Lyman Wet Tumbler Leak Solution

[rescuerandy2]

Good Evening,

Moving from dry to wet tumbling was the best move in case preparation. However, my Lyman was leaking like so many others and I tried using a strap wrench but still had leaking. Not happy with my purchase, I was ready to send it back. Then I recalled my days in a Biochemistry lab 40 years ago and found a solution.

To prepare our glassware for the high vacuums needed in the centrifuges, we used the grease you see below. I am now tumbling some 50BMG for the T-Gewehr and 35 minutes into the tumbling, no leaks. Will see if the grease eats up the gasket, but I suspect all will be OK. Though you see the strap-wrench, I did not torque the lid too much. Randy

Information

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[browningautorifle]

I was using the Frankford arsenal wet tumbler and had a couple leaks to start. I wet the end caps before tightening and they quit leaking. Trying to tighten them dry is a problem.

[ssgross]

I have a Lyman wet tumbler. I always have a pot of food grade silicone grease around for my many corny kegs that suffer the same problem. Rinse the gasket well after each use, and then lightly grease it before storing.

[Bruce_in_Oz]

Yep!

Food-grade Silicone grease or, since we are not eating the brass, the traditional "Rubber Grease", as used in water pumps and associated fittings.

I run my Lyman tumbler outside in a shady spot, not because of the "incontinence" issue, but because of the noise in a modestly-sized, timber-framed house. I tried running it in the bathroom where the floor pitches to a convenient drain-hole but that was a bit awkward. While I was still using a "dry" bowl type tumbler, I ran it outside exclusively, because those things are noisy AND dusty. Final tip: the "magic" chemical used in the wet tumblers is Citric Acid. The stuff in the orange box is expensive. However, if you are home-brewing beer or have a brewing supplies store handy, you can buy Citric Acid in crystalline form by the Kilogram for, well, beer money. It is used for cleaning and sterilizing all the lines and vessels used in the brewing process, including bottle washing. It is also used in cooking. At a few tea-spoon shots per cycle, a couple of Kilos goes a LONG way. Store in a good, airtight container.

[ssgross]

Citric Acid. The stuff in the orange box is expensive. However, if you are home-brewing beer or have a brewing supplies store handy, you can buy Citric Acid in crystalline form by the Kilogram for, well, beer money. It is used for cleaning and sterilizing all the lines and vessels used in the brewing process, including bottle washing. It is also used in cooking. At a few tea-spoon shots per cycle, a couple of Kilos goes a LONG way. Store in a good, airtight container.

Same basic idea, but maybe easier to locate is Lemishine. It's in the grocery store with the dishwasher detergent, used for cleaning all the crud out of a metal tub dishwasher. It's cheap...and a spent 45acp case full is all it takes to do a a very full load of brass in the Lyman wet tumbler.

One thing to add - if you aren't going to lube and size right away, put a few drops of oil on your fingers as you handle your cases to put away for storage...otherwise you'll get green spots after a few weeks.

[browningautorifle]

Lemishine

I had a container of that lasting ages. Little is all that's needed. I used Dawn dish soap and again just a few drops. More isn't better, it's the difference in your brass staying bright and turning dark butter yellow in minutes. Also I let my brass air dry and it stayed nice, if you try to warm it in the oven mine turned dark. I wore surgical gloves to handle the brass because I have acidy hands. I had to check .30 cal brass for stainless pins across the case mouths, 30-30 would have lots and .308 only once in a while.

[ssgross]

Dawn dish soap

same here. The more cases you put in, the less soap you need...counter intuitive for some, but obviously there is less room for water if you have more brass in there.

[Daan Kemp]

I've used the mix of a teaspoon of tartaric acid and a teaspoon of dishwashing liquid in a litre of hot water mix for cleaning cases for more than 30 years. Leave them for some hours, stirring every now and then. Rinse with clean water, tumble them in an old towel to get most of the water out, air dry - I'm not in a hurry am I. Come out clean and shiny.

[ssgross]

I'm not in a hurry am I

LOL. I broke down and bought a dryer the other year. I'm not in a hurry, but when towels full of drying brass are lying around the house the Mrs. gets in a hurry to have me done with it.

[browningautorifle]

towels full of drying brass are lying around the house

There was that, mine didn't seem to mind and there's no kids or pets to investigate. Took a night or day to dry and the sit and sort them from there.