I'm being tempted....Franklin Arsenal

McDirkale

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 16, 2016
Messages
1,158
Location
Da ville
Rating - 100%
6   0   0
Watching YouTube again.....I'm being tempted with this tumbler. I have a harbor freight dry that's probably 15 years old, still works, just showing its age.

Anybody have one?

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1020652544

238852.jpg
 
I love my FART. Get yourself a good magnet to separate pins from brass.
 
I have the FAPS... and it's a beast.

Seriously though, I have the larger one and it works well. As @Timfoilhat said, get a good magnet.
 
I have the original FART (the big one). I think it is nice having an opening at each end, I can put the strainer in one end, turn it over and spray water in the other end, to help rinse it out.
 
I also have the original FART and it’s great. It makes cleaning brass a little addicting haha.

I also want to add that FA sells spare parts for the tumblers at very reasonable prices and with cheap shipping! This is becoming exceedingly rare in my experience.
 
Last edited:
I have the original and I love it. It works well, easy to use and easy to clean. Makes your brass look awesome!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
The lite isn’t as good. The full size is better. I bought the lite and returned it, it wouldn’t get the brass tumbling, it would just sit there while the drum spin around it. But I do love the full size one
 
You have the original FART (you linked to just the drum, I assume that you have the whole thing)
He’s tempted by the FART Lite which I believe has much less capacity.
Yes, sorry. The original FART.
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1012721373?pid=713881

I've never done 1000 pcs of 223 like the destructions say it has the capacity to but it's got no issue with 300 or 400 223. Will probably do 1000 9mm easily. I don't get in a huge hurry and try and jam full.
 
Last edited:
Yes, sorry. The original FART.
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1012721373?pid=713881

I've never done 1000 pcs of 223 like the destructions say it has the capacity to but it's got no issue with 300 or 400 223. Will probably do 1000 9mm easily. I don't get in a huge hurry and try and jam full.
650 223 in mine and well over 1000 9mm.

wont clean as good if you’ve got a bunch of dirty brass in there. I’ve had to run range brass that’s been outside long enough to turn black about 3 times to get it shiny
 
Watching YouTube again.....I'm being tempted with this tumbler. I have a harbor freight dry that's probably 15 years old, still works, just showing its age.

Anybody have one?

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1020652544

238852.jpg

I had one for about 3 days until I returned it. Here's the problem with those. If you don't use a full load, not sure what you're tumbling but at least 300 223 or 500-600 9mm, each and every time it will not tumble properly. The brass will sit on the bottom and the drum will spin but not the brass causing hot spots on the cases. Even with a full load I wasn't happy with the results. The bigger FART has a rubber lining which works much better. Why they didn't line this drum with rubber is beyond me. There are a few guys on youtube who have made modifications to this model with rubber hoses and adding paddles inside but why should you need to modify a brand new item to do what it's supposed to do in the first place. I'd either go with the full size FART or give the Midway National Metallic wet tumbler a try, which is basically a full size FART with the same features at a lower cost. You can get a kit or just the tumbler. Links below. I'd stay away from this one though.

I do small batches so I went with the Harbor Freight dual drum tumbler and it works really well. The belts break every now and then if you use it frequently but it comes with 5 so not a big deal and you can find a much better quality belt on Amazon which will last a heck of a lot longer.

Links

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1021666817?pid=825891

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1019428848?pid=396592

Review - Apparently these go on sale for $89.99. I may have to pick one up if I catch the sale.

 
Last edited:
I have one and will never dry tumble dirty brass again. This is faster, way cleaner, zero lead dust, no dust left on cases, no media to stick in primer pockets, etc. I run anywhere from 800-1100 cases at a time on mine. Works great with or without ss pins.
 
There are a few guys on youtube who have made modifications to this model with rubber hoses and adding paddles inside but why should you need to modify a brand new item to do what it's supposed to do in the first place.
I had the same problem with mine. I cut some 3/4" PVC pipe in half, epoxied it across every other flat side of inside of the drum. Works great now regardless of the batch size. It cut my batch time from 2-2 1/2 hours to 30 minutes. I agree you shouldn't have to modify a piece of new equipment, but, it ain't the first time I've had to. The artificial "bumps" I added could be molded into the drum easily when they are made.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top Bottom