My DIY Case Feeder Project

[jmac2112]

My new Dillon XL650 is on the way, and I'll be constructing my own case feeder for it. I've gathered some parts and ordered others based on info I've gathered here and elsewhere. I hope to post pictures as I go and get input from you all.

I have a question to get the ball rolling: I'll be making plates for 9mm and .45 ACP. I see Dillon offers a Small Pistol plate and a Large Pistol plate, and my question involves the dimensions of the holes. Someday I might end up shooting .40 S&W, and I'm not sure which plate would best accommodate that. If I'm making only two plates for these three calibers, what sizes should the holes be? And how far in from the edge of the plate should I drill them so that I can end up with the right amount of the straight part that I will cut to the edge of the plate? I hope that makes sense.

Thanks!

John

[Lloyd Smale]

I use the small for 9 40 and 45 and the large for longer cases.

[jmac2112]

Thanks for the reply! Just to clarify, are we talking about the Dillon pistol plates (small pistol vs. large pistol), or are these plates that you have made yourself? I was under the impression that the small Dillon plates would just barely accommodate 40 S&W, and that for .45 ACP the large would be the way to go. I've never seen or handled the Dillon plates, and I can't seem to find any info on the length and width of the slots I should be cutting.

[44Vaquero]

I use a 1/2 router bit for .45 ACP down to 9 mm. Still 9 mm will occasionally invert in the chute due to it's short stature and light weight.



Motor gearbox selection is important, as is power supply, speed control and getting an optical on/off module.

[44Vaquero]

Here are a few links to help you along:

12 v gear motor

12v power supply

Speed Controller

Motor Coupler

Photoresistor switch

[BlackRat]

I know it might be an overkill but when I build my bullet feeder I found out that those small geared motors that are sold on ebay didn't have enough torque so I replaced it for a windshield wiper motor. They are very easy to adapt, cheap and can be controlled with a PWM for little $.

[jmac2112]

Thanks for the info and the links, 44Vaquero! I saw some of those when I was looking around for parts. I wanted to get that exact motor (the 3rpm version) but I was put off by the "you'll get it when you get it" shipping policy. I ended up getting a small 120VAC motor (3 rpm). I have also ordered a break-beam sensor which looks like it ought to do the trick:

https://www.amazon.com/Adafruit-Acce...uit+break+beam

I am not much of an electrician, but it looks like this can be used to operate a relay which will turn the motor on and off.

Is your case feeder plate made out of Kydex? If so, that's a pretty slick idea! When you drilled the holes, how much space (if any) did you leave at the edge of the plate?

Thanks again!

John

[44Vaquero]

BlackRat, my 1st prototype was powered by dodge blower vent motor, total over kill! If you use the correct power supply and rpm the little gearbox motors work fine. I have built feeders using vending machine 12v motors even a torque sensing reversing 12v. For what its worth the one I linked to is what Crimson uses on his feeders.

jmac2112, Black 1/8 inch ABS vacumme molded and then router cut. The radius is about an 1/8 inch inside the outside dia! The beam break will work but it's more difficult to wire. At 2 bucks S&H included it's hard to beat the photo-relay I specked.

You may find 3rpm to be to slow depending upon the diameter of your plate. My plates are approx 8 inch, 6 to 12 rpm runs about right (adjustable).

[Lloyd Smale]

wish I was talented enough to make a bullet feeder. Id love one on my star and on my progressive set up for 223. those little bullets get my fingers cramped after picking up a few hundred of them and trying to center them on a case

I know it might be an overkill but when I build my bullet feeder I found out that those small geared motors that are sold on ebay didn't have enough torque so I replaced it for a windshield wiper motor. They are very easy to adapt, cheap and can be controlled with a PWM for little $.

[Kenstone]

Why not just buy a plate for 9mm for $35 and copy it for 45ACP:
EBAY SEARCH FOR CASE FEEDER PARTS

[jmac2112]

Why not just buy a plate for 9mm for $35 and copy it for 45ACP:
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odk...lates&_sacat=0

But of course! Too late, however. I found the time yesterday to cut and Dremel and file my HDPE, and the plate is close to finished. I used 1/2" holes 1/8" from the edge as suggested by 44Vaquero, and I am hoping that this will work for both 9mm and 45. I've already cut my bucket to the right shape and cut a piece of HDPE that fits snugly in the bottom of the bucket. There is about 1/16" clearance between the feeder plate and the bucket. I test fitted it and there seems to be no way that two 9mm cases could fit in one hole, so everything looks good so far. My XL650 arrives tomorrow, so I'll get that up and running before I go any further (plus I'm still waiting for most of the electrical bits to arrive).

[44Vaquero]

jmac2112, HOW THICK is the HDPE that you used?

[jmac2112]

It's 1/4". Is that good? Seems to be what a lot of people are using, but you're material looks thinner.

[44Vaquero]

My proto-type was 1/4 inch Star-Board and it drops 9mm just fine, not so much with .380! LOL

I use 1/8 inch ABS and place a reduced dia spacer(s) of 1/8 ABS underneath to manage the proper off sets.

How many slots/holes did you cut and what DIA are you using?

[BlackRat]

Here's a shot of my bullet collator in action. If there's some interest I can show some pics of the build.



Cheers!

[jmac2112]

I made 32 holes (1/2"), one every 10 degrees except for the four places I skipped where the agitators will be. I did as you suggested and left 1/8" to the edge of the plate, then I opened the slots with a cut-off wheel on a Dremel. The diameter of the disc is 10 1/8".

[44Vaquero]

jmac2112, Time for some pictures!

What RPM is the motor running?

[jmac2112]

3 rpm, but it hasn't arrived yet. I'm battling a cold right now, and I seem to be losing. I'll definitely get some pictures posted soon.

Speaking of which, is there a trick to posting photos? I haven't tried it yet.

[jmac2112]

My new Dillon XL650 arrived today! I was home sick with a fever of 101, but that didn't stop me from assembling it on my kitchen table before carrying it out to the garage:



My Lee Classic Turret Press looks pretty pathetic next to Big Blue, like it might need counseling to deal with feelings of inadequacy. It will be moved to the corner of a smaller bench where it will continue to be used for small batches when I don't feel like changing calibers.


Here are some pics of my case feeder bucket and plate:





That's as far as I've gotten. It's been a good day in spite of feeling like ****, but I'm going to go lie down now....

[jmac2112]

Excuse me, I meant to say "feeling like GARBAGE".... I used the mild expletive starting with the letter 'c', but I guess even that will get edited out.