Making that Bullet Collator

[Fil131]

Ok awesome, thanks for the quick responses. I'll wait to see if @gnafin responds or anyone else who may have tried it. I don't have my press or printer yet anyhow so I have time.

Are you guys using 12ga wiring for the electrical? Any recommended fuses as well?

[TylerR]

Ok awesome, thanks for the quick responses. I'll wait to see if @gnafin responds or anyone else who may have tried it. I don't have my press or printer yet anyhow so I have time.

Are you guys using 12ga wiring for the electrical? Any recommended fuses as well?

12ga wire is a bit of overkill with the amps involved. Shouldn't be pulling more than 5-6 amps at 12volts. So 18 gauge wire should suffice.

I added a simple 12v 5 amp auto fuse but probably not necessary.

[Fil131]

Haha ok, I was looking at another chart at some point and may have just overestimated the amps a little or a ton.

[GWS]

I am not sure on the usefulness of the reverse switch. If I get a jam I just turn the feeder off and clear it. most of the jams I get would not clear by reversing the motor.

Any jamming I've gotten so far is from an elephant foot in the first layer or two in a plate print and/or running the motor too fast. It is annoying when I turn it off and the motor is immovable, binding a bullet tight against the hole. Reversing would just bind it on the other end unless you could have a push button momentary switch and just bump it to release....I may try that if I can find a small enough one. I made the minimum size box for my speed control except depth....so maybe there's room under it....

Obviously, beveling the first layer or three would prevent the elephant foot.....will try that too....but for the plates I already printed, I used a sharp scalpel to deal with it.

I have a new proximity switch....and the picture below shows how simple it is to wire using the tiny motor speed control I have.......works perfect without a big box or additional pc board. The proximity switch detects any bullet within 8 mm from the yellow end and turns it off.



Above: The IC board terminals from the left are -motor (blue sensor lead); +motor (red sensor lead and brown motor lead); then +12v powersupply; and right end, -12v powersupply. The left over leads, -motor and - black sensor leads are soldered together and insulated. Any lead or copper within 8mm (a quarter inch) is detected.

The box for the little speed switch is printing below: It's about the same size as a slider and will mount under the bullet knocker unobtrusively.



I will mount the box bottoms up under the base....the vented lid is faces the bottom, so the red LED on the board shines through making it easy to tell if it's on since the feeder will be mounted pretty high.


Lid is recessed and slides in from one end under the tabs. I did not push it all the way in just to demonstrate how it slides in.


The print has three holes in the back for the cords, and one hole in the front for the speed control shaft.

[RedlegEd]

Hey GWS,
Very nice!
Ed

[TylerR]

GWS,

Nice job. I had the same issue with the collator plates and that slight lip on the bottom edge. My solution was the same as yours. A quick pass with an exacto knife.
Do you have a pic of the proximity switch mounted on the drop tube. Just want to see what you have going on there.

[TylerR]

Great video. Thanks for sharing that. Your logic on making it less caliber specific makes sense. Although the light sensor works very well, I do like the idea of the proximity sensor. Would love to see the finished system in action once you get it worked out.

[Fil131]

Same here as always awesome stuff from everyone.

[wrinkles]

Never being satisfied with good enough I've spent the last couple weeks remodeling and tweaking the original design. Initially I started making some small changes with the goal of eliminating some of the hardware but I eventually got around to making it more modular and bigger to make better use of my 200x200 mm build plate.

I separated the side walls from the base mostly so I didn't have to reprint everything if I wanted to make some changes to the base. The side walls are plenty strong at 3 perimiters (1.2 mm) thick.

I designed printable spring flipper to eliminate the spring and screw. It works well on initial testing but I need to tweak the shape of the tip a bit because it's been knocking out upside down bullets.

The drop tube spring adapter is hardware free on the top end. The connector just snaps into the base and the spring threads into the connector. The bottom end used a long lever limit switch like the one that comes on the MBF but a straight arm that just snaps in. I don't have any bullets smaller than 124gn but I tried a 1/4" driver bit that weighed 73gn that went through easily. I need to find something around 50gn to test.

The flipping plate adjusts in and out with a screw rather than using a set screw so it's easier to tune.

The flipping ramp is a separate piece so you can adjust it out or replace it with a taller one if necessary.

This takes 6 cap head screws, 2 set screws, 4 nuts, plus the electronics to assemble.





Movie ---> https://imgur.com/bW6tkZj
Movie with flipper ---> https://imgur.com/zuouuAZ

Any feedback is appreciated.

Nice modular setup. I like the idea of not having to print the entire main unit. Less is more approach is nice. Looking forward to seeing it as a remix on thingiverse.
I just got a Anet et4+ and currently looking into tinkercad to do some 3d models.

[rototerrier]

Since all of you guys are so intimately familiar with these bullet feeders, I have a question about motors. I'm a little unhappy with the speed at which my mr bulletfeeder turns. I believe it's a 5 or 5.5rpm gear motor.

I was considering going up to the 52JE50 (8.8 RPM) or the 52JE50 (12 RPM). I went ahead and ordered the 12 RPM model thinking I can just run it slower. Figure having the ability to go faster if I want is a benefit.

Anyone running the 52JE50 and if so, any issues running it slower? I probably should have asked this question before I ordered it. I originally was going to go with the 8.8, but didn't want to risk being disappointed that it wasn't fast enough.

To me, when bullet sizing with the Lee APP, I find that the 5.5 stock motor just doesn't keep up. I can see by watching the bullets fall down the shoot that it could stand to go a little faster. Probably not 12 RPM faster...but definitely something faster than 5.5.

Any thoughts?

[rototerrier]

I definitely get that there's only so much tolerance. I guess my question, more specifically, is there any disadvantage to going to a 12 RPM motor over an 8 if I'm just going to use the speed controller to slow it down? I would imagine a 12rpm motor can still be slowed down to a crawl? There are still time where I want it to go slow and, for bullet feeding, I really only need it to be a little faster.

I probably should have just gone with the 8, but they were the same price. So, as long as I can slow the 12 down enough, it probably won't matter.

[rototerrier]

It's for nose down bullet sizing. Right now I can cycle the app faster than the mbf can keep up. For reloading it's more than sufficient.

[TylerR]

I definitely get that there's only so much tolerance. I guess my question, more specifically, is there any disadvantage to going to a 12 RPM motor over an 8 if I'm just going to use the speed controller to slow it down? I would imagine a 12rpm motor can still be slowed down to a crawl? There are still time where I want it to go slow and, for bullet feeding, I really only need it to be a little faster.

I probably should have just gone with the 8, but they were the same price. So, as long as I can slow the 12 down enough, it probably won't matter.

The 12rpm makes more sense. With the speed controller you can dial it from 0-12, so more options for you. I use one of my feeders for bullet sizing in the app and once you get it dialed in its lightning quick.

[TylerR]

I have posted a new copy of download files. Here are are a few of the changes:
- Removed body for JGY motor, as the motor is just not powerful enough for the larger body so no sense in having it.
- Modified all of the drop tubes to have a more gradual slant in the top where the bullet feeds for more reliable feeding
- Added a drop tube --> DAA feeder die spacer to add height to drop tube which I found was helpful in adjusting where the bullets sit in relation to the light sensor, depending on the caliber.
- Added an extra large spring adapter that works with the spring from the DAA Output Chute. I used this larger diameter spring to reliably feed 45 cases. https://www.doublealpha.biz/us/doubl...ute-and-spring
- Also added some length to the extra large spring adapter so the feed to the spring was more gradual to reduce issues where bullet/cases would catch on spring. I may make this modification to the other spring adapters as well.
- 45 ACP nose down brass collator plate now has the built in pivots.

Now that I have 45acp bullets and brass feeding flawlessly, I am going to move my attention to 9mm. Once I complete that process I will post additional files. My plan is to have dedicated flipper plates for each caliber to match the collator plate, so I don't have to mess with set screws to get the spacing correct.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folde...vV?usp=sharing

[Michael303]

Anyone running the 52JE50 and if so, any issues running it slower? I probably should have asked this question before I ordered it. I originally was going to go with the 8.8, but didn't want to risk being disappointed that it wasn't fast enough.

My motor is 12rpm and I've never come close to turning it all the way up. The 8.8 should be plenty fast but if it's on a speed controller the 12 will be fine too. If I had to do it over I'd probably try the 8.

Here's a video of mine.

https://i.imgur.com/hurdnJJ.mp4

[Michael303]

Nice modular setup. I like the idea of not having to print the entire main unit. Less is more approach is nice. Looking forward to seeing it as a remix on thingiverse.
I just got a Anet et4+ and currently looking into tinkercad to do some 3d models.

Thanks. I'm printing one for a buddy now and if he finds it to work as well as I have I'll probably post it up.

I've never used Tinkercad but I can highly recommend Fusion 360. The learning curve is tough but it's incredibly powerful.

[TylerR]

My motor is 12rpm and I've never come close to turning it all the way up. The 8.8 should be plenty fast but if it's on a speed controller the 12 will be fine too. If I had to do it over I'd probably try the 8.

Here's a video of mine.

https://i.imgur.com/hurdnJJ.mp4

Very nice! That is crazy fast for sure. I suspect the drop hole is larger then the original 16mm? In order to get my case nose down feeding to work I found that the drop hole had to be much larger, even when run at slower speeds.

[lablover]

Thanks. I'm printing one for a buddy now and if he finds it to work as well as I have I'll probably post it up.

I've never used Tinkercad but I can highly recommend Fusion 360. The learning curve is tough but it's incredibly powerful.

Wow, that thing moves! What motor again was that?

Also, will the hex sleeve fit on a McMaster motor? Or the original DAA motor? I have a spare motor and want to use it for Tyler new design.

[TylerR]

Here's the result of yesterday's hair pulling, and what I'm going to try to print for my proximity sensor outlet......going to turn it upright, then support the 90 where the sensor screws in....as well as interior support for the sensor threads? Any suggestions? Will it work? Learning every day with this printer.



Top threads are fitted to the Sensor, end threads for screwing in the Spring Tube.
Threads look nice......we will see if they work nice.

In my experience you should not need supports for the interior threads. Just support from the build plate up. Supports in the threaded area would require a fair amount of clean up work too.

[TylerR]

Yeah, and I don't have a tap that big! What about the finger grip.....is that hanging out enough to require build plate support? This is fun....in spite of the hair pulling.

Yes, something would be needed there. Another option to supports is to bevel the bottom edge to 45 degrees. That allows the printer to build it up without any supports.

Exactly my experience! Which is why I asked for some sharing of his secrets!!! Never seen one that fast.....at first I though he sped up the video....had to play it again! You saw from my ugly picture that a bigger hole didn't work for me.....I think my plate was a lot thicker tho. On my new point down contraption, I remodeled the base and chopped out plastic down to the first solid layers to copy what I did with the Hornady.....that worked too, but I'm not running that fast.....bigger hole too would be needed!

Just curious, what calibers are you mostly feeding? I know part of my issue is .45 caliber bullets and brass are about as large as this feeder design will accommodate. So I would imagine smaller diameter bullets can be fed faster without any jamming. A longer bullet definitely contributes to more jams as well. Just takes more time to fall through the hole.