I'm thinking about buying the cheap Harbor Freight US cleaner and giving it a try for my 338 Lapua brass. Anyone doing this? What chemicals do you use? If I do get the stuff, I'll post a review with pics.
I haven't tried the ultrasonic cleaning, but I'd like to know how it works out.
I got me a thumler's tumbler and the brass media. It works like a CHAMP!
You're welcome to use it, takes about an hour, then just rinse and let em dry.
I got me a thumler's tumbler and the brass media. It works like a CHAMP!
You're welcome to use it, takes about an hour, then just rinse and let em dry.
I've got a box full of 9mm I want to do and vibratory just sucks.
I'm free this weekend. I'll bet we can knock them out in no time.
Are you available today? I'm off and bored out of my mind.
Do you still have my #? Call me when you're available.
I'll give you a call.
Interesting...
I've used a Franklin Vibratory for the better part of the last 8 years. Still using the original media, refresh it with brass cleaner every 3rd or 4th use.
Dump in the brass around 8PM, turn it on (its in the garage) and the next morning the brass is all bright and shiny like new - including 99 of 100 primer holes.
Total human time involved - 10 minutes at most and almost all of that is seperating the brass from the media and then dumping the media back in the tumbler.
Ultrasonic - certainly not faster, have to mess with expensive non-reusable chems, messy liquids, gotta dry the brass...
Nope - don't get it.
What am I missing?
I told you that if you dropped those cases off I would run them through my rotary tumbler with stainless media. However, check out here, and here for more information on ultrasonic cleaning.
If you are going to get it setup just know that you usually work in smaller batches with ultrasonic than rotary tumbling.
Werewolf,
the reason the other cleaning methods have come about is due to them cleaning the inside, outside and primer pockets in a matter of a few hours, not the overnight needed for corncob or walnut (although my tumbler never cleaned the primer pockets or inside of 308/223 brass). While you do have to use additional chemicals (Lemishine and dishwashing detergent), the cost is minimal. The main costs are in the cleaners (rotary or ultrasonic) and media if you are using rotary tumbling. Then all you have to do is periodically buy more Lemishine and dishwashing detergent. I used to use a vibratory tumbler but switched to a rotary tumbler with stainless steel media and there is a difference in the clean. The rotary tumbled brass comes out with a very bright, deeper brass shine. Check this thread for some pictures of how shiny and clean brass gets with rotary tumbling and stainless steel media.
If you are going to get it setup just know that you usually work in smaller batches with ultrasonic than rotary tumbling.
Werewolf,
the reason the other cleaning methods have come about is due to them cleaning the inside, outside and primer pockets in a matter of a few hours, not the overnight needed for corncob or walnut (although my tumbler never cleaned the primer pockets or inside of 308/223 brass). While you do have to use additional chemicals (Lemishine and dishwashing detergent), the cost is minimal. The main costs are in the cleaners (rotary or ultrasonic) and media if you are using rotary tumbling. Then all you have to do is periodically buy more Lemishine and dishwashing detergent. I used to use a vibratory tumbler but switched to a rotary tumbler with stainless steel media and there is a difference in the clean. The rotary tumbled brass comes out with a very bright, deeper brass shine. Check this thread for some pictures of how shiny and clean brass gets with rotary tumbling and stainless steel media.
