Frankford Arsenal Rotary Tumbler Lite

outrider58 · May 2, 2020

Anyone have any experience with this particular model?

What size/length pins should I buy?

What else will I need? A medium separator I already have. I also bought a cheapo dehydrator for drying cases.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1020652544?pid=238852

guzma393 · May 2, 2020

I have the bigger model that I bought from bass pro when they had a sale. It included 5 lb bag of pins already.

The frankford pins that you can buy separately works great and shakes off the casings easily. I highly recommend getting the pickup magnet for it. Those pins stick and go everywhere even with a media separator....magnet is used to pick out the straggling pieces.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1012716058?pid=375973

PowPow · May 2, 2020

You'll want some citric acid, e.g. Lemi Shine, and I'd recommend having some Dawn detergent handy. I use a couple teaspoons of Lemi Shine and a couple drops of dawn when I run them in my Lyman tumbler. You may need to adjust quantities based on the tumbler capacity.

teratos · May 2, 2020

PowPow said:
You'll want some citric acid, e.g. Lemi Shine, and I'd recommend having some Dawn detergent handy. I use a couple teaspoons of Lemi Shine and a couple drops of dawn when I run them in my Lyman tumbler. You may need to adjust quantities based on the tumbler capacity.

I do the same. Dawn and a little Lemi-Shine.

Matlack · May 2, 2020

I'll be honest, I wish I had gone the rotary tumbler route when I started out.

paperwork351 · May 2, 2020

The media release magnet was mentioned and I purchased a telescoping pen magnet for the strays.
https://www.midsouthshooterssupply....dia-release-magnet-(for-stainless-steel-media)

I purchased the Frankford media separator since it is sumerged and breaks the water tension of the pins. The grey container has a drain hole with a mesh strainer along with a corner strainer. Trying to rotate 360 is somewhat annoying so 180 is better.
https://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item/00122507567/platinum-series-wetdry-media-separator

Purchased extra strainers.
https://www.midsouthshooterssupply....ankford-arsenal-rotary-tumbler-straining-caps

I went with the pre-measured solution. It sez ultrasonic but WTH. It suds up like dawn and lemishine.
https://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item/00122878787/ultrasonic-brass-cleaning-solution

outrider58 · May 2, 2020

Thanks for the recommendations. I will do as suggested. I already have a lifetime supply of citric acid, but since you recommended Dawn by name, I will get that too. :thumbsup:

inkd · May 2, 2020

outrider58 said:
Thanks for the recommendations. I will do as suggested. I already have a lifetime supply of citric acid, but since you recommended Dawn by name, I will get that too.

If you are going to wet tumble prior to sizing/decapping, I have heard from some folks that the Dawn can make case sizing tough cause it strips any kind of lubricant away.

I guess if you are sizing rifle brass, it wouldn't make that big of a deal since it should be lubed anyways. But, pistol brass may be another story.

What is the weight limit on the Frankford Arsenal tumbler? That can be another potential bummer. By the time you put in water and pins, you may not have a lot of weight left over for cases.

teratos · May 2, 2020

inkd said:
If you are going to wet tumble prior to sizing/decapping, I have heard from some folks that the Dawn can make case sizing tough cause it strips any kind of lubricant away.

I guess if you are sizing rifle brass, it wouldn't make that big of a deal since it should be lubed anyways. But, pistol brass may be another story.

What is the weight limit on the Frankford Arsenal tumbler? That can be another potential bummer. By the time you put in water and pins, you may not have a lot of weight left over for cases.

I decap (using a single stage with universal decapper), wet tumble, dry, size (with wax or spray on lube) then tumble in walnut with a little NuFinish.

outrider58 · May 2, 2020

inkd said:
If you are going to wet tumble prior to sizing/decapping, I have heard from some folks that the Dawn can make case sizing tough cause it strips any kind of lubricant away.

I guess if you are sizing rifle brass, it wouldn't make that big of a deal since it should be lubed anyways. But, pistol brass may be another story.

What is the weight limit on the Frankford Arsenal tumbler? That can be another potential bummer. By the time you put in water and pins, you may not have a lot of weight left over for cases.

The 'super cleaning' aspect of wet tumbling has always been a worry to me, but half the world can't be wrong, can it? Most of my pistol dies are carbide. I guess I'll have to learn the best procedures accordinly.

It says you can load 300 pcs of .223 brass in it. That's usually about the max I clean at a time anyway so I think I'll be OK there.

inkd · May 2, 2020

teratos said:
I decap (using a single stage with universal decapper), wet tumble, dry, size (with wax or spray on lube) then tumble in walnut with a little NuFinish.

So far my go to routine for rifle has been to size and decap, trim and ream crimped primers for 5.56 then wet tumble.

I just wet tumbled a batch last weekend. Amazing, the difference between that and regular tumbling. This was some pretty nasty range brass I've been collecting for a while and it came out beautiful!!!

I have found some larger capacity wet tumblers but just can't justify the expense.

outrider58 · May 2, 2020

inkd said:
So far my go to routine for rifle has been to size and decap, trim and ream crimped primers for 5.56 then wet tumble.

I just wet tumbled a batch last weekend. Amazing, the difference between that and regular tumbling. This was some pretty nasty range brass I've been collecting for a while and it came out beautiful!!!

I have found some larger capacity wet tumblers but just can't justify the expense.

That's why I'm going with the Lite. Just can't move off the cash for the bigger, better ones. We've been spending money like drunken sailors on shore leave lately.

buellsfurn · May 2, 2020

ultrasonic with brass clock parts cleaner is what i use also have the vibrator with MDS member inkd walnut media. But i am the beginner in the crowd .

inkd · May 2, 2020

outrider58 said:
That's why I'm going with the Lite. Just can't move off the cash for the bigger, better ones. We've been spending money like drunken sailors on shore leave lately.

well, it seems as though the guy I was going to buy one from several years ago has gone MIA. He made a seriously heavy duty rig.

Besides money, I just don't have the time to devote to it. I'd love to get a large capacity rig but odds are, it would just sit there collecting dust most of the time. For what I am doing, the Thumlers works fine. Although, there is a rig called the Rebel that is pretty damn nice.

https://stainlesstumblingmedia.com/extreme-tumblers-rebel-17.html

outrider58 · May 2, 2020

buellsfurn said:
ultrasonic with brass clock parts cleaner is what i use also have the vibrator with MDS member inkd walnut media. But i am the beginner in the crowd .

I have tried the ultrasonic cleaner. It worked okay for small batches, but volume is limited.

Mdphotographer · May 2, 2020

I have the larger size FA-RT and love it. I use Lemishine and Armor All car wash and wax. The residual wax left on the case helps with resizing and also keeps the brass from tarnishing as fast. I tumble 1 hour resize brass, trim if necessary, re-tumble again for 2 hours then hand prime cases and on to the Hornady LnL.

I use this magnet from harbor freight for any pins that make it to the floor

https://www.harborfreight.com/long-reach-magnetic-pickup-tool-with-quick-release-93950.html

teratos · May 2, 2020

Mdphotographer said:
I have the larger size FA-RT and love it.

That’s nice and all, but what does that have to do with the reloading?

j8064 · May 2, 2020

Outrider, why not go with the Platinum version? Buy once, cry once. :innocent0

Of course you'll need someplace to put it (like a dedicated stand

). Here's what I did: https://www.mdshooters.com/showthread.php?236064&p=5592290#post5592290

In addition to the pins, my wash mix includes a teaspoon of each: Dawn, Lemi-Shine and Simple Green. That recipe works great for me.

For managing the steel pins, get some paint strainers that fit 5-gal buckets. Rinse your tumbler load with a hose several times. Before dumping it all, drain off most the excess water. Then shake the pins into a bucket lined with a paint strainer through the strainer cap. Next step is to dump the wet brass and the rest of the pins into a towel-lined shallow plastic container. There you can sort the brass for drying and pick up remaining pins with the magnet for reuse.

Some day when the Hooligan range reopens we'll gladly share a few tips on how we wet-tumble our brass.

:thumbsup:

paperwork351 · May 2, 2020

The Platinum version holds 1000pcs of 223 or 30 lbs. The Lite holds 300pcs of 223, around 100-120 30-06. I didn't count.Takes more trips around the block. I don't have that volume say 2000 9mm. Lot of YT vids. Lot of info to reach the balamce of lemi to dawn.I do mine in the tub with a tee shirt patch on the drain. Havn't found a 50-70 grid mesh strainer to use there. Pins jump so I don't tumble in the sink/disposal.

outrider58 · May 2, 2020

Mdphotographer said:
I have the larger size FA-RT and love it. I use Lemishine and Armor All car wash and wax. The residual wax left on the case helps with resizing and also keeps the brass from tarnishing as fast. I tumble 1 hour resize brass, trim if necessary, re-tumble again for 2 hours then hand prime cases and on to the Hornady LnL.

I use this magnet from harbor freight for any pins that make it to the floor

https://www.harborfreight.com/long-reach-magnetic-pickup-tool-with-quick-release-93950.html

Good stuff!

teratos said:
That’s nice and all, but what does that have to do with the reloading?

Chemically speaking, it might have applications...

j8064 said:
Outrider, why not go with the Platinum version? Buy once, cry once.

Of course you'll need someplace to put it (like a dedicated stand ). Here's what I did: https://www.mdshooters.com/showthread.php?236064&p=5592290#post5592290

In addition to the pins, my wash mix includes a teaspoon of each: Dawn, Lemi-Shine and Simple Green. That recipe works great for me.

For managing the steel pins, get some paint strainers that fit 5-gal buckets. Rinse your tumbler load with a hose several times. Before dumping it all, drain off most the excess water. Then shake the pins into a bucket lined with a paint strainer through the strainer cap. Next step is to dump the wet brass and the rest of the pins into a towel-lined shallow plastic container. There you can sort the brass for drying and pick up remaining pins with the magnet for reuse.

Some day when the Hooligan range reopens we'll gladly share a few tips on how we wet-tumble our brass.

Thanks Joe! I can't wait to get back out there with you guys.

I'll bring all my dirty brass too...

paperwork351 said:
The Platinum version holds 1000pcs of 223 or 30 lbs. The Lite holds 300pcs of 223, around 100-120 30-06. I didn't count.Takes more trips around the block. I don't have that volume say 2000 9mm. Lot of YT vids. Lot of info to reach the balamce of lemi to dawn.I do mine in the tub with a tee shirt patch on the drain. Havn't found a 50-70 grid mesh strainer to use there. Pins jump so I don't tumble in the sink/disposal.

Great tips! Thank you paperwork!

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