Alternatives to tumbling brass?

[C.G.]

No worries.

[Cowboy T]

A few months ago, I tried ultrasonically cleaning some brass with a cleaning solution called Micro-90. It got the brass clean, including the primer pockets, yes. But it also left some stains on it that didn't wash off with water. The stains happened during the ultrasonic process, not afterwards. Now I'm concerned that something might've happened to weaken the brass somehow.

I'd just tumble the brass in walnut or corn cob media and be done with it. It's proven. It works.

[C.G.]

A few months ago, I tried ultrasonically cleaning some brass with a cleaning solution called Micro-90. It got the brass clean, including the primer pockets, yes. But it also left some stains on it that didn't wash off with water. The stains happened during the ultrasonic process, not afterwards. Now I'm concerned that something might've happened to weaken the brass somehow.

I'd just tumble the brass in walnut or corn cob media and be done with it. It's proven. It works.

Quick search revealed that that probably was the wrong thing to use, so don't blame the ultrasonic process. Here is the chemical breakdown:

http://www.coleparmer.com/catalog/Msds/M-90%20Cole%20Parmer%202005.pdf

Quick search on benzenesulfonyl:

http://www.sciencelab.com/xMSDS-Benzenesulfonyl_Chloride-9927451

I am not a chemist, so there may be more to it than that, but interesting factor is that Cole Parmer does not find its product harmful if ingested but the sciencelab disagrees.

BTW, I am not knocking any of the processes listed. The main reasons I like the ultrasonic process is that I don't have a lot of space to store stuff and it is quick.

[Hogxtz]

Pet store walnut shells, 2 cap fulls of Nufinish, and 2 cap fulls of mineral sprirts. Makes my brass look like jewelry. Another member here recommended that recipe, I have used it ever since.

[ar15barrels]

So i've been reading around about other methods of cleaning brass that do not involve tumbling. Many of the literature available via internet suggest that washing the used brass in detergent (soap, vinegar, etc...) can be effective, and perhaps even more so than tumbling alone. But is it safe?

What's your issue with tumbling in dry media?

While there are several liquid based solutions that work, they all leave you with the issue of drying the cases off.
I tried wet processes in the beginning and it's much simpler to separate dry media from dry cases than to rinse and dry wet cases.

[C.G.]

What's your issue with tumbling in dry media?

While there are several liquid based solutions that work, they all leave you with the issue of drying the cases off.
I tried wet processes in the beginning and it's much simpler to separate dry media from dry cases than to rinse and dry wet cases.

In my case

1) Lack of space! and time!
2) Rinsing is truly not a big deal
3) Drying is not a not big deal, just put in orange mesh bag in front of a heater or use a compressor.

If I had a garage and wife that did not need it for her shoes, which I don't, I would agree with you. Again, I am not advocating that ultrasonic is the best way to go, but it is the best way to go for me.

[CGK60]

I used liquid brass cleaner in the past, now i use a tumbler.

[ar15barrels]

In my case

1) Lack of space! and time!
2) Rinsing is truly not a big deal
3) Drying is not a not big deal, just put in orange mesh bag in front of a heater or use a compressor.

If I had a garage and wife that did not need it for her shoes, which I don't, I would agree with you. Again, I am not advocating that ultrasonic is the best way to go, but it is the best way to go for me.

As far as cleaning time, that's done unattended so what difference does it make if you leave it running while you are at work?
When I get home, the cases are done and ready to use almost immediatly.
Just separate from the media and start loading.
The time spent dealing with rinsing and drying cases is far longer than the time spent separating cases from dry media.

[Table Rock Arms]

As far as cleaning time, that's done unattended so what difference does it make if you leave it running while you are at work?
When I get home, the cases are done and ready to use almost immediatly.
Just separate from the media and start loading.
The time spent dealing with rinsing and drying cases is far longer than the time spent separating cases from dry media.

Your giving him good advice, but he is gonna do it his way. And why not, we all do it once in a while when we get an idea in our head. Until you have done both, you don't realize how much easier dry tumbling is. Like you I have done both, and I can't imagine why anyone wouldn't do dry.

[C.G.]

Your giving him good advice, but he is gonna do it his way. And why not, we all do it once in a while when we get an idea in our head. Until you have done both, you don't realize how much easier dry tumbling is. Like you I have done both, and I can't imagine why anyone wouldn't do dry.

You are assuming that I haven't tried the tumbling method; I have, at a friend's house on more than one occasion. Again, ultrasonic is a method that works well for me.

[C.G.]

As far as cleaning time, that's done unattended so what difference does it make if you leave it running while you are at work?
When I get home, the cases are done and ready to use almost immediatly.
Just separate from the media and start loading.
The time spent dealing with rinsing and drying cases is far longer than the time spent separating cases from dry media.

Here is what I do:

run cases on a 480 cycle (2 cycles if really dirty) while looking at threads on Calguns
dump cases into sink full of water
repeat as necessary
when done drain water out of sink
put cases in a mesh bag and set in front of a heater
wake up in the morning to dry cases ready to go

To me that is not very time consuming; btw, one major difference between us is that I don't shoot as much as you do, so I only clean 100-200 cases at a time.

[ar15barrels]

one major difference between us is that I don't shoot as much as you do, so I only clean 100-200 cases at a time.

ah, this is probably the biggest factor.
I usually tumble a couple hundred 243 cases at a time for precision rifle, or 500+ of 9mm or 223.

Tumblers work best when filled at least half way up.
If you are always doing small batches, you would need a really small tumbler for it to work well.

[C.G.]

What you really need, Randall, is one of these:




and what I need is one of these:

[mnguyen84]

Well it just seems that the majority of reloader prefer tumbling, and i was just interested in learning about other approaches. In my case since I live at home and my parents have no knowledge of my gun/reloading hobby, I am more interested in a clandestine method of cleaning small batches of brass. tumbling seems a bit noisy. the wet method requires that i leave them out somewhere to dry... hmm... right now i'm just cleaning them by hand....cloth and some rubbing alcohol.

What's your issue with tumbling in dry media?

[ar15barrels]

What you really need, Randall, is one of these:

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/h...FAN_08/3-1.jpg

Not unless I started buying brass like this:

http://www.govliquidation.com/auction/view?id=3504163&convertTo=USD