So will ss pins with water clean both the inside and the out side of a case?

hounddawg · July 23, 2018, 06:15 PM

Quote:

That's why I like using the Armor All car was that has wax in it. It leaves just enough wax to hinder tarnish but it doesn't interfere with the load.
Doyle is offline

I managed to remember this last week when I was in a parts store. I have not has a chance to try it yet but the price was decent compared to dish detergent

xandi · July 23, 2018, 08:15 PM

Hello firing lane
Would a 5 gallon home depot bucket with lid, work as a containment vassal for ss pin tumbling,
Im thinking the set up would would like a baby cement machine, would it work?

GWS · July 25, 2018, 08:36 PM

To the O.P.: Lots of ways to do it cheap.....for 35 years I just wiped them off, leaving the tarnish and loaded them.

Then I sprung for a Lyman 2500, cheap 20/40 corncob from Zorro, and a capfull of Dillon polish......bling outside, dark inside.

Then a Thumbers wet tumbler with stainless steel media, lemishine, and Dawn dishwashing liquid.

My how spoiled I've become....

No the wet Thumblers method is not cheap, but it's a one time expense. I don't even remember the hit 3 years ago, but I'll enjoy the reward for many yearsT to come.

Xandi asked, "So will ss pins with water clean both the inside and the out side of a case?" Yessssssir! See below:

I have this funky 7 station press with room for a dedicated powder cop station no matter what I load.....only I've never liked powder cops.....too easy to ignore them unless they beep......and I hate beeping stuff on my tools. So I made a prototype mirror station, and that wouldn't be worth 2 cents if the cases didn't reflect light.

But they do....thanks to stainless steel media wet tumbling. No more squibs or double charges.

The following short, one-handed, & very shaky video of a .308 (7.62 LC) case is a better demonstration of the concept!
No, this is not trick photography, and its not a shallow .45, that's the inside of a .308.

*****Click on "vimeo" if you'd like to see it bigger.*****
----------Once there you can even make it full screen if you want.

joeanybody · July 26, 2018, 10:13 AM

5 min in $30 sonic cleaner from harbor freight. 10 min tumble in $30 frankford arsenal tumbler with rice. Works everytime and brass looks new.

Jakeway · July 29, 2018, 10:16 AM

I'm surprised only two other people suggested Sonic Cleaner. I got the Harbour Freight one two years ago and it works great. I've been reloading for over 20 years, never bought or used a tumbler of any kind and I probably never will. Sonic Cleaners clean better, faster, and quieter.

Average Joe · July 29, 2018, 07:44 PM

Cheapest option ? A bucket of water, and dish washing liquid.

jonb32248 · July 29, 2018, 08:11 PM

If I clean any of my cases and I say if because I only clean anything is when they get carbon outside of the case. So I use straight vinegar in a gallon jug. Leave them in for 20 min. rinse and let them dry in the sun. They're not shinny but they are clean inside and all carbon is gone.No lead in the air and cheap.99% of the time I don't do anything exceot inspect and wipe off. That was for my 9 mm cases, my 22-250 brass I just wipe off as i inspect them. I don't need pretty brass. It has worked for me this way for 40 yrs.

MoArk Willy · July 29, 2018, 08:30 PM

Probably not as vital as some think. But if you reuse brass often you want them as clean as possible so you can inspect it. If you use it a couple of times and then toss the casings it's not a big deal.
That being said...I'm cheap. I use a thumpers tumbler, steel pins, a bit of dawn and lemishine for my cleaning. Deprime first and the casings look new after 2-4 hours of tumbling....often better than new.
But I hate spending money for brass I already have.

July 17, 2018, 10:28 PM	#28
marchboom Member Join Date: September 10, 2017 Location: No. Idaho Posts: 39	After depriming I soak the brass in water with a little LemiShine (doesn't take much. I use 1/4 teaspoon per 1 pt of water) and a small squirt of Dawn. I let it soak over nite. Then dry the outsides with a towel and then let them dry via the sun. Then into a tumbler with finely crushed walnut media with NuFinish for 90 mins. Cases look almost like new. The difference in cost between just clean and clean and looking great is very, very small. Not worth losing sleep over. Go for clean and looking good...you will be glad you did. __________________ U.S.A.F., aircrew (ret.) NRA Life Member NHRA RSO

July 19, 2018, 09:45 PM	#32
ms6852 Senior Member Join Date: April 3, 2010 Location: Texas Posts: 1,394	I use a sonic cleaner, but my brother uses all the socks that are missing the pair by putting about 20-25 pieces per sock in the washing machine using only hot water and dish soap with a little vinegar. He normally puts in about 10 socks filled with shop towels, soaks them for about 20 minutes than turns the washer on . __________________ ONLY TWO DEFINING FORCES HAVE GIVEN UP THEIR LIVES FOR YOU. ONE IS JESUS CHRIST FOR YOUR SOUL AND THE OTHER IS THE AMERICAN SOLDIER FOR YOUR FREEDOM.

July 25, 2018, 08:36 PM	#38
GWS Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2010 Location: New Mexico Posts: 688	To the O.P.: Lots of ways to do it cheap.....for 35 years I just wiped them off, leaving the tarnish and loaded them. Then I sprung for a Lyman 2500, cheap 20/40 corncob from Zorro, and a capfull of Dillon polish......bling outside, dark inside. Then a Thumbers wet tumbler with stainless steel media, lemishine, and Dawn dishwashing liquid. My how spoiled I've become.... No the wet Thumblers method is not cheap, but it's a one time expense. I don't even remember the hit 3 years ago, but I'll enjoy the reward for many yearsT to come. Xandi asked, "So will ss pins with water clean both the inside and the out side of a case?" Yessssssir! See below: I have this funky 7 station press with room for a dedicated powder cop station no matter what I load.....only I've never liked powder cops.....too easy to ignore them unless they beep......and I hate beeping stuff on my tools. So I made a prototype mirror station, and that wouldn't be worth 2 cents if the cases didn't reflect light. But they do....thanks to stainless steel media wet tumbling. No more squibs or double charges. The following short, one-handed, & very shaky video of a .308 (7.62 LC) case is a better demonstration of the concept! No, this is not trick photography, and its not a shallow .45, that's the inside of a .308. *****Click on "vimeo" if you'd like to see it bigger.***** ----------Once there you can even make it full screen if you want. Last edited by GWS; July 25, 2018 at 09:12 PM.

July 17, 2018, 04:52 PM	#26
xandi Senior Member Join Date: April 10, 2015 Location: ga Posts: 321	I clean by hand at the moment, by hand with dawn soap and hot water. I then try and scape the primer pocket clean I also have a coffee can with some rice in it, I was trying out( not working to well) thx for the advice

July 19, 2018, 05:07 PM	#31
craddleshooter Junior member Join Date: March 9, 2018 Location: NY Posts: 90	Funny thing! Until benchrest shooters started using rock tumblers in the 1970's and then vibratory cleaners about 10 years later, folks successfully reloaded match grade ammo for 8 decades without tumbling. But today, we think it is absolutely vital and critical that you tumble, and you're exceedingly stupid if you don't own a tumbler. So many reloaders today cannot even conceive of a time we didn't use them.

July 20, 2018, 07:30 PM	#33
craddleshooter Junior member Join Date: March 9, 2018 Location: NY Posts: 90	Watched a youtube where they used Simple Green. I tried it and it worked pretty good. I would say that method should do well until you get a tumbler. One word of caution, even though it is Simple Green and stated as none toxic, I read an article that you should not get it on your bare skin. Put the brass in the solution of hot water and a table spoon of Simple Green and stir with a sick or wooden spoon for a couple of minutes. Left in the solution too long and it will tarnish brass. (over night, etc.)

July 23, 2018, 04:23 PM	#35
xandi Senior Member Join Date: April 10, 2015 Location: ga Posts: 321	So will ss pins with water clean both the inside and the out side of a case?

July 23, 2018, 08:15 PM	#37
xandi Senior Member Join Date: April 10, 2015 Location: ga Posts: 321	Hello firing lane Would a 5 gallon home depot bucket with lid, work as a containment vassal for ss pin tumbling, Im thinking the set up would would like a baby cement machine, would it work?

July 26, 2018, 10:13 AM	#39
joeanybody Member Join Date: July 2, 2017 Posts: 61	5 min in $30 sonic cleaner from harbor freight. 10 min tumble in $30 frankford arsenal tumbler with rice. Works everytime and brass looks new.

July 29, 2018, 10:16 AM	#40
Jakeway Member Join Date: October 12, 2017 Location: Near Nashville, TN Posts: 62	I'm surprised only two other people suggested Sonic Cleaner. I got the Harbour Freight one two years ago and it works great. I've been reloading for over 20 years, never bought or used a tumbler of any kind and I probably never will. Sonic Cleaners clean better, faster, and quieter.

July 29, 2018, 07:44 PM	#41
Average Joe Senior Member Join Date: August 29, 2005 Location: Central Florida Posts: 1,325	Cheapest option ? A bucket of water, and dish washing liquid.

July 29, 2018, 08:11 PM	#42
jonb32248 Member Join Date: February 20, 2018 Location: Missouri Posts: 25	If I clean any of my cases and I say if because I only clean anything is when they get carbon outside of the case. So I use straight vinegar in a gallon jug. Leave them in for 20 min. rinse and let them dry in the sun. They're not shinny but they are clean inside and all carbon is gone.No lead in the air and cheap.99% of the time I don't do anything exceot inspect and wipe off. That was for my 9 mm cases, my 22-250 brass I just wipe off as i inspect them. I don't need pretty brass. It has worked for me this way for 40 yrs.

July 29, 2018, 08:30 PM	#43
MoArk Willy Member Join Date: June 15, 2018 Posts: 93	Probably not as vital as some think. But if you reuse brass often you want them as clean as possible so you can inspect it. If you use it a couple of times and then toss the casings it's not a big deal. That being said...I'm cheap. I use a thumpers tumbler, steel pins, a bit of dawn and lemishine for my cleaning. Deprime first and the casings look new after 2-4 hours of tumbling....often better than new. But I hate spending money for brass I already have.