First time tumbling brass....

[thinhorn_AK]

I need some advice here, in the past I used a vibrating tumbler with walnut shells but I just got a franklin armory lite tumbler.

I also got a jar of steel pins and a bottle of franklin armory brass polish.

I put ~ 100 30-06 shells, about 1.5lbs of stainless steel pins and a teaspoon or so of the brass polish. And let it go for ~ 3 hours.

when I Dumped it all in the strainer and got it rinsed out, the brass was clean, with no residue but instead of that brand new shiny look it was sort of gray.

what did I do wrong? Is there another cleaning agent that would work better to polish up the Brass so it’s like the stuff on the Facebook group pictures?

thanks!

 

[rickiesrevenge]

Dawn dish soap and lemishine

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[thinhorn_AK]

Dawn dish soap and lemishine

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I’ll try that tomorrow.

 

[N2TRKYS]

Dawn dish soap and lemishine

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X2. Go easy on the lemishine, though. I've heard that too much will turn it pink. Lol. Hasn't happened to me, yet, but they say it is only cosmetic.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

X2. Go easy on the lemishine, though. I've heard that too much will turn it pink. Lol. Hasn't happened to me, yet, but they say it is only cosmetic.

interesting, I’ll go easy with that stuff lol.

 

[cornfedkiller]

interesting, I’ll go easy with that stuff lol.

My tumbler won't fit 100 shells, I'd guess probably half that. I don't have a science to how much dish soap I put in, but I put 1 pinch of lemishine in.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Dawn dish soap and lemishine

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Dumb question but is lemishine a dishwasher additive? I see it spelled lemishine and lemmeshine. Is there a difference?

 

[rickiesrevenge]

It is for dish washers

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[snowcamoman]

Use 25-30mL of Dawn and 1.25mL of Lemi Shine and you're all set. I did a few hundred recently and they turn out perfectly shiny and new.

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[MuleyFever]

Does it matter what color shade it is?

 

[Vandy321]

Give a hefty 3 second squeeze to the dawn, or so...Just a pinch of the lemishine, about a half full piece of .380 brass if you must measure with something...I'd check them at 3 hours, if not perfectly clean, go another 30 mins and check again. Rinse ASAP after. If you leave them in too long, or don't rinse quickly, they will turn a pretty nasty looking orange/bronze...also, if you dont rinse them thoroughly it can happen as well.

DO get the lemishine detergent booster. (White bottle, green writing)

DO NOT get the lemishine dishwasher cleaner. (White and blue box)

 

[Chordeiles]

I’ve been using laundry detergent (1/2 teaspoon) and Lemi Shine for the last year. Works great.

***edit to 1/2 teaspoon***

 

[TruckMonkey]

I second dawn and lemishine.

 

[COOPDUCK]

Careful with that tumbler dust, can be nasty stuff to breathe in. I wear full respirator when emptying.

 

[Whiskey_Fish]

Careful with that tumbler dust, can be nasty stuff to breathe in. I wear full respirator when emptying.

There’s no dust with wet tumbling. It’s one of the big reasons I like it so much.

I’m having good results with a little more Lemishine and slightly less time running. Only going about 2 hours but that’s getting the primer pockets almost perfect. I’m getting a pale yellow finish but I really don’t care as long as it’s clean.


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[tdot]

Lemishine is basicslly just Citric Acid. I use the same citric acid that I take for backcountry meat care.

The volume of Lemishine required is dependent on how hard your water is. We have extremely soft water, and I get away with a tiny pinch for 200 cases. Some guys need alot more then that.

I've also backed way off on the time I tumble for, the brass isn't as shiny as magazine ads, but it works and no problems with the case mouth being damaged. I'm down to less then 30 minutes for 100 to 200 cases.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

I have been using the lemishine but the brass dosent stay looking nice for very long it seems.

it comes out of the tumbler looking like brand new factory Brass then when I take it out a few days later to load up it’s much darker than before.

 

[manitou1]

If you use too much Lemishine, your brass will become "orangish". Very small amt of Lemishine.
Like the poster above, I only tumble 45 minutes to an hour with great results. No need to beat the brass up to get it clean and shiny... but I seldom tumble more than 30-50 pcs at a time.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

If you use too much Lemishine, your brass will become "orangish". Very small amt of Lemishine.
Like the poster above, I only tumble 45 minutes to an hour with great results. No need to beat the brass up to get it clean and shiny... but I seldom tumble more than 30-50 pcs at a time.

so once it’s like that is it done? Or can I do it over again for better results?

 

[manitou1]

Can do over. Just surface coloration.