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Thread: My Star Lubricator Chronicle with Bullet Feed and Air Assist

  1. #1
    Moderator Emeritus robertbank's Avatar
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    My Star Lubricator Chronicle with Bullet Feed and Air Assist

    OK, My Star Lubricator was shipped Friday Nov 19 and arrived here yesterday. Excellent service from USPS and Canadian Border Services & Canada Post.

    I called a friend over and we proceeded to assemble the machine. Now lets be clear the Instruction Manual does not match the quality of the product. Thankfully, my friend is more mechanical inclined than I, and it went well until we came to the Air Cylinder. We quickly found out two parts were missing from the package or Magna wants me to remove S107, and S130 from the Pressure Screw Assembly. Well it isn't going to happen. We could not get the parts off and I am not at all sure why I should have to. I paid for a complete Air Cylinder and a complete Air Cylinder I shall get. I am sure Magna just forgot to send them and I will call on Monday. We assembled the Pressure Screw Assembly and I will use it until the parts arrive for the Air Cylinder.

    Moving on yours truly, misread the instructions on plugging the holes in the dies, specifically the .357 so at midnight Friday I figured to re-read the instructions, watch the video again and see where I went wrong in the morning. Well of course, I should have plugged the top and bottom holes and used the middle row.....I went to bed!

    This morning I assessed my situation and my tools at hand, and decided first to try my Dremel at getting the lead out - bit was way to small, so undeterred and with the knowledge I had no idea what the heck I was doing I preceded to remove all the lead from the middle row of holes and plug the top row. Note: If you go slow with your hand held drill with a 1/16th" bit the pellets come out once you get about half way through them by simply withdrawing the drill bit. Casting God was looking after the boy.

    I called a friend in WA to get some advice on the actual lube problem I was encountering. His suggestion was to check the seating, the temp. of the lube, and the pressure I was using to see if one of those things was causing my problems. Turned out, the lube was a tad to hot. Turning the temperature down just a smidge from the factory setting solved all the issues.

    One thing I did learn through all of this is when changing dies you should remove the bullet feeder. It makes adjusting the depth of the seating plunger so much easier and only takes a minute to do and re-install.

    I did also decided to ask what the best way is to convert the bullet feeder from 9MM to 45acp size. I don't think the Aluminum Block part AF030 is going to take to many inevitable cross threading of screws so I am hoping the method I used is wrong and there is an easier way. Does part AF176 come out of its retaining piece? If so then I see a better way to do the replacement. If not. I may buy part AF030 to ensure I have the part when the inevitable occurs if I don't have one in hand.

    So Monday I will see about the parts, seek some advice and contact Lathesmith for a couple of dies and punches.

    Through all of this I did manage to get the whole thing working as it should ex the Air Assembly, and produced 300 9MM lubed bullets.

    Back at it tomorrow before the Grey Cup game. It hurts to cheer for Calgary but they are from the West, where my heart lies.

    More as things proceed.

    Take Care
    Bob
    ps $970.30US for Press and Accessories + Shipping $64.95US + taxes $149Cdn
    The difference between men and boys is the cost of their toys.!
    Its been months since I bought the book, "How to scam people online". It still has not arrived yet!

    "If the human population held hands around the equator, a significant portion of them would drown"

  2. #2
    Boolit Buddy Nick Quick's Avatar
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    You've got yerself the best lube/sizer money can buy. Don't have any regret for the money you paid as you will be happy with what you've got once the initial setup will be solved.
    You've got a great Christmas gift for yerself.

  3. #3
    Moderator Emeritus robertbank's Avatar
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    Loving it already. No regrets here. My only regret is it took me so long to get one. I cast for a Cowboy Action shooter and he will over the next year or so cover most of the cost by buying the bullets that run out of it. Santa was very good to the boy this year. I think I will leave out a couple of cold Molsons and a couple of glazed donuts for him this year. Seems only fair.

    Take Care

    Bob
    Its been months since I bought the book, "How to scam people online". It still has not arrived yet!

    "If the human population held hands around the equator, a significant portion of them would drown"

  4. #4
    Boolit Buddy Nick Quick's Avatar
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    I was tempted too to get the bullet feeder for the Star but that's not like a bullet feeder for a progressive press. It is from what I see a pipe where you have to drop manually the bullets and then start cranking the handle. Well, I can't see any advantage in doing that. If it was a bullet feeder like Dillon has I would be really interested.
    Ca you tell abit about it please.

  5. #5
    Boolit Grand Master

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    My Star Lubricator Chronicle with Bullet Feed and Air Assist

    W/ no collator you preload tubes like you do primers. The bullet feeder keeps your fingers away from the punch which means you won't be pinching yourself. It's not as fast as one w/ a collator would be. But it's a lot faster than the other options for applying lube.
    Last edited by dragon813gt; 11-26-2016 at 11:42 PM.

  6. #6
    Moderator Emeritus robertbank's Avatar
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    Well I have limited experience but is can speed up production particularly if you have the Air Cylinder. I didn't buy any bullet tubes, I must have missed them on the website. I may yet buy a couple. Right now I can feed 12 bullets into the tube that comes with it and load it as I crank.

    They have a bullet feeding device I believe for this press - M-A Systems Collator for the Star Sizer $1,040US. Had I ordered that my wife would have shot me on the spot and no jury would have convicted her I am sure. The bullet feeder is convenient. I won't know whether it was worth buying for awhile. My head says it will speed up the process once I get the Air Cylinder up and running. It looks a little fragile I must say. Time will tell.

    Take Care

    Bob
    Its been months since I bought the book, "How to scam people online". It still has not arrived yet!

    "If the human population held hands around the equator, a significant portion of them would drown"

  7. #7
    Boolit Buddy Nick Quick's Avatar
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    I stopped using lube in the Star reservoir as I got intrigued by the powder coating method. With powder coated bullets it is a bit weird as there is no lubrication inside the sizing die. I used puff of OneShot but I think I will get that mix runfiverun was talking about, with lanolin+castor oil+neatsfoot oil.
    I'm curious to see the collator assembly at work.
    And yes, that punch is merciless on the fingers. I'm really skittish right now and the pain is a great teacher so I've learned "how to" in order not to chop my fingers off anymore.

  8. #8
    Moderator Emeritus robertbank's Avatar
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    I use an elastic band to hold the handle up while I am monkeying around down there. Went to that after I dropped the punch on my finger nail.Yeeeeeeoooooooowwwww. Mommy didn't raise a dummy, I wasn't going through that finger sucking dance again. Man did that hurt!

    Take Care

    Bob
    Last edited by robertbank; 11-28-2016 at 03:51 AM.
    Its been months since I bought the book, "How to scam people online". It still has not arrived yet!

    "If the human population held hands around the equator, a significant portion of them would drown"

  9. #9
    Boolit Master Ola's Avatar
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    Bob, if I was you, I would probably build something like this:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DqHLdMYvvg
    --------
    SISU

  10. #10
    Boolit Buddy Nick Quick's Avatar
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    That homemade bullet feeder is awesome but for the Star he needs the bullets going nose down.

  11. #11
    Moderator Emeritus robertbank's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ola View Post
    Bob, if I was you, I would probably build something like this:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DqHLdMYvvg
    I appreciate the suggestion but if I attempted to build something like that it come out flat sided with four sides of unequal length. To say I am mechanically dysfunctional would be an understatement worthy of comment on the BBC World NEWS. I was a numbers/analytical type of guy who made his living in Banking. I nearly got kicked out of kindergarten because I could not draw a circle. Now give me a financial statement and the performance needle goes up significantly, a problem and I can likely find a solution. Just don't ask me to build anything, draw it out, or attempt to play a musical instrument. I am in awe of those who can.

    There is a small company outside of Winnipeg that produces and sells HI-Tek bullets and he has the the set up for a motor driven apparatus and it has a collaltor attached to it.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAPElHU2YlQ

    Can you only imagine?

    Take Care

    Bob
    Last edited by robertbank; 11-27-2016 at 10:39 AM.
    Its been months since I bought the book, "How to scam people online". It still has not arrived yet!

    "If the human population held hands around the equator, a significant portion of them would drown"

  12. #12
    Boolit Grand Master
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    I recall seeing a contraption built from a bit of PVC pipe that acted as a feed ramp. Bullets would still be manually fed but it kept the fingers away from the punch and it allowed very fast production. If I can find it, I will post it here.

    I had the tube type feeder for an old Star and ended up going to a local plastics place and getting about a dozen tubes.

    Don Verna

  13. #13
    Boolit Buddy Nick Quick's Avatar
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    dverna, I watched that video last night. It was on a Lee press mounted upside down to act just like a Star. I think the name of the video is about sizing Hi-Tek coated bullets. That mod is slick.

  14. #14
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    go to your local plumbing supply store you can get clear tubing in 3/8 and 1/2" id's
    they come in 10' lengths.
    a wrap of duct tape, a saw, a drill, and some 1/8" cotter pins will give you all the feed tubes you need.
    mine still have the duct tape on them.


    and YES magma does expect you to get the cap and plunger off the hand crank system moved over to the air system.

  15. #15
    Boolit Grand Master
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    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJOkb3RxrZE

    Here is a link to the feed ramp thingy Nick Quick mentioned on the Lee. I saw something like it on a Star many moons ago...should work just as well. KISS No tubes to load, no shuttle mechanism to jam, no need to change shuttle plates for different calibers. And really cheap.

    Don Verna

  16. #16
    Moderator Emeritus robertbank's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by runfiverun View Post
    go to your local plumbing supply store you can get clear tubing in 3/8 and 1/2" id's
    they come in 10' lengths.
    a wrap of duct tape, a saw, a drill, and some 1/8" cotter pins will give you all the feed tubes you need.
    mine still have the duct tape on them.


    and YES magma does expect you to get the cap and plunger off the hand crank system moved over to the air system.
    Will do that tomorrow.

    Magna may expect me to use those parts but I will be darned if I am going to ruin the manual system just to get the parts off. Two of us did the you twist I'll hold dance for most of yesterday trying to get the darn thing loose. I think for $125US they can supply two bloody pieces that would not cost them 15 cents to make on a bad day. I'll be polite and see how far I get with my plea. I can tell you the parts I have, had to have been put on by a machine.

    Thanks for the tip and also the info on the parts. Best to know what the response might be before I ask the question.

    Take Care

    Bob
    Last edited by robertbank; 11-28-2016 at 12:00 AM.
    Its been months since I bought the book, "How to scam people online". It still has not arrived yet!

    "If the human population held hands around the equator, a significant portion of them would drown"

  17. #17
    Boolit Master



    Springfield's Avatar
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    Go to TAP plastics for the feeder tubes, and the hardware store for the retaining clips. I don't like feeder tubes longer than 2 feet as it puts too much bullet weight on the feeder bar and can slow it down/jam it. Lots of guys say the feeder isn't worth it, would rather have a collator, but I inspect the bullets as I put them in the tube. If I had a bunch of commercial jacketed bullets maybe a collator would be a good idea, but not with home cast. The bullet feeder is available with at least 3 different size bars, so that 9mm and 45 will both feed well. And I made my bullet punches a 2 piece affair. I only have to unscrew the punch section, the other section that holds the bullet feeder nut in place never moves. So I can change diameters and lengths of the punch very easily.

  18. #18
    Moderator Emeritus robertbank's Avatar
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    Springfield thanks for the tip on the length. I had a piece of PVC pipe with an ID of 1/2" so the 45 caliber is covered and I will watch the length. I will try to get the clear pipe locally in 3/8" as suggested by Runfiverun otherwise I will get another piece of PVC pipe with the 3/8" ID. The bullet feeder is nice and should work well with the air system. I am not sure it is all that useful when you use the manual pressure system. I should not really comment yet on that as I am still looking fore the best combo of pressure vs heat. I will get it working the way I want it. It just takes a bit more experience on my part - see self analysis above. :>)

    I should have an answer from Magna on my air cylinder part issue. I assume they will be good enough to send the parts. I also will contact Lathesmith in an hour or so.

    Any and all tips on this rig are solicited. I have lubed about 1500 bullets so far. Great machine.

    Take Care

    Bob
    Its been months since I bought the book, "How to scam people online". It still has not arrived yet!

    "If the human population held hands around the equator, a significant portion of them would drown"

  19. #19
    Boolit Grand Master

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    If you purchase dies from Lathesmith really lube them before attempting to size a bullet. Ask me how I know. I stuck a bullet twice w/ two dies because apparently I didn't learn my lesson the first time.

    Let him know that you're using the bullet feeder if you're ordering punches and nuts from him. He makes dished nuts that are designed to work w/ the feeder. You can get the regular nuts to work but you are on the raged edge of having it work.

    If you're going to lube a lot of the same bullet(s) I prefer to have a punch and nut for each style. If you're doing large runs and then switching profiles it's not a big deal. I switch over often so not having to adjust the punches makes it a fast switchover.

  20. #20
    Moderator Emeritus robertbank's Avatar
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    dragon813gt thanks for the heads up. I think for the expense involved I am going to do the same as you and order multiple punches. I will only need about four, possibly five at the most but it sure would make the conversions faster. I have one bullets requiring two difference sizing's and two other bullets as well that will be lubed and sized in volume. I also plan to continue to use my RCBS Lubricator for some of my rifle and handgun calibers that are low volume. Something to do while I am having my coffee in the morning.

    Take Care

    Bob
    Its been months since I bought the book, "How to scam people online". It still has not arrived yet!

    "If the human population held hands around the equator, a significant portion of them would drown"

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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
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GC Gas Check