Why I wet tumble
- Thread starter mahansm
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GBExpat
Member
Nope. You are preaching to the choir.
tightgroup tiger
Member
I don't know, I can run my cases for 16 minutes in my ultra sonic cleaner, dry them in 30 minutes under my inferred ceiling heater I have mounted on my wall and dry tumble in my home made rotary tumbler for an hour and have as nice looking cases as your finished product.
They are squeaky clean including the primer pockets and I can do it in an hour and 45 minutes and I don't have to deal with all those little pins.
I never understood the whole SS pin tumbling thing but what ever works for others is good for them and I have never put anyone down for liking a different process. Everyone's needs or capabilities are different.
They are squeaky clean including the primer pockets and I can do it in an hour and 45 minutes and I don't have to deal with all those little pins.
I never understood the whole SS pin tumbling thing but what ever works for others is good for them and I have never put anyone down for liking a different process. Everyone's needs or capabilities are different.
Wreck-n-Crew
Member
I get the sane results without the pins tumble wash with a few drops of joy and some lemon juice or lemi shine with my pistol brass.
I use to deprime, wash with joy, dry, then polish and lube with Lyman's walnut media.
Primer pockets are not that big a deal to me in pistol brass now and its another step in reloading i did not have to add.
Plus the media would clog primer pockets and separation was another step. I even hand primed my brass.
Now i spend less time cleaning and depriming. I spend that extra time reloading, shooting or casting.
I don't sort pistol brass either. A big hassle to not only sort but keep it separate for little gain.
Now rifle brass and reloading is a different animal and i don't load it at the moment. If i did i would sort them.
I use to deprime, wash with joy, dry, then polish and lube with Lyman's walnut media.
Primer pockets are not that big a deal to me in pistol brass now and its another step in reloading i did not have to add.
Plus the media would clog primer pockets and separation was another step. I even hand primed my brass.
Now i spend less time cleaning and depriming. I spend that extra time reloading, shooting or casting.
I don't sort pistol brass either. A big hassle to not only sort but keep it separate for little gain.
Now rifle brass and reloading is a different animal and i don't load it at the moment. If i did i would sort them.
jaguarxk120
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Shaq is the inside of the case's clean to?
Wet tumbling cleans the case's inside and outside. Corn cob and walnut shells do a good job on the outside of the case's, BUT inside's are still dirty!!!!
Wet tumbling cleans the case's inside and outside. Corn cob and walnut shells do a good job on the outside of the case's, BUT inside's are still dirty!!!!
Reloadron
Contributing Member
Ron: Raises hand with a question.
Ron Politely Ask: Looking at the image, if I load the cartridges on the right (Walnut Hulls & Stainless Pins) what will the difference be? Will pretty and shinny ammunition be more accurate or just look pretty?
OK, we like pretty better. I have bought brass from USSR here on the forums and he uses large tumblers and cleans the brass. The stuff comes out looking great, I mean pristine.
Ron
OilyPablo
Member
In the controlled process of reloading, starting with clean, dry brass eliminates or at the very least eliminates the worry of FOD contamination.
mahansm
Member
Reloadron:
Center is with walnut/Nu Finish, right is wet.
Probably no more accurate ammo, but it looks much nicer and there's no dust left inside the cases. Yes, it's more work, as I have to dispose of the used water, separate the pins from the brass while rinsing the brass, and then separate the pins from the rinse water and put them back into the tumbler, as well as drying the brass.
With a timer on the tumbler, the time spent in the tumbler is not an issue except when trying to do multiple batches in a short amount of time. However,
I tend to only spend an hour or so at a time at the bench and there's always something else to do while the tumbler's running (like post on THR.
Center is with walnut/Nu Finish, right is wet.
Probably no more accurate ammo, but it looks much nicer and there's no dust left inside the cases. Yes, it's more work, as I have to dispose of the used water, separate the pins from the brass while rinsing the brass, and then separate the pins from the rinse water and put them back into the tumbler, as well as drying the brass.
With a timer on the tumbler, the time spent in the tumbler is not an issue except when trying to do multiple batches in a short amount of time. However,
I tend to only spend an hour or so at a time at the bench and there's always something else to do while the tumbler's running (like post on THR
.
bang_bang
Member
I blow the dust away with my shop air compressor while my cases are in a recycled shell holder. My 41 magnums fit primer pocket down in a tray that 45 autos came in. They usually aren't shiny for long but all I'm doing is trying to extend the life of the brass anyways. I'd suppose that a nice blow drying with an air compressor would decrease your heater time after wet tumble?
Reloadron
Contributing Member
I agree, it should be apparent I was just giving you a hard time.Reloadron:
Center is with walnut/Nu Finish, right is wet.
Probably no more accurate ammo, but it looks much nicer and there's no dust left inside the cases. Yes, it's more work, as I have to dispose of the used water, separate the pins from the brass while rinsing the brass, and then separate the pins from the rinse water and put them back into the tumbler, as well as drying the brass.
With a timer on the tumbler, the time spent in the tumbler is not an issue except when trying to do multiple batches in a short amount of time. However,
I tend to only spend an hour or so at a time at the bench and there's always something else to do while the tumbler's running (like post on THR
My point was yes, you get nice clean shiny brass but will it make for more accurate brass than brass cleaned in walnut and poliched in corn cob? Not really. Anyway I was just giving you a hard time. I have several vibratory tumblers with extra bowls and as they die I will likely get into wet tumbling. Till then I really have no need. I also have a few bowls dedicated to moly coating. Moly coating goes well in a vibratory tumbler.
Ron
AABEN
Member
I use the sonic and dry with a hair dryer I bought at yard sale for 2.00 I had my wife till she need it OO well. I only blow dry if some one need them fast. I like air dry for 2 days for my self. I do use the tumbler with cob some time with pick up at the range.
Wildfire
Member
Wey and dry.
I do not think there is really a wrong way.
If I have time, I soak my brass in 1 qt hot water, 1 cup vinegar, 1 spoon of salt and 1 spoon of Dawn dish soap. I give that 15 minutes and rinse. I usually dump in some baking soda which is said to kill any acid left behind.
Dry them and then tumble. For the most part the insides are as clean and shinny as the out. I always de prime first and this gives me very clean primer pockets.
I never run any liquid in my tumbler.
I also buy corn cob in a 50lb bag and the last one cost me $26.00. I add my own polish. Most anything works as long as it does not have ammonia in it.
I do not think there is really a wrong way.
If I have time, I soak my brass in 1 qt hot water, 1 cup vinegar, 1 spoon of salt and 1 spoon of Dawn dish soap. I give that 15 minutes and rinse. I usually dump in some baking soda which is said to kill any acid left behind.
Dry them and then tumble. For the most part the insides are as clean and shinny as the out. I always de prime first and this gives me very clean primer pockets.
I never run any liquid in my tumbler.
I also buy corn cob in a 50lb bag and the last one cost me $26.00. I add my own polish. Most anything works as long as it does not have ammonia in it.
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2011redrider
Member
They all work, I still keep my dry tumbler around for cleaning the lube of 223
And got rusty parts in there right now from an old Lyman 55 powder measure. Prefer the wet method for brass after decapping.
And got rusty parts in there right now from an old Lyman 55 powder measure. Prefer the wet method for brass after decapping.
ccjcc81
Member
Today. 3 hours in water and a squirt of dishsoap while we took the kids to the park. Pour out, fill with clean water and a bit of Lemishine, 30 more minutes, rinse, dry. Probably longer than necessary.
These were done last night with no Lemishine.
These were done last night with no Lemishine.
ccjcc81 - what caliber are those nickel plated cases in your second photo? I thought they were 10mm but I can't make out the headstamp. Just curious.
And yes, I love wet tumbling! I use a small cement mixer which works great, but I wish I had a smaller tumbler, sometimes I'd like to do smaller batches. Pretty handy being able to run a bucketful at once though.
And yes, I love wet tumbling! I use a small cement mixer which works great, but I wish I had a smaller tumbler, sometimes I'd like to do smaller batches. Pretty handy being able to run a bucketful at once though.
LiveLife
Member
Maybe 50AE? Holding down "CTRL" key while pressing "+" key will zoom in many browsers.
Have you considered FA wet tumbler? It will do 1000 .223 cases - http://www.amazon.com/Frankford-Arsenal-909544-Rotary-Tumbler/dp/B00HTN4R6O
I am happy with dry tumbling as I can tumble for about 30 minutes and my brass are clean enough for me to reload "right now" without having to wait for brass to dry. And there's no argument wet tumbling cleaning the inside of case and primer pockets. But if I ever get into wet tumbling, I'd be interested in the FA wet tumbler
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Yes, dry tumbling cleans the inside of the case, but not quite as shiny as the outside. But it's not necessary.
AV8TOR
Member
Preaching to the choir here as well. I only tumble 2 hours in a Harbour Freight unit. I use bowls and strainer from Dollar Tree for the media separator (less the $5).
USSR
Member
I'd just like to point out that the premise of "either or" in regards to wet or dry tumbling ain't necessarily so. I use both. With rifle cases, decap and wet tumble. Then, spray cases with lanolin/HEET lube, resize, and then dry tumble the lube off.
Don
Don
Greg Mercurio
Member
You know what's REALLY amazing? Long before we had tumblers, viratory case cleaners, walnut shells, corncob, NuFinish, and all that jazz, we were able to reload cases with primer, powder, and bullets, and go out in the woods and hunt. The quarry didn't give a rat's rear about how clean or shiny those rounds were.
I think we've become a little bling-sensitive. Add the folks that make and sell these cool-tools are laughing all the way to the bank.
I think we've become a little bling-sensitive. Add the folks that make and sell these cool-tools are laughing all the way to the bank.
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