Tumbler or ultrasonic?

[mmcauliffe]

I'm looking into the best way to clean brass, what's the concensus guys? Tumblers/vibrators or ultrasonic?
I probably would be cleaning about 100 casings,.22-250's) at a time.

 

[Flybuster]

A hundred cases might take a while in the ultrasonic. But I hate tumbling, digging them out, shaking the media out. Plus I'm alergic to walnut media. I like ultra sonic and its the way to go for me. Keeps me occupied while I surf the web or watch tv. Citranox works good in it, too.

 

[Preacher]

I'll go with flybuster on this one, because there really is no comparison between the two cleaners.....

 

[Fred Bohl]

From the July 13 2006 Blog

TECH TIP--Ultrasonic Case Cleaning Refined: Reader Fred Bohl reports: "Inspired by Jason Baney's article Ultrasonic Cartridge Case Cleaning Made Easy, I've been experimenting with ultrasonic cleaning. After some early successes, I've converted a couple more shooters here at the Twin City Rod & Gun Club into believers. Here's the preferred method we've developed from our experiments:

1. Remove primers from cases. 2. Place cases in parts basket.,Editor's Note: Jason prefers glass beakers to simplify clean-up when using a small machine). 3. Fill ultrasound unit to appropriate level with L & R Safety Ultrasonic Weapon Cleaning Solution Concentrate Non-Ammoniated diluted to 1 part concentrate to 15 parts distilled water,more than 1 to 15 does not seem to improve results and as little as 1 to 20 still works well). 4. Run unit for 10 minutes to de-gas the cleaner mix,this improves the results.) 5. Immerse loaded basket in ultrasonic unit being careful to fill cases full of solution. 6. Agitate for 6 to 10 minutes,depends on how many cases and how dirty they are). 7. Remove and rinse thoroughly,use gloves & distilled water). 8. Blow off excess water with compressed air,use gloves). 9. Allow to dry completely.

We found that the cleaning solution can be filtered through cloth and reused several times with little loss of effectiveness. Best results were on once-fired cases and when cleaned not too long after firing,after 30 days the primer residue seems more difficult to remove). The recommended solution above is very safe, nearly odor free, and does not seem to produce any detectable reaction with the case material when used in the above process. Cost is less than $4 per gallon at 1/15 mix ratio. If you want to re-use the solution, store the used solution for several days in a closed container to allow contaminants to settle out and then decant and filter through cloth before next use. By replacing the volume lost to decanting and filtering with fresh 1/15 mix, two test lots have been reused eight times with no detectable loss of efficacy."

Machine

Several of us 6BR shooters are using the L&R Ultrasonics Weapon Cleaning System HCS200,about $400 from Midway USA or Brownells). That unit can easily clean 100 at a time in 6-10 minutes if cleaned within a few days of firing and no more than 20 minutes if cleaned within 3 months of firing. I’ve cleaned case from a PD hunter friend that had been fired about 10 months before cleaning and those required about 30 minutes run time to get the primer pockets really clean,something very tough about aged primer residue).

Higher power units and particularly high power units with tank heaters are even faster but very expensive. Unless you have other uses and needs for seriously faster and/or higher capacity units, the HCS200 is about optimum for the individual shooters needs –IMHO.

 

[mmcauliffe]

Thanks for the input guys. I've decided to go the ultrasonic route albiet a little cheaper than fred's machine. I'm not going to be cleaning 100 cases at a time but I re-thought this and 100 is alot. Cleaning 30-60 is closer to reality for me, I'll just do it in small batches.

The article that Fred mentioned is pretty good I thought http://www.6mmbr.com/ultrasonic.html

Finding a multitude of the exact, brand new, cleaner the author used on Ebay, I placed a bid and managed to get one for $15.60 + $17.90 shipping = $33.50 out the door. If you're interested, I would suggest doing what I did, on Ebay, select several and use the group bid and be patient, you'll get one cheap. The person that won one right after me got theirs for $14something!!

I found the 600ml Kimax beakers, reccommended over the Pyrex, for $7.95ea at http://www.ofrei.com/page_212.html

Minimum credit card purchase is $15.00 so I bought two.

So looks like I'll be up and running in a week or so.

 

[Flybuster]

I bought a little ultrasonic cleaner from http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=3305 Harbor Freight for $28.99 + s&h. Its tank is so small I don't even use the beakers. I just pour the Citranox mixture into the tank and put about 5 or 6 cases at a time. Run it for about 10 minutes and then put 5 more in. It cleans the primer pockets out very well, the only part that needs alittle touching up is the case necks which I take a kitchen scouring dish pad, cut in strips and wipe the necks till they are shiny.
For some reason it dosn't get all the carbon off the necks, but the cases are real shiny, and if you ultrasonic clean your cases everytime the insides are too.
I bought some citranox from Scientific Distributors
P.O. Box 561
Lake Oswego, OR 97034 Phone: 503-246-8297, This is a citric acid concentrate with detergents made for ultrasonic cleaners, I think one gallon of this stuff will mix 50-60 gallons.

 

[chuckw2]

Why are the Kimax beakers better than the Pyrex beakers?


Chuck

 

[Preacher]

Flybuster---
You really need to keep the cases off the bottom of the tank so it can do the work it was designed to do.
Try something that will keep em off the bottom and you'll be surprised at the outcome..

 

[Flybuster]

Thanks for the tip, I don't know if the plastic basket is enough to keep them off the bottom of the tank. I have heard of plexiglass used in the bottom of tanks, maybe thats a possibility.