What do the masses think of those sonic cleaners?

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  • gophernuts

    What do the masses think of those sonic cleaners?

    Just wondering if anybody has used any of these. I'm speaking of the ones that use One Shot and supposedly clean out pocket primers as well. Let's hear some testimonials!!!

  • #2
    After reading an article on them at 6mmbr.com, I bought a rather powerful one (actually is) at Harbor Freight on sale for something like $50.00. It was stainless steel and surprisingly well made for something from HF. I made some of the water / vinegar / dish soap solution from that article and processed some very sooty 5-fired 450 Bushmaster brass I had been experimenting with. It did precisely what the article said it would do, including the primer pockets. What impressed me most was the inside of the cases. You assume that black gets permanently burned into the brass, but that's not so. They didn't look brand new, nor did the outsides get polished as well as when I tumble them in walnut media, but they sure were spick-n-span clean. After a couple of loads, I went back to the tumbler, if for no other reason than you didn't have to dry them when you took them out and you don't get extra credit for the insides looking as nice as the outsides. Also, if your gun and magazine impart minor scratches to the cases, the walnut media effaces them. Every bull's crazy about a sharp dressed round

    Hoot

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    • #3
      I use a 30 gallon drum on a giant lathe, corn cob media and a couple spoons of flitz metal polish.

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by warped View Post
        I use a 30 gallon drum on a giant lathe, corn cob media and a couple spoons of flitz metal polish.
        lol, the mental picture of your tumbler! You got a picture of that, I've got a lathe that need some work. I love the outside the box ideas.

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        • bwaites
          Moderator
          • Mar 2011
          • 4445

          #5
          Originally posted by warped View Post
          I use a 30 gallon drum on a giant lathe, corn cob media and a couple spoons of flitz metal polish.
          Time to use stainless media, then you get cases that look brand new, have a high polish, AND cleans the primer pockets. On that set up you could do it easily!

          Buy from the Original online source for Stainless Steel Media. We exceed all expectations. Corn cob, walnut, and evern ultrasonic cleaners don't compare. Our reloading supplies are the quickest and easiest way to clean brass for reloading. Stainless steel media won't harm brass, cleans inside and out, & cleans primer pocket!


          I'm intrigued by the sonic cleaners, too, but for both you have to decap if you want the primer pockets clean, which means either resizing brass prior, or adding an extra step of decapping first, then resizing after. I don't really want to resize dirty brass, so its an extra step to decap.

          Hmmmmm......

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by bwaites View Post
            Time to use stainless media, then you get cases that look brand new, have a high polish, AND cleans the primer pockets. On that set up you could do it easily!

            Buy from the Original online source for Stainless Steel Media. We exceed all expectations. Corn cob, walnut, and evern ultrasonic cleaners don't compare. Our reloading supplies are the quickest and easiest way to clean brass for reloading. Stainless steel media won't harm brass, cleans inside and out, & cleans primer pocket!


            I'm intrigued by the sonic cleaners, too, but for both you have to decap if you want the primer pockets clean, which means either resizing brass prior, or adding an extra step of decapping first, then resizing after. I don't really want to resize dirty brass, so its an extra step to decap.

            Hmmmmm......
            Wow! And it changes rifle into pistol cases too! That's some impressive stuff.

            Comment

            • bwaites
              Moderator
              • Mar 2011
              • 4445

              #7
              Originally posted by z06man View Post
              Wow! And it changes rifle into pistol cases too! That's some impressive stuff.
              Like that? I thought it was pretty cool, too! Obvious disconnect there. From all accounts from guys who use it, though, it does an amazing job. You do have to still dry the brass, but....

              Comment


              • #8
                Have a sonic cleaner and used it for a while, does an ok job. Went to the stainless steel media with the Thumbler tumbler. I take the dirty brass and run thru a lube die and deprime. I then resize the brass and put it in the tumbler, run for 3 hours and the brass comes out looking like new. You put in the oven at 175 deg for about 30 min. to dry, you also have to do this with the sonic cleaner.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by bwaites View Post
                  Time to use stainless media, then you get cases that look brand new, have a high polish, AND cleans the primer pockets. On that set up you could do it easily!

                  Buy from the Original online source for Stainless Steel Media. We exceed all expectations. Corn cob, walnut, and evern ultrasonic cleaners don't compare. Our reloading supplies are the quickest and easiest way to clean brass for reloading. Stainless steel media won't harm brass, cleans inside and out, & cleans primer pocket!


                  I'm intrigued by the sonic cleaners, too, but for both you have to decap if you want the primer pockets clean, which means either resizing brass prior, or adding an extra step of decapping first, then resizing after. I don't really want to resize dirty brass, so its an extra step to decap.

                  Hmmmmm......
                  So now we know what happens to all the old needle bearings. I would suspect that if you want your primer pockets cleaned, you have to decap regardless of what media or method you use. I don't tumble a second time. I don't like imperial wax in my media. I just wipe them rigorously with a clean spot on a paper towel and then give those a second wipe with a papertowel moistened with solvent. As for the pockets, I clean mine with one of These
                  I can't say enough for the fellow's product. Absolutely top shelf and I have no interests with him other than a satisfied customer.

                  Hoot

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    You are onto something here Bill...

                    Comment

                    • bwaites
                      Moderator
                      • Mar 2011
                      • 4445

                      #11
                      Originally posted by warped View Post
                      You are onto something here Bill...
                      EVERY guy who I have talked to that has tried it swears its the best way to clean brass they have ever encountered.

                      It's an investment, but the media never wears out, the detergent and Lemishine are available at every WalMart, as well as online. I don't really want to make the drop for a Thumblers tumbler, but a friend has one and I think he'll let me borrow it for a trial run if I buy the media.

                      There are cheaper places online to buy the media, too, but that one I posted has the best information about how to use it.

                      I've also considered a 5 gallon bucket run by belt from a fan motor or washing machine motor as another alternative.

                      Comment

                      • Variable
                        Chieftain
                        • Mar 2011
                        • 2403

                        #12
                        Originally posted by bwaites View Post
                        EVERY guy who I have talked to that has tried it swears its the best way to clean brass they have ever encountered.

                        It's an investment, but the media never wears out, the detergent and Lemishine are available at every WalMart, as well as online. I don't really want to make the drop for a Thumblers tumbler, but a friend has one and I think he'll let me borrow it for a trial run if I buy the media.

                        There are cheaper places online to buy the media, too, but that one I posted has the best information about how to use it.

                        I've also considered a 5 gallon bucket run by belt from a fan motor or washing machine motor as another alternative.
                        You have another friend who has a lapidary tumbler too... Buy the media, come visit, and bring it with you.LOL!!!
                        Life member NRA, SAF, GOA, WVSRPA (and VFW). Also member WVCDL. Join NOW!!!!!
                        We either hang together on this, or we'll certainly HANG separately.....

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                        • mtn_shooter

                          #13
                          The only reason I clean/polish brass is for semi-autos so I can find them. Is there any other advantage, because I haven't seen it?

                          Comment

                          • rasp65
                            Warrior
                            • Mar 2011
                            • 660

                            #14
                            I have been using the ss media for a year and a half. I got the media from a fellow shooter on snipers hide http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubb...45#Post1513345 The difference between what stainlessmedia.com sells and what you get from snipershide is that one is magnetic(snipers hide) and the other is not. It makes it a lot easier to pick up the tiny pins that find a way to go astray.

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