Auto Disc anti-spill device

[Cowboy_Dan]

When using my Lee Auto Disc, especially with fine powders, I notice that some of the powder spills out of the top of the metering hole and onto the bench and press. So, I decided to make a spill sheild. I traced the hopper onto a piece of clear plastic cut from a soda bottle and cut it out with extra stock to overhang the charge bar. I then assembled it into the measure, between the hopper and metal base, and trimmed off the excess and marked the hopper's exit hole. Tried the setup out loading about 225 9mm's last night and there was no spillage with Win 231. About 5 granules were found to be stuck between the hopper and the shield. I realize I can't be the first one to think this up, but I thought I would throw it out there for anyone else having this problem.

[Kenstone]

I tracked the leakage om my auto disc to the uneven pressure on the seal.
When I tightened the off-center screw that holds the hopper on, it cocked the hopper.
That created uneven pressure on the seal and powder leakage.

I made a parallel clamp from some cutting-board nylon/threaded rod/nuts/wellnuts to hold the hopper straight against the seal, no more leakage.

[Cowboy_Dan]

Update:

I just completed the most rigorous (short) test I could think of. Loaded 5 .44 Magnums with Win 296 powder. Weighed out 207.1 grains and added to the measure. Weighed each charge, the 5 used as well as the several thrown back into the measure setting the charge bar. The 5 charges I loaded actually weighed 20, 20, 20, 19.8, and 19.8 grains (not in that order), for a total of 99.6 grains removed. I then emptied the measure and weighed the remaining contents at 107.5 grains. 207.1 - 99.6 - 107.5 = 0 grains lost to spillage (barring the built in rounding error of the scale). No apparent powder on the press or bench, as expected from the math. Needless to say I'm very happy with this fix.

[Cowboy_Dan]

I tracked the leakage om my auto disc to the uneven pressure on the seal.
When I tightened the off-center screw that holds the hopper on, it cocked the hopper.
That created uneven pressure on the seal and powder leakage.

I made a parallel clamp from some cutting-board nylon/threaded rod/nuts/wellnuts to hold the hopper straight against the seal, no more leakage.

How exactly did you track down the cause of your leakage? Maybe mine was leaking for the same reason as yours and my sheild works like a gasket? I do use the adjustable charge bar, so that could be a source of differences, too. In any event, I'm glad both of our solutions work.

[Kenstone]

Dan:

I'm having trouble visualizing your fix, could you post a pic?

1st pic is of the auto-disc PM base where you can see the shiny spots I filed down until they were flush with a disc to tighten/eliminate the gap between the disc and seal, so the seal will be compressed more onto the top of the disc when the hopper is assembled/tightened down.

This added pressure transfers to the upper end of the seal that seals the hopper base when the hopper is tightened down.

2nd pic is of the off-center screw that applies uneven pressure on the upper seal lip when tightened...the reason I use that parallel clamp.


edit: it doesn't seem to be a lot of interest in this topic, maybe we should take our discussion to pm's.

[dikman]

Just because no-one's replying doesn't necessarily mean there's no interest, I'm also having trouble visualising Dan's mod.
Need pictures.....

[fralic76]

Some close up pictures of it together would help.

Sent from my SM-G955W using Tapatalk

[Cowboy_Dan]

Let's see if my pictures are worth 1000 words, maybe just 100 ...



The mod itself.



Installed on the hopper.



All together again.

Hope this helps, very low-tech solution.

[dikman]

Thanks Dan, now I understand what you're talking about.

[40-82 hiker]

:
edit: it doesn't seem to be a lot of interest in this topic, maybe we should take our discussion to pm's.

I'm interested for sure! Did not see this thread until just now. Thanks for photos and descriptions. If additional info/photos please post. However, both methods seem to be well described with photos. Thanks.

[Kenstone]

Here's pics of just the clamp:

Top

Bottom

[lead-1]

I will keep both of these ideas in mind for when I use 231 and possibly H110, right now I am only using large flake powder and don't have this issue.