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Thread: Automated Star Sizer

  1. #1
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
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    Houston TX
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    Automated Star Sizer

    The attached movie is of the automated Star Sizer I completed over the weekend.

    http://s1278.photobucket.com/user/bs...tml?sort=3&o=0

    A PDF file of the wiring diagram is also attached.

    The automation was not to difficult, I should have used a box about twice the size I had so the wiring internal to the box would be neater.

    I used the work from others to get the concept of the automation.

    Thanks to all who have supplied information with regard to the parts and operation of the unit.

    bstone5
    Attached Files Attached Files
    Last edited by bstone5; 09-04-2014 at 11:40 AM.

  2. #2
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
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    That is very fancy, nice job!

    I need to build a collator so i can setup some automated sizing.

  3. #3
    Boolit Buddy

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    How much did it end up costing ya?

  4. #4
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
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    Houston TX
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    The control box and the components cost about $200.00 dollars.

    Some of the air system I had from other work but the air cylinder and control valve cost about $125.00 dollars.

    i have the dies on order with Lathe Smith.

  5. #5
    Boolit Grand Master

    dragon813gt's Avatar
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    Where did you get the mounting plate?

  6. #6
    Boolit Master
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    Apr 2009
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    Houston TX
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    I had a sheet metal shop shear and bend the plate, total cost $20.00.

    I do a lot of work with this sheet metal shop.

    To mount the bullet feeder I had to TIG weld a small piece out past the edge of the bend.

    All of the mounting holes for the equipment are taped into the 1/4" thick angle plate.

  7. #7
    Boolit Bub
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
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    Please, can you say the model (and shop) of air cylinder and control valve????
    Thank you!.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master
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    The air cylinder is from this thread from Hatch. Look at the other post I made with regard to automating the Star Sizer a little further down.




    there is another thread with a parts breakdown on the automation part of it.

    It looks like this is based on Wyman's Air Assisted Star design -> http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?151658

    Added a 'smart' relay and a pneumatic air valve.

    Neat design. Never thought of adding a manual button as I would be afraid of punching my finger off.

    The smart relay used is about $100 give or take.
    I did basically the same design but used 2 smart relays. One to deal with the cycle time then one to deal with the run time.
    I don't have a collator so I feed my star using 3 foot long plastic tubes.
    They hold about 50 boolits give or take depending on design.
    So what I do is count the boolits in the 1st tube and then multiply that time 2 and thats how many seconds the run timer is set.
    I run a 2 second cycle timer. Thats still 1800 boolits a hr and is PLENTY fast enough


    The control part number is on the PDF file of the wiring diagram.
    I got the control valve from Automation Direct.

  9. #9
    Boolit Bub
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Posts
    30
    Thank you very much!!!

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BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
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GC Gas Check