Bullet counter for Star/Magma

[Frozone]

That's how I'd do it. Definitely something I'll look into making an option in the future, but I don't have any good idea on how far out it is as there are a bunch of other projects further up the priority list.

There is a switch on the machine that could be set up to count each punch stroke, but that's no good as the machine can jam and not be sizing bullets even though the punch is going up and down.

A small box/tube that extends a little way below the die would do the trick.
A IR LED on one side, a phototrans on the other. They would be set about 3/8 to 1/2" below the die bottom and you would set them both back ~1/4" from a narrow (1/16") aperture to avoid 'reflections'. That way it should see anything from .22 to whatever your max is without a glitch.

Power could stolen from the counter circuit without trouble.
Although I might add a single opamp as a comparator to clean up the signal before the counter gets it.

[6bg6ga]

Yes, its the classic bullet collator bullet flipper circuit as seen on you tube with the exception of an op amp added comparator. If you watch the you tube video the bullet flipper runs until a bullet breaks the photo beam and the flipper motor shuts off and once the bullet drops the motor runs again and bullets are again rotated and dropped. Same basic technology except the addition of the comparator. A simple elegant solution



Maybe something as primitive as my hand drawn little schematic would work

[John Wayne]

6bg6ga...Thanks for taking the initiative to tackle this subject. I look forward to placing a counter on my Magma LubeMaster 4000.

John Wayne

[6bg6ga]

I just looked at a 4000 on you tube. What an awsome machine! It will be an easy straight forward install on the machine because you have a couple of ways in which to do it. It will work great on that machine and the count will be spot on because from what I can see there is no need to recycle a bullet in order to lube the die. It looks like you simply let er run.

[6bg6ga]

I started this thread in april of 2012 to show my counter on the Star/Magma. Now I will show some pictures of my universal counter. I have put the unit into a better junk box and added additional switches in addition to the add/cycle switch mounted on the machine I have a zero switch and a minus count switch.

I will include pictures of my Mark VI Ballisti-cast. Pictures to follow later of the bracket and switch on my Dillon XL650

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[HATCH]

I ordered two today. I will adapt it to function off of my 24vdc signal from my limit switch on my master caster.
I like a estimate of how many i have done.

[Alan in Vermont]

After having the parts for most of a year I finally got a counter rigged on my Star. My loading buddy put it together for me, he's both better equipped and better at doing such things than I am.

There are both up and down count pushbuttons as well as power and reset switches. The switch that does the counting is on a mini-jack so the "black box" can be unplugged and used somewhere else, I see it being used on my progressive press, as a round counter. Granted it's a pure gadget as one can easily stay with 100 pc. "lots" by keeping track of how many primer boxes have been emptied. But, might as well use it now that I have it.



The microswitch takes it's actuating motion off the lever that works the lube pump. It's kinda hanging out in the breeze but not really in the way of anything so it should survive.

[TheCelt]

Nice looking rig Alan!!!