FART vs HF tumbler?

[Stevenvalleyky]

If your semi handy, make one. I made one out of a furnace induction motor a buddy had sitting on a shelf, a few casters,a small piece of plywood, piece of scrap 2x4 and various nuts, bolts and washers I had in a coffee can. Works just as good as the fart and I have maybe $30 in it although its mostly the 2 gallon buckets and the flat rubber bungee cords that were glued inside as agitators. Just a thought for the budget minded but handy type.

 

[ar-newbie]

Another positive experience here with the harbor freight. Not going to knock anything else, but no problems here with the cheap HF tumbler.

 

[splattergun]

My 'junk' HF dual tumbler has fulfilled duty tumbling brass with walnut media and served as a rock tumbler for my daughter. Sometimes both cans are filled with rocks, sometimes both with brass. Sometimes one canister filled with rocks, water and polishing media and the other can filled with brass and walnut. I bought that thing, oh.... 5 years ago and it is still on its first belt. I haven't had to tighten any screws or nuts.

Last year I found a Thumlers Model B at an estate sale for real cheap. I use it mostly these days for its bigger capacity. My daughter has taken over the HF piece of junk and it is still running strong and problem free.

 

[V-fib]

get the FART! I had a HF that was broken when I brought it home. I returned it and bought the FART. It cleans my shells very well.

 

[Axis II]

You guys with a FART. What's the cheapest you have ever seen these things go for?

I just found 3 coffee cans full of range brass and its downright nasty so I'm breaking down and doing this wet tumbling thing once and for all!

I tried washing them in dawn and lemi shine to get all the dirt and grime off then dry tumble them but they are still pretty nasty. I only do 100 or so at a time so I'm leaning HF cause of the cost but if I can get a deal on a FART I would rather go that route.

I have a guy that's willing to let a FART got for about $130 used like one time I guess he needs the $.

I just think that's a ton of money for these things and some places like cabelas at $180 are out of their mind!! That sucker better reload the brass too for that price.

 

[Englishmn]

Offer him 100 I bought mine on sale for 130 at Cabela's.

 

[Dudedog]

Not knocking the HF tumbler but remember the Lyman Cyclone or the FART comes with pins, the HF does not so you need to add on the price of pins.
More money but the larger Cyclone or FART will do more cases at a time.
I like auto wash and wax and citric acid. (citric acid can be found in the canning section of the supermarket) People use Lemishine which has citric acid but cheaper just to by the citric acid.
As far as the wash and wax the brass gets whatever I am using for the car and the car generally gets whats on sale at the time.
(I have used Armour All, Formula 1, Turtle, and some others, all seem about the same, easy on the citric acid, generous with the wash and wax)
I have the Cyclone got it on sale forget the exact price. It came with two trays to separate the pins from the brass.
One with slots big enough to let the pins through, one with wire mesh to catch the pins and let the water through.

You will probably want to get a media transfer magnet to chase down pins that are attempting to escape, they try all the time.

Love the way my wet tumbled brass turns out.

 

[Axis II]

Not knocking the HF tumbler but remember the Lyman Cyclone or the FART comes with pins, the HF does not so you need to add on the price of pins.
More money but the larger Cyclone or FART will do more cases at a time.
I like auto wash and wax and citric acid. (citric acid can be found in the canning section of the supermarket) People use Lemishine which has citric acid but cheaper just to by the citric acid.
As far as the wash and wax the brass gets whatever I am using for the car and the car generally gets whats on sale at the time.
(I have used Armour All, Formula 1, Turtle, and some others, all seem about the same, easy on the citric acid, generous with the wash and wax)
I have the Cyclone got it on sale forget the exact price. It came with two trays to separate the pins from the brass.
One with slots big enough to let the pins through, one with wire mesh to catch the pins and let the water through.

You will probably want to get a media transfer magnet to chase down pins that are attempting to escape, they try all the time.

Love the way my wet tumbled brass turns out.

I have a HF coupon and can get the HF tumbler and pins for about $70 but see the FART comes with pins for the $130. I cant get him to come down any lower cause he paid like $180 for it.

I figured I would get a HF magnet and put a bag over it to separate the pins from it. I also have the wash and lemi shine already.

 

[D Rock]

You guys with a FART. What's the cheapest you have ever seen these things go for?

I just found 3 coffee cans full of range brass and its downright nasty so I'm breaking down and doing this wet tumbling thing once and for all!

I tried washing them in dawn and lemi shine to get all the dirt and grime off then dry tumble them but they are still pretty nasty. I only do 100 or so at a time so I'm leaning HF cause of the cost but if I can get a deal on a FART I would rather go that route.

I have a guy that's willing to let a FART got for about $130 used like one time I guess he needs the $.

I just think that's a ton of money for these things and some places like cabelas at $180 are out of their mind!! That sucker better reload the brass too for that price.

I got my FART kit from Cabela's last winter on sale for 119.00, was 160.00. If you can wait and shop sales you might do better than 130.00 but if not that's not a bad price if everything works.

Dave

 

[crackshot258]

I was going through some things the other day and found a lot of range brass and my corn cob tumbler just isn't cutting it with getting all the grime out of it so I'm thinking about getting a wet tumbler. I figured the main benefit of it would be being able to look inside the cases for better inspection, no crud in my dies and media. I'm a little torn what to get here. I see the Frankfort arsenal, RCBS and HF tumblers. Any suggestions and why? I will be doing mostly 223 and 9mm.

You might try ground walnut shells instead of the corn cob to clean with. You can get it cheap at a pet supply. Ask for lizard bedding. You can get a 20 or 25lb bag cheap. Walnut cuts crud better than corn cob. If you want to shine them up after cleaning, use the corn cob with a little car polish mixed in. If you're not satisfied with the walnut media you're not out much so it's worth a try. Wet cleaning is overkill in my book but I'm easily pleased.

 

[Axis II]

You might try ground walnut shells instead of the corn cob to clean with. You can get it cheap at a pet supply. Ask for lizard bedding. You can get a 20 or 25lb bag cheap. Walnut cuts crud better than corn cob. If you want to shine them up after cleaning, use the corn cob with a little car polish mixed in. If you're not satisfied with the walnut media you're not out much so it's worth a try. Wet cleaning is overkill in my book but I'm easily pleased.

I must hate the blue oxidized stuff and the grungy stuff from range pickups. I don't need super shiney cause its just gonna get dirty again but I figured wet with rifle may help identify case separation but I think after 5 firings I'm just gonna junk them anyways seeing how I can get 500pc swaged LC for about $50.

 

[Toprudder]

I don't think the $130 is out of line, especially if it was only used once. I paid more than that for mine, when the FART first came out, and I don't regret it for a minute. Have not looked back. As for the FART <> HF tumblers, it depends on the quantity of brass you will be tumbling. I can do large amounts in my FART, but I have the option of doing just a few if I have to.

 

[Skgreen]

As for the FART <> HF tumblers
I have both.
Either unit will work

Capacity is the obvious difference, and after starting with the HF (Dual Drum), capacity was the main reason I bought the FART.
FART, with the larger 6 sided bin, has a more aggressive tumble than the smaller 'round' bins of the HF
Again, Either unit will work
.
Rifle cases in the HF tend to 'roll' a lot.
(If you de-prime first, the FART may do a better job on the primer pockets, but,,,,, More often than not, I do not de-prime first, so,,,)

I used a $7 pan-style 'sifter' with the HF unit to remove pins. Sit it on top of a container and rinse/swish brass around. (Pistol was OK, but 223 cases were another story involving individual case inspection for pins lodged sideways inside.)

Bought a RCBS media separator as the 'sifter' wasn't doing what I had hoped for with 223 cases. That, and capacity,,,
(The more aggressive/faster tumble of the media separator has relieved me of individual rifle case 'pin' inspection. No amount of 'swishing' can compare to 100 turns inside the separator)

I no longer do small batch's as I only shoot 3 calibers and have 'gallons' of brass in each caliber.
The FART ran for 8 hrs last Saturday while I prepped some rifle brass in-between.

 

[TheDomFather]

I have the FART and Im thinking of getting a second tumbler. I tried to tumble about 200 .308/6.5 cases and they didnt come out as clean as they usually do so I am thinking probably smart to not put more than 125 cases in the fart. I am looking at a brand new one that Hornady just came out with for a second tumbler.
Thanks,
Dom

 

[Axis II]

Anyone know why the FARTS are almost $200? I have some amazon cash rewards I was going to use to buy one but not at $170!!!

Anyone else try the HF? I can get a HF tumbler for about $40.

 

[Demi-human]

The Frankford Arsenal tumbler is a kit, everything you'll need.

The Harbor freight unit is just a tumbler. A rock polisher, actually. Though it does work. It's a rotating cylinder. Kinda hard to mess up.

It is usually least expensive to pay more up front. As the adage goes, "Buy once, cry once".
It will be easier to get better results by using a commonly known product that was made for the task at hand and comes with all that is needed...

If you had a ten dollar bag of pins, you could duct tape mason jars to your ankles and clean brass while walking, for much less expense. But the Frankford kit will still be easier.

 

[vaalpens]

I received the FART as a birthday gift in January, and I am very impressed.

My process even before the FART was to deprime first, and then clean/tumble. With the FART wet tumbling I still deprime first before I wet tumble. The brass including the flash holes are super clean and there is no comparison with dry tumbling. This is my current recipe/process with the FART:

I use the 5lb stainless pins that came with the FART. Works great.
I don't overload the FART and clean one of these containers at a time:

Phoenix has very hard water, so I use just a little bit less than a 45acp case of Lemi Shine detergent Booster. I will probably try less Lemi Shine every time just to see if it makes a difference.
Based on a a recommendation from Dudedog, I use 1oz/30ml (dispenser for liquid cold medicine etc) of Turtle Wax Zip Wax per load. Dishwashing liquid like Dawn can be used instead of Turtle Wax. I have used both, and both works.
I normally run if for 2.5 hours, but less will probably be good enough
After the tumble I rinse it with clean water and separate the pins from the brass and dump the brass and pins on separate towels.
I normally then use a separate dry towel an dry/wipe the brass as much as possible. The brass normally dries overnight outside, or I will put it outside in the sun to dry.

The FART is a bit noisy, but I run it outside or in the garage. It normally leaks a little bit of water out of one side, but I just make sure it is tight and put it back. It will stop any leaking. You will need some sort of magnet otherwise it will be difficult to pick up the pins.

 

[salpal48]

The FART is a good machine . Until It brake's. Try to get it fixed. Buy a Lortone never Brakes. purchased mine 1970 still running same belt.
Three tumblers to think about depending On your Budget. Lortone, Thumlers, Diamond pacific. Any good Rock tumbler is better than a reloading tumbler
They never go bad

 

[DukeConnor]

i have both. both clean well.
I find the HF is easier when it comes to "pin management".

i used the hf for a couple years.

After I got a progressive press with a case feeder, I needed to up my case cleaning capacity and went with the fart.

if you are just doing batches of a few hundred the hf will be fine. if you are going through buckets of brass i suggest the fart.

 

[forty_caliber]

I'm running a Lyman cyclone and I'm very happy with it. Does a great job brass comes out looking like new. The media separator trays included are adequate to good. YOU WILL NEED THE MAGNET THINGY. I use hot water, 1 tide pod (do not eat these ) and 1/4 tsp of Lemi Shine. ~250 .308 cases, 400 .45C max load. I did some 30-06 cases from WW2 that were dingy with greenish black nastiness in some places, they came out looking like new. I run the cases for 1 1/2 - 2 hours.

Rinsing is the most important step. Begin this process immediately after the cycle ends. Do not let the brass soak in the container. Dump as much wash water leaving brass and media in the container as you can and refill and repeat at least 3 times before separating. Rinse some more while the cases are in the trays. I do this on the concrete patio with the water hose you probably don't want the pins in the garbage disposal in the kitchen sink. Also, spilled pins on concrete are easy to spot and pick up with the magnet.

Drying....drying....I've tried the oven and the clothes dryer, these two options are not popular choices with Mrs. Boss but they work. Spreading them out on a towel to air dry works pretty well if you aren't in a hurry. Rest assured that you will find more pins in the dried brass and have a magnet handy again. Rest assured that you will find even more pins when you start to process the brass for reloading and have the magnet handy again. I haven't tried the food dehydrator method yet.

.40

 

[GBExpat]

Get the FART, if you can wait, I've seen them on sale (when I got mine) for about $120 from Amazon. ...

IMO, excellent advice.

I have had my FART since 2014.

 

[SummitTech]

Wet tumbling is the way to go. Steel pins soap water lemi shine and 1-3 hours the brass comes out like new regardless of what it looked like when it started. A magnet in a plastic mag and strainer helps when sorting the brass from the pins.

 

[2011redrider]

Have the Frankford tumbler going on 5 years with no problems. Just saw on Midway that they are releasing a "lite" version for about 110.
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/238852/frankford-arsenal-rotary-case-tumbler-lite

Highly recommend the magnets with a release handle like the Frankford or I got mine at a local Grainger Supply. They are small enough to go inside the fart and release, the handle keeps it from going completely inside the drum. I use it for smelting wheel weights to detect steel weights.

 

[kidneyboy]

Have the Frankford tumbler going on 5 years with no problems. Just saw on Midway that they are releasing a "lite" version for about 110.
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/238852/frankford-arsenal-rotary-case-tumbler-lite

Highly recommend the magnets with a release handle like the Frankford or I got mine at a local Grainger Supply. They are small enough to go inside the fart and release, the handle keeps it from going completely inside the drum. I use it for smelting wheel weights to detect steel weights.

Thanks for the heads up.

 

[Axis II]

Have the Frankford tumbler going on 5 years with no problems. Just saw on Midway that they are releasing a "lite" version for about 110.
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/238852/frankford-arsenal-rotary-case-tumbler-lite

Highly recommend the magnets with a release handle like the Frankford or I got mine at a local Grainger Supply. They are small enough to go inside the fart and release, the handle keeps it from going completely inside the drum. I use it for smelting wheel weights to detect steel weights.

That maybe the route I will go. I don't shoot thousands of rounds but i have thousands of cases that need cleaned. I would probably only ever wash 500 9mm and a few hundred 223 at a time. I wonder if the lite version will do 300 223rem brass it should handle 500 9mm cases?