With this K&M...
Yeah, I got two of those K&M, two Pumpkins, one 21st Century and two PMA. I'm a tool junkie.
You’d have to know Don Nielsen to know the answer to your question, Pablo.
Jerry...which one of your seven neck turners is your go to tool?, Just curious.
Glenn
The Pumpkin. Slight correction, I only have one PMA not two. I do also have a Jaco that I picked up at a Shilen swap meet. If I had to rank the tuners I would do it this way.
1. Pumpkin
2. PMA
3. K&M
4. 21st Century
5. Jaco
I put the Jaco last because I haven't used it so I can't really say anything about it.
I think what makes the Pumpkin stand out is it's size and shape. It fills the hand and is easier to hold for a long period of time. Less stress on the fingers griping it. 2 thru 4 are smaller and you pretty much hold them with your fingers rather than the full hand. K&M addressed this with their add-on holder but the shape is long and is not quite as good as the Pumpkin.
The PMA is very easy to adjust for depth of cut as are the rest. The Pumpkin is a little more difficult to adjust the length of cut. The surfaces of the Pumpkin discs are so precisely machined that they can be a little difficult to separate to adjust the length of cut once you get some lube in between them. But once you get the adjustments locked in it becomes a block of metal. Another advantage of the Pumpkin is the larger scale used to measure the the depth of cut. Much easier to see a tenth.
When you're doing a session of a lot of cases you generate heat in the tools. The expansion of the metal can affect the neck thickness you get. I've seen some articles that tell you to periodically cool the tools in ice or other ways. With the Pumpkin and the K&M with the add-on this is usually not a concern. I always us canned air when I'm turning to blow off the mandrel after each case and I think this helps cool the cutter and the mandrel some as this air is usually pretty cold. So, once I started doing this I haven't noticed any issues with heat.
The Pumpkin. Slight correction, I only have one PMA not two. I do also have a Jaco that I picked up at a Shilen swap meet. If I had to rank the tuners I would do it this way.
1. Pumpkin
2. PMA
3. K&M
4. 21st Century
5. Jaco
I put the Jaco last because I haven't used it so I can't really say anything about it.
I think what makes the Pumpkin stand out is it's size and shape. It fills the hand and is easier to hold for a long period of time. Less stress on the fingers griping it. 2 thru 4 are smaller and you pretty much hold them with your fingers rather than the full hand. K&M addressed this with their add-on holder but the shape is long and is not quite as good as the Pumpkin.
The PMA is very easy to adjust for depth of cut as are the rest. The Pumpkin is a little more difficult to adjust the length of cut. The surfaces of the Pumpkin discs are so precisely machined that they can be a little difficult to separate to adjust the length of cut once you get some lube in between them. But once you get the adjustments locked in it becomes a block of metal. Another advantage of the Pumpkin is the larger scale used to measure the the depth of cut. Much easier to see a tenth.
When you're doing a session of a lot of cases you generate heat in the tools. The expansion of the metal can affect the neck thickness you get. I've seen some articles that tell you to periodically cool the tools in ice or other ways. With the Pumpkin and the K&M with the add-on this is usually not a concern. I always us canned air when I'm turning to blow off the mandrel after each case and I think this helps cool the cutter and the mandrel some as this air is usually pretty cold. So, once I started doing this I haven't noticed any issues with heat.
Thanks Jerry, for your product review. on neck turners. Very well written.
I have a few neck turners in my collection. Marquardt…Sinclair…Hart…K&M…Pumpkin…Stiller…PMA . Winning aggs have been shot with brass turned on any one of these tools.
For me, turning brass is still a PIA. When it comes to PIA, the Marquardt is at the top of my list.
Glenn
Joe "Box" Maisto would know since his reloading table was just across the aisle from Pumpkin for over 20 years.
.
I have to agree, Joe!!!!!
Every time you mention GENIUS, that same name comes up.
Bill
There are two for sale on accurateshooter.com
Here is one that reminds me of the pumpkin.
Queenreloading .com
i own a pumpkin,
not even close IMHO
Have seen or used one of those from queenreloading? Im in the market but its looking like ill end up with a PMA.