Brass trimmings stuck in case...easy way to clean?

[targaflorio]

I just wielded my Wilson trimmer and chamfer/deburring duo for the first time. My case lengths were not consistent at all... That may improve with practice, but what do you do about the brass trimmings that get stuck inside the cases? I brushed them all out with a bronze bore brush and tapped them on the bench and shot them with compressed air. Gotta be an easier way? Will tumbling them take the brass trimmings out?

Thank you!

 

[Rotortuner]

Re: Brass trimmings stuck in case...easy way to clean?

Tumbling should work, but When I get them stuck up in the necks, I just use a piece of tape rolled up sticky side out about half the dia of the case neck, it grabs the little pieces really quickly. You can do it when they are all in the loading blocks just before you drop the powder, takes a minute or two for 50.

CJG

 

[targaflorio]

Re: Brass trimmings stuck in case...easy way to clean?

Brilliant! Awesome. Thanks!

 

[madd0c]

Re: Brass trimmings stuck in case...easy way to clean?

Your case lengths were not consistent? I use the same combo, and the length is dead on. Every time. Are you sure you have the lock rings for the cutting head in the right spot? Screw the lock rings down to the end closest to the handle and set them so they can't move. Then slide the cutting head ALL the way in to the lock rings. Then adjust the depth screw to get the right case length. Also, I went to a sinclair micrometer adjustment on the adjustment screw to make setup faster.

As for the brass shavings, I just invert the case over a case mouth brush mounted on a trimmate. One swipe and the brass is gone.

Hope this helps,
madd0c

 

[Fuzzball]

Re: Brass trimmings stuck in case...easy way to clean?

Tumbling will do it but it really doesn't matter. And tiny trace bits won't harm a bore near as badly as the bullets will.

 

[targaflorio]

Re: Brass trimmings stuck in case...easy way to clean?

madd0c: Thanks for your post. I followed the directions. I didn't see any mention of lock rings. Which is the lock ring?

There's a jam nut which doesn't seem to do anything except index the handle off the cutter bearing. and there's a stop screw with a stop nut and set screw. That seems straight forward to set the desired case length. I use the Sinclair bracket with shark fin clamp.

I think the error is how hard I push the handle to the left, toward the case mouth. Do you not put any lateral pressure on the cutter handle? or maybe I don't stop at the same point every time? It should freewheel a few turns before i quit cutting the case?

If spec is 2.005 to 2.015, what trim to length should I shoot for?

 

[targaflorio]

Re: Brass trimmings stuck in case...easy way to clean?

Of course, I'm measuring the cases with an RCBS digital caliper that's taken 4 years of abuse and may not be as accurate as original...

 

[madd0c]

Re: Brass trimmings stuck in case...easy way to clean?

The Jam nut is what I am talking about. I think mine has two on it so you can set it further in if you need to and lock it with the other nut. The second nut may have come with the power adapter, not sure.
Yes, the purpose is to index the cutting head to the same spot. I use the power adapter on the cutter head and the handle on the chamfer head. If you are using the sharkfin, and have the nut all the way out to the handle, I would suspect your calipers.
I use moderate pressure on the cordless screwdriver until the nut bottoms out and "freewheels" for a second or two. No deviations in case length once the nut bottoms out. It is a very accurate trimmer. I can't justify $400 for a Giraud, so I think the wilson is great for the amount of cases I run through it.

madd0c

 

[CarbonOne]

Re: Brass trimmings stuck in case...easy way to clean?

You can always vibrate them out. Turn your tumbler on and vibrate your cases against the center post. Easiest way to get stubborn media out too.

 

[targaflorio]

Re: Brass trimmings stuck in case...easy way to clean?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: madd0c</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The Jam nut is what I am talking about. I think mine has two on it so you can set it further in if you need to and lock it with the other nut. The second nut may have come with the power adapter, not sure.
Yes, the purpose is to index the cutting head to the same spot. I use the power adapter on the cutter head and the handle on the chamfer head. If you are using the sharkfin, and have the nut all the way out to the handle, I would suspect your calipers.
I use moderate pressure on the cordless screwdriver until the nut bottoms out and "freewheels" for a second or two. No deviations in case length once the nut bottoms out. It is a very accurate trimmer. I can't justify $400 for a Giraud, so I think the wilson is great for the amount of cases I run through it.

madd0c </div></div>Madd0c: You and I are thinking a lot alike. I also got the power adapter and was going to try it with my cordless drill. My drill is an 18v Ryobi with a big handle and the battery on the bottom. How do you line up the drill and the cutter? Do you just freehand the drill and not set it down on anything?

I came close to buying the Giraud, but for 308 and 223 it was going to be $525. I only load about 100-200 rounds a month, so the Wilson seems to be enough and always gets high marks fro build quality and accuracy.

What digital caliper is accurate? measuring 3 thousandths of an inch is tough, less than a human hair...

 

[madd0c]

Re: Brass trimmings stuck in case...easy way to clean?

I actually use a cordless screwdriver with a straight handle to turn the power adpater. It is light enough that it just hangs there without a support.

Sounds like once you get comfortable with the trimmer, you won't have any troubles.
madd0c

 

[targaflorio]

Re: Brass trimmings stuck in case...easy way to clean?

And are you using the Wilson chamfer/deburring adapter on the trimmer or the stand-alone manual handle? That manual tool starts aching my fingers after a few dozen cases...

 

[madd0c]

Re: Brass trimmings stuck in case...easy way to clean?

I use the power screwdriver for trimming and the handle on a seperate Wilson trimmer set up with the chamfer head. 2 seperate Wilsons to speed up trimming and then chamfering.

On the chamfer you REALLY don't want a power adapter. The chamfer I have is the VLD and it will chamfer the mouths wafer thin in about 7 turns. Too thin and the mouths deform when I bang them out of the holder.
I use the handle on the chamfer and count 4 turns before removing from the holder.

hope this helps,
madd0c

 

[targaflorio]

Re: Brass trimmings stuck in case...easy way to clean?

Cool. You deburr by hand ?