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

  1. #41
    Moderator Emeritus robertbank's Avatar
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    I tried to find the clear tubes here and struck out. I don't think I want the soft tubes as they are not particularly tight on dimensions. Other than clear tubes what would you call them? Is there a plumbing name for them?

    I love the machine just kicking my butt I didn't get it a few years ago. The air assist makes all the difference in the world. I haven't got a 9MM bullet to lube left. Weather should warm up a bit next week so I will be out in the garage casting like a man on a mission.

    Take Care

    Bpb
    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. #42
    Boolit Buddy Nick Quick's Avatar
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    Since I started PC and Hi-Tek I put aside my LLS lube sticks. Sizing PC and HT coated bullets with the Star require a longer punch, as one bullet driving another out through the sizing die is a difficult task and the round nose bullets became flat nose through the process.
    Lathesmith sent me the longer punches and now I'm back in business. One bullet at a time makes the sizing process a walk in the park.

  3. #43
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    it's been so long ago now [well over 20 years for sure] I don't remember what they called them if anything.
    I did a wrap of duct tape on them before cutting them and drilling for the 1/8" cotter pins.
    I don't know if a piece of pvc would work, I would imagine it would but I like seeing the boolits come down the tube.

  4. #44
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    McMaster-Carr has the tubing, but it's not cheap. Here's the link:

    https://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-p...ubing/=15udo1i

    I use the 5/8" OD-1/2" ID tubing for .45 bullets, and the 1/2" OD-3/8" ID tubing for .38/9mm bullets. I generally cut mine in 3' lengths, since that's about as long as is handy. A heavier column of bullets creates quite a bit of drag on the bullet feeder slide.

    I believe there are other companies possibly selling the tubing cheaper, but this link was handy and it gives you an idea of what's available. I've found PVC tubing holds up better than polycarbonate, since the polycarbonate is brittle, while the PVC is more forgiving.

    For the 1/2" OD tubing, I had a friend turn an adaptor for me from aluminum tubing that is 5/8" OD, and just over 1/2" ID. The other option is to wrap about 1" of the open end of the tubing with electrical tape enough to make a slip fit in the top of the feed tube for the bullet feeder that Magma supplies.

    Hope this helps.

    Fred
    After a shooting spree, they always want to take the guns away from the people who didn't do it. - William S. Burroughs.

  5. #45
    Moderator Emeritus robertbank's Avatar
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    Thanks guys, I spent most of the afternoon trying to set up my 230gr 45acp RN with my die. Up and down the column I went. Nothing. Suddenly, in the middle of a brain cramp I thought, "I wonder if I am out of lube? Yup...bone dry. Scary stuff...thinking. If you are looking for someone to design a better mouse trap, I would not look this far North. A a man just has to know his limitations.

    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"

  6. #46
    Moderator Emeritus robertbank's Avatar
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    With the weather warming up - no snow up here at all and it has been raining now for five days - shooting and casting are both at hand. I mentioned earlier I had run out of bullets to lube. Pretty much still the case. The fact is I now have enough lubed bullets stored up to last me a couple of years BUT consumption does vary so we continue to cast for the future.

    I have managed to get my four dies set for the bullets I lube with this machine. I thank Lathesmith for his excellent dies and lock nuts. I also have concluded the bullet feeder, for me really was an option I could have left off the purchase. I will keep it for awhile and see if my attitude changes. It does have the potential of saving my fingers should the inevitable happen.

    One thing did arise I should mention for anyone starting out. If you buy the air assist it comes with a nut loosely screwed on to the end of the ram. The nut does not appear on their parts diagram. I assumed the nuit was there to assist in shipping. WRONG!

    When full assembled, this nut locks everything in place so when you go to reload the lube tube you can retract the plunger. The idiot, me, initially assembled the unit without the nut in place and very nearly turned the air assist into a wall hanger. A phone call to Magma led to the discovery of how important the nut was along with no explanation as to why the damn thing was not included in their parts drawing. Dahhhhh.

    In any event for those buying this machine understand at the outset Magma instructions leave a lot to be desired. The air assist has a nut on the plunger that does not appear in their parts diagram that is real important and you best ask here on how to assemble the unit before trying to assemble it yourself. Too, remember when ordering to ask the good folks at Magma to include parts S107 amd S130 with your new unit. It is my understanding the company still expects you to remove these parts from the manual system. The @#$#$#@ parts might as well be welded on to the manual pressure screw assembly. Just ask them to send the two parts with your machine.

    ReloaderFred was my mentor as I moved along the learning curve and it is to he I would refer to for help.

    Lathesmith dies are works of art, priced right and are worth ordering over the Magma dies. For Canadians ordering stuff out of the US Chris aka Lathesmith is a quality guy and you can deal with him in complete confidence. The dies I got from him were perfect.

    Take Care

    Bob
    Last edited by robertbank; 02-17-2017 at 05:26 PM.
    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. #47
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    I'm glad you got it all worked out, Bob.

    The problem with Magma's manuals are they're written by the guys who make the machines. They have it all down pat in their minds as to how it works, but their ability to transfer that knowledge to the manuals is sadly lacking. Their owner's manual for the casting machines is even worse. They'll mention "adjust this part", but nowhere is there any instruction on exactly where the part is, how to adjust it, or even what the adjustment is supposed to be.

    Don't get me wrong, they do make great products, but like most machinists, they can't translate what they know to someone who doesn't have their knowledge on the subject and may be just starting out. What they take for granted may be a big stumbling block to a neophyte.....

    Hope this helps.

    Fred
    After a shooting spree, they always want to take the guns away from the people who didn't do it. - William S. Burroughs.

  8. #48
    Boolit Master
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    I use 4 Stars with air assist and heaters but I have my air set at 60 psi......never had a prob.

  9. #49
    Moderator Emeritus robertbank's Avatar
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    I still think I have the nut on wrong. When I ran out of lube yesterday I unscrewed the plunger from the rod that holds it. I had to unscrew about five turns of part AF107 and the screw the unit bacl onto part S107 to extract it from the lube tube.

    Does the nut go between AF107 and S109 or between AF107 and S107?

    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"

  10. #50
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    HATCH's Avatar
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    I will leave this here
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkXjCz8DSWs

    there was a guy that sold a DIY kit to make one. I bought two.
    One was the early model that could drop bullets normally. The second one was a updated version that allowed them to be dropped nose down
    Don't like being hammered by the Cast Boolits Staff, then don't be a nail.
    The rules are simple to follow.

  11. #51
    Moderator Emeritus robertbank's Avatar
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    Now that is one cool 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"

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

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"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check