Making that Bullet Collator

[nhyrum]

Well holy cow this has really picked up since I was last here... Looks like I have to reprint about half my stuff!! I just have the base, plate, and drop tube I think. Got I have the... Tiny... Motor (hey, size doesn't matter... Right guys...?) Anyway, I'm thinking about just printing the larger one, I have an ender 3, and it LOOKS like it will fit when I load it in to cura. Anyway, since I didn't put anything together because I gave up trying to drill the itty bitty shaft for a pin and don't want a hand that looks like Swiss cheese... I think I'm at LEAST going to order the hex coupler and print a new wheel, which if I'm doing that anyway... May as well print the big one, right? And use my current motor till it dies and get a new one.

I really do want to thank everyone who has put in the effort to add to, modify, improve the feeder and give all that work and time to others.

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[Jakenheimer]

I want to start by thanking everyone for their input in this amazing thread!
I am in the process of printing the larger feeder provided by TylerR, thanks!!

I wanted to know if anyone has recommendations for bullet feeder die files. I have read that RCBS and Hornandy bullet feeder dies are great quality but I would like to see if I can get away with something printed. I also watched a video that showed said the Dillon powder funnel/expander isn't stepped so it doesn't work all that well?
Any info is greatly appreciated.

[Rage 01]

I want to start by thanking everyone for their input in this amazing thread!
I am in the process of printing the larger feeder provided by TylerR, thanks!!

I wanted to know if anyone has recommendations for bullet feeder die files. I have read that RCBS and Hornandy bullet feeder dies are great quality but I would like to see if I can get away with something printed. I also watched a video that showed said the Dillon powder funnel/expander isn't stepped so it doesn't work all that well?
Any info is greatly appreciated.

First go on thingiverse you will find a wide assortment of bullet droppers you can 3d print. Some work, some didn't for what I wanted so I made my own. Not that hard really. Once you understand how they work. As for the Dillon Powder Funnel/Expander. I use the stock one that came with my Dillon setup/Dillon Dies. Don't have any problems what so ever. Mind you I am only running 9mm, 40 S&W and 223. I can't say anything about any other calibers.

Hope that helps.

[Jakenheimer]

First go on thingiverse you will find a wide assortment of bullet droppers you can 3d print. Some work, some didn't for what I wanted so I made my own. Not that hard really. Once you understand how they work. As for the Dillon Powder Funnel/Expander. I use the stock one that came with my Dillon setup/Dillon Dies. Don't have any problems what so ever. Mind you I am only running 9mm, 40 S&W and 223. I can't say anything about any other calibers.

Hope that helps.

Fantastic info, thanks!! I have more confidence in trying the feeder with the standard powder funnel.
Any chance you would be able to provide links or .stl files for the bullet droppers? I have tried a one for 9mm and didn't have much luck with it. I am looking to load 9mm, .45acp, .223, and possibly .308 but right now I am just working to get the initial set up for 9mm.
I have the larger feeder body printed but am still sorting through all the other parts to see which I need to print. Tyler has really created a lot of mods!
Thank you again for the reply and the help.

[nhyrum]

I have the larger feeder body printed but am still sorting through all the other parts to see which I need to print. Tyler has really created a lot of mods!
Thank you again for the reply and the help.

Yeah I'm in the same boat. I've got parts printed out that I'm not sure I need... Looking at the photos he added helped me understand better what I need and what I don't

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[n10sivern]

ok guys, I'm about to venture down this path again. I printed the all the plates about a year ago but since then the MBF motors are unavailable. Do I need to just toss them. What motor should I go with now? I'm about to bust out the PETG and have 3 printers making parts for 4 Dillon 650's.

My Dillons are naked

[nhyrum]

ok guys, I'm about to venture down this path again. I printed the all the plates about a year ago but since then the MBF motors are unavailable. Do I need to just toss them. What motor should I go with now? I'm about to bust out the PETG and have 3 printers making parts for 4 Dillon 650's.

Yeah, I'd ditch them. I printed all the parts a while ago too. I made the new plates have the hex coupler, I already had the jgy 370 motor. Since I needed to reprint the plates, I also decided to just go with the larger version.

As for motors, I haven't used mine yet (I think I just need to wire it up and get a spring/tube) but from what I hear, it's a bit on the small side.

[Jakenheimer]

Ugh, so I am excited to use the larger collator but I just realized something. The 9mm bullet plate is for the smaller body and the only bullet plate I see for the larger body is the .45acp (which I also need so I will be printing it). I think Tyler was working on a brass processing plate with this build, so I think that was his focus.
Does anyone have an .stl of the 9mm plate (and possibly .223 & .308 ) in the larger size? I could scale it in my slicer but that would make the bullet chambers larger as well and I don't have the skills to modify the plate myself. while I would like to learn to modify the files I just don't have the time.
Thank you to any help that is available!

[nhyrum]

Ugh, so I am excited to use the larger collator but I just realized something. The 9mm bullet plate is for the smaller body and the only bullet plate I see for the larger body is the .45acp (which I also need so I will be printing it). I think Tyler was working on a brass processing plate with this build, so I think that was his focus.
Does anyone have an .stl of the 9mm plate (and possibly .223 & .308 ) in the larger size? I could scale it in my slicer but that would make the bullet chambers larger as well and I don't have the skills to modify the plate myself. while I would like to learn to modify the files I just don't have the time.
Thank you to any help that is available!

You have to use the opens cad file. It's actually INCREDIBLY easy to just change a few numbers and get a plate in whatever caliber you need

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[nhyrum]

Literally you change a few numbers. On the side once you open the mesh file it's got directions on what to change, update, render, export, slice, print

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[Rage 01]

Fantastic info, thanks!! I have more confidence in trying the feeder with the standard powder funnel.
Any chance you would be able to provide links or .stl files for the bullet droppers? I have tried a one for 9mm and didn't have much luck with it. I am looking to load 9mm, .45acp, .223, and possibly .308 but right now I am just working to get the initial set up for 9mm.
I have the larger feeder body printed but am still sorting through all the other parts to see which I need to print. Tyler has really created a lot of mods!
Thank you again for the reply and the help.

I have had good luck with this bullet dropper- 9mm. Also check the other droppers he makes I think his 223 is not bad as well, but his 40 S&W is not finished yet. https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4257070

If you want to skip the printing of these all together there is a fellow named Karl Bibb he has a facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/609033382832289
You can just buy which ever one you want.

[Rage 01]

ok guys, I'm about to venture down this path again. I printed the all the plates about a year ago but since then the MBF motors are unavailable. Do I need to just toss them. What motor should I go with now? I'm about to bust out the PETG and have 3 printers making parts for 4 Dillon 650's.

My Dillons are naked

Nope you don't need to reprint. Unless you want to use the bigger bucket. You can use the Jgy-370 motor. Do a google search on the top piece for the motor that the plate sits on. I have a lathe so I just made one in the garage. But there are other ways to do it, just need to be resourceful. But if making new plates might be easier for you.

[Jakenheimer]

Literally you change a few numbers. On the side once you open the mesh file it's got directions on what to change, update, render, export, slice, print

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Any chance anyone has the mesh file? I got all brave after reading your post and went to thingiverse and clicked the link.....got a 404 error. Maybe I am just looking in the wrong place?

[Jakenheimer]

Scratch that...I think I found it in the files from Tyler.

[nhyrum]

Any chance anyone has the mesh file? I got all brave after reading your post and went to thingiverse and clicked the link.....got a 404 error. Maybe I am just looking in the wrong place?

You should have it if you have the bigger feeder. It's the one file that's different.

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[n10sivern]

Where are the links for the hexagon opening plates?

[Jakenheimer]

Where are the links for the hexagon opening plates?

I am not sure if there are files readily created for that. If you use the plate generator it looks like there is an option to create an .stl with the hex opening. There is a "Use Hex" check box as well as adjustments for the shaft opening size.

Program can be found here: http://www.openscad.org/downloads.html and as was pointed out to me, the plate generator .scad file is in the bundle.

[Jakenheimer]

Sorry to bug you all again but I have another question.
In the .scad program there are clear instructions on how to alter the design, which is much appreciated!
I would like to know if the instructions have "ballpark" parameters, or if they are exact. For example, to create a 9mm plate it says to alter the caliber field to 9. The plate I have for my standard bullet feeder has bullet slots that are closer to 10mm. It also instructs you to use 11.43mm as the caliber selection for .45acp which is exactly .45" converted to mm.
Does the program "know" that the caliber is the guideline and that the openings need to be a bit larger?
I only ask because it takes several hours to print and I would prefer to not waste filament.

[TylerR]

Sorry to bug you all again but I have another question.
In the .scad program there are clear instructions on how to alter the design, which is much appreciated!
I would like to know if the instructions have "ballpark" parameters, or if they are exact. For example, to create a 9mm plate it says to alter the caliber field to 9. The plate I have for my standard bullet feeder has bullet slots that are closer to 10mm. It also instructs you to use 11.43mm as the caliber selection for .45acp which is exactly .45" converted to mm.
Does the program "know" that the caliber is the guideline and that the openings need to be a bit larger?
I only ask because it takes several hours to print and I would prefer to not waste filament.

The short answer is yes, it does add some buffer.
That is purpose of this line below.

// Other
bullet_caliber=caliber+1.2; //caliber in (mm) + 1.0 to 1.5 mm!!!

[Jakenheimer]

The short answer is yes, it does add some buffer.
That is purpose of this line below.

// Other
bullet_caliber=caliber+1.2; //caliber in (mm) + 1.0 to 1.5 mm!!!

Thank you Tyler! I really appreciate all the work you have put into these designs.