Wet Tumbling Case Damage

[Brad]

I rinse my cases outside with the hose. I rinse until I no longer see any suds. I usually figure on fill/dump of the basin for my case spinner 6-7 times to make sure all soap is gone.
A little tarnish doesn’t bother me at all, I just dry in the sun and put in storage.

 

[hporter]

Dawn is basically a surfactant, lifts dirt and stuff off the metal surface.

Ric, isn't that a good property for getting the powder residue and dirt off the brass?

I am always amazed at how black the water is when I pour off the soap solution after cleaning.

Would there be a better additive to use when liquid tumbling the brass with the stainless pins?

 

[Intel6]

I use ArmorAll Wash and Wax car wash with a tiny amount of Lemishine of Citric acid. The brass comes out sparkling, and air dries without water spotting. The wax film left by the ArmorAll has been left on the cases once dried, and seems to protect well from tarnish. Alternatively, the washed cases size much easier in carbide and steel dies (handgun). I'm well satisfied with my results.

This is exactly what I use (Armorall wash & wax and citric acid from the canning department) for wet cleaning my brass and have been doing this exact thing for a few years. I typically dry in the sun (here in AZ) but the brass comes out clean and shiny with zero water spots.

 

[Rockydoc]

I use Dawn and Lemishine (which is citric acid) and hot water. After 1 ½ hrs. tumbling I open the Tumbler and sit it in the sink in the garage and run warm water in to it and stir, when it is full to the top I empty the dirty water and repeat until water comes clear. I then fill ½ full with warm water and pick the cases out of the Tumbler. The water drains out of the cases taking the pins with it back into the Tumbler. When the cases are out in a wire basket (the ones I bake PC in) I put the top back on the Tumbler and it will be ready to go with water in it for the next load.

I have a large food dehydrator if I'm in a hurry for the cases, buy if not I just leave them in the basket in the garage to dry.