Brass cleaning and distilled water

Not quite ammunition, not quite equipment. 

So I've been using a sonic cleaner for years now. After tumbling for years and testing out wet tumbling, the sonic is my favorite. Unfortunately the economy has added distilled water to the list of items on shortage. About 30 stores and two months I have been unable to find a single gallon. Has anyone used regular tap water? What is the worst that happens? Spots? Really not looking to distill my own, but may be my last resort.

Available at our Walmarts here in Central Florida for $1.08/gal.

Jack, I use regular pre-threated water (our house is on the well) in ultasonic cleaner  with added citric acid and ultrashine soap from Costco.  I could careless if brass is dull, as long as it is clean.  And it is.  If I need to shine it, I tumble finished ammo with car polish added to walnut grinds.

AP

PhotoEscape wrote:Jack, I use regular pre-threated water (our house is on the well) in ultasonic cleaner  with added citric acid and ultrashine soap from Costco.  I could careless if brass is dull, as long as it is clean.  And it is.  If I need to shine it, I tumble finished ammo with car polish added to walnut grinds.

AP

I'm the same way. Shine means nothing to me as long as it's clean. I just wanted to make sure it wouldn't corrode or anything.

Olde Pilot wrote:Available at our Walmarts here in Central Florida for $1.08/gal.

And on the shelves? I Googled it and it seems to be a nationwide thing?

Just boil the water let it rest till it's room temperature and you have distilled water.

dannyd93140 wrote:Just boil the water let it rest till it's room temperature and you have distilled water.

That would be sanitized, but not distilled. Need to catch the vaporized water.  Can use a distilling pot rig a pot inside of a pot. I can go that route if I have to, but it's a heck of a lot more expensive.

Most brass alloys, especially ones used for ammunition casing here in USA, don't have enough zinc for corrosion to become destructive.  For regular brass alloys corrosion actually becomes kind of protective layer akin to copper patina.  

AP

Tap water+ ultrasonic = no problem.  I toss in a little Simple Green too because it makes me feel good.  I give a light tumble in walnut shells after.

Jwhelan939 wrote:

dannyd93140 wrote:Just boil the water let it rest till it's room temperature and you have distilled water.

That would be sanitized, but not distilled. Need to catch the vaporized water.  Can use a distilling pot rig a pot inside of a pot. I can go that route if I have to, but it's a heck of a lot more expensive.

I use it in my FART and the brass comes out looks like new. Takes out most of the impurities.

Jwhelan939 wrote:

dannyd93140 wrote:Just boil the water let it rest till it's room temperature and you have distilled water.

That would be sanitized, but not distilled. Need to catch the vaporized water.  Can use a distilling pot rig a pot inside of a pot. I can go that route if I have to, but it's a heck of a lot more expensive.

If you live in a humid climate, you can pull what you need out of a dehumidifier.  When I am in Ohio I get a gallon out of the thing about every eight hours.

Your brass gets treated waaaaay better than I even treat myself! Just tap water and car wash for my brass and tap water for myself! Ok, maybe a brewski every once in a while…

Have you considered a Britta water filter? It removes 99% of impurities.

If you live in a humid climate, you can pull what you need out of a dehumidifier.  When I am in Ohio I get a gallon out of the thing about every eight hours.

If the condensing fins are metal the water is not distilled.  
Dave

In order to make "condensed water" from tap water the tap water must be be heated to a boil to create water vapor which is caught in a "special glass condensing tube" which has an inner tube for the vapor and an outer tube for water to cool the vapor back into condensed water At least this was the process we used when I took organic chemistry in college. The effort, energy and expense to do this far outs weighs just going to your local Walmart and buying distilled water for depending on your location for about $1 per gallon.  I am a CPAP user and they require the use of distilled water.  I have not had any trouble in finding distilled water at any Walmart in my central Missouri location. The process to distill water is the same basic process to distill moonshine, think of it in terms of the still they use on Moonshiner's on TV.

Your tap water is fine! Water spots would be your only result. If that's objectionable, call your Culligan man.

Or invest in a RO/DI system, can get one for $150 or so and will give you highly purified water for days, I used to have one for my saltwater reef tank.

Collecting condensate from AC / dehumidifier is not distilled, but it is MUCH lower in calcium, iron etc. I've used it in batteries and irons for years with no apparent problems. If I used a wet method I wouldn't worry about tap water, but I suspect condensate would be cleaner than tap water in most locations.