automatic powder trickler

[6bg6ga]

I first posted on this in Aug of 2013 trying to see if there was any interest in the idea.

jmorris did a nice video showing his setup

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...trickler/page3 Showing a real nice inexpensive photo sensor in the thread. As it sometimes happens ideas go to the wayside sometimes to be left un made and sometimes they come back to life.

[6bg6ga]

First of all a hearty thanks to jmorris for putting me onto the inexpensive photo switch.

I will try to post a few pictures in case someone would like to see them.

I also have a video but I'm too old to know how to get it from the phone to the forum so if I figure out how I will post it.

Disclaimer... This is not up to jmorris standards so don't expect too much. Its a product of what I had around the house and garage that I finally

put together. The only additional thing I'm going to add is an adjustable speed control on the trickler motor.

[6bg6ga]

Attachment 187898

[6bg6ga]

Attachment 187899

Attachment 187900

Attachment 187901

Attachment 187902

Note*... On the RCBS powder trickler I added lead to the bottom to give it more stability. I simply drilled a hole on the side about a 1/2" from the bottom and installed a self tapping screw. After installing the screw I filled the bottom with molten lead.

[6bg6ga]

The electronic control box is a Crestron battery charger box that was scrapped from work. The aluminum brackets are from a TOA mixer amp heat sink that gave its life for the cause. The powder measure is a 30 year old RCBS hand trickler. The motor is something I think that came from ebay. Its geared down and slips inside the RCBS trickler tube and I did a redneck job of simply drilling it and I used a tooth pick as the shear pin.

Its crude and no match for what other here on the forum can do but it does show that with some thinking one can put together a project will very little money going out the door.

The electronic circuit is crude but works fine. It consists of two relays and a transistor circuit to drive the second relay. Operation is simple...I use it in conjunction with a powder measure. I simply set the scale to what I want the final charge to be and I throw the charge with the powder measure and then put the pan on the scale and hit the start button. The powder trickler starts up arrives at the set amount and the relay drops power to the trickler so it cannot cycle again. Once the charge is reached the pan is pulled off the scale and dumped into the shell casing and the pan is again refilled via the powder measure and then placed onto the scale and the cycle runs again.

[6bg6ga]

Like I mentioned I will adapt some trickler motor speed control and in addition to this I will mount the powder measure close enough so that I can dump the charge into the scale pan. Probably use some type of flex tube to do so.

[Lloyd Smale]

that's pretty cool

[jmorris]

I like it, simple and effective.

The further away from the pivot you can mount the switch the more sensitive (more accurate) it will be.

[6bg6ga]

Thanks

[6bg6ga]

I like it, simple and effective.

The further away from the pivot you can mount the switch the more sensitive (more accurate) it will be.

I ordered another sensor last week to replace the one that is shown. I cheated and epoxied the sensor to the piece of aluminum plate that I screwed to the back of the scale. I used two very small C-clamps to secure the bracket while I drilled it. I then removed the bracket so I could tap the holes 6-32.

I'm going to remove the one shown to take it apart and see if there is a possibility of moving it as close to the end of the pointer as possible.

Right now its seems really steady as it throws the same charge for each cycle and its just a slight touch above the O-line probably 1/4 of a tenth of a grain over right now.

I have no pencil type powder to try to see if there is a problem with these types of powders. It currently throws H110, H335, and Unique right on the money.

[6bg6ga]

Just another thought..... I have this scale working with the powders I tested it with. Why not leave it alone?

I have a second scale and I could do a better job knowing what I know now. As jmorris said mount it further away from the pivot point

so I will be able to move it maybe another 1/2" and get better resolution.

There doesn't seem to be any interest on the subject right now but maybe someone will stumble in and read a few of my mumblings and

possibly be inspired to build one of these for themselves.

[6bg6ga]

I have less than $20.00 INVESTED IN THIS. To me it sure beats the hell out of spending in excess of $300.00 for a commercial made one.

[kbstenberg]

I am electrically inept, but I can duplicate what I see in an electric diagram. Could you draw a rough sketch of the wiring dia. please! Kevin

[6bg6ga]

PM sent

[MostlyLeverGuns]

MidwayUSA had(has?) a battery operated powder trickler under Frankford(?) brand, push a button, trickle tube rotates. It does work very well.

[jmorris]

Where did you source your gearmotor from?

[waltherboy4040]

Very cool, I'm surprised there isn't more options for automatic powder tricklers.

[6bg6ga]

Where did you source your gearmotor from?

The gear motor is a long output shaft worm gear motor 300 motor for diy. is the ebay explanation. They are a wallet breaker at (2) for $3.57 rated 25-50 rpm with a voltage rating I believe up to 12VDC.

There is a little difference in the internal diameter of the RCBS powder trickler and the OD of the motor shaft. I simply cut the shaft back a little and wrapped a little tape around the OD of the shaft. I then drilled thru the motor shaft and trickler tube and installed a round toothpick which I cut off leaving just a little showing on each side of the tube.

Note* I used one with a plastic drive shaft.

[6bg6ga]

MidwayUSA had(has?) a battery operated powder trickler under Frankford(?) brand, push a button, trickle tube rotates. It does work very well.

MostlyLeverGuns,

Yes, I realize there is a battery powered powder trickler available from Midway. You and I and thousands of others here on this forum believe that we can do things our way and do it cheaper and better in the process.

I thought about this in 2013 simply because I'm too cheap to buy something I believe is inferior to what I can make. This is what DIY is all about. There is no better inspiration for DIY than jmorris. Heck, he has come up with more cool stuff than you can shake a stick at. It was jmorris that found the cost effective sensor and was willing to share. I posted this because I thought maybe others might feel the same way I do. Its not for everyone but it simple, effective, and it works.

[6bg6ga]

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from...r+diy&_sacat=0

link to motor

Note* Check the motor shaft OD and the trickler's ID if you plan on slipping it inside the trickler shaft.