Thoughts on this corrosion - ?

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DetroitRedneck

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I'm new to reloading. Ran some 45 acp brass through the ultrasonic but they were still dirty so I dropped the brass in soapy water, let it sit overnight and shook the hell out of it. Then I let it air dry. To clean it better I sprayed brake clean and cleaned the inside with q-tips. Probably screwed up several times over.

A couple of the cases are a bit corroded and I'm concerned about using it. I used a very small pick and no holes were present.

What do you guys think? Thanks.

Here's the lot:
2013-06-21%2021.02.54.jpg


Here's the worst:
2013-06-21%2021.03.44.jpg


Here's the best:
2013-06-21%2021.03.15.jpg
 
I am left to assume you did not add some type of acid to the ultrasonic cleaner, the acid dissolves the crud and the pins knock it off. Many years ago I started using vinegar and nothing, I used nothing but vinegar, straight 5% +/- for the worst of cases for a maximum 15 minutes, great results, then I washed and rinsed, then tumbled. I am talking about lots of 1,000 cases +, 15 minutes in the vinegar prevented 2+ days of tumbling. For the 45ACP I thought nothing running a brush inside the case.Today I do not work that hard, I have all the cases I will ever use, and, I am not a fan of degreaser, dies, cleaning the inside of a die, I use a towel on a dowel.

Somewhere down the path from there to here salt was added to vinegar, if you like the green patina, add salt.

F. Guffey
 
Forget the brake cleaner and the Q-Tips. 1 tablespoon of Dawn dishsoap, 1 teaspoon of Lemi-Shine liquid, 1/2 gallon of hot water, mix that up and fill your ultrasonic cleaner to the level suggested by the manufacturer. Run a batch of brass for about an hour, maybe two. After that rinse it in clean water (i keep a pasta strainer used only for this) and spread it out on a towel to dry. The insides won't be perfectly clean but they don't need to be.
 
Great advice - Thanks

Thanks guys. I really appreciate the advice and formulas for the ultrasonic. I'm gonna try them out this weekend. I have another 100 or so cases that need cleaning.

Happy chooting :)
 
Citric acid can be found in many forms--i.e.--"lemishine", "Kool-aid", "Fruit Fresh" (found in the supermarket canning section) etc. It can also be obtained in a Pharmacy in a more "pure" form. The amount of critic acid needed is not critical and it works better if the solution is hot/warm. It makes a great rust remover also! I had a small cast iron pot that had been left out in the elements to the point the rust was caked on it. I put the pot into a 1/2 bucket of hot water, added one oz. of citric acid and left it in the sun for two days. The pot was in the water handle up. After two days in the bucket the rust was hanging off the handle like spanish moss off a tree! I then stirred the solution about twice a day and after four days the pot was totally clean right down to clean cast iron! All that was left to do was to "season" the cast so the rust did not re-occur.
 
Oops! I forgot to mention that a citric acid solution is not harmful to your hands, nor does using it preclude future use of the container for use with things you may want to eat.
 
How about forget the "fancy" stuff and just tumble with walnut or corn media with some Nu Finish or "magic" tumbler media additive??

If you want to use the liquid method Than 2 cups of vinegar ( as good as citric and less money) with 2 tbsl of salt. a few drops of dish soap to water to make one gal of solution. and let it soak for 20 minutes. Rinse well with fresh water and let dry. They will not blind you with shine but will be clean.

The regular vibrator and media will remove what your pics show.
 
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acetic acid is not going to do any harm or anything different to brass than citric or oxalic (Bar Keepers Friend) It is so dilute to begin with adding 2 cups to a gal of water is pretty mild. Leave it for 15 to 20 minutes, not overnight.

Yes, I left out the add to make one gal of water solution.:eek:

Here are some more homemade cleaners and "stuff"

http://www.frfrogspad.com/homemade.htm#Solutions

Hornadys is citric acid with a price.

http://www.hornady.com/assets/files/msds/OneShot_Sonic_Clean_Case_Formula.pdf

Gads! RCBS has Ammonia in it

http://www.rcbs.com/downloads/MSDS/RCBSUltrasonicCaseCleaningSolution.pdf
 
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