I dont really think you can put the ultra sonic cleaner and the wet tumbler in the same category to compare against each other.
They have very different mechanisms for the cleaning process and they have strengths and weakness’s because of that.
The Ultrasonic are really good on parts that are very small or have very small parts in them. Things like springs, brass cleaning brushes, the inside of objects that you cant get to. like some of my scuba gear.
The mechanical works by scrubbing softly for longer than us impatient people would ever scrub again depending on the media can get into very small spaces but there has to be access for the media to get in and out.
So like all of the others on here who wet tumble I was always looking at an easier way to get the stainless steel pins out of the cases without them going everywhere.in the end I bit the bullet (so to speak) and brought one of these:
Now they were designed for separating dry media but I don’t see why it doesn’t work with the pins as well. I will find out on the weekend when I put through a batch of cases that I will be cleaning. figured I can’t go wrong for $55.
Hope it works for you mate. I have my doubts. What I do is fill a used 4L ice cream container with water (I have lots of those) and after an initial dump of the pins in the tumbler. I pick them out of the tumbler one by one under water neck down with a little wriggle then into the ice cream container for a final rinse then I again pick them up one by one neck down and tap them against the side of the ice cream container and then a quick flick of the wrist to empty any water in the case and then onto a towel for a surface dry.
Yeah but that is straight wall pistol cases. Is it even a problem with those. Surely you dont do a 1000 in the one tumbler not the cheap 5kg Chinese one that’s for sure.
I can see the above separator working for straight wall cases.
The larger units are out there but they cost a fair bit. Some of them I really dont like the look of. As in the one that has the rubber liner and a lid that is secured like a bank vault. Perhaps great for the real big user or rock tumbling machine. For me I like the ease of use of the cheap ones can do 50 308 cases with ease. Thats enough to process every few hours.
Test day today, ran a couple of loads of fresh tumbled 9mm cases, and put them through the media separator. Well I thought that I might find the odd one or two pins still in the cases but found none at all.
I just drained the water out of the tumbler and tipped the cases and pins into the basket, put the lid on and cranked the handle about 10 times in each direction and then checked them out. perfect and ten times quicker than the old way.
Very happy indeed and would recommend anyone who tumbles a lot of brass to get have a look at one. Should work fine with rifle cases as well as it cleans dry media out of them.
Dont do it there is some good info and discussion in here. Perhaps just a prune.
My formula is 1/2 teaspoon of citric acid and cheap dish washing liquid.
As for bigger units I there are 2 or 3 units that I think would suit your needs. dont have the name on the tip of my tongue. One of them is the Thumlers Tumbler, Frankfords, Extreme Rebel 17
One thing that hasn’t been mentioned during all of this, don’t let the brass sit in the dirty water!
After it finishes the tumbling cycle, the sooner you get it out and rinse it the better. Letting freshly tumbled brass sit in the dirty water tends to tarnish it up. I rinse my barrel with clean water and then dump all of the contents into a clean, white plastic bucket that is half full of clean water. Picking the cases up by the base, a couple of sharp taps on the side of the bucket to dislodge any pins then onto a clean towel. When they’re all out a quick cover and roll around dries the outside. Usually it is sunny here and I can just leave them to dry in the sun. For my black powder cases I have special stainless racks that they sit in upside down. I have tried the nails in a board method, the nails went rusty and that didn’t agree with the brass, gave up on that idea.
The pins can be retrieved from the bucket by pouring it out into a wire mesh strainer, ( stolen from the wife’s baking cupboard, don’t tell her!! )
For tumbling, I personally use a good squirt of whatever dish-washing detergent is on the sink, about 1/2 teaspoon of citric acid and just enough water to cover from 50 to 70 of my big-bore black powder cases or up to 100 7/08, 6.5CM, 6.5x55 or similar cases. More water makes the drum too heavy for my tumbler. I run it for 1 to 1.5 hours, check the brass, sometimes it may go back on for another 30 minutes. ( That is mainly the black powder cases )
I always de-prime using a universal de-priming die, ( Lee - $25 ), condition of the cases doesn’t matter for these dies. I don’t see the point in using a system that will clean your primer pockets and not de-priming, it won’t clean the pockets with spent primers occupying them… I never load cases that haven’t had primer pockets cleaned, whether by tumbling or by hand. ( I find de-priming and tumbling is much easier )
The only exception to that is reloading pistol ammo, that is done on my progressive press, for those pesky little 9mm’s, I don’t bother de-priming. Tumble, load, k.i.s.s principle.
I came into posession of coppious amounts of once-fired today. No, I didn’t have to wrestle a midget, right place, right time… Anyway, I thought I got smoe time, I am going to quickly wash everything…
Aaaanyhow, I know how everyone likes the before and after pics, so this time I go with before, after and without. forgot to throw some cream of tartar and citric acid in the bucket, 50/50, heaped 1/4 teaspoon. I actually don’t have a 1/4, I have a 1/8’th because that’s what I have for some reason, so two of those
I do a 1000+ in 400-500 batches on 30 min cycles… I need bigger timber. Like a cement mixer, then back it up a little bit, lol.
