Drying Brass after Ultrasonic

[Italianusmc_ny]

Hello All,

Recently picked up the RCBS ultrasonic cleaner.
I'm having corrosion issues when drying the brass afterwards.
1st I tried the Frankford Arsenal Brass Cleaning Solution and after two 8min cycles, then rinsed off with cold water I placed the brass in the heated Lyman dryer.
The brass was clean and nice and shiny when going into the dryer.
The brass came out a dull brass/gold color and had what looks like rust spots and green spots in the primer pockets.

What am I doing wrong?
When I wet tumble never had this issue.

 

[hogpatrol]

Are you using distilled water? Aside that, I use compressed air after rinsing and then let them dry in the sun or on my wood stove.

 

[Paul Hilgedick]

I use compressed air. I go from cleaner to priming in 10 minutes.

 

[shoot4fun]

IME the ultrasonic cleaning solutions will never give you the results achieved from something like Water, Dawn and a dash of Lemishine (add ss pins if you wish). I've used Hornady's brass cleaner and Simple Green diluted with distilled water in my ultrasonic and then rinsed with water before drying. While the brass looked to be very clean it did display a dull finish. When the flame from the annealer hit it it basically burned the residue from the cleaning and turned my brass nasty. I just don't think any amount of rinse off is going to get all the residue left behind from the ultrasonic solutions.

 

[Uncle Ed]

i dry my cases in a five gallon plastic bucket with a old hair drier. A piece of cardboard with a hole cut in it holds the hair drier straight down.

This hot fast moving air dries the brass very fast. (cheap bastards convection oven)

 

[Twicepop]

I don't use an ultrasonic, but a stainless pin wet tumbler but they are wet just the same. After coming out of the tumbler I dump them on an old bath towel and rock them back and forth to dry the outside of the cases and loosen any pins that may be remaining inside. This time of the year to get set in the sun to dry, in the winter they get placed over a floor register and the warm/hot air from the furnace dries them. There is no water spotting or corrosion on them after using this method.

 

[Italianusmc_ny]

I just tried later this afternoon using the ultrasonic with dawn and lemishine.
Same results, coming out of the cleaner, clean and nice and shiny.
Rinse off with cold water to get all the soap off and into the dryer after shaking all excess water off.
After 30-45 mins, the brass is dull with orange rusty spots and green spots.

I'm thinking the dryer is too slow heating up and air flow is not very strong causing the water to sit stagnant on the brass.

 

[mchees1]

I have been ultrasonic cleaning for several years now. When I first started, I read an article from an engineer who had been ultrasonic cleaning things for decades. His recommendation was a 1% solution of Citranox with hot water. Citranox is a mildly acid cleaning solution made of citric acid and glycolic acid. Run your ultrasonic cleaning, then thoroughly submerge/rinse in water after the cleaning cycle to neutralize the Citranox (I use 10 to 20 minutes cleaning time depending on how dirty the brass is). Then I use compressed air to dry. No spotting or discoloration. I buy the Citranox by the gallon and it lasts several years. A gallon may cost you between $60 to $90 but it is still very economical when you consider how many rounds of brass you can clean with a gallon.

 

[Uncle Ed]

I just tried later this afternoon using the ultrasonic with dawn and lemishine.
Same results, coming out of the cleaner, clean and nice and shiny.
Rinse off with cold water to get all the soap off and into the dryer after shaking all excess water off.
After 30-45 mins, the brass is dull with orange rusty spots and green spots.

I'm thinking the dryer is too slow heating up and air flow is not very strong causing the water to sit stagnant on the brass.

I also use Dawn dish soap and Lemi-Shine in my sonic cleaner just like my wet tumbler. This cleans the cases more than good enough and I do not get any case mouth peening.

The cases do not have the "bling" of wet tumbling, but the primer pockets and the case inside and out come out clean. The secret is the hotter the water the better the cleaning. I run the sonic cleaner through four eight minute cycles to get the water up to temp and the brass clean.

The cases are rinsed with hot water and dried in my five gallon plastic bucket with a hair drier on high. No spots, no stains, no peening, no media dust no hits, or errors.

 

[1shot]

After cleaning with the US, I rinse with hot tap water then use compressed air, followed by an overnight in and old food dehydrator. Brass is never real shiny but it shoots just fine.

Lloyd

 

[bsekf]

Rinse well with distilled water and put on cookie sheet. Oven at 250-300 put cookie sheet in for 10-15 minutes and turn off oven, they will be dry in the morning.

 

[NorCalMikie]

No compressed air or hair dryer? Give each on them a good shake to get rid of any excess water. I'll roll them on a towel to get the water off the outside so they don't spot then into a warm oven. The inside, you won't see it. It'll just be dry.

 

[Papa Charlie]

I wouldn't think that it is a drying issue, or a cleaning solution issue for that matter.

You may have a high mineral content in you water and/or you are not removing the solution sufficiently in your rinse. Try some distilled water or filtered bottled water to see if it makes a difference for both the cleaning solution and the rinse.

 

[dickn52]

I live in Florida. I use the 'one shot' ultrasonic cleaner, a towel and the front porch sunshine. NO marks or whatever on the brass, but then again it's about 100 outside where I sit them.

 

[WIB3]

I use a product called Fruit Fresh. It’s nothing but citric acid. Can be purchased at any grocery store that sells canning products. 3 TSP per gallon of water. Run cleaner for 5 min, cases standing up. Rinse with water, pat dry exterior and use compressed air for inside. It will remove all carbon from inside the case and primer pockets. I use hot tap water to make the solution.

 

[BenPerfected]

I use a product called Fruit Fresh. It’s nothing but citric acid. Can be purchased at any grocery store that sells canning products. 3 TSP per gallon of water. Run cleaner for 5 min, cases standing up. Rinse with water, pat dry exterior and use compressed air for inside. It will remove all carbon from inside the case and primer pockets. I use hot tap water to make the solution.

Same as above but I finish with a small toaster oven for 30 min

 

[Engrbill]

I have been ultrasonic cleaning for several years now. When I first started, I read an article from an engineer who had been ultrasonic cleaning things for decades. His recommendation was a 1% solution of Citranox with hot water. Citranox is a mildly acid cleaning solution made of citric acid and glycolic acid. Run your ultrasonic cleaning, then thoroughly submerge/rinse in water after the cleaning cycle to neutralize the Citranox (I use 10 to 20 minutes cleaning time depending on how dirty the brass is). Then I use compressed air to dry. No spotting or discoloration. I buy the Citranox by the gallon and it lasts several years. A gallon may cost you between $60 to $90 but it is still very economical when you consider how many rounds of brass you can clean with a gallon.

I too have used Citrinox and hot water in my ultrasonic cleaner for years. I use a different drying technique. after cleaning dump brass in a large strainer and rinse with hot water. Then roll up a bath towel. brass inside. and roll back and forth several times end to end in towel. pour out cases on a clean towel in the garage and separate so they don't touch. They dry shiney and clean inside and out without spots or discoloration.

 

[Longtrain]

I don't use an ultrasonic, but a stainless pin wet tumbler but they are wet just the same. After coming out of the tumbler I dump them on an old bath towel and rock them back and forth to dry the outside of the cases and loosen any pins that may be remaining inside. This time of the year to get set in the sun to dry, in the winter they get placed over a floor register and the warm/hot air from the furnace dries them. There is no water spotting or corrosion on them after using this method.

+1 works perfectly for me also

 

[Texas10]

RCBS Ultrasonic and Rotary case cleaner will likely fix your tarnish issues. They recommend you NOT rinse with water after cleaning operations, but instead leave the solution on the brass as it has a tarnish inhibitor. Simply blow them off with compressed air, or a towel, what ever. Brass stays shiny for a long time in my loading boxes.
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1018136728

 

[Ccrider]

I use my air fryer at 170 for 15 minutes. Works great.