Clear coating brass for the long haul...

[CK_32]

Does anyone know a cheap, easy way to clear coat polished/tumbled brass for the long haul.

For show, not function. I'm looking at making a few 9mm cases into valve caps for my truck. But want them to hold up to sun and weather a little. So I thought a clear coat might do the trick.

When I tumble my brass and touch it once it's oxidized and turns color after a week.

Doesn't have the be show piece beautiful. But I don't want it to turn green/brown and black after a couple days.

Anyone know any tricks to clear coat or protect polished brass from weathering and dulling?

Again for my truck not a firearm. So if I have to dip them in wax im fine with that as long as it looks good. But I googled and found no one real answer.

Thanks, if I don't get any hits here I'll try the gunsmithing section.

[CK_32]

And before someone says just buy a pre made steel set online.

I don't want to spend $10, and I already know they are going to get stolen like the basic silver caps I had on my mustang.

Making them my self I can make 50 for like $10 and not worry if they get jacked or not since I have 5k + rounds of spend 9mm laying around and I like excuses to do little DIY projects.

[Souske]

buff em up good, clean with alcohol, and then spray em with clear coat from a rattle can.

Worked well on my motorcycle forks

[JMP]

you might want to use the nickel cases as those seem to be more resistant.

[pacrat]

Wax

[sofbak]

Clear lacquer or polyurethane from a spray can. Usually u can find small cans in the auto paint touch up section of the local parts store or wally world.

If I was going to do this I think I would install a LIVE primer in the case and then deactivate it with wd-40 or something-just ro see who had the detail oriented perception to notice. )

[CK_32]

I think the problem you will run into is that even if the cases have a clear coat on them, there will still be carbon and soot buildup after they are fired that will need to be cleaned off in some way. The inside of the cases are a problem if one is to want to clean them. IOW, you would still need some type of process that used some form of media to get inside to clean things, just as you would the outside to get the residue off the case.

Additionally, if it was to come off too easy, it might make it more of a mess to handle them before cleaning. Just a thought.

OTOH, it might work great.

My plan is to SS tumble them.

Then cut them to length (don't need the full case, too long). Then put some super glue/epoxy to make sure these things don't fly off on the highway.

Then coat them and install and rock on.

[J-cat]

I think the problem you will run into is that even if the cases have a clear coat on them, there will still be carbon and soot buildup after they are fired that will need to be cleaned off in some way. The inside of the cases are a problem if one is to want to clean them. IOW, you would still need some type of process that used some form of media to get inside to clean things, just as you would the outside to get the residue off the case.

This is precisely what I was talking about in the Stilly thread. Thank You for proving my point.

[EricClay]

Wax or use water based polyurethane. You can spray it or dip it, dries clear.

Eric

[Mtn folk]

I think rattle can clear would work but I'm picturing the added weight on the valve stem with centrifugal energy. If you have all metal bolt on stems you would probably be ok, but rubber stems, imagine the weight of the brass bending the stem back and forth going from fast to slow. Just thinking out loud.

[baih777]

I think the problem you will run into is that even if the cases have a clear coat on them, there will still be carbon and soot buildup after they are fired that will need to be cleaned off in some way. The inside of the cases are a problem if one is to want to clean them. IOW, you would still need some type of process that used some form of media to get inside to clean things, just as you would the outside to get the residue off the case.

Additionally, if it was to come off too easy, it might make it more of a mess to handle them before cleaning. Just a thought.

OTOH, it might work great.

He is not going to reload them. He wants to make vavle caps out of them.

[J-cat]

In that thread you stated you spend 99% of your time correcting people, not acting like a d!@$.

I was going to correct you but the OP beat me to it.

[JMP]

I didn't see his response like that, and see the same problem with carbon/soot.

If you SS wet clean, you get rid of the carbon. This is one example where I'd say that SS cleaning is superior to dry.

[J-cat]

SS is always superior to dry.

[sofbak]

^^^^^ He is not talking about reloading AFTER he coats them! After coating they are going to be converted to tire stem caps... So what is your (incessant) concern about "post-coating" carbon/soot build up??