Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 24
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    5,854
    Downloads
    2
    Uploads
    0

    Lemi Shine? What the...Wet Tumbling help needed

    OK so I got my fancy new Frankford Arsenal wet tumbler. The thing works like a charm. Beyond fantastic. I am now a forever wet tumbler fan. On the actual cleaning part it gets all the carbon off even down in the primer pockets. Pretty awesome stuff. Inside the cases, outside, the primer pockets... all very clean.

    That said, when I used the Frankford Arsenal little sample pack all that brass came out all shiny and new looking and is STILL shiny and new looking.

    I got lemi shine and Dawn dish detergent and now all my brass is pretty OD green. It tarnished in no time flat (like a day or so). It will definitely still shoot so there is no question about function... but what do I need to use to get my brass looking all shiny and good? So far the Lemi Shine+Dawn thing isn't doing it for me.

    So many people swear by it so apparently I am doing something wrong. I might end up having to buy more store bought polish because this home brew stuff isn't doing the trick.

    Anyone got any tips or tricks for me?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Posts
    2,101
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0
    OD brass? Got a pic? I don't know anything about wet tumbling, I just want to see what OD brass looks like.
    -One Nation, Under God

    -"The bad news is time flies. The good news is you're the pilot." ~ Michael Althsuler

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    5,854
    Downloads
    2
    Uploads
    0
    Quote Originally Posted by Aragorn View Post
    OD brass? Got a pic? I don't know anything about wet tumbling, I just want to see what OD brass looks like.
    It looks tarnished. Sort of like a shade of steel cased ammo only it's brass and a bit army green color (at least some of it).

    I also guess I didn't rinse the brass off well enough because it has detergent that has dried up on the cases.

    I might should just buy some of this stuff and call it a day, but if there is a cheaper alternative that works I will do that. Before I continue to just buy random stuff I would like to know what works and what doesn't.

    Name:  41ACB18nEqL._SY300_.jpg
Views: 4347
Size:  9.6 KB

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Posts
    1,583
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0
    How much dawn and lemishine are you using? How much water?

    I do 500-600 cases at a time. Fill water to an inch above the cases. Big squirt of dawn. Tumble for 3 hours. This is without the stainless pins, done as a first pass before I decap/resize/trim on my 650.

    Brass comes back clean but not super shiny. After I resize, I do the exact same tumble again, except with the stainless pins and a teaspoonof lemishine. Comes out super bright.

    When I first started using the Frankford I had the same issues with color. It was caused by using too little dawn and too much water.
    Will - Owner of Arisaka LLC - http://www.arisakadefense.com

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    5,854
    Downloads
    2
    Uploads
    0
    Quote Originally Posted by Slippers View Post
    How much dawn and lemishine are you using? How much water?

    I do 500-600 cases at a time. Fill water to an inch above the cases. Big squirt of dawn. Tumble for 3 hours. This is without the stainless pins, done as a first pass before I decap/resize/trim on my 650.

    Brass comes back clean but not super shiny. After I resize, I do the exact same tumble again, except with the stainless pins and a teaspoonof lemishine. Comes out super bright.

    When I first started using the Frankford I had the same issues with color. It was caused by using too little dawn and too much water.
    I am using the frankford arsenal rotary tumbler. The specs say it has a 7 liter capacity.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    5,854
    Downloads
    2
    Uploads
    0
    Quote Originally Posted by Slippers View Post
    How much dawn and lemishine are you using? How much water?

    I do 500-600 cases at a time. Fill water to an inch above the cases. Big squirt of dawn. Tumble for 3 hours. This is without the stainless pins, done as a first pass before I decap/resize/trim on my 650.

    Brass comes back clean but not super shiny. After I resize, I do the exact same tumble again, except with the stainless pins and a teaspoonof lemishine. Comes out super bright.

    When I first started using the Frankford I had the same issues with color. It was caused by using too little dawn and too much water.
    With the extra Dawn and teaspoon of lemi shine did your brass stay shiny? Or did it tarnish after a day or two?
    Last edited by alamo5000; 2 August 2016 at 17:37.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Posts
    1,583
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0
    I'm using the same tumbler, otherwise I wouldn't have chimed in. My brass does not tarnish.
    Will - Owner of Arisaka LLC - http://www.arisakadefense.com

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    5,854
    Downloads
    2
    Uploads
    0
    Quote Originally Posted by Slippers View Post
    I'm using the same tumbler, otherwise I wouldn't have chimed in. My brass does not tarnish.
    Cool. Thanks! I am following your instructions and I will report back.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Posts
    1,583
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0
    Tumbled this batch about 4 months ago, picture from right now. Obviously this is after my decap/resize/trim cycle and the second tumble with stainless pins and lemishine. I also dry my brass in a food dehydrator.

    Will - Owner of Arisaka LLC - http://www.arisakadefense.com

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    5,854
    Downloads
    2
    Uploads
    0
    Quote Originally Posted by Slippers View Post
    Tumbled this batch about 4 months ago, picture from right now. Obviously this is after my decap/resize/trim cycle and the second tumble with stainless pins and lemishine. I also dry my brass in a food dehydrator.

    That looks very good. After your last tumble do you rinse and if so do you do anything special in that regard?

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Posts
    1,583
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0
    Quote Originally Posted by alamo5000 View Post
    That looks very good. After your last tumble do you rinse and if so do you do anything special in that regard?
    Yes, rinse thoroughly by leaving the sealed cap on one side, vented cap on other. Dump it carefully so your stainless pins don't fall out. Fill it again, and repeat about a dozen times until the water is coming out clean and there's no more soap evident.

    On the last water dump, I get out as much as I can, then upend it into one of the big green RCBS media separators. Close it, crank it back and forth until all the stainless pins fall out. Then the brass goes into my food dehydrator.
    Will - Owner of Arisaka LLC - http://www.arisakadefense.com

  12. #12
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Posts
    4,676
    Downloads
    3
    Uploads
    0
    that frankford stuff isnt the best by far. I have an ultrasonic cleaner and it doesn't do near as well as compared to what slippers mentioned. Trust me when he speaks I listen, well usually...

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    5,854
    Downloads
    2
    Uploads
    0
    Quote Originally Posted by Dstrbdmedic167 View Post
    that frankford stuff isnt the best by far. I have an ultrasonic cleaner and it doesn't do near as well as compared to what slippers mentioned. Trust me when he speaks I listen, well usually...
    He has my undivided attention. I am already on the case. I have already seen a remarkable improvement just through a short tumble. When I get more daylight tomorrow I will give it a go.

    I dumped out some water and added more Dawn and in a very short tumble I already see a big improvement.

    I will report back later.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Location
    Alaska
    Posts
    648
    Downloads
    2
    Uploads
    0
    I'm very happy with my FA tumbler. I've been following this recipe/, and it's worked well for me. I first dump everything into a 5 gallon bucket, as not to lose any media. Then I rinse it out 5-10 more times until I'm happy with the lack of bubbles. No tarnish so far.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Sep 2015
    Location
    OKC
    Posts
    458
    Downloads
    5
    Uploads
    1
    My "recipe" is similar to cjd3's. I've got a Thumler Tumbler and have had good results with it. 5 lbs stainless media, 2 lbs brass (approx 150 .223 cases or 80 .308 cases), fill drum with water to 1" from top (1 gallon of water), use 2 tbsp dawn, 1 tsp lemi-shine liquid. Tumble for 3-4 hours. After tumbling I drain the grey waste, fill with cold water and drain again...repeat about 4-5 times until it's clear.

    I keep a crib sheet next to the tumbler with the info needed (2 tbsp dawn/1 tsp lemi-shine, #rounds/lb) so I don't have to look it up every time.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •