Automating my Star sizer

[ffries61]

I'm working on automating Star sizer, I'm going to drive mine with a gearmotor, like Mihec did his(saw his vid on youtube). I also plan on either buying ortrying to duplicate a MrBulletFeeder style collator to load the Magma feeder, anyway what I was wondering about, are there any little tips or setup hints to make the Magma bullet feeder any more reliable ?

Thanks, Fred

[HATCH]

Make sure there is no bullet lube on the drop slide hole. It's what the bullet sits in and slides from the drop tube to the die.
I replaced the rollpin on the bullet slide with a roofing nail. It was the same diameter and a little longer. I still used the aluminum spacer sleeve.
The nail will bend before it breaks and is cheap to replace.
Bullets only drop if they are centered over the die so make sure your rollpin is straight.
I put a fresh nail in every time I start a run. I got a box of 500 so I got plenty.

[HATCH]

And keep in mind that some days everything kicks my butt and i just walk away.

[ffries61]

Thanks, and yeah I know what you mean. I've been taking a few pics as this project progresses, when I get a little further along I'll start posting some.

[wymanwinn]

And keep in mind that some days everything kicks my butt and i just walk away.

yup, i have too many of those days too....

btw, i have a supply of roll pins and springs......

wyman

[HATCH]

You need to figure out how to deal with a boolits that gets stuck in the slide under the drop feed tube and how to deal with a boolits that gets stuck in the sizing die.
You don't want to have so much force that you break the machine when this happens

[ffries61]

Been wondering about that, already had a couple bullets fail to drop, then jam when the feeder tries to pull it back under the drop tube, it was just out of adjustment mainly, still experimenting with drive arm, getting stroke length correct, of course now I'm just waiting for it to warm up enough to get back into the shop LOL.I need to check out the VFD I'm going to use to control motor speed, to see if it has a overload protection I can adjust, to protect against "lockups", or just use a breaker or fast blow fuse, the gear motor I have coming has a disc brake so I can shut it down quick. My other option is some sort of a clutch system, got a couple ideas on that also.

Fred

[wymanwinn]

Been wondering about that, already had a couple bullets fail to drop, then jam when the feeder tries to pull it back under the drop tube, it was just out of adjustment mainly, still experimenting with drive arm, getting stroke length correct, of course now I'm just waiting for it to warm up enough to get back into the shop LOL.I need to check out the VFD I'm going to use to control motor speed, to see if it has a overload protection I can adjust, to protect against "lockups", or just use a breaker or fast blow fuse, the gear motor I have coming has a disc brake so I can shut it down quick. My other option is some sort of a clutch system, got a couple ideas on that also.

Fred

just my 2 cents here...i would STRONGLY recommend a clutch system to protect the bullet feed and sizer....the system that Hatch and i use uses air which is easier to control and, properly set-up, less damaging to the system....

direct drive will bend parts....

wyman

[Charles L. Cotton]

Been wondering about that, already had a couple bullets fail to drop, then jam when the feeder tries to pull it back under the drop tube, it was just out of adjustment mainly, still experimenting with drive arm, getting stroke length correct, of course now I'm just waiting for it to warm up enough to get back into the shop LOL.I need to check out the VFD I'm going to use to control motor speed, to see if it has a overload protection I can adjust, to protect against "lockups", or just use a breaker or fast blow fuse, the gear motor I have coming has a disc brake so I can shut it down quick. My other option is some sort of a clutch system, got a couple ideas on that also.

Fred

I've very interested in building one like yours also, but I can't find any specs on the gear motor. Would you mind posting the specs on the one you having coming?

Thanks,
Chas.

[ffries61]

Here's the motor I'm using now to test the system out, it's only 6 RPM so would only do 360 boolits an hour, but it was a freebie, so for setting stroke length, checking torque requirements, etc. it was fine. The motor I have coming is basically the same only a little higher torque 126 to 113 in/lbs, but also 30 RPM, I'm thinking 1800 an hour will be too fast, but I have a VFD I'm going to use to control motor speed. The current motor sized my .454" HG 68 to .453" OK and was out in cold shop, the lube heater was up to temp, but bullets were ambient so I think that will be enough power to run the system.

Fred





here's a link to the specs on the new motor, http://www.grainger.com/product/DAYTON-Gearmotor-3M329
I got mine off Ebay for way less, plus mine has the brake already installed

[2ridgebacks]

Could you set the drive rod up to push or pull against a spring? It would have to be long enough to allow a full stroke without binding.
Curios to see the outcome as I have been considering the same.

[ffries61]

Interesting idea w/the spring, may have to consider that too.

Thanks, Fred

[Charles L. Cotton]

Interesting idea w/the spring, may have to consider that too.

Thanks, Fred

Thanks for the information Fred, that really helps.

Chas.

[HATCH]

So Fred how's it going??
I just broke the return spring on the boolits slide last night. Finally after 4 years of use.

[6bg6ga]

just my 2 cents here...i would STRONGLY recommend a clutch system to protect the bullet feed and sizer....the system that Hatch and i use uses air which is easier to control and, properly set-up, less damaging to the system....

direct drive will bend parts....

wyman

wyman has a good point. Direct drive WILL bend parts and break things. There should be clutch assemblies that are available that one could use.

[ffries61]

Got my gear motor w/brake in, trying to get VFD running to control speed right now. I ran out of 45's so had to put the handle back on to run a few hundred thru manually.

[dragon813gt]

Any updates to this?

[ProfGAB101]

A long time ago ( circa 1990 ) there was an outfit called Ben's machines IIRC outa Texas somewhere.

They sold a kit - less the actual Star sizer. I seem to recall they called it the Lazy Luber #2

It was a full stand that used the add on base heater with bullet feeder and optional MA systems collator. There was a gear motor mounted on a lower shelf with an arm to drive a connecting rod. Where the connecting rod went through the shaft at one end was threaded about 5 inches and there were springs on both sides such that over pressure or over tension would be taken up by the springs if something jammed.

They also sold a non-Star automated sizer of there own design that was all air powered.

[mike daniels]

whats the cost of this project i was wondering

[6bg6ga]

whats the cost of this project i was wondering

There is no way to accurately tell someone down to the dollar what automation will cost. Air will be different than a speed reduction motor. There are different speed reduction motors too. Some can be controlled via a basic SCR control and some are a fixed RPM.

For a parallel shaft gear motor I would plan on around $400 for a new motor and throw in $300 for the SCR control. For a simple gear reduction motor like a Bodine without speed control I woul make a guess around $200-250.

I think some of the guys have about $500 or so wrapped up in the air setups.