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Thread: Wash brass after tumbling?

  1. #1
    Moderator Toney's Avatar
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    Default Wash brass after tumbling?

    What do you think? I've been washing mine, the walnut stuff seems to have alot of dust.
    Toney Relic Hunter

  2. #2
    Dogs Like Him versifier's Avatar
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    I never use tumblers. 37 years loading without one and counting. No dust problems at all.

    The dust contains a lot of particulate lead and lead oxide. Needless to say, it is not a healthy thing for you or your family to be breathing. To reduce it, add a little water to the media.

    Or you could simply stop using the tumbler altogether.
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  3. #3
    Moderator Toney's Avatar
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    I take it outside to dump it, or i will get in trouble!!!
    Toney Relic Hunter

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    runfiverun runfiverun's Avatar
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    look for the citric acid thread next door.
    it works well, and can be followed by corn cob for a polish. [some use nu-finish car wax too]
    or just dried and used as is.
    i use an enclosed vibrator after the citric acid cleaning and really like it, it's good for the brass too.

  5. #5
    Moderator Toney's Avatar
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    I read that this afternoon, going the have to try the nu-finish
    Toney Relic Hunter

  6. #6
    GunLoad Trainee
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    Been doing this for a LONG time.......

    Here's the trick:

    BEFORE adding any brass to the tumbler, add a capful of NuFinish liquid car polish AND a couple of capfuls of Turpentine or Mineral Spirits to your media. Turn on the tumbler and allow the additives to work itself in, with no brass in the tumbler. Should take about 20 minutes to completely mix in. The media should be only slightly damp. (that solves the dusty problem)

    Now, add your brass, and tumble as usual.

    NuFinish is a polymer type polish. No wax. And, no ammonia.

    Brass tumbled in this manner will come out bright and shiny, and will stay so for months!!!

  7. #7
    Anti-Socialist Texan
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    Another plug for the Citric Acid cleaner recipe next door.

    I boil my brass in the solution mentioned, pull the brass out, rinse in hot water, put on a towel in the sun for at least a day, then in the vibratory tumbler for 30 minutes or less with PLAIN corncob pet bedding treated with a little Mequiar's liquid wax per DukeInMaine's method. The citric acid solution "passivates" the brass, which means it prevents further oxidation as well as reduces surface oxide back into elemental copper and zink.

    Gear

  8. #8
    Retired Chemist DoctorBill's Avatar
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    Why do you tumble the Brass in the first place - just to look purdy...?

    I have a tumbler and have used it, but eventually I asked myself, "Self...WHY are
    you doing this ?".

    I had no good answer....

    DoctorBill

  9. #9
    Moderator Toney's Avatar
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    After loading 1000s of rounds i picked out all the purdy cases and what was left was really dirty.
    Toney Relic Hunter

  10. #10
    1911 Nut
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by DukeInMaine View Post
    Been doing this for a LONG time.......

    Here's the trick:

    BEFORE adding any brass to the tumbler, add a capful of NuFinish liquid car polish AND a couple of capfuls of Turpentine or Mineral Spirits to your media. Turn on the tumbler and allow the additives to work itself in, with no brass in the tumbler. Should take about 20 minutes to completely mix in. The media should be only slightly damp. (that solves the dusty problem)

    Now, add your brass, and tumble as usual.

    NuFinish is a polymer type polish. No wax. And, no ammonia.

    Brass tumbled in this manner will come out bright and shiny, and will stay so for months!!!
    I have been following this procedure for some time now and it works very well for me also. Even if you run a batch or two without adding more polish a bit of mineral spirits will keep the dust down quite well and still brighten the brass too.

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