ultrasonic cleaning - changing brass colour.........

[Guest Tiff]

I currently use a 50/50 mix of distilled vinegar/water for 16 minuets, 8 min bicarb soda solution and 8 min's distilled water....The lovely looking annealed lapua brass comes out with no annealing marks at all looking more like Rem brass in colour. Is this colour change/removal of the annealing marks ok, or am I damaging the brass?

[silentsoulsleave308holes]

would it harm or change your rifle if you rubbed off the blueing?????????????????????????????

[Guest Tiff]

would it harm or change your rifle if you rubbed off the blueing?????????????????????????????

 

 

Quite possibly....it would expose it to further corrosion. I've lost you on this one?

 

Does this change in colour of the brass mean:

 

A - the chemical composition of it has changed.

 

B - the surface has been removed or oxidized

 

Or

 

C- something else..........

 

At £2.20 each I don't won't to mess this brass up.

[tulkyuk]

If you read about them on the lapua web site, it will tell you that the anneling colour will come off with cleaning

[ejg223]

Tiff are you running that at room temp or heated?

Maybe try running a few at ten times the time and maybe higher concentration

to see what damage could be done. If they don't seem to have any

damage then don't worry.

 

edi

[Redfox]

just use a proper carbon/corrosion cleaner designed for ultrrasonic cleaning, it is quicker than your home brew mixes and there are non acidic and low alkaline versions out there which will not harm the brass. Vinegar is Acetic acid and will eventually weaken the brass depending on strength, I have used it in hand cleaning brass before going to ultrasonic. It will eventually make the brass go dark as it is etching it. All cleaning including polishing will remove the oxide from annealing and elevating the solution temperature ( not to boiling!!) will speed up the process somewhat, too high and it will affect the brass temper, I use tap hot water which is about 60 C.

If you do a search on "ultrasonic" here I have answered pretty well all the questions on this in the recent past.

Redfox

[Guest Tiff]

Cheers Redfox and others. I've had a look for RS 198-4915 but it has been discontinued. They have replaced it with 198-4909 which is alkaline based, instead of the previous acidic. Will this still be ok?

[Redfox]

It does work ok and doesnt harm the brass. Also :-

Centrevine Ltd Firearms Dlrs

Tel: (01704) 870598 - Text Number

Unit 2,76 Stephenson Way,Formby Ind Est, Formby, Liverpool, L37 8EG -

Sell a case cleaner ultrasonic fluid in litre bottles which I used to use only changed as its a 30 ml each way trip for me.

Redfox

198 -4921 will be in stock couple of days that works well too, so a few choices.

[Guest Tiff]

I've been using 198-4909 for a week now diluted as the instructions say to a 1 part in 8 solution. It seems to work well, however does leave the inside of the necks with a green tinge and the flash hole with a small crystalline residue on. Any ideas how to avoid this/what is causing it and is it damaging the brass or purely cosmetic?

[Guest Tiff]

I've been using 198-4909 for a week now diluted as the instructions say to a 1 part in 8 solution. It seems to work well, however does leave the inside of the necks with a green tinge and the flash hole with a small crystalline residue on. Any ideas how to avoid this/what is causing it and is it damaging the brass or purely cosmetic? If it helps I'm running the solution at 50ish degrees for 16-24 minuets.

[Redfox]

Use very hot water to rinsethem thoroughly, I have some double cream pots that are paper thin clear plastic ( wife likes strawberries and cream ) and I put them in one of those with hot water for a couple of mins in the ultrasonic, leaves them clean as a whistle, also dilute the stuff about 15 - 20 to 1 as it still works and is a bit gentler on the brass. Keep us posted on your results.

Redfox