Sonic Case Cleaner vs Media Tumbler Case Cleaner ?

Hey Guy's just wondering which is the way to go.
Now living in Central and where living and reloading in Tauranga was a rare
occurrence I am doing A LOT more down here.
Prepped 135 cases last night and hand polished the cases to check for damage and that was after giving the necks a scrub with a neck brush, de-priming and neck sizing and then primer pocket cleaning. Takes bloody ages .
Thumbs this morning feel like they have been in some bloody medieval torture device.
Thought I might invest in a case cleaner of some thought but don't know which way to go, I see there's a media based one or a sonic type one that uses liquid ( and heat ) ?

Just wondering which you guys recommend,

Cheers

Mrs told me off on saturday night, id put an afternoons shooting worth of empties in the leg pocket of my pants and thrown them in the wash pile. Went through the machine, as shes hanging them out a couple fall on the ground. Last time this happened it was a pocket full of .22 that blocked some of the little holes in the drum thing and took me ages to pick out.
But I digress.
The cases came out sparkling clean!
I have negotiated a trial run of some more but in a wash bag for later in the week.

Wet tumble with stainless media for clean and shiny.
Sonic cleaner for just clean.

For the low number of cases you're doing, ultrasonic I reckon. The cost outlay for wet tumbling isn't fun but then wet tumbling is ideal when doing large volumes of cases. If you're savvy enough to build a tumbler system yourself for little $ then go for it.

Wet tumbling no question that this is the better method.

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Originally Posted by Kscott

For the low number of cases you're doing, ultrasonic I reckon. The cost outlay for wet tumbling isn't fun but then wet tumbling is ideal when doing large volumes of cases. If you're savvy enough to build a tumbler system yourself for little $ then go for it.

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+1

That is what I use. cheap and easy. Stuff is clean inside and out and shiny enough.

Something I've been wondering about as well, what's folks thoughts on this... Gunsmithing &Reloading Tools - Hornady Lock-N-Load Sonic Cleaner 2L, Brass Case Cleaning

Attachment 53887

Yup it'll do the job nicely. But $200 to clean 135 cases . . . maybe try the leave them in a bag in the washing machine trick 1st :thumbsup:

FYI I've got a Frankford Arsenal wet tumbler, which will take @1000 223 and similar number of 9mm. It's robust, does a fantastic job of cleaning and is worth the money ($500+) but because you're only a small number of cases, you can scale the cost of setting up back a touch. A 2nd hand rock tumbler can also do the job cheaply for you, provided it's waterproof.

In terms of the sonic cleaners is it you get what you pay for? Tempted to try a $50 piece off trade me but don't wanna kick myself in a few months time

Doesn't tumbling take ages? Sonic cleaning takes about 15 min.

The Hornady sonic cleaners heat the water for faster/better cleaning. Ideally you want a cleaner that a) can for in all the brass you want to clean at once b) has enough grunt to clean it all at once.
Chuck in some shower power and you're away laughing.

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Originally Posted by keenbloke

In terms of the sonic cleaners is it you get what you pay for? Tempted to try a $50 piece off trade me but don't wanna kick myself in a few months time

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I got a $30 one. It works but you have to split 50 cases into three lots and clean them for 15 min each. That one was 50 watt, if you want to clean lots of cases you need much more power. Might be better to get a kick ass ultrasonic transducer and attach it to whatever vessel you want.

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Originally Posted by keenbloke

In terms of the sonic cleaners is it you get what you pay for? Tempted to try a $50 piece off trade me but don't wanna kick myself in a few months time

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I use a $50 special and it works well. Seems to keep the water hot too. Have done 1000's of pieces of brass from 223 to 7mmRM.

if you like a bit of noise then case tumbler with media because you now its doing something:)

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Originally Posted by Feather or Shoot

Doesn't tumbling take ages? Sonic cleaning takes about 15 min.

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Yup, wet tumbling take more time (but quicker than dry tumbling). Problem can be the size of sonic cleaners, not too good when you're doing bulk numbers.

if you want you brass BLING! stainless media tumble is the only way

you can buy yourself a cheap small rock tumbler off ali express, doesn't need to be huge/expensive if you only want to do a few case's
and stainless media can be bought locally

those that argue it takes ages... I ask them.. do you watch paint dry? :)

Diy tumbler cost, $16

then into the ultrasonic, which was free (older unit from a jeweler friend)
and into the dehydrator, which was also free
If i had to choose one, for the same price, it would be the ultrasonic, mainly because i use it for everything from gun parts to carbs, tools and small sprayer nozzles from work.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNEDEBhtJ8w

Seven minutes in ultrasonic. Just as bright as the last picture I'd say. ( hard to tell from pictures)
These have been sitting around for a week or so.

@MassiveAttack put my brass through his wet tumbler can out nice and shiny, only took an hour or two. Then an evening ontop of the fire to dry out.

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Originally Posted by specweapon

Diy tumbler cost, $16

then into the ultrasonic, which was free (older unit from a jeweler friend)
and into the dehydrator, which was also free
If i had to choose one, for the same price, it would be the ultrasonic, mainly because i use it for everything from gun parts to carbs, tools and small sprayer nozzles from work.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNEDEBhtJ8w

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Fuck yes, I love it!

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Originally Posted by bully

Seven minutes in ultrasonic. Just as bright as the last picture I'd say. ( hard to tell from pictures)
These have been sitting around for a week or so.

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Bit more of a difference through a semi. They get grubby as hell, especially if the rifle is suppressed. Also, running a semi often equals a lot more cases to clean.. If I were only shooting a bolt action a few times a year, I'd use an ultrasonic no worries. Being able to turn a huge pile of grey grubby filth into shiny awesomeness is quite rewarding though.

+1 Wet tumble with stainless media for clean and shiny. Just add water, stainless media, detergent and a pinch of citric acid.

I got one of these Stainless Tumbling Media | Thumler's Tumbler High Speed Model B

Waiting is no problem? I give them a quick rinse in meths and then dry in the oven.

Took advice from a mate and mix 1 cup or white vinegar and 2 cups of water in a bowl with a bit of dish washing liquid. Added 300 9mm cases and striped for about 10 minutes with a wooden spoon.

Quick rinse under hot tap and in the oven at about 70 degrees for 20min.

Job done!

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Originally Posted by keenbloke

In terms of the sonic cleaners is it you get what you pay for? Tempted to try a $50 piece off trade me but don't wanna kick myself in a few months time

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Those cheapo chinese ones on TM - beware. Same deal with Aliexpress ones. Doesn't take much for the Ultrasonic board to go and then no replacement, or worse, the solder joints on the mains wire to break off, and then you have a live wire on the casing. I've emailed the cheapo trademe dealers and asked them if they come with a warranty or an NZ certified PAT test/Earth leakage test. No answer. They are just cheap sh1te.

I have been looking at ultrasonics because I can also use it to clean bike parts in. But then @MassiveAttack lives so close to me, I can knock a golf ball into the garden, so I'd rather furnish him with a slab and get to use his steel pins cleaner. :thumbsup:

whats a good one that youd recomend

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Originally Posted by Uplandstalker

Took advice from a mate and mix 1 cup or white vinegar and 2 cups of water in a bowl with a bit of dish washing liquid. Added 300 9mm cases and striped for about 10 minutes with a wooden spoon.

Quick rinse under hot tap and in the oven at about 70 degrees for 20min.

Job done!

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Yeah I've been looking on youtube , you can definitely use the bucket and a few house hold chemicals and odds and ends, I will give this a go next time. 135 case's I know aren't alot but that's every two weeks or so and the number will only grow over summer.
thanks for the recipe Uplandstalker.

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Originally Posted by viper

Yeah I've been looking on youtube , you can definitely use the bucket and a few house hold chemicals and odds and ends, I will give this a go next time. 135 case's I know aren't alot but that's every two weeks or so and the number will only grow over summer.
thanks for the recipe Uplandstalker.

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I used to do this with a vibrating sander glued to the bottom of the bucket to give an effect like the ultrasonic. Also used to use it with dry rice as a media, which worked well aside from blocking primer holes.

Deadeye Dicks - Other I just bought one of these so will let you know if it is rubbish or not. Just finished getting all the bits to get me reloading so down the rabbit hole I go.

also what is a good solution to use? I don't want to buy the proper stuff cause that just seems like bullshit in a bottle

Check YouTube Tombi. Some mixtures on there

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Originally Posted by Tombi

also what is a good solution to use? I don't want to buy the proper stuff cause that just seems like bullshit in a bottle

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The Hornady made bullshit in a plastic bottle actually works very well but like everything you need to stick to the recommended dosage - none of this extra teaspoon for the pot shit. Otherwise you end up with stunningly clean brass that turns purple in front of your eyes. I have also used a Googled brew which was a high %age of white vinegar which the guy said he had developed after lots of trials - result, more purple.
Here's what I used b4 I gave US away and went SS pins - 1 teaspoon of Hansell's Citric acid/5 liters (mine is a larger tank) of hot water plus a few squirts of the wife's dish washing liquid. I ran my tank heater set to 80 degrees. At the end of the cleaning cycle I used to put the brass thru the tank again for a neutralizing cycle. I stopped doing that and just went from the cleaning cycle to throwing them all into a std size plastic bucket of clean water with 1 teaspoon of backing soda disolved in it. I used my compressed air to agitate them and then followed with a wash in clean hot water. I blew them out with compressed air and then either left them in the sun (summer time ha) to dry or put them thru the food dehydrator. In theory US on its own should clean the brass but it just doesn't seem to work like that.

A splash of shower power with water

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I went for an interview at a boat builder in Kumeu - they had heaps of that media on the floor. They do sell it so if its not on TM, ask them directly

I put 20 once fired 243 cases in the frankford arsenal sonic cleaner and they came out ok, will have to try a few different recipes as I just use the sample pack of frankford stuff.
Cases where pretty clean already, was just the necks and primer pocket that I wanted to clean
Before
Attachment 54465

after
Attachment 54466

Before
Attachment 54467

after
Attachment 54468

this was just two cycles at 10 minutes a piece

I use both especially then cleaning my black powder brass the ultra sonic dose a great job of cleaning brass both inside and out as some of the guys photos show and for nitro (normal ammo) its all I use the tumbler wont clean primer pockets or inside of brass in less you get a stainless steel media tumbler they do a very good job of everything
the ultrasonic wont polish brass or remove the tarnish black powder leaves on brass after firing
so for all my brass I use the ultrasonic cleaner 1st I use hornady cleaner in it I probably run for about 15-20m in 8min runs if the water is dirty ill change it in-between cycles black powder is dirty shit nitro not so much after that I put my brass in the oven in its lowest temp for an hour or so to dry it

nitro can now be reloaded and so can black powder just the brass will be tarnished to bugger

black powder brass imo needs a good long run in the tumbler 4-5hrs and comes out as new
only time I run nitro brass in the tumbler is if I want it to look flash for the range or if I'm selling it

so to cut a long story short get a ultra sonic over a media tumbler its more important for your brass to be clean on the inside and out than look flash i.e. polished

Well it's an old thread but thought i would drag it back up again. Finally got round to trying the home cleaning solution.
Brass had been fired three times with a neck scrub and primer pocket clean each time and I did give the pockets a quick clean this time as well but very quick.

Solution: Pam's white vinegar ( 1 cub ) , Pam's citric acid ( 1 teaspoon ) , half teaspoon laundry power ( probably fucken Pam again ), small squirt dish washing liquid. Enough warm water to cover case's and a little more.
1.15hr given the occasional stir , ....outcome is very shiny clean brass, rinsed twice in first cold then very hot water. 120 degrees in oven , dry and pretty.

Pretty effortless really and dirt cheap. Thanks Pam:thumbsup:

Oh yeah.....all done in a bucket