Brass revision high polish

[DesertEagleCal50]

Hi

My refurbished brass gets marks on the surface. What can I do ?

 

I deprime first and then run the brass in the wet tumbler for hours with a bit Pril Detergent and some citric acid.

After I wash the brass with clean water and dry them in a oven.

 

The brass gets more and more dark yellow and on the surface marks over all.

I tried baking powed to stop the acid, but that made the surface matt, no shine any more.

 

Could you tell me what I am doing wrong? THX

[Steve RA]

I use Dawn and vinegar and have never had that problem.  You might try rolling the brass around in an old bath towel for a minute or so before placing in the oven.  That should get any water spots on the outside off, that might be what is causing the spots on the brass.

[Bkreutz]

I use Turtle Wax "Wash and Wax" and a dash of Lemi Shine. I tumble without pins for a couple of hours, rinse, and air dry on towels. (I do roll the brass back and forth on a couple of different towels and on the last towel, I kind of wipe at the brass). Outdoors in the summer, it dries in a couple of hours (I don't deprime first). In rainy or winter weather, they dry in a few days in my heated shop. I've done a couple of hundred K this way and haven't had any spotting problems, the wash and wax cured the darkening effect.

[DesertEagleCal50]

Hi

Thx, I thought of the towel dry a view minutes before and just did it, test without the dryer now is running.

 

The Wax I think would help a lot, how do you use it. Just a cap into the tumbler with the brass and no citric acid ?

 

I use the Federal Tumbler and about 3/4 fill in of brass, warm water and 0,5kg steel pins. 

[Ken6PPC]

2 hours ago, DesertEagleCal50 said:

Hi

My refurbished brass gets marks on the surface. What can I do ?

 

I deprime first and then run the brass in the wet tumbler for hours with a bit Pril Detergent and some citric acid.

After I wash the brass with clean water and dry them in a oven.

 

The brass gets more and more dark yellow and on the surface marks over all.

I tried baking powed to stop the acid, but that made the surface matt, no shine any more.

 

Could you tell me what I am doing wrong? THX

 

You could try using less citric acid. 

 

I use Lemi-Shine, and I have found that if I use a little too much, the brass turns color.  

 

[DesertEagleCal50]

Hi
I already did. But more not less, have to try les thx!
Possible to use Shine & Wax ?

Gesendet von meinem Nexus 6 mit Tapatalk

[Ken6PPC]

I use Armor All Wash and Wax for the detergent.  I don't know if that is available to you or not, but it helps to eliminate water spotting on my brass.  

 

 

[Bkreutz]

1 hour ago, DesertEagleCal50 said:

Hi
I already did. But more not less, have to try les thx!
Possible to use Shine & Wax ?

Gesendet von meinem Nexus 6 mit Tapatalk
 

 

Not sure of what's available in Germany/Austria/Switzerland, (been almost 40 years since I lived there, I'm sure things have changed) but I'm somewhat sure there is some kind of wash and wax combination liquid available there.

[practical_man]

5 hours ago, Bkreutz said:

I use Turtle Wax "Wash and Wax" and a dash of Lemi Shine. I tumble without pins for a couple of hours, rinse, and air dry on towels. (I do roll the brass back and forth on a couple of different towels and on the last towel, I kind of wipe at the brass). Outdoors in the summer, it dries in a couple of hours (I don't deprime first). In rainy or winter weather, they dry in a few days in my heated shop. I've done a couple of hundred K this way and haven't had any spotting problems, the wash and wax cured the darkening effect.

 

Please tell us about your tumbler. Looks like a modified cement mixer...

 

thanks

[Bkreutz]

It is a modified Harbor Freight cement mixer, I stuffed a paint pail into it because the mixer wasn't waterproof and I didn't want water all over my shop floor. I glued some PVC strips for agitation. If I ever replace the mixer, I'll spend a bit more and get the Lowe's mixer that has a plastic drum. At the time I started this, I wasn't sure how it would work so I went as cheap as possible. The motor on the HF mixer is getting wonky, I have to start the rotation by hand and then hit the switch for it to work. If it ever completely fails (or I get tired of the "push start", I'll replace it and advertize the mixer as a free item to local shooters who want to fool with replacing the motor (or ballast)

[DesertEagleCal50]

Found a Wash&Wax Bottle at the car staff. Tumbler is running ! Thx

- 1. attempt - only wash&wax = not glaze at all, no shine

- 2. attempt - wash&wax and citric acid = perfect shine , before drying and ageing

- 3. attempt - citric acid, after cleaning in water with wash&wax = perfect shine, before drying and ageing

 

# differences in 2. and 3. attempt will be shown in the next days.

Edited August 27, 2017 by DesertEagleCal50

[Steve RA]

Are you using pins ??   Also, with the Armor All I'd use some amount of of acid with it.  Not much, though.  Also, don't tumble for too long as I've found that anything over a couple of hours is detrimental to the finish appearance.

Here are some .223s I did.  I just run them back and forth in the folded towel and spread them out one the towel and they dry pretty rapidly.  (I also deprime before tumbling)

 

http://i1194.photobucket.com/albums/aa376/SteveRA2/P1000288_zpsd13b58ef.jpg[/IMG]

 

 

[DesertEagleCal50]

Hi

last post didn't show up here ?? OK, again.

 

I tumble with the Federal Tumbler 3/4 full of brass(about 10-12kg). 1-3 x 25g Citric acid depending on the dirt also the shot of Pril dish soap.

2-3x 25g is needed to get the shine I want in the first attempt.

1x25g only for the second attempt.

Now the experiments with the Wash&Wax because without they loose their shine and get marks (water, Lime).

Seams that it is not important if the Wash&Wax is in the Tumbler with the acid, or the brass gets cleand and seperated in the Federal Media Separator with Wash&Wax there.