Yeah I have my case cleaner running, and it’s gotten loud loud LOUD, among other maladies.
Time for a 21st-century cleaner/system.
So, what do you use or recommend. Some kind of a sifter would be good too ...
rb
"What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as freedom should not be highly rated." Thomas Paine
I'm with Hig ^. I don't want to mess with wet brass and separating pins. I don't really need the jewelry shine the wet systems provide; walnut media works for me. I'm on my second Frankford Arsenal vibrator, the first one lasted about 12 years. The separator I use is pretty basic.
SS wet tumbler. I dip the necks in graphite before priming. I personally like shiny clean brass with spotless primer pockets. This also keeps my dies clean of abrasive carbon. I’m using the Frankfurt Arsenal. I also bought extra SS pins. I put in the brass then almost completely fill the remaining space with pins. Keeps from denting thin necks. They rub more than tumble violently. A little dish soap and Lemishine in the tumbler. I anneal every firing to keep everything equal and extend the life of the brass. I lose primer pockets not necks.
‘TO LEARN WHO RULES OVER YOU, SIMPLY FIND OUT WHO YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO CRITICIZE’
Conspiracy theorists are the ones who see it all coming…
There is a reason Scenarshooter dips his new brass necks in Redding graphite neck lube.
And by dipping the clean necks I control the graphite to make sure it’s uniform. I also wipe the graphite off the outside so I’m not lubing the case in the chamber causing increased bolt thrust.
‘TO LEARN WHO RULES OVER YOU, SIMPLY FIND OUT WHO YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO CRITICIZE’
Conspiracy theorists are the ones who see it all coming…
I use an old Dillon vibrator with corn cob media and Nu Finish car polish. It works but I have to let them vibrate for a few hours. I don't clean brass often though. When it's time to anneal I'll clean them.
Guess I wasn’t kidding. Went to go turn off the vibrator, and it was already off. Wouldn’t turn back on. All that racket meant it was on its last legs, I guess. At least the brass was clean.
Disconnected it, for good. Gonna chuck it tomorrow.
The search redoubles.
Heard about people scoring barrels with stray stainless steel media. Also, wet brass? Then what? Oven? Sunlight?
Frankford Arsenal? Any other worthy contenders?
Thanks all. Last time I bought a vibratory cleaner our calendar years still started with 19 ...
"What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as freedom should not be highly rated." Thomas Paine
I put my brass in the oven for 30 minutes on 170 degrees after wet tumbling. Works great. Neo Lube #2 to lubricate necks. Just use a cotton swab to apply. Works great. Relying on carbon and dirty necks means you're not in control of the process and its different every time.
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There is a reason Scenarshooter dips his new brass necks in Redding graphite neck lube.
A reason I do too.
But if you want clean brass the Thumlers Tumbler is the only way to go. Been doing it 15 years now. Picked the system up on suggestion from a high power shooter and have never regretted it. If you are being observant, never need to worry about stray pins going down a barrel.
I dry on a piece of screen in the over for an hour on warm. Dump all the brass back on a towel and run it back and forth to make sure no pins left inside.
I have two Dillon vibratory units, lg and small, that I gave away to family members who are OK with their service and they do a pretty good job. But for large batches of 5.56 and handgun brass, the SS pins are the way to go. Need both sized pins, the 1/4" bridge in 6.5 Grendel brass and the 3/8 in 7mm. Frankford Arsenal media separator is a must.
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I got a big ultrasonic cleaner, I think 6 liter, that works great with boiling water, a squirt of dish soap and a teaspoon of citric acid powder. Seperate out any steel cases or your brass turns pink.
If you're in a hurry dry with a dehydrator or rack over wood stove.
You do have to lube case necks, 375 Ruger likes to turn inside out when seating bullets if not.
I use the same rig and solution to degrease parts like carb heat boxes or heater valves for airplanes before sand blasting.
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I personally can't seem to get a vibratory cleaner to last very long so recently bought a tumbler on sale (clearance?)at midway . Just looked, and I think it's still on sale. Will try to leave a link here.
I haven't yet used it with the stainless pins, but it does a good job with water, dawn dishwashing soap, and I added a "guestimated" teaspoon of citric acid. The kind I use for food canning, I think it's ball brand.
