How to get brass nice and shinny?

[lonewolf23c]

I'm just getting ready to buy a Tumbler, what should I look for? Any specific brand?

 

[country_boy]

I got a hornady with a off/on switch built into the cord. It works just fine and its fairly quite. I put a beach blanket down and some of that non slip rubber padding and it cut the noise and rattle down.

 

[lonewolf23c]

I got a hornady with a off/on switch built into the cord. It works just fine and its fairly quite. I put a beach blanket down and some of that non slip rubber padding and it cut the noise and rattle down.

Ok, thanks. I was leaning towards a Hornady, guess that's cause I have a Hornady LNL Press. Gotta keep the brand going I guess.

 

[Alpha.Geek]

Don't use Brasso it contains Amonia which will weaken brass cases!

Many people mention they have used Brasso for 20+ years of brass tumbling,
w/out issue.

brasso tumble brass 20 years - Google Search

www.google.com

 

[GasGuzzler]

Many people mention they have used Brasso for 20+ years of brass tumbling,
w/out issue.

brasso tumble brass 20 years - Google Search

www.google.com

You revived a 13 year old topic and Brasso is bad for brass.

If the OP is still alive I'd like to know what shinny means.

I wet tumbled with no pins in boiling water, a drop of Dawn, and about 20 granules of Lemi-Shine, rinse and dry.

Shiny brass doesn't work any better than dull. In fact it causes trouble at times.

 

[KSPony]

I used to use walnut media in a vibrating tumbler. Never had an issue getting polished but had to leave it running for a ridiculous amount of time. Finally switched over to a wet tumbler with stainless pins. In short it's awesome. Cases come out completely clean inside and out, even the primer pockets. And with no media dust/residue.

 

[KSPony]

I'm just getting ready to buy a Tumbler, what should I look for? Any specific brand?

Brand is subjective like anything else. The motor is really the only part you might need to consider aside from capacity. Most brands are made in China or Mexico so I don't believe you'll see a noticeable difference in quality on vibrating tumblers between brands.

As stated in my previous post I prefer the wet tumblers with stainless steel media pins. I use the Extreme Rebel 17 rotary tumbler but there are many options to choose from a budget option like Frankford Arsenal and up from there. All depends on your budget and volume requirements. I chose the Rebel 17 to get away from plastic as much as possible and the fact the motor size can easily handle the drum capacity.

 

[KSPony]

You revived a 13 year old topic and Brasso is bad for brass.

If the OP is still alive I'd like to know what shinny means.

I wet tumbled with no pins in boiling water, a drop of Dawn, and about 20 granules of Lemi-Shine, rinse and dry.

Shiny brass doesn't work any better than dull. In fact it causes trouble at times.

HAHAHA...Didn't even notice the dates on the original thread before posting

 

[Army 1911]

Poor situational awareness

 

[Riksors]

Walnut tumbling was yesterday

Wet tumbling is today

Air tumbling is tomorrow - because of inflation, there’s none to tumble lol.

 

[twarr1]

For high shine brass I dry tumble, then tumble in a rotary wet tumbler, Sometimes I skip the vibratory tumbler for already-clean brass.

 

[Geezer]

I used to use corn cob media and squirt some cheap liquid car wax in it and tumble for a little while.

 

[deemus]

I use a little Flitz in my walnut media before I sell a gun.

 

[Tnhawk]

I used to use walnut media in a vibrating tumbler. Never had an issue getting polished but had to leave it running for a ridiculous amount of time. Finally switched over to a wet tumbler with stainless pins. In short it's awesome. Cases come out completely clean inside and out, even the primer pockets. And with no media dust/residue.

I use a vibrating tumbler with walnut media. It runs in the garage so the noise isn't a problem.

 

[paknheat]

I use a vibrating tumbler with walnut media. It runs in the garage so the noise isn't a problem.

I keep my tumbler in the garage too. Got it sitting on a rubber mat.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[schmellba99]

Wet tumble with a tbsp of Armor All Wash-N-Wax and about a teaspoon of citric acid/Lemishine. Works like a champ, only have to run the tumbler for about 3 hours and no dust to deal with. I haven't started up my vibratory tumbler in probably 10 years now, not sure I ever will again either.

 

[kmcn762]

Yep wet tumbler w/ SS pins is the way to go for super shiny brass. Hot water, some liquid soap like dawn, and a .45 ACP case of Lemishine for acid.

 

[twarr1]

Wet tumble with a tbsp of Armor All Wash-N-Wax and about a teaspoon of citric acid/Lemishine. Works like a champ, only have to run the tumbler for about 3 hours and no dust to deal with. I haven't started up my vibratory tumbler in probably 10 years now, not sure I ever will again either.

I actually bought a bottle of Wash-n-Wax to try in the wet tumbler but never tried it.
Some of my brass may sit for 1-2 years before I reload that caliber, how is the longevity when using your method? I would think the wax would help keep the brass clean.

 

[hornetguy]

I've been using a vibratory (LYMAN) cleaner for years, and I always use the corncob media, and I put the Lyman liquid polishing compound in it when replacing the media, and it almost never needs to be added. If so, just add a little more of the compound, and go again.
I run mine for approx 3-4 hours, and my brass comes out really clean.... I don't know if you'd call it "shiny" but it's very clean, sort of low gloss.
I recently bought a rotary tumbler and steel pins, and have done one or two batches using water and some sort of cleaner like Lemi-Shine (sp?) It cleans brass very nicely.... I imagine the longer you run it, the shinier the brass will get.

 

[Axxe55]

my main goal are clean cases for reloading if they come out bright and shinythat's just a plus but not the objective I'm looking for!corncob and walnut shell media runwith some liquid chrome polish for about two hoursworks well for me!