Tumbling Brass Question.

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Whitman31

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Hey guys, just a quick question. What do you use to keep your brass polished. I use a corn cob media, but that's it. The brass comes out looking totally fine, but ends up getting a tarnish pretty quickly. I know there's stuff out there, thought I'd ask here first...

Thanks...
 
I use Flitz with fine walnut media. Have gotten Harbor Freight walnut for under $1 a pound. I have heard to check out the large pet stores for large bags of walnut and corn cob media. I have heard many times to avoid polishing compound with ammonia. Not sure exactly why but have heard it can make brass brittle. Flitz polished brass stays nice and shiny after tumbling with the walnut. Possibly I am not using corn cob as I should. Could not find any so I just never got around to using it. Use about 1 table spoon of Flitz liquid for 3 pounds of walnut media and 300 + pieces of brass. No need to recharge or change media. Mine is black as all get out and still polishes great.
 
Corncob (Lyman or other fine grit) and NuFinish auto polish, plus some used drier sheets cut into 2"x1" pieces.

Start your vibratory tumbler filled with corncob. Swirl/swirl about a tablespoon of Nu Finish into the moving media. Walk away for 15-20 minutes.

Add your brass and some cut up drier sheets.

Check after 2-3 hours.

Usually it is really good at that point.
 
I like the Frankfort polisher as well. However, if you handle the cases a bunch and your hands are sweaty/oily, the cases will tarnish, and there isn't anything you can do about it. Shy of wear some gloves while you're handling them or something.
 
corn cob media. i cap full of nu finish. 1 cup of plain old rice. then run it a few minutes to mix it all up. then add a used dryer sheet. fabric softner sheet and small small strips of paper towels cut up.

Then go for broke. the rice really helps on getting the shells clean. nu finish gets them very shiny. the dryer sheets and paper towels will attract all the dirt from the shells. after you tumble your brass pull out the dryer sheet and the strips of paper towels. you will notice that they will be very dirty and almost black thats all the used fired gun powder, lead residue and dirt. Now your set. Before you tumble again remember the dryer sheets an paper towels.
 
I use corncob media, and I add some Flitz Tumbler Media Additive as well. I've tried other additives, but this seems to cut my tumbling time down, and it does a fine job of polishing as well. I've stopped using others.
 
For the first tumbling I use walnut treated with rouge. I tumble it with corncob after that to clean off the remaining rouge. I will also use corcob if I have used case lube during sizing. It turns out some nice shiny brass, but I am always open to new ways that give better or faster results.
 
i use the frankford arsenal polish WITH nu-finish liquid car wax. polishes them to a keen shine, and keeps them that way. but, if you wash (wipe) it all away prior to finishing your loading, you will have to tumble your loaded ammo for a short while to get the wax back on them.
 
I've tried various things over the years, but find that a 50/50 mix of crushed walnut and corn cob media, both bought from the pet store, is some of the least expensive media. Also, the least expensive polish vs. performance is Nu Finish car polish bought from the local Dollar store or Walmart. Add a single capfull to each load of brass.

I've been totally satisfied since going to this mixture. You can spend more, but won't get much more in the way of performance.

Regards,

Dave
 
Birdcage litter, 2.79 for 8lb bag, fine walnut shells with 3 caps of the RCBS polish. Worked fine but if you decap first some of the walnut gets stuck in the primer hole.
 
I got a big bag of corn cob from Wally World for 4.23$. I tumbled range pickups, some were dried in mud, for about 1.5 hours with some Brasso. My cleanest tumble yet.

I used to use rice and pecan shell, but the corn cob was great.

I might steal my dad's Nu Finish this weekend.
 
I use the Zilla brand walnut from Petsmart ($10/10 lbs), a half-cap of NuFinish, and a half-cap of odorless mineral spirits. I tear up a Scott's shop papertowel into three or four pieces and toss in the tumbler.

Jeff
 
I've found the Dillon case polish to work best for me. There is something evil about my hands; I can rust, tarnish, or discolor just about any metal a day or two after touching it. My old shooting buddy got to the point that he wouldn't let me handle any of his reloading dies anymore.

FWIW, I've almost completely switched to nickeled brass, at least in the handguns. After a lot of mixed results I've settled on Starline brand which has been very consistent and tough -- and doesn't tarnish!
 
I pretreat a batch of Zilla ground English Walnut Shells (PetSmart, $10.99 - petperqs discount, about 10 pounds) with 1oz per pound of NuFinish car polish. Each tumbler load I add a used dryer sheet torn into 3-4 pieces. (The cheap ones are better than Bounce, thicker, more dirt traps).
Periodically as the media wears I add more NuFinish.
The NuFinish lets the media penetrate the carbon and stuff inside the case and it applies a light polish that repels moisture and fingerprint oils so it stays shiny longer.
 
I have heard many times to avoid polishing compound with ammonia. Not sure exactly why but have heard it can make brass brittle.
Click to expand...

That's true, ammonia chemically attacks brass which is why common polishers like Brasso shouldn't be used for cartridge brass.

As someone else mentioned in the thread, the oils from your skin can cause those tarnishing spots on the brass. I always wear nitrile gloves when I am handling reloading components, mainly to limit the amount of lead I touch, but it also helps keep the brass clean.
 
I think--the ammonia evaporates and doesn't cause any problem, however I use the Nu-Finish, it also keeps the brass from tarnishing. Why the dryer sheets? They collect the dirt and dust from inside the cases or wherever it comes from.
 
jcwit

Thanks, so this helps keep the media cleaner, I thought it would make your brass smell better :)
 
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