NuFinish

[SlowFuse]

There's a lot of talk about adding nufinish to dry tumbler media around here.

I'm curious if the old version may be better than the new stuff. I have no complaints but see comments of it clumping (probably using too much) or just unsatisfactory results.

My bottle is probably about 15 years old, I'm sure it may be expired for washing cars but for me it works just fine for tumbling brass. Has formulation changed over the years?

 

[jr_watkins]

My NuFinish bottle is only 3-4 years old, works good! You do have to use sparingly to avoid the clumps or the black on the brass.

 

[gojones]

My bottle is maybe 10 years old. I put a used dryer sheet which has about a half of cap of NuFinish added. I push this down into the media so that it is covered up. It can be wadded up after adding the NuFinish. I then add the cases on top of the media. I am not having the clumps. Everything comes out shinny.

 

[ZWCoffindaffer]

I doubt its changed much. The current stuff works great for me. I always let the tumbler run a few minutes with the nufinish before I add brass. I have seen it clump, but if you let it run a minute you can see it disperse evenly into the other media.

 

[Blue68f100]

I finished a bottle last year that was close to 20yrs old. Did not notice any difference with the new bottle. I have the tumbler running and just pour it in slowly, making a circle/loop. Then let it run for 15-20min to get it evenly distributed before adding brass. If you dump it fast you will get a big blob.

 

[bfoosh006]

I finished a bottle last year that was close to 20yrs old. Did not notice any difference with the new bottle. I have the tumbler running and just pour it in slowly, making a circle/loop. Then let it run for 15-20min to get it evenly distributed before adding brass. If you dump it fast you will get a big blob.

Make sure you check for clumps in the bowl as well.... clumps below the line of sight under the moving walnut. I always find some even with a slow pour.

I just rub the clump free and break it up with my hands.

 

[Rule3]

It will dry out over times as the solvents evaporate. You can dilute it some with mineral spirits.

 

[LiveLife]

Been using NuFinish liquid polish since the 80s and the stuff looks the same.

Yes, the polish needs to be evenly distributed on the media surface without clumps to work properly. I am impatient so after I add the polish to media, I stir the media with a wooden stick while the tumbler is running to expedite "de-clumping".

With new walnut media, I fill the bowl until 1"-1.5" below the top and use about 3-4 cap fulls for Berry's 400 tumbler (used 2-3 caps for FA tumbler) to initially condition the media. I prefer to run my media on the dry side as it seems to clean/polish better and only add additional cap full every 2-3 batches of brass.

YMMV

mineral spirits.

Definitely trying mineral spirits on media this year. May even do a comparison "tumble off" with NuFinish polish.

 

[lightman]

I don't know if the formula has changed or not. I give mine a pretty good shake and then dribble a cap full around on the media. I then dribble a cap full of mineral spirits around on the media and run the tumbler for 15 minutes or so before adding brass. I'm doing this with corncob media.

 

[Rule3]

Definitely trying mineral spirits on media this year. May even do a comparison "tumble off" with NuFinish polish.

Only to dilute the polish or freshen up the old media, Don't use to much. A few cap fulls. I put it in the polish so it is more of a liquid rather than a semi paste,

Don't think it helps cleaning brass in any way.

Lyman online also suggests for new or old media that is dusty to add a few drops of mineral.baby oil. Ballistoil is mineral oil.

 

[cat_IT_guy]

I have a brand new bottle and mix into walnut media. Brass comes out nice and shiny.

 

[SlowFuse]

Never heard of adding mineral oil.

 

[ljnowell]

Never heard of adding mineral oil.

That's because you are supposed to add mineral spirits.

 

[Hardtarget]

I'm on my second bottle. I run a cap full about every fourth or fifth time. I also run the machine a few minutes before adding brass. I use a bamboo stick to stir in the polish to speed up the mix. Brass sure looks good.

Mark

 

[WiTom]

Works great in my cement mixer filled with walnut media. Pour in two cap fulls Nufinish, with one cap full of mineral spirits, let run through for about 2-3 mins., and in goes the brass. Comes out good as new. Mine Nufinish is new but it hasn't seem to change any through the years.

 

[Rule3]

Never heard of adding mineral oil.

That's cause you did not read the whole post. A few drops for DUST

Mineral spirits does nothing for cleaning it is to dilute or thin the Nu Finish polish

http://www.lymanproducts.com/lyman/faqs/tumblers_faq.php

Q: My media is getting quite dusty. How can I keep the dust down?
A: Add a few drops of baby oil to the media and run it to evenly distribute. Older media which is becoming dusty will indicate that the media is wearing out.

 

[ljnowell]

That's cause you did not read the whole post. A few drops for DUST



Mineral spirits does nothing for cleaning it is to dilute or thin the Nu Finish polish



http://www.lymanproducts.com/lyman/faqs/tumblers_faq.php



Q: My media is getting quite dusty. How can I keep the dust down?

A: Add a few drops of baby oil to the media and run it to evenly distribute. Older media which is becoming dusty will indicate that the media is wearing out.

I can tell you for a fact that mineral spirits most certainly helps clean and polish the brass. I tumble brass in 40-50lbs of media and upwards of 5k cases at a time. There is a big difference in the shine and the amount of time required to clean when you add mineral spirits.

 

[SlowFuse]

No I read the post, just said I've never heard of it.

 

[Rule3]

No I read the post, just said I've never heard of it.

Well now you have

 

[Bama Drifter]

Flitz?

Not to threadjack... but have y'all found Nu-finish to be superior to Flitz paste? I use a daub of it per batch w/ happy results. Tried Nu-finish my first year of reloading and got too annoyed w/ clumping. Flitz seems less prone to clumping, just my $.02

 

[SlowFuse]

I have the Flitz paste but have used it on metal only.

I'm assuming the liquid Flitz would be a more similar consistency to nufinish, but i've never used the liquid to have a comparison.

 

[Rule3]

I bought the Flitz tumbler additive once. It works really real well but is to darn expensive!!

Yes, it is the thinner consistency.

 

[boom boom]

Another user of NuFinish diluted a bit with odorless mineral spirits. Works fine for me but you will get some clumping if you add too much NuFinish or if you add it too fast or worse add your brass too early. The mineral spirits/Nufinish combo also seem to cut down on the dust which is important because that dust is not really healthy to breathe.

I find that it cleans fine but, generally I am working with fairly clean brass rather than outdoor range pickups instead of dirty chocolate brass.

 

[sellersm]

I really like the Flitz tumbler additive, but the price is horrendous! I've used quite a bit of NuFinish and put in a capful of mineral spirits now and then. No complaints. All my brass is from outdoor range where I shoot, so it's usually pretty dirty by the time I find it and pick it up, especially on these cold, snowy, muddy icky days! Wish it would warm up soon here in frozen CO...

 

[RayB]

I use new finish exactly as hardtarget discribed, 1 capful every 3rd or 4th time, mix it with a stick and run, with some patience the brass looks like brand new. Occasionally you do get some clumping, but it disappears on it's own as you run it!