how long do you wet tumble.
- Thread starter Shadow9mm
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Kevin Rohrer
New member
2-hours.
very pretty brass.
Those wet tumblers sure scrub the dirt out. If you can get the dirt off the surfaces in less time do it.
I personally swish brass around in a small bucket with lemi-shine and a small dollop of liquid dish soap for 5-10 minuets. No pins bearings or any thing else. It comes out just fine for me. Although primer pockets are not spotless. I can see how the pins and bearings help clean them out. Although I would not be surprised if 10-15 minuets would be fine. I run water in the bucket wide open for a couple rinses suturing with my hands to remove the loose grime.
I have found the most important part of the process is to make absolutely sure cases are 100% dry. All it takes is one primer pocket to have water in it and the primer can fail water in the bottom of the case can locate at flash hole and prevent primer from firing and cake wet powder.
I have had that happen. Even though I used a air hose, hair dryer and cue tip. to be sure cases were dry. That is about the most important process.
Those wet tumblers sure scrub the dirt out. If you can get the dirt off the surfaces in less time do it.
I personally swish brass around in a small bucket with lemi-shine and a small dollop of liquid dish soap for 5-10 minuets. No pins bearings or any thing else. It comes out just fine for me. Although primer pockets are not spotless. I can see how the pins and bearings help clean them out. Although I would not be surprised if 10-15 minuets would be fine. I run water in the bucket wide open for a couple rinses suturing with my hands to remove the loose grime.
I have found the most important part of the process is to make absolutely sure cases are 100% dry. All it takes is one primer pocket to have water in it and the primer can fail water in the bottom of the case can locate at flash hole and prevent primer from firing and cake wet powder.
I have had that happen. Even though I used a air hose, hair dryer and cue tip. to be sure cases were dry. That is about the most important process.
very pretty brass.
Those wet tumblers sure scrub the dirt out. If you can get the dirt off the surfaces in less time do it.
I personally swish brass around in a small bucket with water, lemi-shine and a small dollop of liquid dish soap for 5-10 minuets. No pins bearings or any thing else. It comes out just fine for me. Although primer pockets are not spotless. I can see how the pins and bearings help clean them out. Although I would not be surprised if 10-15 minuets would be fine. I run water in the bucket wide open for a couple rinses suturing with my hands to remove the loose grime.
I have found the most important part of the process is to make absolutely sure cases are 100% dry. All it takes is one primer pocket to have water in it and the primer can fail water in the bottom of the case can locate at flash hole and prevent primer from firing and cake wet powder.
I have had that happen. Even though I used a air hose, hair dryer and cue tip. to be sure cases were dry. That is about the most important process.
Those wet tumblers sure scrub the dirt out. If you can get the dirt off the surfaces in less time do it.
I personally swish brass around in a small bucket with water, lemi-shine and a small dollop of liquid dish soap for 5-10 minuets. No pins bearings or any thing else. It comes out just fine for me. Although primer pockets are not spotless. I can see how the pins and bearings help clean them out. Although I would not be surprised if 10-15 minuets would be fine. I run water in the bucket wide open for a couple rinses suturing with my hands to remove the loose grime.
I have found the most important part of the process is to make absolutely sure cases are 100% dry. All it takes is one primer pocket to have water in it and the primer can fail water in the bottom of the case can locate at flash hole and prevent primer from firing and cake wet powder.
I have had that happen. Even though I used a air hose, hair dryer and cue tip. to be sure cases were dry. That is about the most important process.
Any more than 30 minutes is a waste.
Dish soap and leminshine works great.
I’ve also used simple green. Less foam than the dish soap. Almost any soap helps lift the dirt off.
Lemishine is what makes the brass sparkle because it has the citric acid.
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Dish soap and leminshine works great.
I’ve also used simple green. Less foam than the dish soap. Almost any soap helps lift the dirt off.
Lemishine is what makes the brass sparkle because it has the citric acid.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I agree. have had some water in primer pockets in the past. doing manual drying, cases are de-primes before getting tumbled. I would prefer not to de-prime first, but I am worries about getting a pin stuck in a flash hold and breaking a decapper.
drying
step 1, frankford wet/dry separator, gets most of the pins and the water off.
step 2, spread them out on a large towel drying them as I roll them around with the towel.
step 3, gather the towel into a bag and shake them a few times
step 4, put them in a cardboard box with silica gel and let them sit for a day or 2, shake them around in the morning and evening
Done
I have yet to find water in a flash hole or casing after ding this, I know the food dehydrators are faster, but I'm not spending more on one right now.
drying
step 1, frankford wet/dry separator, gets most of the pins and the water off.
step 2, spread them out on a large towel drying them as I roll them around with the towel.
step 3, gather the towel into a bag and shake them a few times
step 4, put them in a cardboard box with silica gel and let them sit for a day or 2, shake them around in the morning and evening
Done
I have yet to find water in a flash hole or casing after ding this, I know the food dehydrators are faster, but I'm not spending more on one right now.
oldmanFCSA
New member
Two weeks.
Forgetting you have a tumbler running in shop and going on vacation for a long two weeks. Brass was very clean, but the necks were peened over to point cases were short after trimming peened area off cases.
Still using the 700 rounds of 223REM cases with projectiles that need no crimp.
Forgetting you have a tumbler running in shop and going on vacation for a long two weeks. Brass was very clean, but the necks were peened over to point cases were short after trimming peened area off cases.
Still using the 700 rounds of 223REM cases with projectiles that need no crimp.
Marco Califo
New member
FART pins do not get caught in primer holes. Depriming first helps brass drain, and lets primer pockets get cleaned.
How long? How dirty? How clean? One to two hours, maybe three max. I spend more time rinsing than tumbling.
I use Reverse Osmosis water to rinse, then strain and sun dry. Water remaining in brass causes pins to cling. No water spots with RO water.
How long? How dirty? How clean? One to two hours, maybe three max. I spend more time rinsing than tumbling.
I use Reverse Osmosis water to rinse, then strain and sun dry. Water remaining in brass causes pins to cling. No water spots with RO water.
This is my plan in the summer, however it is winter.
1-1/2hrs from this to that . These are very tarnished and is what I usually start with . I've found 1-1/2hrs gets these really clean . I've done 1hr and the primer pockets still had some fouling residue . Once I've got them this clean and then fire in a bolt gun they may only get a 30min wet tumble before sizing and a dry tumble after to remove lube .
9mmand223only said:
No it doesn't . I've been tossing in dirty range brass if my Frankford wet tumbler for years with Dawn dish soap and Lemmishine and the brass comes out looking absolutely brand new after about an hour of tumbling. Wet tumbling is already a lengthly multi-step process no need to add a second washing step.
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Fyi for guys looking for drying options, ive done the "Summer sun" and works perfect in the summer, however in winter ive been laying my wet brass on a towel and placing the brass right under my oil furnace pump. The furnace emits heat and after a few days my brass is completely dry. I also have used a food dehydrator which is quick drying time , but is a lot of extra work stacking and removing the brass from the partitions.
Marco Califo
New member
I use the Sun method all year, even in winter. Today, there is cold dry wind and bright sun at 50° F that will dry just fine. Of course, I live in California. But even so, indoor air during winter tends to have single digit humidity, unless you are adding moisture via a humidifier, etc. Indoors, a box fan blowing at brass on a towel will work without sun. Just shift the brass (pull up towel by alternating ends) once an hour. Someone posted that they use a mesh laundry bag bag with the wet brass, in the clothes dryer (with some old jeans, etc.).
Or, wait until your snow melts.
Or, wait until your snow melts.
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The sun shines pretty well all year long in south Mississippi too. It may be chilly outside, but the cases will usually dry in a couple hours. On rainy days, I will place the cases head-up in loading trays (reused plastic trays from commercial ammo) and place them on the bench under a lamp overnight.
Also, I picked up a random 260 case when out scouting a hunting spot a couple years ago. It was caked with mud and black from being on the ground through a controlled-burn. Rinsed off the mud and dropped it in the tumbler with a batch of 223 cases. About 2 hours later, it was bright and shiny as if it was new.
Also, I picked up a random 260 case when out scouting a hunting spot a couple years ago. It was caked with mud and black from being on the ground through a controlled-burn. Rinsed off the mud and dropped it in the tumbler with a batch of 223 cases. About 2 hours later, it was bright and shiny as if it was new.
oldmanFCSA
New member
Here in the frozen North of NW Wisconsin, our Winter days have a shortage of sunny days lately.
So I rigged up a HD blower that levitates my 9mm brass in the column of dry air from my shop. Works great. Wash 750 pieces at once in 20# tumbler barrel, dry in colander with all 750 pieces tumbling in the air column. About 20 minutes with hand stirring brass occasionally and they are dry ready to use. I deprime before washing to get entire case clean.
So I rigged up a HD blower that levitates my 9mm brass in the column of dry air from my shop. Works great. Wash 750 pieces at once in 20# tumbler barrel, dry in colander with all 750 pieces tumbling in the air column. About 20 minutes with hand stirring brass occasionally and they are dry ready to use. I deprime before washing to get entire case clean.
