Question for guys using stainless pin tumblers.

I've been using a stainless steel pin tumbler for a few years, it seems to really clean the brass nicely. I use it with tap water, Dawn dish soap and lemishine. The problem I have is after many cleanings the brass comes out of the tumbler more dull, kind of light brown. Not sure if it's my water chemistry or too much lemishine.

 I had bought some used brass from a local guy, it had already been cleaned in a regular tumbler and looked fairly shiny but after I decapped the brass and ran it through my SS tumbler it looked awesome. Had it sitting right next to my old brass straight out of the tumbler, got me wondering what happened to my old brass.

I use 1 tablespoon of Dawn and 1/4 teaspoon of Lemishine in 1 gallon of tap water. Somewhere I read or heard that when you finish tumbling, it is very important to quickly rinse the brass and to rinse it multiple times. I rinse at least four times or as long as I get any dirty water coming off in the rinse. Do not let brass sit and soak in the dirty water and allow only minimal exposure to air prior to rinsing. Lemishine can be hard on the brass if left to dry on the brass. Don't know if it will discolor the brass.

Lemishine is citric acid and it it can dissolve the zinc in the brass.  If left long enough and with enough Lemishine the brass can turn copper colored.  Don't ask me how I found that out.

I think the discolorization you are seeing might be due to the powder residue getting sort of ground into the brass.  I had that problem and now I prewash the brass in my ultrasonic cleaner, rinse it and put it in the tumbler.  It's much more important on my blackpowder cartridge cases.  

I also rinse with distiller or softened water to prevent those embarrassing stains.  

Dave

I had a similar problem with the dulling. I found I was using too much lemishine. Backed way off and now they look like new.

Bill

You don't say how much Dawn and LemiShine you are using, but I use .5 tablespoon of Dawn and .5 teaspoon of LemiShine without problems.

Don

Similar situation here. I now pop my tumbler open midway through, maybe 15 minutes in, dump all the black water out ,refill with a fresh soap and shine mix and finish another 20 minutes. Nice clean shiny cases.

I use hot water to tumble, when done I rinse 3 times with cold water, separate from the pins, then dry with a towel (Bowling ball technique), then to finish drying I put them in one of those $1 aluminum turkey pans and toss in oven set at 220 for about 30min, with door slightly open, never any dullness.  I process 20-25lb of brass a time (BigDawg tumbler).  1.5tbs Lemi Shine & 6 tbs of Dawn.
- Dave

Well I don't measure the lemishine so it is possible I use too much of it. I've also let the brass sit in the tumbler overnight before.

zanemoseley wrote:Well I don't measure the lemishine so it is possible I use too much of it. I've also let the brass sit in the tumbler overnight before.

Well, there you go.  Use a specific amount each time, and NEVER let the brass sit in the solution for any period of time.   I do exactly what dronning does.   Rinsing them thoroughly and drying them quickly is the key to bright and shiny brass that stays that way.

Don

USSR wrote:You don't say how much Dawn and LemiShine you are using, but I use .5 tablespoon of Dawn and .5 teaspoon of LemiShine without problems.

Don

I can only estimate because I don't use any kind of measuring device. My estimate would be 1/3 teaspoon of Dawn and 1/4 teaspoon of Lemishine.

Multiracer wrote:Similar situation here. I now pop my tumbler open midway through, maybe 15 minutes in, dump all the black water out ,refill with a fresh soap and shine mix and finish another 20 minutes. Nice clean shiny cases.

I'll have to give that a try. I usually throw everything in and run for 2.5 hours.

Bill

dronning wrote:dry with a towel (Bowling ball technique)
- Dave

Like this?

john bickar wrote:

dronning wrote:dry with a towel (Bowling ball technique)
- Dave

Like this?

Yep but I don't do the squat, but hey maybe that would help me develop a more stable stance

messenger wrote:

Multiracer wrote:Similar situation here. I now pop my tumbler open midway through, maybe 15 minutes in, dump all the black water out ,refill with a fresh soap and shine mix and finish another 20 minutes. Nice clean shiny cases.

I'll have to give that a try. I usually throw everything in and run for 2.5 hours.

Bill

I just finished your trying technique. Works slick! My brass has never looked better. Thanks.

Bill

messenger wrote:

Multiracer wrote:Similar situation here. I now pop my tumbler open midway through, maybe 15 minutes in, dump all the black water out ,refill with a fresh soap and shine mix and finish another 20 minutes. Nice clean shiny cases.

I'll have to give that a try. I usually throw everything in and run for 2.5 hours.

Bill

I think 2.5 hours is way too much exposure to the citrus chemical and too much abrasion from the pins. Once fired brass should be squeaky clean in less than an hour.

dronning wrote:

john bickar wrote:

dronning wrote:dry with a towel (Bowling ball technique)
- Dave

Like this?

Yep but I don't do the squat, but hey maybe that would help me develop a more stable stance

Great - glad I could help!

Also you might want to just clean your pins solo with water and some simple green.

I dumped my lemishine in a zip lock bag and used a 45 case to measure out, does that sound about right.

Chris Miceli wrote:Also you might want to just clean your pins solo with water and some simple green.

This is mandatory, otherwise you end up with black water from the manufacturing oils for six case loads.
I had to clean mine five or six times solo.

Multiracer wrote:
I think 2.5 hours is way too much exposure to the citrus chemical and too much abrasion from the pins. Once fired brass should be squeaky clean in less than an hour.

I believe you are correct. After using your technique the cases came out like new.

Bill

Well that is good to hear. If you have any nickel plated cases cut the time almost in half.

I use a food hydrator to dry the brass after tumbling.

Joel

Oven, cookie sheet, 200 degrees, fifteen minutes.