Frankford Arsenal Platinum Series Intellidropper Electronic Powder Scale and Dispenser

[z7]

I just saw a quick video of this in action and it looks interesting. it is like all the other powder dispensers but has the potential to help correct a few of the common errors

it seems fast and they claim it is 2x faster than the competition

with the ability to learn and calibrate for a particular powder it seems like it could become fast and reduce overthrows.

is the scale accurate and consistent? or does it try to auto correct like the RCBS chargemaster? I would hope that in 2019 we can build a better electronic scale for cheaper



if this is "as good" as the chargemaster I will end up buying one. I have been struggling with my redding beam scale because it is slow as christmas

 

[fpgt72]

I was looking at this hard, but when I was ready to toss powder bottles across the room it was not out yet. I went with the RCBS chargemaster lite. So far I am real happy with it....I am real anal about my loads so I triple checked the powder drops, so the powder was checked on 3 scales, the one on the machine itself then two others. I am real happy with it so far. Flake or stick powder it is tossing just fine.

I am pretty old school but some of you kids might like the bluetooth thing, I just keep them in a notebook.....not a real big deal to me. The price is very nice as well.

I am also usually not the first one to grab a thing new off the line, so I want a new product to be out in the wild for a while to see how real people think it is.

 

[thomas15]

if this is "as good" as the chargemaster

You have answered your own question.

 

[z7]

You have answered your own question.

there wasn't really a question, as these hit the streets folks will start talking about them. my concerns with the chargemaster are that it will drift as it tries to auto-zero even while you are loading. the other issue is the overthrows, it isn't that fast and can would be frustrating to work with at times. the only "better" solution than a chargemaster right now is the auto-trickler setup for an a&d 120 scale, the full setup is around $800, but it is super fast and super accurate(.02 grains i don't need that accuracy but i'd like it)

so I guess if the reviews are good and it is "as fast" as a chargemaster, without any new issues then yeah, i'll probably drop $200 on one instead of $350+ on a chargemaster

 

[Toprudder]

Don't buy a Chargemaster for $350. If you can wait, they are usually on sale somewhere and RCBS will often have a rebate. Recently, it was possible to buy one with rebate for only $200.

The Frankford looks interesting, though.

 

[fpgt72]

there wasn't really a question, as these hit the streets folks will start talking about them. my concerns with the chargemaster are that it will drift as it tries to auto-zero even while you are loading. the other issue is the overthrows, it isn't that fast and can would be frustrating to work with at times. the only "better" solution than a chargemaster right now is the auto-trickler setup for an a&d 120 scale, the full setup is around $800, but it is super fast and super accurate(.02 grains i don't need that accuracy but i'd like it)

so I guess if the reviews are good and it is "as fast" as a chargemaster, without any new issues then yeah, i'll probably drop $200 on one instead of $350+ on a chargemaster

I read all those stories about the drift....this is why I triple checked when I first got it....now I will check about every 10 rounds....I could get by with less but it is just the way I am.

I found the other posters "answer" interesting. Some people are cork sniffers to the extreme.....it is really sad.

 

[thomas15]

Don't buy a Chargemaster for $350. If you can wait, they are usually on sale somewhere and RCBS will often have a rebate. Recently, it was possible to buy one with rebate for only $200.

That's what I have in mine. And it's broken I guess because I don't get the drifting others talk about.

 

[jmorris]

They self zero, even if they are not empty. Try this with yours.



My homemade one has a lot more precise repeatability and cost a lot less. Just doesn’t look very modern and I can’t see what I set it at on my cell phone...

 

[z7]

That's what I have in mine. And it's broken I guess because I don't get the drifting others talk about.

edit: Jmorris beat me to it

 

[fpgt72]

I have the lite version and mine will not do this.....that is pretty interesting....does it do that with a more heavy weight....say you put 12.2 in there will it start dropping.

 

[Mr.Revolverguy]

All I have a RCBS chargemaster which I have had for a couple of years which does not drift it all it is 100% stable.

I also have the Frankford, I was very excited to get it. I contemplated doing a review with video (best way to show proof) with each sitting right next to each other. I am all about the unbiased review but it drifts so bad that this one has to be defective they all can't be this way so I felt it was unfair and did not proceed with the video. If I get it resolved and around to making the video my first experience will be mentioned. So I am working with Frankford now and we are trading emails. What I will say about the emails, they are asking me to try some of the basics right now in making sure the scale is balanced, not around any interference and making sure the cover is on preventing draft. Which I am doing all of that. If I leave the scale just sit for 45 minutes (the longest I have so far) it will drift from zero down to -15. Yes I said drift down. This is all after being zero'd a number of times -- everytime I turn it on.

I will see where this ends up for me.

 

[Toprudder]

They self zero, even if they are not empty. Try this with yours.



My homemade one has a lot more precise repeatability and cost a lot less. Just doesn’t look very modern and I can’t see what I set it at on my cell phone...

Forgive me for saying this, but is this a realistic analysis? I never put a pan back on my Chargemaster that isn't empty. I never let it re-zero with powder in the pan, and then hit the "Disp" button. I see the auto-zero as a feature, not a flaw.

Your balance beam setup is nice, though!

 

[z7]

All I have a RCBS chargemaster which I have had for a couple of years which does not drift it all it is 100% stable.

I also have the Frankford, I was very excited to get it. I contemplated doing a review with video (best way to show proof) with each sitting right next to each other. I am all about the unbiased review but it drifts so bad that this one has to be defective they all can't be this way so I felt it was unfair and did not proceed with the video. If I get it resolved and around to making the video my first experience will be mentioned. So I am working with Frankford now and we are trading emails. What I will say about the emails, they are asking me to try some of the basics right now in making sure the scale is balanced, not around any interference and making sure the cover is on preventing draft. Which I am doing all of that. If I leave the scale just sit for 45 minutes (the longest I have so far) it will drift from zero down to -15. Yes I said drift down. This is all after being zero'd a number of times -- everytime I turn it on.

I will see where this ends up for me.

That stinks, I hope they take care of it, it sounds unusable right now

If they get that fixed I’d appreciate your review and side by side assuming they get it working

 

[jmorris]

Forgive me for saying this, but is this a realistic analysis? ...I see the auto-zero as a feature, not a flaw.

If I am going for consistency, I see measuring tools changing without me knowing they are changing as a flaw.

Would you own a set of calipers/micrometers that changed their “zero” without you knowing about it?

There are 27 different parameters that can be changed on the CM1500, might even be able to turn the “feature” off. Too bad RCBS won’t give any information about them though.

Not really an analysis of the machine as a whole, just pointing out what is does. I still use them or I wouldn’t have them, I just know they don’t throw charges as consistent as the autotrickling beam scales I have. Sometimes that doesn’t matter anyway, maybe even more often than not.

 

[Toprudder]

If I am going for consistency, I see measuring tools changing without me knowing they are changing as a flaw.

Would you own a set of calipers/micrometers that changed their “zero” without you knowing about it?

There are 27 different parameters that can be changed on the CM1500, might even be able to turn the “feature” off. Too bad RCBS won’t give any information about them though.

Not really an analysis of the machine as a whole, just pointing out what is does. I still use them or I wouldn’t have them, I just know they don’t throw charges as consistent as the autotrickling beam scales I have. Sometimes that doesn’t matter anyway, maybe even more often than not.

Ok, I get your point. But I don't see it re-zeroing much different than if I manually hit "zero" before every drop (which I often do with other electronic scales). I know it is doing it, therefore it isn't doing it without me knowing about it.

I suspect that as soon as you hit "Disp" then the auto-zero is turned off and it starts dropping powder. I agree with you, there is probably a way to turn it off through a setting that they have not made public. I've seen that a lot with products that I have tested in a lab - there is a hidden keystroke or menu setting that puts the product into special test modes.

 

[jmorris]

Ok, I get your point. But I don't see it re-zeroing much different than if I manually hit "zero" before every drop (which I often do with other electronic scales). I know it is doing it, therefore it isn't doing it without me knowing about it.

That’s just it, if it’s doing it without you knowing, well, you don’t know what it’s doing.

The amount of error they have can be tested, you just need something with better resolution.

Get something like a Denver Instruments TR-203 and you could see how different the charges are thrown. They obviously have some tolerance for hysteresis or they couldn’t work at all. How much they actually have I don’t know.

 

[Mr.Revolverguy]

Quick overview fellas since you all asked

 

[jmorris]

The “drift” in the Frankford where the RCBS is steady, your talking about at 1:45 in your video, is the auto zero “feature” Toprudder and I we’re discussing from the video in #8 and shows yet another reason I don’t like it, just another something you hope or assume is right. I see the fact that it doesn’t constantly rezero itself as an advantage. If nothing else at least you know how long to have it on before it quits changing its readings.

To be a fair comparison it might be worth putting the factory parameters in the RCBS and doing your tests again but thanks for taking the time and effort, informative for sure.

 

[z7]

The “drift” in the Frankford where the RCBS is steady, your talking about at 1:45 in your video, is the auto zero “feature” Toprudder and I we’re discussing from the video in #8 and shows yet another reason I don’t like it, just another something you hope or assume is right. I see the fact that it doesn’t constantly rezero itself as an advantage. If nothing else at least you know how long to have it on before it quits changing its readings.

To be a fair comparison it might be worth putting the factory parameters in the RCBS and doing your tests again but thanks for taking the time and effort, informative for sure.

First off, I wish the charge master would alert the user when “zeroing”

But I can see where is isn’t a problem because it is always fighting to not drift Because it is always “drifting” towards zero, so assuming the pan is empty you win. Lots of assumptions and those are dangerous, so i wish it would tell the user

 

[jmorris]

I don’t think it matters to 99.9% of users, heck there is likely that number that own them that don’t know they are doing that. However, if consistency is your ultimate goal you don’t like things to change, much less changing without you knowing.

It’s that simple and the reason why precision instruments are often checked with “standards” to ensure their repeatability.

 

[Mr.Revolverguy]

Update fellas the touch screen on the frankford has stopped responding. I can control it with the app on my phone but the touch screen is dead. I have emailed them to ask for a RMA.

 

[fpgt72]

I had a feeling there would be teething issues.

 

[fpgt72]

Forgive me for saying this, but is this a realistic analysis? I never put a pan back on my Chargemaster that isn't empty. I never let it re-zero with powder in the pan, and then hit the "Disp" button. I see the auto-zero as a feature, not a flaw.

Your balance beam setup is nice, though!

See I come back to this....is it realistic? Does it start acting goofy with a "real" weight tossed.

I can see how you would be second guessing it.....but unless it did this when I had 30 grains in it.....big deal.

 

[Rule3]

Isn't technology wonderful!!

 

[jmorris]

Realistically, I don’t thing a couple of tenths either way would make much difference to most shooters. Heck factory ammunition is all just volume charges, lots can’t even handload ammunition that performs as well as premium factory ammunition.

The auto zero does make it appear better, like in Mr.Revolverguy’s video. However, it could be and likely is, drifting the same as anything using the Chinese aluminum load cells, just constantly zeroing out the error.