Adventures in wet tumbling. There's no going back!!!

[Doublehelix]

All true. But the only logical solution is to stop shooting . Therefore I must assume we shouldn't worry about it.

Haha! I love your attitude! Can't stop shooting, that is for sure. Someday, maybe someone will invent a (viable) replacement for lead that is biodegradable. Now there is a business model someone should pick up and run with.

 

[Ericpwp]

It came from the earth, and I will return it there.

 

[Jerryboy]

Very nice. I have a whole bottle of flitz from my dry tumbling experiments. I'm wondering if the liquid flits has a sealer in it? And if it would desolve in water???? And we must be carefully as any ammonia based polishers will weaken the brass. I used flitz as a dry polisher in my dry tumblers for years with no I'll effect on the brass. I still haven't tried the one shot armor all though. Seems cheap and simple.

 

[padawan]

I've been experimenting with my wash recipe and was wondering how to get a more 'brassy' color and less 'pale' brass color. So far the Dawn-Lemishine is getting close. I've added Turtle Wax liquid (caused no suds) then Brasso (didn't see much difference). I think the 'brassy' coloring is the beginning of slight tarnishing- yes?

Don't really need any flames about being super picky about the brass color guys...

I'm just tinkering/tuning my wet tumbling process.

 

[throttletony]

I run a similar setup and love it.
I use 1 lb of SS pins. + fill about 2/3 with brass + top off with water (a drop of Dawn and small scoop of Lemishine)

 

[canterbc]

I've been experimenting with my wash recipe and was wondering how to get a more 'brassy' color and less 'pale' brass color. So far the Dawn-Lemishine is getting close. I've added Turtle Wax liquid (caused no suds) then Brasso (didn't see much difference). I think the 'brassy' coloring is the beginning of slight tarnishing- yes?

Don't really need any flames about being super picky about the brass color guys...

I'm just tinkering/tuning my wet tumbling process.

I think you are right about the color. The slightly darker is, as far as I know, the very beginning stages of tarnishing. I'm running SS pins, dawn, lemishine and wash & wax. I am getting the very bright, pale cases. I think I like it being bright and not tarnishing because to me it means I have to worry less about it getting corroded much later on (not that you really have to worry much anyway.)

 

[Cam]

Alright, you guys made me go to Harbor Freight this weekend and buy one of these tumblers. I have been using a vibratory for several years and I likely won't use it again. I cleaned about 200 pieces of 9mm brass from Sunday's range visit in about 30 minutes and it looked better than what comes out of my Lyman vibratory. About 10 minutes on a cookie sheet in a 100 degree oven and they were dry and ready to reload, which I went ahead and did. Total time from dirty to ready to shoot: 70 minutes.

One thing I found interesting is the cases that were wet tumbled went through the sizing die noticeably easier. This tells me I'm not getting all of the dust off of the brass before it goes into the die. I normally clean my dies out every 3 months or so and they usually need it. I'm interested to see if they need cleaned less using this method to clean the brass.

Thank you for this thread OP!

 

[AngryRooster]

Alright, you guys made me go to Harbor Freight this weekend and buy one of these tumblers. I have been using a vibratory for several years and I likely won't use it again. I cleaned about 200 pieces of 9mm brass from Sunday's range visit in about 30 minutes and it looked better than what comes out of my Lyman vibratory. About 10 minutes on a cookie sheet in a 100 degree oven and they were dry and ready to reload, which I went ahead and did. Total time from dirty to ready to shoot: 70 minutes.

One thing I found interesting is the cases that were wet tumbled went through the sizing die noticeably easier. This tells me I'm not getting all of the dust off of the brass before it goes into the die. I normally clean my dies out every 3 months or so and they usually need it. I'm interested to see if they need cleaned less using this method to clean the brass.

Thank you for this thread OP!

They do a great job, very pleased with mine. Once you get tired of dealing with the rubber drums though it will lead into another project...
Much easier to work with.


[video=youtube;AtTxBqOwtnA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtTxBqOwtnA[/video]

 

[Doublehelix]

They do a great job, very pleased with mine. Once you get tired of dealing with the rubber drums though it will lead into another project...
Much easier to work with.

Wow. This was *great*!!! Very helpful and makes me want to give it a try.

 

[padawan]

Wow. This was *great*!!! Very helpful and makes me want to give it a try.

+1 for the Rooster. I'm tire of messing with the rubber drums too.

 

[gmcttr]

I'm thinking getting the harbor freight dual tumbler over a purpose built brass tumbler isn't near the savings it first appears to be.

By the time you add up the HF tumbler, custom made PVC drum and steel pins, it's about $100. I picked up the Frankford Arsenal tumbler including the steel pins for ~$137 delivered from Jet.com using the first time buyers 15% discount. No messing around building a drum, larger capacity and a hex shaped interior for proper tumbling action made it a no brainer for me. I've spent way too much money in the past trying to save a buck only to spend extra to "make improvements" until my savings disappeared.

 

[Doublehelix]

Just did some quick math:

Harbor Freight Tumbler = $59 (without any coupons)
Franklin Armory SS pins = $41
Rooster's PVC Modification = $16
TOTAL = $116 + "labor"

Franklin Armory Tumbler (includes 5 lbs of pins) = $164

So you save $48 by going with the HF solution.

At the end of the day, do you feel that it is worth the difference in cost? It looks like the FA tumbler has a larger 4L bin, plus the strainer caps, etc. and add to that when Rooster talked about the "HF quality" seemed to be lacking (pretty normal). I am just not sure if it is worth the $48 at the end of the day. Any comments?

 

[AngryRooster]

I'm thinking getting the harbor freight dual tumbler over a purpose built brass tumbler isn't near the savings it first appears to be.

By the time you add up the HF tumbler, custom made PVC drum and steel pins, it's about $100. I picked up the Frankford Arsenal tumbler including the steel pins for ~$137 delivered from Jet.com using the first time buyers 15% discount. No messing around building a drum, larger capacity and a hex shaped interior for proper tumbling action made it a no brainer for me. I've spent way too much money in the past trying to save a buck only to spend extra to "make improvements" until my savings disappeared.

True, you can nickle & dime yourself pretty good. But sometimes that can be the fun part as well. I enjoy building things and little projects. If you time your shopping at HF & use their store coupons you can pick up the double tumbler for as low as $40. The PVC project isn't necessary, just fun to do and makes it a little easier. It isn't expensive. In the comments section of the video there are product links for Lowe's and prices. The PVC tube is large enough to make 2 tubes. The solid end caps are cheap and the test cap is about $7. I made 2 of them. I can have one of them going while the next one waits, ready to go. When the first one is done I can just drop the other one on and get a jump start on the tumble time while I wash & process the one that just came off. You can also fill one with some corn cob media and a polish for a high shine if you want, no sorting pins and changing over with 2 of them.

The other thing about this set up is you can put it together a small piece at a time. I wanted to see the results first hand before I shelled out $150 for a FA. I like the results and will probably end up getting the FA unit later on, you can't beat the capacity. The HF will do for now and it's been a fun project as well. Once I get the FA I'll probably use the HF as it was intended and tumble some rocks with it. SWMBO had a rock tumbler when she was little and thought it would be fun to do it again.

 

[gmcttr]

J...Franklin Armory Tumbler (includes 5 lbs of pins) = $164...

If you can use the 15% first time buyers discount at Jet.com, the Frankfort tumbler is only ~$137.

 

[Doublehelix]

If you can use the 15% first time buyers discount at Jet.com, the Frankfort tumbler is only ~$137.

Yep, good catch. Also at SlickGuns for $137. Ericpwp posted this link back on page 5 of this thread.

https://www.slickguns.com/product/f...r-kit-13758-after-code-shop15-and-free-return

Now the difference is only $21. As AngryRooster says, you can also get deals on the HF tumbler, and sometimes projects are fun, but for me, I am all about making it easy! For $21, I am going with the larger, hopefully better-quality tumbler with the built-in strainers.

 

[Ericpwp]

My Billy-Bob setup cost me nothing. It's pretty bad. It involves a drill, a loop of phone wire, a core from a hole saw, and an empty pretzel jug.

To improve upon it, I'm working on a concept much like the HF tumbler with an old pump motor. It's loud, but it's free.

 

[AngryRooster]

Something else to think about is processing space.

I don't want to use the larger kitchen sink where we prep food and wash dishes to rinse & process the brass. The cats get on the edge of the tub and like to drink from the faucet there and sometimes walk around in the bottom of the tub, so that's out as well. We've got a hose outside but no utility sink. I really don't want to rinse and wash them out right in the side of the yard. Smaller bathroom sink for the win.


I would not be able to fit the large FA unit in that sink. With the small drums and the PVC unit I can. I plan on having a couple of hydrant heads installed next spring and will keep location in mind when I do. Easy hook up to a portable utility sink next to the barn is on the list.

 

[AngryRooster]

My Billy-Bob setup cost me nothing. It's pretty bad. It involves a drill, a loop of phone wire, a core from a hole saw, and an empty pretzel jug.

To improve upon it, I'm working on a concept much like the HF tumbler with an old pump motor. It's loud, but it's free.

I saw lots of youtube videos of DIY sets. Everything from a custom built frame & motor (very nice setup), converted cement mixers, and a guy that bought the pins and puts his stuff in an old jar and rolls it under his foot while he watches TV in the evening. It cleaned well but didn't have quite the shine as motorized units and took quite a while. It had about the same shine as walnut media after 6 or 7 hours. All kinds of different ways to do it.

Here is the video of the guy that built his own frame and system. The applesauce jars he uses work great, better than the rubber drums.

[video=youtube;P9idmEURAdI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9idmEURAdI[/video]

 

[Doublehelix]

Here is the video of the guy that built his own frame and system. The applesauce jars he uses work great, better than the rubber drums.

That is pretty cool and creative.

 

[Broom_jm]

Throw brass in tumbler, put lid on, tumble for 30-60 minutes. Pour contents in RCBS sifter, close lid, rotate handle, allow dust to settle, remove brass from sifter. Load new ammo.

What could be simpler?

Clean is clean and shiny is something else. Some people like things to sparkle, I suppose.