Home made drying rack corrosive metal?

R

RileyMartin

New member
I threw together a simple frame on legs with Everbilt hardware cloth wire mesh to dry my brass after wet tumbling. I used a dehumidifier and fan to speed up the process.

The next morning the cases had white residue where they were laying on the mesh. I guess I didn’t think this out that well. I’m no metallurgist.

After the fact I realized a zinc galvanized coating probably reacts to the zinc in the rifle brass. I don’t know if they make stainless steel wire mesh but don’t want to make the same mistake again. I could use pet safe heavy duty plastic coated screen but that wouldn’t be as strong.

Does anyone have any ideas?

Thanks.
 
I used an old window screen with nylon mesh and that seemed to work but was slow. I then purchased a Hornady dryer, and like it a lot, about $50 I think. A real time saver.
 
Are you decapping prior to wet tumbling? That has saved me more drying time than anything.

Prior to that I made a rack out of wire to place the cases neck down to help. I ended up with rust stains as well- no more of that! It's unreal how long it takes to dry a capped case.

Now I just shake em around in a dry towel and give them some time--- just easier to have enough brass that you don't have to rush loading them before they are dry.

I have used the oven if I get impatient.
 
Yes, I decap prior to tumbling. Maybe I’ll put down a layer of the plastic screen over the galvanized screen. The galvanized screen will provide the support and the plastic screen will be a barrier. Won’t be nearly the same air flow but hopefully no more corrosion.

Drying the decapped brass with a fan and dehumidifier has worked great for me but I wanted to improve on the drying time by resting the brass on a screen that’s elevated off the surface of the table for good air flow.
 
what you are seeing is galvanic corrosion. The zinc coating on the hardware cloth is being corroded by contact with the wet brass. What you are seeing is just a stain, the brass has a nobilty index of -1.25, zinc is -.4 The metal with the most negative anodic index is the one corroding. I had the same issue with my dryer so now I just leave them in the plastic colander that I use to get the pins out
 
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I don't wet tumble but though just hit me. How about a food dehydrator? I have one and all I use it for is making dog treats. Forced warm air and plastic racks. Mine has 4 racks in it, not sure how many would fit on one rack. Just a though.
 
RileyMartin wrote:
I realized a zinc galvanized coating probably reacts to the zinc in the rifle brass.
Click to expand...

Zinc won't react with zinc. You have to have an electrochemical gradient for a reaction to occur. The reaction was probably between the zinc coating the screen and the acid used in preparing the brass.
 
zinc most certainly will react to brass on the presence of any moisture no matter the PH. As I pointed out in a previous post brass has a galvanic index of 1.25 which means differential of .85 in the brass' favor. It will eat that hardware cloth alive

even just atmospheric moisture will cause moderate additional corrosion, fresh water fairly severe additional corrosion and in salt water the zinc will be destroyed

just place the brass on anything that will keep it from coming in direct contact with the galvanized metal. Any kind of plastic, rubber or even wood grid or mesh will do. Cheapest thing I found is a dollar store plastic colander which doubles as a media separator
 
I would suggest that you visit a hardware, kitchenware, or other store, maybe even the local discount store and find a chrome plated produce or other basket. They come in a mesh size that will hold any cartridges in place, the mesh on all sides gives air. There may be products like this at an office store, even.

https://www.amazon.com/Copco-8-Inch...1519508901&sr=1-12&keywords=wire+mesh+baskets

I personally use a broiler pan and a warming tray for absolutely complete drying. You could also lay your drying basket or wrap outside. There will be sun during the summer, during the winter the air is dry. as long as the weather isn't damp, your brass will dry clean.
 
I have had the same problem. I have mostly imitated the problem by dumping my wet brass on to a heavy, large beach towel. Then I twist the ends and then slosh the brass back and forth for a few minutes. That removes most of the water before I spread it out on the hardware cloth.

that's my current fix, but I am on the lookout for some vinyl coated hardware cloth. I know it out there somewhere.
 
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rm,

I've done about 8,000 wet cleaned cases in the last two years of both rifle and pistol ammo. A quick 30 minute run in the oven at 300 degrees on a cookie sheet and they're good to go. Simple and quick, no need to overthink it.

good luck- oldandslow
 
Plastic grass drying rack and a fan.
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I had the same issue years back.
I went to a nylon minnow net for large batches, they are tough, about 3' wide and 8' to 10' long, and cheap.
No issues cutting to size.

I also went to brass screen in the smaller dryers. That worked for the most part but you do want to roll cases around about an hour into the drying cycle.

Zinc, brass & water make a battery. Add chlorine or acid in the washing water and you have a high powered battery. What you are seeing is electrical plating that's corroding because it's exposed to oxygen.
Take out the dissimilar metal (zinc/steel) and this won't happen nearly as much or be elminated all together.

What I do now is out of the water, shake out excess water, into walnut shell POLISHING media.
Water cleans, walnut polishes & dries at the same time, very small amount of moisture doesn't effect the walnut at all other than keeping dust down...
Dry/polish time is 20 minutes to an hour, depending on how new/sharp the walnut is.
The cases look virtually new when they come out, but have to be sifted to remove walnut.
 
Look at thrift stores, and yard/garage sales for a used food dehydrator. They work great for it. The Franklin Arsenal model is nothing more than a fancy Ronco dehydrator.
 
The best case dryer is an old food dehydrator....like the one you make beef jerky on. The trays are all plastic....no funky galvanization here.
Look at thrift stores, garage or estate sale for used one.
$40.00 will get a new 5 tray dehydrator at wallymart or home depot.
When your not drying cases you can make beef jerky !
Gary
 
There's this new thing called an "oven" that works like a charm. Dump your brass in one of those aluminum turkey pans, set the oven for about 200 degrees (you can't go by the settings on the dial, so buy an oven thermometer to determine the setting), and 30 minutes later you have dry brass.

Don
 
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