Wet Tumbler SLUDGE

[Desert Dan]

I experienced an exceptionally big fail while trying out some Nu Finish in my wet tumbler yesterday and I'm not sure why, although I have a pretty good idea. I've never been able to keep my brass from going from nice and bright to a darker gold color. I have only used dawn and lemi-shine in my Frankford Arsenal tumbler lite but I have experimented with the amounts of each ingredient. No real change. I decided to try some Nu Finish in there and what I ended up with was a black sludge that stuck to EVERYTHING in the tumbler. The cases, pins, and the inside of the tumbler itself, the cap, EVERYTHING. It was so bad I had to toss the media pins because the black/gray polish stuck to them and all I have is a giant clump of slimy black and gray metal.
I'm pretty sure I neglected to clean my tumbler well enough and the polish absorbed the gunk and stuck it to everything. What really sucks is that the brass was nice new once fired ADG brass I'm using to work up my hunting load in my 6.5 PRC. It still has a layer of the gunk on it so I have to clean it all again along with a good scrubbing of the inside of my tumbler. Oh well, I guess that's what I guess for not cleaning my equipment properly. Anyone else ever have something like this happen?

 

[nhyrum]

Yeah... Nu finish isn't what you want. Get automotive car wash soap with wax in it. I get whatever is cheapest at like AutoZone

Give them a couple hours with dawn and lemishine again, that should clean them off. You shouldn't have to clean out a wet tumbler. Every once in a while I'll run it with just media, hot water and a lot of soap.

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[DoveBlaster]

Not trying to high jack the thread but what is the best way to get sparkling magazine quality brass out of a wet tumbler? I recently purchased the Frankford Arsenal and it comes with a liquid cleaner and I also got some Frankford Arsenal tide pod looking cleaners. Is the auto car wash soap the cost effective solution I’m looking for? And if money were no issue what product produces the best looking brass?


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[nhyrum]

Not trying to high jack the thread but what is the best way to get sparkling magazine quality brass out of a wet tumbler? I recently purchased the Frankford Arsenal and it comes with a liquid cleaner and I also got some Frankford Arsenal tide pod looking cleaners. Is the auto car wash soap the cost effective solution I’m looking for? And if money were no issue what product produces the best looking brass?


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Stainless CHIPS not pins, and I've got the best quality shiny brass that lasts by using hot water and car wash with carnauba. A good quality car wash will make a difference, but not a ton. If I was going cheap I'd go with the cheapest car wash and wax they have. Money no option, I buy a nice wash/wax online

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[Desert Dan]

Yeah... Nu finish isn't what you want.

I would say not lol. I've been thinking about picking up a vibratory tumbler anyway so I can clean with the wet tumbler and finish off after sizing with the dry or just use the dry for quick cleanings. I'm using my birthday present to get one. I also decided to give some cleaner made for brass tumbling so I'll see if that pans out.

 

[nhyrum]

I would say not lol. I've been thinking about picking up a vibratory tumbler anyway so I can clean with the wet tumbler and finish off after sizing with the dry or just use the dry for quick cleanings. I'm using my birthday present to get one. I also decided to give some cleaner made for brass tumbling so I'll see if that pans out.

True. Nufinish is great in a dry tumbler. Just not what you want in wet

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[N2TRKYS]

My brass looks brand new with using dish soap, lemi-shine, and the steel pins that came with my FA tumbler.

 

[Desert Dan]

My brass looks brand new with using dish soap, lemi-shine, and the steel pins that came with my FA tumbler.

How much of each do you use? I know this topic has been discussed a million times before but I always seem to end up with dark gold colored brass.

 

[N2TRKYS]

How much of each do you use? I know this topic has been discussed a million times before but I always seem to end up with dark gold colored brass.

I never measure it, so I don’t know.

 

[nhyrum]

I try to use approximately a tablespoon of car wash, about a half teaspoon of dawn platinum before I used car wash. Then about a 9mm case fill of lemishine, which is more to combat calcium/hard water, so if you've got good water you'll need less, hard water will need more.

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[Desert Dan]

Ok I'll give that a try, thanks. I have very hard water for a few more months so I'll play around with it and see if it helps. I don't need my brass to sparkle but I can't stand it looking dingy.

 

[Laelkhunter]

Desert Dan, you might be able to salvage your pins by putting some mineral spirits in the tumbler, then run the pins through a cycle. Drain the mineral spirits, and repeat with fresh mineral spirits. Might be worth a try.