Frankford Wet Tumbler help

[Jmccracken1214]

Ive just switched over from a small HF tumbler to the big FART. I have a lyman seperator that I dump all the brass and pins into when Im done... then I shake it to get what pins to the bottom that I can. But then the pain in the butt starts... getting all the pins out of the cases... Is there anything I can get that will remove them easier? I just cleaned 120 pieces of 6.5 creed and 100 grendel... picking up every case to shake the pins out sucks and the pins that come with it, i had a few cases with pins lodged in the neck.

Thanks

 

[LawnMM]

Buy the rcbs separator you can turn everything upside down, never has pins after a couple of turns. The occasional pin lodged in the neck there is no fix for unless you get steel chips for media instead of pins

 

[quikcolin]

I have a FA spinner/separator and I’ve never had a pin left inside a case. This includes .223 cases. I spin back and forth for about 1 min and all the pins are at the bottom and the brass is clean and clear.

 

[Jmccracken1214]

Buy the rcbs separator you can turn everything upside down, never has pins after a couple of turns. The occasional pin lodged in the neck there is no fix for unless you get steel chips for media instead of

I have a FA spinner/separator and I’ve never had a pin left inside a case. This includes .223 cases. I spin back and forth for about 1 min and all the pins are at the bottom and the brass is clean and clear.

i ordered the frankford spinner with the bucket, their case dryer and the magnet.

I usually lay my brass out to dry and hit it with the air compressor and never have spots.. and do it a week before a match so I know they are dry but that involves going out to the shop and it’s cold now, so the dryer in my reloading room will be nice

 

[DellaDog]

Take a look at the manual, it addresses this.
The rinsing, shaking (vigorously), rinsing & repeating is key to get the pins out. Best to do it over a strainer in a deep sink, most pins will end up in the strainer.

Been doing 6.5s for some time and rarely have pins in the brass.

Also, borrow the wife’s dehydrator and you’ll have dry brass in 90 minutes or less.

 

[Dthomas3523]

Or, stop using the media and just wet tumble with soap for the minimum amount of time it takes to get brass clean enough not to ruin your die.

Anything cleaner or shinier than that is for aesthetic reasons and a waste of time.

 

[kindabitey]

Or, you could switch to a smaller or larger cal. round. The pins don't get stuck in my 6mm or 30 cal.

 

[Jmccracken1214]

Or, stop using the media and just wet tumble with soap for the minimum amount of time it takes to get brass clean enough not to ruin your die.

Anything cleaner or shinier than that is for aesthetic reasons and a waste of time.

I take the pins out to clean the lube off my cases. But with the pins, I tumble for 1 hour and they come out spotless.

 

[Dthomas3523]

I take the pins out to clean the lube off my cases. But with the pins, I tumble for 1 hour and they come out spotless.

What do the pins do that soap and water won’t? What is the benefit of spotless brass?

Not being an ass, just haven’t heard any actual performance reason for pins.

 

[Jmccracken1214]

What do the pins do that soap and water won’t? What is the benefit of spotless brass?

Not being an ass, just haven’t heard any actual performance reason for pins.

If I don’t use the pins, my primer pockets don’t come out clean for whatever reason. If I use them, the brass looks new.

If I’m going to take the time to clean the brass I’m going to take the time and clean the brass. And make sure it comes out looking clean

 

[Dthomas3523]

If I don’t use the pins, my primer pockets don’t come out clean for whatever reason. If I use them, the brass looks new.

If I’m going to take the time to clean the brass I’m going to take the time and clean the brass. And make sure it comes out looking clean

So, aesthetics?

 

[Cascade Hemi]

The steel pins surface harden the brass and peen over the case mouths if left in the tumbler too long. Going from 1/2TSP to 1TSP of Lemishine helped eliminate the need to use pins.

 

[Jmccracken1214]

So, aesthetics?

And clean pockets... makes them easier to find on a sunny day

 

[cmoore806]

are you decapping the brass prior to wet tumbling? I run my brass through the 650 case feeder into a LEE universal decapping die. The decapped cases seem to have better flow out of the case. IMO

 

[Nimothy]

To the fellas saying that spotless brass isn’t needed, if that’s the case why wet tumble at all? why not just wipe the necks with acetone or whatever if you aren’t doing it for aesthetic. Shiny brass looks nice and it helps see the condition of the brass. It’s the proper way to clean your brass. the work harden argument might be true but your primer pockets give out typically before a split happens. Also how many times do you fire 6.5 brass before you retire it? Brass is expendable it’s easier to buy 3-500 pieces and shoot them till the barrel is toast or two barrels, (if you buy expensive lapua/alpha type brass) and then buy a new set of brass..........To the op, you have to get a decent separator, the bucket one is ok but the inclosed one is what you want. That way you can fill it with water and submerge the basket while you spin it. That helps the rinsing and relieves the tendency to water spot Plus all your pins will be gone. then buy some flake media down the road it doesn’t get stuck sideways in case mouths.

 

[2aBaC̶a̶]

My .02 cents.

Get the FA basket tumbler and bucket combo. It will get all the pins accept the ones stuck sideways in primer pockets. Little fuckers.

SS media gets carbon off the hard to reach places. Namely inside the case and primer pockets.

Dont tumble too long or with low water or risk peening the case mouth. Yes its a thing, unfortunately.

Jet dry helps with spots.

 

[NCHillbilly]

Or, stop using the media and just wet tumble with soap for the minimum amount of time it takes to get brass clean enough not to ruin your die.

Anything cleaner or shinier than that is for aesthetic reasons and a waste of time.

I would like to respectfully disagree with you on the point of not using the ss pins. I do a crushed walnut tumble to remove range grunge, resize and decap, then wet tumble with very hot water, dawn dish detergent, lemi-shine and ss pins. Not only does this remove resizing lube and cleans the inside of the case, it leaves the primer pockets spotless. Just the technique I use.

 

[kriller134]

The only time I get pins stuck is when a pin gets stuck sideways in the case mouth. It’s pretty rare. I don’t use a separator, I just shake the shit out of the drum into a bucket. I like my brass to be shinny, so I use hot water, a 9mm case full of lemishine, and meguiars car wash soap. Comes out super shiny and it doesn’t tarnish when I leave the cases out.