Lapua40X
California Hunter Education Instructor
Comparing operations and results of two brass cleaning systems was an eye opener for me. Thought I'd share my experience with others who haven't yet made their final selection.
I tested the Frankfort Arsenal Brass Tumbler and the Bald Eagle Ultrasonic cleaner.
1. The Frankfort Arsenal produced brass that had a slightly better shine on the exterior and the inside of the necks was clearly cleaner than the Bald Eagle's result. Primer pockets were spotless.
2. The Bald Eagle produced brass that was not quite as bright as its competitor but it was certainly clean. The primer pockets varied, ranging from spotless to obviously in need of additional attention.
The inside of the necks were not quite as clean as those produced by the Frankfort Arsenal. I found that using "Q-Tip" swabs made it quite easy to wipe out the residue that remained in the primer pockets.
Comparing them:
The Frankfort Arsenal Brass Tumbler is a large, heavy, somewhat bulky device that relies on a large drum charged with cleaner and stainless steel pins to clean the brass. I found it awkward to handle and the covers that contain the cleaner inside the drum were difficult to seal. After making sure to clean the mating surfaces of the end caps (which are very large and defy using one hand to close tightly) I still found it necessary to use a strap wrench to close them tight enough to prevent leakage. As one might expect, there is quite a bit of noise generated when several dozen pieces of brass and five pounds of steel pins tumble inside a drum. The liquid cleaning solution did little to attenuate the noise. It has the capacity to clean a very large amount of brass at once. The process of emptying the device and separating the pins from the brass and examining every piece of brass to make certain none of those little steel pins was stuck inside was time consuming. To be absolutely certain no pins remained inside the brass I used a magnet to sweep the inside of each case.
Pros. Cleans brass inside and out producing a "like new" shine. Capable of cleaning large amounts of brass at a time.
Cons. Large and bulky, noisy operation. When wet, the steel pins stick to all surfaces (including interior of cases) which makes them difficult to manage. The drum is subject to leakage. Once magnetized, the pins are difficult to manage using metal tools (scoops, trays, etc.) Clean up time includes rinsing, separating pins from the brass, drying pins.
The Bald Eagle is comparatively small, light weight and easy to handle. It relies on a pan, integral to its housing, to contain the brass for cleaning. The brass is contained inside a small basket that is immersed into the pan filled with cleaning solution. This machine worked best for me if I preheated the water (warm but not hot) and then reiied on the unit's heating element to maintain the preferred temperature. This machine has limited capacity. I have cleaned 100 pieces of brass at a time and it will accommodate a slightly heavier load than that but it will not handle the enormous amount of brass that the Frankfort Arsenal device is capable of processing. Even though primer pockets and inside of necks don't come out as clean as the do with the Frankfort device, a "Q-tip" eases the task of cleaning the pockets and a wire bore brush cleans up the necks.
Pros. Cleans brass very well; Easy to clean and rinse the machine and brass; Light weight and easy to store; Comparatively quite operation.
Cons. Limited in the amount of brass that can be cleaned at one time; requires extra steps to remove residue from some primer pockets and use bore brush to finish cleaning inside of necks.
I tested the Frankfort Arsenal Brass Tumbler and the Bald Eagle Ultrasonic cleaner.
1. The Frankfort Arsenal produced brass that had a slightly better shine on the exterior and the inside of the necks was clearly cleaner than the Bald Eagle's result. Primer pockets were spotless.
2. The Bald Eagle produced brass that was not quite as bright as its competitor but it was certainly clean. The primer pockets varied, ranging from spotless to obviously in need of additional attention.
The inside of the necks were not quite as clean as those produced by the Frankfort Arsenal. I found that using "Q-Tip" swabs made it quite easy to wipe out the residue that remained in the primer pockets.
Comparing them:
The Frankfort Arsenal Brass Tumbler is a large, heavy, somewhat bulky device that relies on a large drum charged with cleaner and stainless steel pins to clean the brass. I found it awkward to handle and the covers that contain the cleaner inside the drum were difficult to seal. After making sure to clean the mating surfaces of the end caps (which are very large and defy using one hand to close tightly) I still found it necessary to use a strap wrench to close them tight enough to prevent leakage. As one might expect, there is quite a bit of noise generated when several dozen pieces of brass and five pounds of steel pins tumble inside a drum. The liquid cleaning solution did little to attenuate the noise. It has the capacity to clean a very large amount of brass at once. The process of emptying the device and separating the pins from the brass and examining every piece of brass to make certain none of those little steel pins was stuck inside was time consuming. To be absolutely certain no pins remained inside the brass I used a magnet to sweep the inside of each case.
Pros. Cleans brass inside and out producing a "like new" shine. Capable of cleaning large amounts of brass at a time.
Cons. Large and bulky, noisy operation. When wet, the steel pins stick to all surfaces (including interior of cases) which makes them difficult to manage. The drum is subject to leakage. Once magnetized, the pins are difficult to manage using metal tools (scoops, trays, etc.) Clean up time includes rinsing, separating pins from the brass, drying pins.
The Bald Eagle is comparatively small, light weight and easy to handle. It relies on a pan, integral to its housing, to contain the brass for cleaning. The brass is contained inside a small basket that is immersed into the pan filled with cleaning solution. This machine worked best for me if I preheated the water (warm but not hot) and then reiied on the unit's heating element to maintain the preferred temperature. This machine has limited capacity. I have cleaned 100 pieces of brass at a time and it will accommodate a slightly heavier load than that but it will not handle the enormous amount of brass that the Frankfort Arsenal device is capable of processing. Even though primer pockets and inside of necks don't come out as clean as the do with the Frankfort device, a "Q-tip" eases the task of cleaning the pockets and a wire bore brush cleans up the necks.
Pros. Cleans brass very well; Easy to clean and rinse the machine and brass; Light weight and easy to store; Comparatively quite operation.
Cons. Limited in the amount of brass that can be cleaned at one time; requires extra steps to remove residue from some primer pockets and use bore brush to finish cleaning inside of necks.
