Wet Tumbling Recipes

[Press Check]

I've been using a Thumblers with stainless media for quite some time, and have never used anything more than dish soap for the first run, and Lemishine for the second run.

I was wondering what everyone else is using (in a Thumblers) to produce jewelry-grade brass, and if you'd like, share a picture.

[Michael in California]

Lemishine and dish soap on a single spin. Why two spins?

My (admittedly new to reloading) process.

9mm only:

Two squirts dish soap, 9mm case of lemishine, water to cover brass. This is a repurposed rock tumbler about 8" diameter and 8" long. Maybe 250 cases.

15 minute spin to clean enough to decap and size. Probably unnecessary, but I like it. Dry overnight in the very low humidity desert.

Decap/size.

30 minute spin post decap. Dry overnight. Store or reload.

I find no need for more than 30 minutes.

[Bumslie]

45 acp cap full of lemishine, 45 acp cap full of dish soap. 90 min in the tumbler.

[Press Check]

Why two spins?

Fresh water and Lemishine on the second spin seems to keep the brass from discoloring after it dries. I tumble about 45 minutes on the first, and about 20 minutes on the second.

[reckoner]

I'm using the Harbor Freight dual drum rock tumbler.

Per drum: 1# pins, 1# decapped brass, 1 sec squirt of Dawn, .5cc of Lemishine, cold water (just enough to cover brass)

Tumble for 30 minutes. I used to tumble for an hour, but 30 mins is shiny enough for my purposes.

Rinse brass until water runs clear with no bubbles.

Separate media, then soak brass in hot water with 1cc Lemishine for 10 minutes.

Drain water (don't rinse again), pat/shake brass dry with a towel, then put brass on a cookie sheet and dry with a hair dryer or in the oven.

Using the above, I can get 2# of loadable brass (230 9mm, 150 .223) in about an hour.

[Press Check]

45 acp cap full of lemishine, 45 acp cap full of dish soap. 90 min in the tumbler.

That's what I'm using now. Looking for other recipes.

[Bumslie]

That's what I'm using now. Looking for other recipes.

I don't see why you're doing two
Spins.

Dump out entire contents into a media seperator. Sort out the spins, then give the brass a good cold water bath.

There is no real magical recipe.

You could use concrete cleaner if you want.

[Michael in California]

Fresh water and Lemishine on the second spin seems to keep the brass from discoloring after it dries. I tumble about 45 minutes on the first, and about 20 minutes on the second.

If you just add the Lemi to the first spin, your golden. My brass doesn't discolor. At least, not yet. Its sitting in an open acro bin in the shed.

[Ferrum]

I've always done just the Dawn and Lemi-shine... For giggles this weekend, I tossed in a Tbl spoon of Oxi-clean powder and I have to say, I think it helped out even more. I'm going to experiment with it one more time before I claim victory.

[propman07]

I saw one mention of a HF dual drum rock tumbler....what else are you guys using? I just bought the HF $50 dry tumbler along with some crushed walnut particles from a pet store. I was trying to clean some range brass for a couple of hours, but it doesn't seem to be getting there.

What do you think...more time in a dry tumbler, or switch over to the wet system?

['ol shooter]

I fill 2/3 of the tumbler with brass and pins, warm water to just cover the brass, a good squirt of Dawn, and off we go. I check after a couple hours, and if ready, dump it all into a pan. Rinse with warm water, and separate pins from brass, then a couple good shakes of Lemishine into the pan, mix, and let sit for 30 minutes. Rinse again, roll in a towel to get most of the water, then on a paper towel covered baking sheet at 200 degrees for 30. I like those measures made from .45 acp brass, will whip me up a couple.

[Bumslie]

The 223 case soldered to the .45 acp case makes it look like a crack pipe hahaha.

[Press Check]

I don't see why you're doing two
Spins.

And I don't see why folks tumble their brass for hours when an hour will clean the dirtiest brass, but to each his own. I started off with Dawn and Lemishine during the first tumble, but switched to two cycles.

Don't need the lesson in tumbling, but thanks.

[Bumslie]

And I don't see why folks tumble their brass for hours when an hour will clean the dirtiest brass, but to each his own. I started off with Dawn and Lemishine during the first tumble, but switched to two cycles.

Don't need the lesson in tumbling, but thanks.

Whoa. You need to settle down the attitude there.

You came here asking for other people's methods, so yes it is some sort of a lesson.

You never explained why you're dissatisfied with your method, or why you're looking for different results. There may be a reason why you're getting discoloration with one batch. It would would also help if you posted pics of said discolored brass.

So slow your roll.

[emptybottle151]

I use the thumler's tumbler, 5lbs of ss pins, 200 de-primed .223 brass, teaspoon of lemishine, Tablespoon of laundry detergent, and three squirts of simple green and finally 3/4 of hot water.

I tumbler for 1hr, cold water rinse, separate from media and lay out in the driveway under the sun on a beach towel. If its not sunny out I lay the brass on a cookie pan in the oven on the lowest setting 350 degrees and dry for 30-45 mins

After its dry I measure and separate wearing latex gloves. 1.748"-1.749'' testing rounds, 1.750"-1.759'' plinking rounds, 1.760"< gets trimed to 1.748" and tossed in the testing rounds bag. Its only when reloading I separate by headspace.