Stainless steel Pin cleaning

Wendyj to your original post I have a homemade tumbler. When done I use water hose in the tumbler to rinse out soap and most of the debris. Then pour out as much as possible. Then I use a RCBS media separator with the base filled about halfway. 6 or 7 turns and all the pins are on the bottom. The water makes the pins fall out of cases much faster than not using water.
Pour out as much water as I can then use the Frankford magnet to remove the pins. Put some more fresh water in the tub and rinse the cases off.
It sounds like it takes a long time but it doesn't take long at all once you have done it a couple times.

http://www.rcbs.com/Products/Case-Preparation/Case-Cleaning/Rotary-Case-Media-Separator.aspx
 
Basically do the same as others. I have modified my Frankford Arsenal magnet by drilling the rivets out and placing some old computer hard drive magnets inside. Be careful: They can hurt you by pinching. They are some powerful magnets. Replaced the pop rivets and now I have a super pick-up magnet. Also, Harbor Freight sells a pick-up magnet which has a long handle on it. http://www.harborfreight.com/long-reach-magnetic-pickup-tool-with-quick-release-93950.html
Works good to pickup pins on the floor without bending over.
I use a cheap Harbor Freight food dehydrator http://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result?q=dehydrator
to dry the cases afterwards. Usually takes about an hour and they are hot to the touch.
 
Jimk are you saying with the wash and wax you don't have to lube in steel dies or am I misunderstanding.
Click to expand...

I also use the AA Wash-N-Wax in lieu of dish soap, for the same reasons.

With steel dies, you are still going to have to lube the brass. The wash-n-wax leaves a thin wax coating on the brass that both protects it from corrosion, but also acts as a bit of a lubricant. With carbide dies, you don't need to lube anyway - but I just can't go metal to metal without some type of lube, and the wax works great. Mostly though it keeps the brass from tarnishing.

With rifle brass, you treat it exactly the same as you do with any other cleaning method - lube your brass, then get to reloading.
 
Got it all figured out. Got time frame down to near nothing. I am noticing some burry looking mouths on bottle neck cases but de blurring tool seems to take care of it. I learned not to put a 357 case in with a 45-70 case. 357 got lodged in 45-70 case and surrounded with pins. Like to never got it out.
 
WendyJ, haven't had that problem of Ding's but read about it. They said the problem was from two things, not enough water, drum has to be filled to 1" from the top. And to many cases . With 5 lbs. of pins 2lbs. of brass & water 1" from the top problem went away. Hope this helped.
 
I fill it to the neck which it calls for. Last batch I ran was about 50 308 cases and still got them. They aren't bad but chamfer and debur gets most of it away. I know first time I had it pretty full of brass due to trying it out the first time. Not supposed to exceed 30 lbs and it was at 20 lbs. I did find a strainer to go over a five gallon bucket and put one in the bath tub to catch any stray pins. I did see a comment that said any pins that got caught in primer pockets to throw away. Do any of you throw your pins away. Looks like they should still clean.
 
WendyJ, no but I also read about pins that stick across the case neck should be thrown away. I just put them back. No big deal as long as we check our brass every time. The ding problem I haven't had yet, there are articles on the internet on this problem. Off the top my head I think it was STM.com The only problem I had was I set the unit up on a low stand by an outlet, about 45 minutes later beard a thump, it walked off the stand. Good thing all was well. Till the next time. Be Safe
 
"Walked off the stand" almost got me. Barrel had too much runout after a slight dropping incident. Replaced the barrel and now place a cheap closed foam 1/4" pad from Walmart under the tumbler. No wandering tumbler and more quiet operation.
 
Step one, after 2 hr. tumbling (with whichever recipe u choose), spin w/Dillon rotary separator & tub... very sturdy and nothing flyies all over.

Step two: Shake & reshake (counter-spin & shake) all the pin stragglers. Remove brass & set aside.

Step three: With a 5 gallon bucket paint strainer, pour out all water & pins. Keep a magnet handy.

4: Spread out pins on a 2' x 3' Pep Boys steel drain pan, put a fan on it to dry those out.

5: Put brass in a dehydrator or on towels in the sun or w/ a fan. Then reload.

Here's a vid on exactly how to wet-tumble... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIpNcj5f9s4

I am always amazed how well the pins clean the primer pockets, so much that I pin-tumble twice: 1) Range brass before uni-depriming (no dirt, crud or soot on my press). 2) After uni-depriming to clean pockets. Its an extra step or more work but that's okay, my brass is premo and whistle smooth through the press.
 
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