Dull sticky brass after wet tumbling (?)

[Bergie]

I'm new to reloading and at the post-punched-primers stage. (5.56 brass) I threw 100 into a vibration cleaner with walnut shells and I threw about 300 into a Thumblers tumbler with steel pins, Lemishine and about a teaspoon of Dawn (as was recommended to me). The walnut shells came out just okay after running for about 5hrs. The wet-tumbled rounds I let go for about two hours and the motor was really hot, so I stopped it. I spun the wet rounds in a separator and then let the rounds dry. They dried really dull and 'sticky'. So now I have to I rub each with a paper towel to get it to shine up and become 'smooth'. Why would this be? Was adding the dish soap wrong? Maybe too many rounds in the tumbler? Not enough time? I've heard this type of cleaning gets the brass to a like-new condition, but that's not what I got! (if it's sticky on the outside, it's probably sticky on the inside of the case too. So I should probably clean them again, but don't want to make the same mistake, whatever it was)

[wrench]

Well, maybe a stupid question on my part...but did you rinse the brass in clean water to get the soap off?
I occasionally use a wet tumbler, pins, lemishine, and dawn just as you describe. I find I need a clean water rinse or even a couple. That water is pretty dirty.

[Bergie]

Well, maybe a stupid question on my part...but did you rinse the brass in clean water to get the soap off?
I occasionally use a wet tumbler, pins, lemishine, and dawn just as you describe. I find I need a clean water rinse or even a couple. That water is pretty dirty.

um, no. [palm smack on forehead] I suppose that's the step that I missed in the process. (but they should be somewhat 'shiny' even without a rinse, shouldn't they?)

[MJY65]

Two hours isn't particularly long for nasty brass. I'd cut back on the amount of brass, increase the time to 4 hours and rinse. It will be beautiful.

[BigDog58]

I suggest adding a little extra Dawn for really dirty brass. I let "really dirty brass" tumble for 3-4 hrs, then drain and rinse in cold water. I then dump the wet brass into a large towel and roll them around inside the towel to buff off some of the water. I then put mine into a dehydrator (brass drier) for about an hour at 140°F.

The only time mine ever came out looking grungy, was when I didn't add enough Dawn, and the brass was very dirty.

[Erud]

Sounds like you are using the wet tumble process correctly. Could be some residue of something in the Thumbler if it is brand new, or could be too much brass and not enough pins. As wrench mentioned, rinse them before drying.

Just an FYI, the “just ok” looking brass from the vibratory tumbler will shoot just as well as the sparkling clean brass you’ll eventually get from the SS pins. It will also be a heck of a lot less work and hassle. Try white rice in the vibratory tumbler instead of the walnut. Cleans as good or better, and almost no dust.

[Bearcatrp]

Teaspoon of dawn is not enough. Squirt a generous amount in there. Yes, you have to rinse afterwards. I gave up on the pins. Not as pretty but fairly clean. Not entering any beauty contest with my brass. Less work too.

[linksep]

Dumb question but did you add water to your wet tumble or just Dawn and Lemi Shine?

[Bergie]

Dumb question but did you add water to your wet tumble or just Dawn and Lemi Shine?

Not a dumb question at all. But yes, I added about a half gallon of water. Last night I tumbled my already tumbled cases in just water. Afterwards I spun them in a separator and picked up a few cases. My fingers had black soot all over them. (?) A paper towel shined up the few cases nicely, but if I have to do that to each case that’d be a big time suck!

[xd ED]

Dumb question but did you add water to your wet tumble or just Dawn and Lemi Shine?

Not a dumb question at all. But yes, I added about a half gallon of water. Last night I tumbled my already tumbled cases in just water. Afterwards I spun them in a separator and picked up a few cases. My fingers had black soot all over them. (?) A paper towel shined up the few cases nicely, but if I have to do that to each case that’d be a big time suck!

I don't know the liquid capacity of my tumbler, but I always make sure it's full, to avoid any airspace that would allow foaming to occur.

Is any of your equipment - tumbler drum, or SS pins new?
If so, clean he pins as you would brass until you get clean water at the end of the cleaning cycle.

[linksep]

Probably need more soap. In a previous life I occasionally finished parts in a magnetic pin polisher. I don't understand the mechanics of it but the parts were newly machined and already cleaned in alcohol to get the machining oils off before SS pin polishing so there was no soot and no grease...if we didn't use enough soap the pins and parts would develop this sticky black coating and the easiest solution was to rinse the pins and parts then run them again with a lot more soap.

[linksep]

Since you mentioned this thread in your newest thread... Did you figure out what was going on? What was your solution?

[Bergie]

Since you mentioned this thread in your newest thread... Did you figure out what was going on? What was your solution?

I STILL am having issues! I've cleaned the pins, the tumbler has been used for around 6-7 'loads'. I punched primers last night and threw in a couple hundred cases, followed by 1 cup full of pins, 1x tablespoon of Lemishine, 1x tablespoon of Dawn dish soap and filled with water to about 1.5-2" of top. Tumbled for a couple hours. Drained....blackened brass. Repeated again. Still dark sticky brass. Third time around- see pic. Rinsed and still NO difference! I took a towel to one and put it in the middle of the separated ones. Ugh!

[BigDog58]

Use more Dawn and pins. Let them tumble for at least 2 hrs. and see if that helps. Don't forget the Lemishine.

[xd ED]

Yep; use more soap. As long as you fill it with water so it cannot foam, you cannot, within reason, use too much detergent...maybe some more lemon shine.
Does your house use a water softener? If so are you using softened water?
Are you using hot water? (recomended)
When you cleaned the pins, was the water eventually clean?
You mentioned using a cup of pins; do you have more pins? If so, use all of them, assuming you put them through a cleaning process-tumbling them in hot water with plenty of detergent...maybe 2-3 times...