Pin tumbled brass looks like oil rubbed bronze...why?

Dultimatpredator

Dultimatpredator

Well-known member
I have pin tumbled about a couple thousand casings now and they look great. I have been using lemishine n dish soap every time. I'm thinking I put too much lemishine in? I cleaned out the dirty water and started over with the same mixture, with a very light prinkle of lemishine this time, and put it back on the tumbler. I guess we will see if it looks better in a few hours.
 
Last edited:
I've done sever thousand in mine and I have had 1 batch turn out more of a bronze color,since I dry in the oven I do know that I left this batch in longer than normal. So that is what I'm guessing caused mine to be the color it was.
 
I have run a couple thousand cases through the tumbler with the SS media with no issues.

1.5 tablespoons of Dawn and 1/4 lemishine and a gallon of water.

IIRC you can over do the Lemishine...

How much are you using?

Also, I towel dry the cases and then pop them in old food dehydrator @ 135 degrees for about 45 minutes. Come out perfect.
 
I'm using a small rock tumbler so I only do about a 100 at a time in each batch. I just checked them on round two. One side looks new and the other batch is cleaner but not bright...more like a dull green. I m working them on round 3. I just put in a pinch of lemishine but iput in a good teaspoon when the casings turned bronze
 
Yep.. have to agree Redleg84. Sounds like you used waaaaay to much Lemishine.

Sounds as if you have a small tumbler bottles, so I would only use just a pinch! The 1/4 teaspoon recommendation is for the larger 15 pound tumblers like the Tumbler Model B. We use a gallon of water and 5 pounds of pins with 2 pounds of brass in these.
 
I use to Clean my Brass with the SS pins with all the Brass looking Great when First done, However, The longer the Brass was done the worst it looked got dull in just a few days. I now use my own formula that works great with the Brass looking new until I fire them...no messing around with the SS pins & the mess of picking them up off the floor, etc.
 
I use on of the Harbor Freight dual tumblers and here is what works best for me. In each drum I put about 60pcs of .223 with one pound of pins. I use a 1/8 tsp measuring spoon and put only 1/2 of a scoop of lemishine and about 1 tablespoon full of blue Dawn in each drum. I then fill it up to within 3/4" from the lip that the lid sits on with water. This makes it heavier than the recommended weight, but I have never had a problem. I do push start the drums when I turn it on so that the motor isn't trying to start them from a dead stop. I then let them tumble for about 4-5 hours and they come out as shiny as can be.
 
dway, they are nice & shinny when they come out, the problem is they won't stay that way for long in my experience.
 
Originally Posted By: Bmandway, they are nice & shinny when they come out, the problem is they won't stay that way for long in my experience.
If they aren't staying shiny try rinsing and drying them better. I had one batch that did that when I didn't rinse them very good.
 
Back
Top