Frankford Arsenal Platinum Stainless Steel Tumbler

[DaveB]

I have had mine for a fair number of years and frankly we use it a lot. I like clean and shiny brass inside and out.

Anyway, in the last 5 months I noticed a gasket was leaking so I credited the lack of strength in my hands and had my Combat Engineer Son put a royal squeeze on the lid to stop the leak. Of course that is problem #1 not going to undo that end for awhile and since Son is going to a sandbox soon I better not let him leave without fixing the leak.

Problem #2. gasket/rubber seal on the opposite end started leaking. Seems to me the seal has deteriorated, not good.

Problem #3. Frankford does not sell replacement gaskets. And the service department does not respond to any inquiries. Now, I search the web.

SOLUTION:
Ebay has a vendor (ultimate407) who has the gaskets and they are "gen 2" which supposedly is the permanent solution to the leaks. Purchase made. 407 shipped same day. Will update when I get the new gaskets. They are not free. Tell him Dave sent ya.

 

[Omega]

Interesting, said 3d printed. I wonder if he used a rubber like material or if the plastic just has enough give to make a seal. Definitely give an update when you put these to use, mine still seals but is bound to leak after awhile.

 

[fairchaser]

I also own the FART and does not leak yet but I would buy some sheets of rubber gasket material and cut my own with some heavy scissors or knife. PS I don't clean my brass anymore because I prefer the carbon inside the necks for natural bullet lubrication. I wipe the outside with acetone.

 

[DaveB]

I am afraid my scissor and Xacto knife work is a bit less than marginal for me to go cutting on something supposed to hold a seal.

And yes, SS does seem to peen the lip of bottle neck brass, not the 9's and I don't know why.

I hate cleaning primer holes on brass tumbled in Walnut or Corn Cob media. The work to clear those SS pins is turning out to be more......just a different kind of labor that does not bother me 1/4 as much.

 

[Omega]

I am afraid my scissor and Xacto knife work is a bit less than marginal for me to go cutting on something supposed to hold a seal.

And yes, SS does seem to peen the lip of bottle neck brass, not the 9's and I don't know why.

I hate cleaning primer holes on brass tumbled in Walnut or Corn Cob media. The work to clear those SS pins is turning out to be more......just a different kind of labor that does not bother me 1/4 as much.

Do you have one of these? If not, highly recommend, plus this magnet. I spin the shells slowly then back and forth and it gets out 99.9% of the pins out. I have only had a couple here and there survive that procedure in bottlenecks, never in straight wall.

 

[Rockhound]

Lots of people are using these.

 

[DaveB]

Yep. I have the magnets, separators, filters, I figure about everything offered.

Lowes food grade white buckets are the ones that best support the filters while you are separating brass from pins and draining/rinsing the brass.

I do not user driers---Sunshine is great but if not I have a fan that moves tons of air. I built an alley of cardboard boxes so the air blasts right into the location where I place the brass. Amazing how quick this works.

Not having a working SS tumbler is holding up 1200 9's, about 400 223, and another combined 200 of 22-250, 243, 280 and 30/06. I have about 800 308's I cannot find.....in one container,,,,,,all measured out over length.

Note:

Replacement Seals arrived today. Will install and test tomorrow. They look promising but then, so did I back in '66.

 

[Omega]

Yep. I have the magnets, separators, filters, I figure about everything offered.

Lowes food grade white buckets are the ones that best support the filters while you are separating brass from pins and draining/rinsing the brass.

I do not user driers---Sunshine is great but if not I have a fan that moves tons of air. I built an alley of cardboard boxes so the air blasts right into the location where I place the brass. Amazing how quick this works.

Not having a working SS tumbler is holding up 1200 9's, about 400 223, and another combined 200 of 22-250, 243, 280 and 30/06. I have about 800 308's I cannot find.....in one container,,,,,,all measured out over length.

Note:

Replacement Seals arrived today. Will install and test tomorrow. They look promising but then, so did I back in '66.

You have just the separator? This is one I have by Midsouth, but there are others like it. You pour the cases into the separator, then do the spin with both halves shut so water doesn't go everywhere. Works great and better than doing it open like I used to do with a sieve.

 

[Snowwolfe]

I have had mine for a fair number of years and frankly we use it a lot. I like clean and shiny brass inside and out.

Anyway, in the last 5 months I noticed a gasket was leaking so I credited the lack of strength in my hands and had my Combat Engineer Son put a royal squeeze on the lid to stop the leak. Of course that is problem #1 not going to undo that end for awhile and since Son is going to a sandbox soon I better not let him leave without fixing the leak.

Problem #2. gasket/rubber seal on the opposite end started leaking. Seems to me the seal has deteriorated, not good.

Problem #3. Frankford does not sell replacement gaskets. And the service department does not respond to any inquiries. Now, I search the web.

SOLUTION:
Ebay has a vendor (ultimate407) who has the gaskets and they are "gen 2" which supposedly is the permanent solution to the leaks. Purchase made. 407 shipped same day. Will update when I get the new gaskets. They are not free. Tell him Dave sent ya.

Can you provide a link?
The gaskets on mine are always hard to seal.

 

[backstraps]

I have leaky seals from time to time on mine as well

I have often thought it was me not getting them tight enough but lately I get them so tight it's a chore to get them off when finished!

You have a link for the seller?

Thanks

 

[Omega]

This is what I found: Frankford Arsenal Platinum Series Rotary Tumbler Upgrade/Seal Gasket
@DaveB can verify if these are the ones he ordered.

 

[DaveB]

This is what I found: Frankford Arsenal Platinum Series Rotary Tumbler Upgrade/Seal Gasket
@DaveB can verify if these are the ones he ordered.

Yes those are what I installed and tumbled 5 pounds of SS, 4 drops of Dawn, 500 9mm brass with no leak.

I also no longer had to screw the lid so tight I could not get it open.

I purchased two sets....It was a great investment. Fast shipping, too.

Be sure and tell them Dave sent you. No, I don't get any freebies, or cash, or nuttin'. He is just a guy trying to make a living and I appreciate it a very great deal.

 

[backstraps]

Cool deal thanks for the link Onega and the info Dave

 

[DaveB]

This is what I found: Frankford Arsenal Platinum Series Rotary Tumbler Upgrade/Seal Gasket
@DaveB can verify if these are the ones he ordered.

Yep, those are the ones.

 

[Omega]

Yep, those are the ones.

So are these hard plastic? Do they replace the rubber gasket or just give a better surface for the rubber gasket to seal?

 

[DaveB]

To me they feel like hard rubber. I do not use them with the old (used) gaskets.

I did nothing more than remove the old, dry the lid threads and surfaces, install the new, and tumble 500 223's for 3 full hours.

No leaks.

for the record.....I tried to seal the old gaskets using axle grease (complete failure). Then plumbers paste (total failure). PVC Plastic tape on the threads.....this would have worked I just needed about a total of 20 thickness on the threads.
I unpacked my Lyman 2200 Turbo and filled it up with corncob. Brass came out just ugly with no primer pocket cleaned no inside clean. When I had discovered Frankford DID NOT SELL replacement gaskets I had given up but I went back to the web searching for a solution. To my surprise, there are some selling these gaskets for over $20.00 each. I intensely dislike gouging-that's what I call it--so no go on those guys. I then found Utimate407 and rest is history.

 

[kckndrgn]

Looks like they are printed in a material called TPU. It's somewhat flexible. I've used it to print phone cases before.