While cruise'n the Internet early this morning I came across a video of a guy using his ultrasonic cleaner to clean brass. I've done that! However he was using hot tap water, and added some Lemi Shine

and Mr Clean Liquid. About a table spoon of each to a full tank in the cleaner.


So what the heck! I'll try it!
Two 480 second session in my Chicago Electric Power Tool Ultrasonic Cleaner and my once fired re-sized brass was clean. Even the primer pockets.
Clean pieces in the middle and the uncleaned on the outside.

Cleaned brass after drying at low heat in my convection oven


I did not wipe my cases down before putting them in the solution. I cleaned the 50 pieces in two batches of 25. I also removed the plastic basket. I think the results were better without the basket.
Total time from start to finish cleaning and rinsing, 30 minutes and then 20 minutes in the oven.
I'm impressed!

You'll be surprize how well just with hot water and dawn dish soap works.

It sure cleaned the brass nicely. When I use my ultrasonic I just rinse the cleaned brass under the faucet, shake them a bit to remove the excess water and then into a bowl of acetone. They dry a couple of seconds after they come out of the acetone with no residue.

Off topic a bit Rusty, did you ever try roasting your own coffee? Just curious.

Ken....

Ken,
I never did. I am just buying my roasted beans directly from Corrales Coffee Co. in Costa Rica.
Great stuff!

Any solution with 15% citric acid seems to works. Try some hot water and lemon juice.

I don’t know if it works, but checking the MSDS on some of these brass cleaning products, show it as an active ingredient. By the way, citric acid (Victim C) at 15% is a Hazardous material.

I might have to try more LemiShine! My pockets don't get that clean but the brass does. I use Dawn, LemiShine, and the heater in the unit.

dont forget to tumble in car wax or they will tarnish double fast for some reason.

I actually have a case holder setup for my drill. I take a copper polish impregnated cloth and a couple of passes with that and a quick buff. . .no tarnish brass.

To much work involved for nothing.The best way to clean brass is in a vibrating tumbler with half green corn cob and half red walnut.They come out super clean in about an hour with no residue on the inside case walls.The fresher the media the faster it takes.

Too bad I gave my tumbler away!

quote:

Originally posted by shootaway:
To much work involved for nothing.The best way to clean brass is in a vibrating tumbler with half green corn cob and half red walnut.They come out super clean in about an hour with no residue on the inside case walls.The fresher the media the faster it takes.

You must use different treated media then the rest of us. Jeweler's rouge does tend to leave a "residue" behind.

Just saying .

Ken....

quote:

Originally posted by Rusty:
Ken,
I never did. I am just buying my roasted beans directly from Corrales Coffee Co. in Costa Rica.
Great stuff!

I understand. What do we need another hobby/chore to deal with.

Ken....

quote:

Originally posted by Heat:

quote:

Originally posted by shootaway:
To much work involved for nothing.The best way to clean brass is in a vibrating tumbler with half green corn cob and half red walnut.They come out super clean in about an hour with no residue on the inside case walls.The fresher the media the faster it takes.

You must use different treated media then the rest of us. Jeweler's rouge does tend to leave a "residue" behind.

Just saying .

Ken....

Not when mixed with treated corn cob.That is the purpose of mixing it with treated corn.

This is the setup I use. The cases shown here for my 300 Apex and 9.3X74R were polished a year ago. Took the case holder off a pull spin case polisher and chucked up in my cordless drill.
Quick pass with impregnated cloth and then buff with rag, and your done.
What is left on the case is no more than that of a factory case.

I like car wax.... it holds the shine

I do think I will get a ultra sonic in the future for pistol brass and AR .223 loading