Extra solvent when vibratory tumbling...

[the86d]

I don't think I have seen anyone mention this, but one time I did add too much solvent, on accident, and it cut down on the dust (to almost nothing airborne) and thinned the Brasso a bit when tumbling with just cob.

My lady is allergic to walnuts, pecans, peanuts, but you get the picture... so walnut is a no-go, so I have to just use cob.

I have been doing this on purpose ever since, I just add enough to where the whole bowl is nice and moist, not wet-wet where it clumps and my brass has been turning out very nice, for just cob.

The solvent (most decently denatured alcohol), mixed with a bit of Brasso wets and buffs carbon off, and sort of polishes cases. Not mirror, but much better than just a bit...

I just thought I'd mention this, as my brass was not so clean initially, with minimal Brasso and solvent until I moistened it up more than I thought I needed... and no dust!

(Don't knock Brasso, some have been tumbling with it for over 30 years w/no ill effects.)

I need to try Nu polish, but haven't gotten to it... yet, and I am not going to go to wet-tumbling, so this is for the vibratory users, and no chance of stainless pins going down my barrels.

[JackEllis]

If your lady is allergic to nuts, try buckwheat groats. Mine have lasted forever because they can be cleaned by tumbling with some mineral spirits and cut up cloth or paper towels or dryer sheets to pick up the dirt.

I wash my brass in hot water, a bit of Dawn detergent and a smidge of Lemishine to get rid of most of the dirt (including primer pockets). I could care less about shiny brass but I like getting most of the dirt off that would otherwise end up on my fingers.

[Cheep]

Mineral spirits won't dry out as quickly as something alcohol based and works well.

['ol shooter]

I use cut up pieces of fabric softener sheets, no dust. Half a dozen sheets 2x2" in a big Lyman tumbler.

[rsrocket1]

While additives work at cutting down dust and sometimes enhancing bling, they do so at the expense of capturing the soot on the media. The stuff turns black much sooner because the media is holding the soot rather than the cut up dryer sheets. Unless you are cleaning about a thousand rounds per week (me), I guess it's no big deal to toss it out more often.

I am not one to put a bag of black sooty lead styphnate laden crushed walnut or corn cob in the washing machine but some choose do that several times through the life of their media.

[tonyjr]

I too want clean brass - nephews / nieces want more bling .
Right ! We load up the magazines before we even leave home .
So anyone looking sees the brass in dirt / on cement floor .
I want the flash hole , primer pocket and inside of case as clean as I
can get easily .
Even when we pick up the cases , they go into plastic boxes unless
range brass - it goes into a bag .
I don't use anything except nu-finish on corn and nut .
I tried mineral spirits in wet tumbler - had little tar balls - I ended up
in corn and tossed after .
We all make mistakes trying different things - that is how I / WE LEARN .

[the86d]

I usually throw some dryer-sheet strips in too... but forgot the last two tumbles.

[tonyjr]

I used to get the trash bags at AAA . They don't have anymore .
Now it is the bags they hang on door for stuff
One for lint from dryer other for used dryer sheets - nephews and
nieces save also. I used to cut into pieces , but now everyone saves
for me so 3 whole sheets goes in .
FYI - Dryer sheets just makes a mess - don't even try

[17+1]

Meguiars cleaner wax. Has cleaner, polish, wax all in one and it’s cheap.

I use it with crushed walnut...

['09CTS-V&'87Turbo-T]

Nu-Finish.............or else.

[Lead Waster]

Next time you buy something big online and get a large box ... keep it, then when you tumble, put the box upside down on the tumbler. That should help keep some dust out of the air, and quieten up the tumber a bit, and it's basically free if you have it.

I switched to wet tumbling. My "system" is fairly good, though it relies on sunshine and wind to dry the brass after it's clean.

I did that mostly to cut down on dust, and increase shininess. I like a shiny case so I can more easily sort out stepped brass and so I can quickly peek into cases passing the powder throwing stage of my press to see if there are accidentally squibs on the way...easier with shiny-inside brass.

Otherwise, you really don't even need to clean brass, it can go from range floor to press if you really wanted to, but we're not barbarians here!

[JackEllis]

but we're not barbarians here!

Speak for yourselves...

[pacneil]

Otherwise, you really don't even need to clean brass, it can go from range floor to press if you really wanted to, but we're not barbarians here!

We just wash in Dawn in warm water and agitate vigorously. I use square plastic containers you get at the grocery store for storing food. We like to deprime first, and they get very clean. Tumbling polishes them, but shiny brass doesn't shoot any better. I prefer to just run them with plain water in the Hornady Sonic Cleaner after, then the oven for about an hour at 250 while I recharge my desiccant tins. Or you can just air dry them for a day.

[tonyjr]

Depending on how frugle you are , you can put in anything
round with a screw on cap and let roll around in car on way
home .
My nephews do that with brass they pick up at range and
camping .
They still get there turn at cleaning after depriming .