Cleaning a PVC Wet Tumbler Drum

Armory » Reloading

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Cleaning a PVC Wet Tumbler Drum

Posted: 10/21/2017 10:38:03 PM EDT

After wet tumbling for a few years, I recently got a new 2 gallon PVC drum for wet tumbling.

After the first two loads in the tumbler, the drum has a dark film on it. The film can be partially wiped off with Simple Green- but not all of it. It is not possible to hand clean it (as far as I know).

Brass looks OK, not great like before this new drum.

Also, after I handle the pins- my hands have the same dark film on it.

Any suggestions for how to clean the drum/pins.

Posted: 10/21/2017 10:59:31 PM EDT

[#1]

The dawn is the ticket, use it on a hot rag to get the bulk of the slime.

Then run hottest water and dawn. I had to do it twice.

Posted: 10/22/2017 1:04:31 AM EDT

[#2]

Quoted:
After wet tumbling for a few years, I recently got a new 2 gallon PVC drum for wet tumbling.

After the first two loads in the tumbler, the drum has a dark film on it. The film can be partially wiped off with Simple Green- but not all of it. It is not possible to hand clean it (as far as I know).

Brass looks OK, not great like before this new drum.

Also, after I handle the pins- my hands have the same dark film on it.

Any suggestions for how to clean the drum/pins.

View Quote

Are you tumbling fired dirty cases, or tumbling lube off sized cases?

Posted: 10/22/2017 8:48:08 AM EDT

[#3]

Tumbling deprimmed, rinsed, fired cases (pistol).

Posted: 10/22/2017 9:11:42 AM EDT

[#4]

Try some Purple Power and warm water.

Rinse it out thoroughly with water before tumbling your next load of brass.

Posted: 10/22/2017 10:59:51 AM EDT

[#5]

Quote History

Quoted:
Try some Purple Power and warm water.

Rinse it out thoroughly with water before tumbling your next load of brass.

View Quote

Purple Power is death for waxes and oils. I used to work in an auto parts store and we used PP to clean under the oil display. If you haven't worked in an auto parts store, it is impossible to have a large oil display without something on it leaking somewhere. PP would remove the oil, and the wax on the floor underneath. Use it straight, and rinse everything really, really well.

Posted: 10/22/2017 2:23:11 PM EDT

[#6]

Just did the purple power and hot water- it worked ok, not great.

Guess I'll just have to live with it.

Going to soak pins in purple power/hot water. Hopefully that will work well, and then the drum won't get worse.

Posted: 10/22/2017 5:05:31 PM EDT

[#7]

Try running the tumbler with just the pins, PP, and hot water. Let it run for a bit before draining.

Posted: 10/23/2017 8:44:34 AM EDT

[#8]

I had to run hot water and dawn a few times after getting some new pins as they had a little bit of oil from the production process. The brass came out real dull, but could be wiped off. About 3-4 short cycles with Dawn and water cleaned it right up.

Posted: 10/23/2017 8:48:48 AM EDT

[#9]

Quote History

Quoted:
I had to run hot water and dawn a few times after getting some new pins as they had a little bit of oil from the production process. The brass came out real dull, but could be wiped off. About 3-4 short cycles with Dawn and water cleaned it right up.

View Quote

Thanks, this is my next step.

Posted: 10/24/2017 11:45:47 AM EDT

[#10]

Quote History

Quoted:

Purple Power is death for waxes and oils. I used to work in an auto parts store and we used PP to clean under the oil display. If you haven't worked in an auto parts store, it is impossible to have a large oil display without something on it leaking somewhere. PP would remove the oil, and the wax on the floor underneath. Use it straight, and rinse everything really, really well.

View Quote

Anything in that stuff that will cause issues with brass breakdown? I have some occasional issues with lanolin buildup on cases.

As for cleaning my drums and pins? I just use Simple Green, hot water, and run for an hour.

Posted: 10/24/2017 1:37:04 PM EDT

[#11]

More Dawn than you are currently using.

https://www.ar15.com/forums/armory/Wet-tumbler-guys-step-in-/42-482618/

Posted: 10/27/2017 4:30:52 PM EDT

[#12]

Ran the tumbler in hot water with pins and a long squirt of Dawn (10 seconds) twice yesterday. Drum didn't really get clean, but the pins are sparkling.

Hopefully the dirty pins were the issue. Not too worried about the drum, since the grime won't come off.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Cleaning a PVC Wet Tumbler Drum

Armory » Reloading

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