Cleaning brass in walnut media

[yotaboy24]

So I have been tumbling my brass for 4 hrs and it is noticeably cleaner, however it's not as good as most peoples I see on the net. I'm using a frankford arsenal tumbler and walnut media for lizards beds and am thinking maybe that is the problem. I have seen other people add dish soap to the media but have not tried it yet. What does everybody think about doing that?

 

[Topher]

I use lizard litter to tumble.
Add some polish called Flitz to make the brass shine.

If you need to reduce the amount of dust add a dryer sheet to the media while tumbling.

Good luck.

C

 

[yotaboy24]

Hey thanks for the fast answer I'm going to give that a try.

 

[AntiGun]

+1 to polish

I need to try the dryer sheet trick.

 

[BUFF7MM]

I use lizard litter to tumble.
Add some polish called Flitz to make the brass shine.

If you need to reduce the amount of dust add a dryer sheet to the media while tumbling.

Good luck.

C

+1 on the Flitz, that's what I use also.
I'm gonna have to try the dryer sheet.
You using a new or used sheet?

 

[IndispensableDestiny]

Flitz is the go to polish. If you don't feel like waiting to get it, get some NuFinish liquid car polish. Cheaper and available everywhere.

Once you have polish in the media, you'll have much less dust and less need for a dryer sheet.

 

[Deep Creek Rock]

Agree on Flitz... They sell a brass tumbling formula for tumblers. Looks like this:

Dont use Flitz paste in tumblers, it takes too long to spread into the media. When you add the liquid Flitz, let the tumbler run with just the media (no brass) for about 10- 15 minutes until the media is no longer clumpy. Otherwise the media gets caked inside your brass, and is harder to get out.

Flitz makes a few different products. If you cannot find the brass tumbler media polish, orginal Flitz formula in liquid form works well too.

I hadnt had too much luck with dryer sheets. Usally wetting the media with polish keeps the dust down.

Be carefull with adding other polishes to your media. Stay away from Brasso, or any cleaners containing ammonia (Brasso does!) as it reacts to the copper in brass, and imbrittles it.

 

[Topher]

+1 on the Flitz, that's what I use also.
I'm gonna have to try the dryer sheet.
You using a new or used sheet?

New Dryer sheet.
You can also user a dryer sheet to clean some of the dirt out of the media.
It does okay ... Not a miracle worker but will make a marginal difference.

 

[mr phil]

Agree on Flitz... They sell a brass tumbling formula for tumblers. Looks like this:

Dont use Flitz paste in tumblers, it takes too long to spread into the media. When you add the liquid Flitz, let the tumbler run with just the media (no brass) for about 10- 15 minutes until the media is not longer clumpy. Otherwise the media gets caked inside your brass, and is harder to get out.

Flitz makes a few different products. If you cannot find the brass tumbler media polish, orginal Flitz formula in liquid form works well too.

I hadnt had too much luck with dryer sheets. Usally wetting the media with polish keeps the dust down.

Be carefull with adding other polishes to your media. Stay away from Brasso, or any cleaners containing ammonia (Brasso does!) as it reacts to the copper in brass, and imbrittles it.

Yes. This.
I use the paste in the little tubes and never had a problem and the brass looks like new.

 

[stu929]

I use mothers wheel polish because I could never find flitz in stores locally it works well.

I have cut dryer sheets and tossed them in seemed to help with the dust.

 

[DocAitch]

I also add a couple of table spoons of mineral spirits to the mix to hold down the dust.
It has been my experience that I get a better polish using corn cob media with either Dillon's brass polish or Frankford Arsenal brass polish (never tried Flitz), the walnut gives a duller finish.
I don't like the walnut media treated with jeweler's rouge because the rouge gets onto everything.
I also rarely tumble more than 2 hours unless I walk away and forget the tumbler(it sits on the parking pad in front of the garage so less fire danger).
My end point is brass which will not scour my dies or firearms, I like shiny but don't obsess over it.
DocAitch

 

[Deep Creek Rock]

I also add a couple of table spoons of mineral spirits to the mix to hold down the dust.
It has been my experience that I get a better polish using corn cob media with either Dillon's brass polish or Frankford Arsenal brass polish (never tried Flitz), the walnut gives a duller finish.
I don't like the walnut media treated with jeweler's rouge because the rouge gets onto everything.
DocAitch

I agree with the cob media. I prefer it over walnut. Lyman Green treated cob media works well. I just buy that stuff, and not worry about the small difference in price.

A rule of thumb walnut is a better cleaner, corn cob is a better polisher.

 

[BUFF7MM]

Anybody ever do a half cob half walnut mix?

 

[stu929]

Anybody ever do a half cob half walnut mix?

That's what I currently use half and half with mothers wheel polish

 

[Glaron]

Just a thought. Two sets of cleaner material. One for the dirty brass, one for cleaner. Once you have stanked up the media. Put the brass in fresh media. I think you will see a difference. Rolling brass in its own dirt will only get you so far.

 

[BUFF7MM]

That's what I currently use half and half with mothers wheel polish

Does it seem to work better than just one media or the other, or can't you really tell?

I've not had a problem with my brass not being shiny and also clean with the walnut, it seems to be somewhere between fine to medium grit.

 

[Pinecone]

I use corn cob media. And Dillon polish.

I just want to get the brass clean to protect my dies, I don't care about a high polish.

 

[stu929]

Does it seem to work better than just one media or the other, or can't you really tell?

I've not had a problem with my brass not being shiny and also clean with the walnut, it seems to be somewhere between fine to medium grit.

Don't notice a huge difference though the walnut is much finer. I have a digital timer so I push a button and walk away and it runs for 3 hours and it usually come out looking like new. I will go take a few pics.

 

[BRONZ]

How do you all keep the media/polish out of the primer pocket.

 

[Mdeng]

How do you all keep the media/polish out of the primer pocket.

Tumble the brass before depriming/sizing. This will also help keep your dies clean.

I use 2 tumblers one for walnut lizard media and one for lyman corncob media. Dirty brass goes into the walnut first, gets seperated and inspected then into the corncob for a bright shine. To shut the tumblers off I have a old darkroom timer.