Since my budget wont allow i do not have a SS media tumber and went the U.S. route. the problem is on some of my brass it comes out discolored or with white spots????? First off I am using lemishine and dawn followed with a rinse then baking soda to nutralize any acid left by the lemishine. what is the problem with the discoloration??? Recipes... advice???
ultrasonic cleaning problem......
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Re: ultrasonic cleaning problem......
I haven't used the baking soda to neutralize but it sounds like it might be residue from the baking soda. Does it rinse off or is it actually the brass that gets white? It could just need a rinse before it dries.
I use several drops of Dawn and about a .45 ACP case of Lemishine and fill my cleaner. When I asked how much Lemishine to use and the answer was about a .40 cal case, since I don't have 40's I guessed about the same as a powder charge for a .45 ACP looks. I run three or four batches back to back fishing the cases out with a slotted spoon. If the water looks really dirty I put in a little more soap an Lemishine. I rinse well under running water in a collander.
I haven't used the baking soda to neutralize but it sounds like it might be residue from the baking soda. Does it rinse off or is it actually the brass that gets white? It could just need a rinse before it dries.
I use several drops of Dawn and about a .45 ACP case of Lemishine and fill my cleaner. When I asked how much Lemishine to use and the answer was about a .40 cal case, since I don't have 40's I guessed about the same as a powder charge for a .45 ACP looks. I run three or four batches back to back fishing the cases out with a slotted spoon. If the water looks really dirty I put in a little more soap an Lemishine. I rinse well under running water in a collander.
Re: ultrasonic cleaning problem......
not sure about the white spots, but i use a little bit of vinegar in my mix as well, it seems to shine the brass decent. i have not had any spots or discoloration yet. you could maybe give that a try ..
not sure about the white spots, but i use a little bit of vinegar in my mix as well, it seems to shine the brass decent. i have not had any spots or discoloration yet. you could maybe give that a try ..
Re: ultrasonic cleaning problem......
It’s the baking soda that has not been rinsed off properly.
FWIW, Lemishine has citric acid in it which is a weak acid and it does not require neutralization.
Remember if you are playing the pH game, you are trying to get to a neutral pH which would be pH=7.0. Lemishine would make it acidic, perhaps something in the pH=2 range, but if you put in baking soda which is a base it would make it basic, so again not neutral.
The fact is your best bet is not to neutralize it since you are not using a pH meter or pH paper but just dumping in base. The best bet is to just dilute out Lemishine by just rinsing out the brass well. Cheaper, faster, and more effective.
It’s the baking soda that has not been rinsed off properly.
FWIW, Lemishine has citric acid in it which is a weak acid and it does not require neutralization.
Remember if you are playing the pH game, you are trying to get to a neutral pH which would be pH=7.0. Lemishine would make it acidic, perhaps something in the pH=2 range, but if you put in baking soda which is a base it would make it basic, so again not neutral.
The fact is your best bet is not to neutralize it since you are not using a pH meter or pH paper but just dumping in base. The best bet is to just dilute out Lemishine by just rinsing out the brass well. Cheaper, faster, and more effective.
Re: ultrasonic cleaning problem......
there have been many threads here, regarding the US cleaning method. I have made one myself.
There's a link posted above, regarding the most prominent (best?) method of using the US cleaner. I suggest that you check it out, maybe some of the others that are here, and then re-evaluate your method.
there have been many threads here, regarding the US cleaning method. I have made one myself.
There's a link posted above, regarding the most prominent (best?) method of using the US cleaner. I suggest that you check it out, maybe some of the others that are here, and then re-evaluate your method.
Re: ultrasonic cleaning problem......
The way I clean mine is a vinegar soln with a drop of soap, after it has run a few cycles I rinse, drop it in a bowl of baking soda soln to neutralize any acid, then rinse 2x more, I use tap water for the rinse, then dry. The tap water here isn't perfect and may leave a bit of color but it's nothing that bothers me. My brass isn't as shiney as tumbled, but it's clean inside and out.
I reuse the soln in the US and the baking soda rinse for all the brass I'm doing that day then throw it all out.
The way I clean mine is a vinegar soln with a drop of soap, after it has run a few cycles I rinse, drop it in a bowl of baking soda soln to neutralize any acid, then rinse 2x more, I use tap water for the rinse, then dry. The tap water here isn't perfect and may leave a bit of color but it's nothing that bothers me. My brass isn't as shiney as tumbled, but it's clean inside and out.
I reuse the soln in the US and the baking soda rinse for all the brass I'm doing that day then throw it all out.
Re: ultrasonic cleaning problem......
Probably the main reason I dont use the ultrasonic method anymore...discolored brass....and too slow.
Probably the main reason I dont use the ultrasonic method anymore...discolored brass....and too slow.
Re: ultrasonic cleaning problem......
Thanks for the input, I will be trying the vinegar and see how that works and leave out the baking soda
Thanks for the input, I will be trying the vinegar and see how that works and leave out the baking soda
Re: ultrasonic cleaning problem......
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Mudcat-NC</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Probably the main reason I dont use the ultrasonic method anymore...discolored brass....and too slow.
</div></div>
Slow? really, I run 50 to 75 cases for 32 minutes (4 cycles) rinse and let dry. I do it next to the deep sink in my laundry.
If I'm in a hurry to get them reloaded I'll pop them in the oven and turn it on for 7 min. Temp on the surface of the cases gets up to about 180 or 190. Cases are dry in half an hour. A hundred to a hundred and fifty cases in an hour and a half beats pretty much any other system I know of.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Mudcat-NC</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Probably the main reason I dont use the ultrasonic method anymore...discolored brass....and too slow.
</div></div>
Slow? really, I run 50 to 75 cases for 32 minutes (4 cycles) rinse and let dry. I do it next to the deep sink in my laundry.
If I'm in a hurry to get them reloaded I'll pop them in the oven and turn it on for 7 min. Temp on the surface of the cases gets up to about 180 or 190. Cases are dry in half an hour. A hundred to a hundred and fifty cases in an hour and a half beats pretty much any other system I know of.
Re: ultrasonic cleaning problem......
Citranox is the best stuff to use in ultra sonic cleaners. Fast and the brass nice and shinny. You get it for around 40 dollars but it last a while.
Citranox is the best stuff to use in ultra sonic cleaners. Fast and the brass nice and shinny. You get it for around 40 dollars but it last a while.
Re: ultrasonic cleaning problem......
You may want to use distilled water in your cleaning solution and for rinsing instead of tap water. Tap water will discolor brass. I may have OCD, but I tumble them first for about an hour in crushed walnut just to get the tough stuff off, and then I run them through the ultrasonic cleaner with 1:4 vinegar distilled water solution and a few drops of dish soap for another 15 minutes. Then I run them through the ultrasonic for 10 minutes with just distilled water and a little baking soda to rinse them. I blow the cases out with compressed air after and they are done....no spots or discoloration. I'm doing low volume 308, so the process isn't too bad. My 45acp brass just gets tumbled.
You may want to use distilled water in your cleaning solution and for rinsing instead of tap water. Tap water will discolor brass. I may have OCD, but I tumble them first for about an hour in crushed walnut just to get the tough stuff off, and then I run them through the ultrasonic cleaner with 1:4 vinegar distilled water solution and a few drops of dish soap for another 15 minutes. Then I run them through the ultrasonic for 10 minutes with just distilled water and a little baking soda to rinse them. I blow the cases out with compressed air after and they are done....no spots or discoloration. I'm doing low volume 308, so the process isn't too bad. My 45acp brass just gets tumbled.
Re: ultrasonic cleaning problem......
tried the vinegar method today and still somewhat discolored.... I used filtered water for the rinse, so I guess it is off to walmart for distilled water tomorrow...
Question: are you using distilled water for a rinse with citranox too???
tried the vinegar method today and still somewhat discolored.... I used filtered water for the rinse, so I guess it is off to walmart for distilled water tomorrow...
Question: are you using distilled water for a rinse with citranox too???
Re: ultrasonic cleaning problem......
I just use distilled water for the rinse and don't add citranox or any other agent. I just get them clean. I'm not too worried about making them shiny. You should notice a difference with the distilled water vs the filtered water.
I just use distilled water for the rinse and don't add citranox or any other agent. I just get them clean. I'm not too worried about making them shiny. You should notice a difference with the distilled water vs the filtered water.
Re: ultrasonic cleaning problem......
I clean cases with an ultrasonic cleaner and come out saving quite a bit of time over tumbling in any kind of media.
As far as my cleaning regimine...
1/2 n' 1/2 hot water and hot vinegar + 4 drops of Dawn - fallowed by a hot water rinse
Does 30 cases in 8 minutes
Dry in a hand towel then a skillet turned up to 350 F*
All in all, about 10 minutes/40 cents per cycle.
They dont come out looking like hand polished cases, but they are every bit as clean as anything else I have gotten from tumbling, alot quicker, and just as clean on the inside and primer pockets as on the outside. If there is something cheaper, easier and quicker, I don't need it.
I clean cases with an ultrasonic cleaner and come out saving quite a bit of time over tumbling in any kind of media.
As far as my cleaning regimine...
1/2 n' 1/2 hot water and hot vinegar + 4 drops of Dawn - fallowed by a hot water rinse
Does 30 cases in 8 minutes
Dry in a hand towel then a skillet turned up to 350 F*
All in all, about 10 minutes/40 cents per cycle.
They dont come out looking like hand polished cases, but they are every bit as clean as anything else I have gotten from tumbling, alot quicker, and just as clean on the inside and primer pockets as on the outside. If there is something cheaper, easier and quicker, I don't need it.
Re: ultrasonic cleaning problem......
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Room 055</div><div class="ubbcode-body">You may want to use distilled water in your cleaning solution and for rinsing instead of tap water. Tap water will discolor brass. I may have OCD, but I tumble them first for about an hour in crushed walnut just to get the tough stuff off, and then I run them through the ultrasonic cleaner with 1:4 vinegar distilled water solution and a few drops of dish soap for another 15 minutes. Then I run them through the ultrasonic for 10 minutes with just distilled water and a little baking soda to rinse them. I blow the cases out with compressed air after and they are done....no spots or discoloration. I'm doing low volume 308, so the process isn't too bad. My 45acp brass just gets tumbled. </div></div>
+1 Distilled water, I had the same problem when I used tap water.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Room 055</div><div class="ubbcode-body">You may want to use distilled water in your cleaning solution and for rinsing instead of tap water. Tap water will discolor brass. I may have OCD, but I tumble them first for about an hour in crushed walnut just to get the tough stuff off, and then I run them through the ultrasonic cleaner with 1:4 vinegar distilled water solution and a few drops of dish soap for another 15 minutes. Then I run them through the ultrasonic for 10 minutes with just distilled water and a little baking soda to rinse them. I blow the cases out with compressed air after and they are done....no spots or discoloration. I'm doing low volume 308, so the process isn't too bad. My 45acp brass just gets tumbled. </div></div>
+1 Distilled water, I had the same problem when I used tap water.
Re: ultrasonic cleaning problem......
The best thing to use in an US cleaner is Shooters Choice Aqua Clean, this stuff is awesome, when mixed 50/50 with water it only takes one or two 480 second cycle to clean your brass inside and out and since it's not acidic all you have to do is rinse the brass off and use a blow dryer for 5 mins to have dry and ready to load brass in under 30 mins.
The best thing to use in an US cleaner is Shooters Choice Aqua Clean, this stuff is awesome, when mixed 50/50 with water it only takes one or two 480 second cycle to clean your brass inside and out and since it's not acidic all you have to do is rinse the brass off and use a blow dryer for 5 mins to have dry and ready to load brass in under 30 mins.
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