Frankford Rotary Tumbler

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Steamforger
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Frankford Rotary Tumbler

Post by Steamforger »

PSA had a sale on brass earlier in the month (I think it may still be going) and I'm here to tell you: This once fired, uncleaned brass is about the dirtiest, nastiest, funkiest shite I've ever seen picked up from a range. If I was forced to guess they either bought a few pallets of .mil brass cleaned up from a range from DRMO, or they are knee deep in brass at their ranges until they do a cleanup. I mean there's dirt and vegetation mixed in.

In the past I'd usually "pickeled" my brass with a mix of vinegar, hot water, Dawn, and salt. I got decent results if it wasn't too dirty to start with.

This week I ordered one of these. A big selling point was the wet cleaning system using a mix of stainless pins and liquid cleaners. By most accounts some Dawn with a hint of Lemi Shine does a right, bang up job. Another nice point is the pins are supposed to do a thorough job of cleaning primer pockets and the inside of the case. Cases should look new coming out. I expect I'll be doing 500-600 .308 cases this weekend. I'll post some before and afters.
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First Shirt
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Re: Frankford Rotary Tumbler

Post by First Shirt »

Yes, please do! I've been debating this, and was waiting for a [strike]sucker[/strike] [strike]pigeon[/strike] [strike]guinea pig[/strike] volunteer to try it first. Thanks!

there's one born every minute :lol:
But there ain't many troubles that a man caint fix, with seven hundred dollars and a thirty ought six."
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Steamforger
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Re: Frankford Rotary Tumbler

Post by Steamforger »

I CAN TELL YOU IT IS VERY, VERY NOISY!!!!
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First Shirt
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Re: Frankford Rotary Tumbler

Post by First Shirt »

THANKS, I'D KINDA FIGURED THAT, BUT IT'S NICE TO HAVE IT CONFIRMED. IS IT FASTER THAN VIBRATORY TUMBLERS?
But there ain't many troubles that a man caint fix, with seven hundred dollars and a thirty ought six."
Lindy Cooper Wisdom
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HTRN
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Re: Frankford Rotary Tumbler

Post by HTRN »

Generally no. But you can't use the vibatories with stainless media.

Also, you make really big ones out of those plastic cement mixers.
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First Shirt
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Re: Frankford Rotary Tumbler

Post by First Shirt »

I know a guy who made his out of a home treadmill and some 5-gallon plastic water jugs. Wasn't entirely sure I believed his sales pitch, though, so thought I'd wait for more trusted confirmation.
But there ain't many troubles that a man caint fix, with seven hundred dollars and a thirty ought six."
Lindy Cooper Wisdom
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Steamforger
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Re: Frankford Rotary Tumbler

Post by Steamforger »

I'll post some pics shortly.

ETA- I'm glad I got it. It did a much better job than anything I've used so far, but it does need some time to get that "cleaner than new" finish.It's a bit louder than I'd like being an apartment dweller and all, but I'll either take it to work or do it during more appropriate times of the day.
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blackeagle603
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Re: Frankford Rotary Tumbler

Post by blackeagle603 »

I got some stainless media to polish a sawed off 105 casing. A retired Marine buddy was about the business of making a beer stein out of it. I ran it in my cement mixer. Put it in a 1 gallon paint pail and packed that in a 5 gallon bucket that I wedged in the mixer.

Building a rotary tumbler is on my project bucket list. Maybe if we had longer winters here in SoCal I'd get more of those hobby type projects done and get a respite from the outside landscape, fencing and paving projects.
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McClarkus
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Re: Frankford Rotary Tumbler

Post by McClarkus »

Hmm you gave me room for thought. I have a 5 gallon paint mixer that is of the angled rotary type.
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Steamforger
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Re: Frankford Rotary Tumbler

Post by Steamforger »

Update:

I did a 90 minute roll this afternoon. Results were excellent. Very happy.
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