How to get the 9MM brass from the carbine clean?

[Dan_69GTX]

? For those of you not gifted with metal cutting tools, let me point out that a similar frame made of 2x4's will work just as well... maybe even better. The trick for a long lasting wooden frame is to assemble it with 3" long deck screws, and not nails.

? By standing the 2x4 on edge and presenting the broad face, opens up another area of cost saving. In place of buying bearings pre-mounted in metal frames, as the guy on AR15.Com did, you can bore 1-1/8" holes in the wood and use "flanged bearings" such as THESE ON EBAY. That will save you half the cost of the bearings.

Those bearings have 1/2" ID and can be used with 1/2" shafts. 1/2" should be easy to find V-belt pulleys (sheaves) for.

 

Thanks for the link to the flanged gearings.

However, Ummm, I don't think my welder will work on the wood.

[M1A4ME]

Well, the 9MM brass was put into the clean looking walnut shell media and this morning it was really pretty.  Used that for the 9MM because there was 150/200 pieces vs. about 40 pieces of dirty/stained .223 brass.

Pull the .223 brass out of the dirty/dark media and it looked better than the last two runs (flushing water or drying out the media prior to the run??  I don't know, maybe a combination of both) but still had some light gray staining on it.

I dumped the really dirty media and put new stuff (crushed walnut shells) into that vibratory cleaner and dropped the couple of boxes of .223 brass into the same cleaner the 9Mm brass came out of, then set the timer for 4 hrs.

Even if I can't say for sure what was causing the problem I know how to keep from repeating it.

[Wobbly]

I added a graphic to my last post on page 2.



I'd go simple, and use LocTite thread locker to locate and hold the bearings onto the shafts. Or if you were really good at cutting your heat shrink (which you need to get traction between the shafts and container), then the heat shrink could locate the bearings.

There is no axial thrust created by rotating the container, so locating the shafts in the bearings does not require set screws or a lot of other expensive hardware like bearing collars and such.

KISS - Keep It Simple, Stupid !!

Just my 2 cents.

[Wobbly]

New one...

[double-d]

I have about 85% of the material to build one of these.  Just need the remaining 15%....... and some free time.

? For those of you not gifted with metal cutting tools, let me point out that a similar frame made of 2x4's will work just as well... maybe even better.

Since I prefer self centering & grease-able pillow block bearings, I'm going down the more robust road.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/UCP201-8-Pillow-Block-Bearing-1-2-Bore-2-Bolt-Solid-Base-4PCS-/222263606513?hash=item33bff17cf1

I already own non-gifted metal working tools and equipment (which I utilize for a much larger hobby of mine), it should be an enjoyable welded project ..... when I can find the time. 

Sorry for the slight hijack M1A


 

[M1A4ME]

Hey, I don't have hijack issues.  I'm as guilty as the next guy.

And, you guys have got me thinking about building a bigger tumbler.   My new tube (PVC one I just finished) has more internal space than the two small HF versions that came with my tumbler.  It may be fine.   With the smaller units I was sometimes running 2 two container batches a day for a couple/three days when I ran across a particularly nasty batch of brass (had that happen last summer with some GI 7.62X51 brass and can only speculate why it looked okay when I separated it by headstamp and then a couple months later some of it was turning greenish/black).

Sometimes a BIG unit might be handy.

[Wobbly]

Yes, there's no problem building a larger tumbler frame for a bigger container. The real problem is finding a larger container with parallel sides.

I guess a really smart guy could figure out the taper in a standard 5 gal bucket and make some wheels for the small end so that the bucket would run straight on the rollers.

Hmmmm.

[M1A4ME]

The one in that arfcom thread looked like larger diameter PVC pipe with a transition/neckdown piece glued (screwed??) to one end and a big cap on the other.  It's got a sort of water jug shape to it.

I only wet clean the really nasty stuff.  Usually, when I come back from the range, I sort the brass and toss it in the vibratory cleaners that evening.  Waited one time, after a hot/humid/nasty trip and a few days later the brass was turning green from the sweat/salts, etc.  Did a lot of wet/ss pin cleaning after that debacle.

[painter]

Yes, there's no problem building a larger tumbler frame for a bigger container. The real problem is finding a larger container with parallel sides.

I guess a really smart guy could figure out the taper in a standard 5 gal bucket and make some wheels for the small end so that the bucket would run straight on the rollers.

Hmmmm.

Do we know anyone with math skilllz?

[m1a_scoutguy]

So I guess I'll add my 2 cents worth! I have used 2/3 Green Lyman Treated Corn Cob & 1/3 of the Red Treated Walnut and its killer! It works great, lasts a long time and very little if any dust until its whipped/worn out! Got this ideal from a buddy that probably loads 50K 9mm/45acp a year! I have been using it for several years now with great results, yea the Lyman brand costs a little more but for me, its the buy once/cry once situation, the stuff works that good I feel & if you buy the BIG box's of it they are pretty fair priced. When the media gets a little wore out I'll start throwing dryer sheets in with it and that helps. I understand the whole Wet super shiny tumbling thing but waaay too much messing around for me,, I'm all about fewer steps, not more,,LOL ! Give it a try I think you will be pleasantly surprised on how well this works.

I apologize but I can't help myself!  I never realized that such a simple thing as cleaning some brass could turn into such a project of unprecedented size! Yes tons of good info and lots of ways to go about cleaning brass, but man oh man guys, it looks like its taking 3 days to clean some brass,,LOL Not really but this is turning into a bigger project than in ever should be. I understand some guys/gals want need it to look like new every time and that's fine if that's what ya want, BUT it can be a one/two step ordeal really. Anyways, I'll shut up and mind my own business but I did "quote" and repost my thoughts on the whole ordeal. If it didn't work fantastic and faaaast I would keep to myself. Hope I didn't step on any toes. 

[aussie57]

I process thousands of rounds each month and just use Lyman green treated corn cob media. I have spoken to the people at Dillon before about wet tumbling pistol brass and they do not recommend it unless you lube the brass prior to running it through the press like with rifle cases. Per Dillon it causes the complaint of "my brass sticks on my powder die". The treated corn cob media with polishing compound coats the brass acting like a case lube allowing easier operation through the press. Brass does not need to "look like new" and be nice and shiny for good reloading results. We are reloading ammo not making jewelry.

[CzechnoWizard]

I use a brass cleaner in my vibratory cleaner with corn cob media.
Works well for me.

Me too. Lyman liquid case polish. Add a couple of capfuls to the untreated corn cob. Run it a few minutes then add brass. Really filthy brass usually gets 4 hours on the timer. Comes out literally better than new. Retreat the media maybe every 10th time I use it. I use the same corn cob media a couple years, cleaning a couple hundred rounds a week.
The OCD in me has added one more step. I have a second vibratory cleaner containing clean un treated media. Cases come out of the 1st unit shiny but perhaps a little hazy or greasy. They then go into the second unit for 15 minutes. That does a beautiful job of buffing away the haze and absorbing any excess polish. Basically wax on/wax off.
 When the treated media finally becomes too broken down and filthy, I discard it. I take the media from unit 2, add polish and it becomes my stage 1 media. New media goes in unit 2 and I'm good for another couple years.

[double-d]

I lube all cases I'm reloading, even those going through carbide dies. 

I own some expensive European bolt action rifles and want my cases to be as clean as possible, my semi-auto stuff not so much. But hey, as long as I have the equipment might as well do all of it.  Pretty simple really, some soap & water wash...fresh water rinse.. dry (like doing dishes).  Really doesn't take much more time than doing media tumbling and without the dust.
I myself can't find anything wrong with bright shiny jewelry looking brass plus it gives me the pleasure of building something else useful in my shop. 

ymmv

[M1A4ME]

I only do a small fraction of the brass I reload.  Thru the water/ss pin/lemi shine/rock tumbler cleaning.  All of it goes through the vibratory cleaner prior to be resized and the rifle brass goes again after resizing to remove the traces of resizing lubricant (been doing it that way for years but if I determine that's part of my problem this time I might stop doing that.)

The brass that goes through the water/ss pins/lemi shine/rock tumbler is a combination of range pickup brass that is badly discolored/slight corrosion either all over or just in areas that the vibratory cleaners will not remove.  I sometimes run brass 4 to 8 hours and then give up and put the really dirty pieces that won't come clean in the heavy duty cleaner.

This time there was some 9MM brass from the AR15 carbine that is blow back operated.  Right at half the brass case is black and the crushed walnut shell media/vibratory cleaner won't take it off even after 8 hours.  That stuff has got to build up over time if not removed.

[lewmed]

 Brass fired in a auto gun with a fluted chamber or fired in a 9mm carbine with a blow back system is the worst nasty burned brass to clean. The only way I've found to clean it is to wet tumble with stainless steel pins the tumbler I use will clean 22 pounds per load. Some people deprime their brass before cleaning I don't.  I clean and rinse then dry in the sun or a large food dehydrator it takes about 3 hours total per load.
 I've got about 60 pounds of 9mm brass to clean next week and I'm going to try a new cleaning concentrate from DVC Armory it's said to only take 10 min. I'll let you know if it works.