Nimitz Posted June 7, 2012 Share Posted June 7, 2012 I bought a bottle of the Dillon polish with my new setup but when I put some in my first batch last night it kinda reminded me of Brasso, which is a lot cheaper. can you use something like that for polishing brass in the case cleaner? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cotys Posted June 7, 2012 Share Posted June 7, 2012 (edited) I've used Dillon, Lymon and Frankford Arsenal. Recently have been mostly Frankford Arsenal due to its fresh citrus smell (sarcasm). They seem to all be about the same from my experience. I just stick some Frankford Arsenal on a Midway USA order to cut down on shipping costs. Forgot to mention brasso. I know some people use it, it does contain ammonia, which supposedly harms brass over time. The tumbler solution you buy does not contain ammonia. Real problem, or a reason for 200% markup??? Anyway, brasso doesn't have that fresh citrus smell. Here's a link where a brasso user thinks he is seeing split brass in long term stored ammo. Brasso User Edited June 7, 2012 by Cotys Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Balko Posted June 7, 2012 Share Posted June 7, 2012 Flitz Tumbler and Media Additive. Safe and works great with (in my opinion) no oder issues. Find it at Midway USA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdphotoguy Posted June 7, 2012 Share Posted June 7, 2012 I add about an ounce or so of NuFinish car polish and low order mineral spirits to my tumbler and it does a great job of cleaning and polishing. Both are cheap and easy to find. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 7, 2012 Share Posted June 7, 2012 ^^^^ What JDphotoguy said. I like the dillon polish a lot but it is a little pricey. Been using a big bottle of the frankford arsenal stuff lately, but I really don't like smell or the way it clumps the walnut media together. Looking forward to using it all up so it is gone. The NuFinish with a little mineral spirits works great, has no side effects, and is the most cost effective polish mix I've found. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimitz Posted June 7, 2012 Author Share Posted June 7, 2012 Cool, I have lots of mineral spirits around because of my custom woodshop business ... best of all it's a business expense! What's your ratio of mineral spirits to NuFinish? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pigdawg Posted June 7, 2012 Share Posted June 7, 2012 (edited) I add about an ounce or so of NuFinish car polish and low order mineral spirits to my tumbler and it does a great job of cleaning and polishing. Both are cheap and easy to find. +1 CHEAP and works great I enough mineral spirits to just thin the NuFinish out so it doesnt clump to bad in the media. I also let it run in the tumbler for about 10 mins and get mixed up before I add the brass. Edited June 7, 2012 by Pigdawg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimitz Posted June 7, 2012 Author Share Posted June 7, 2012 roger, thx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperD Posted June 7, 2012 Share Posted June 7, 2012 I add about an ounce or so of NuFinish car polish and low order mineral spirits to my tumbler and it does a great job of cleaning and polishing. Both are cheap and easy to find. +1 CHEAP and works great I enough mineral spirits to just thin the NuFinish out so it doesnt clump to bad in the media. I also let it run in the tumbler for about 10 mins and get mixed up before I add the brass. +1 That's exactly the process I use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve RA Posted June 7, 2012 Share Posted June 7, 2012 Brasso used to be good, now the formula has been changed and it doesn't seem to do much of anything. I use Nu-Finish also, just use it straight and run the tumbler without any brass until the clumps break up. Use a little rubbing alcohol when the container is empty, shake real well, and it will get some more off the container walls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BayouSlide Posted June 7, 2012 Share Posted June 7, 2012 Iosso with a dash of mineral spirits along with loooong tumble times...I like shiny brass. Curtis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 This evening was over at BJ's (like costco) and saw they had a three dollar off special for two-pak 20oz. bottles (40oz total) of NuFinish for 12 bones. I got two of the two-paks. My wonderfully sweet wife kindly asked what I was going to do with that much wax, and...thinking fast...told her I needed to wax the boat. I don't think I fooled her though as our boat isn't all that big. Anyway, that is a good price for NuFinish if you have a BJ's nearby. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradhe Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 steel media and a rotary tumbler is so much better than any media. Brass is cleaner and shinerier than new Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimitz Posted June 8, 2012 Author Share Posted June 8, 2012 Does Walmart sell NuFinish? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Youngeyes Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 I'm using powdered red polishing rouge with a cap full of mineral spirits. Nothing else I've tried gets the brass as shiney. If you try it you won't go back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve RA Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 Agree on the steel pin tumbling, after that, we tumble in walnut to dry the cases and then in corncob with Nu-Finish. Looks real slick and doesn't take a whole lot more time or effort. Time is for loading/unloading everything, not actual running time for the equipment. Unless, of course, you like watching things go around or vibrate !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndyArcher Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 Does Walmart sell NuFinish? Yes. I've seen Nu Finish @ most of the larger discount department stores as well as auto parts stores. My last bottle at Wal-mart ran about $7.50 for a 16 oz. bottle, I believe. For my walnut media I also use Zilla Ground Walnut Reptile Bedding. It's ground very small and works great on brass with smaller necks like .223. I tumbled 400 rounds of .223 yesterday and after dumping the brass, I had not a single piece with media stuck in it. It's not going to make reloading cheap, but it definitely saves a few pennies and works just as well, IMO, as buying the 'reloading specific' materials. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcracco Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 Does Walmart sell NuFinish? They sure do. Frankly, all I have ever used is Lyman's treated corn cob media and maybe a dash of their rejuvenator after using a batch for 6 months. Should probably change the media more than once a year but it still seems to work. But with all this talk I did pick up a bottle of Flitz at Cabella's so I will have to give that a try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Vark WSO Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 Hi bradhe - Don't want to make the thread drift too far off the OP's question. I started using SS media in a tumbler about a year ago and got spectacular results initially. Using 5 lbs. pins, 1/2 gallon water, tablespoon Dawn dish soap, and varying amounts of crystal LemiShine (1/8 to 1/2 teaspoon). I had 45 ACP range pick up brass quite tarnished come out looking near new. Now tumbling 38 Special - they come out clean - but shiny? - not really. What are you mixing with your SS media? I am trying to replicate my first batches of brass with not much luck. Any tips appreciated. OVW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FAZZ Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 I also use Nu finish and oderless mineral spirits. The mineral spirits also works great getting the case lube off finished rounds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FAZZ Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 I forgot to add I also throw in a sheet of fabric softner to cut down on the dust. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve RA Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 We use vinegar with water, one quart of 5% vinegar to 3 quarts of water and a good shot of Dawn dishwashing liquid. After seperating the cases and pins, shake back and forth in an old towel to get the bulk of the water off and then tumble in walnut for 20 or 30 minutes to get completely dry and then in corncob with Nu-Finish for 30 minutes or so for the final polish. Sounds like a lot of time and effort involved - but it really doesn't take long for the loading and unloading process. The cases are deprimed and sized before the above, of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retread1911 Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 I also use Nu finish and oderless mineral spirits. The mineral spirits also works great getting the case lube off finished rounds. I use this too for removing the case lube after processing 223. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BullyDog Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 After all these years and trying everything Nu finish works the best. When I am done I just throw the brass on a large towel to clean off any residue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lneel Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 NuFinnish is very, very good......IOSSO is the best. Expensive, but does a fabulous job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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