Making that Bullet Collator

[TylerR]

After see the video.....do you have the big size adaptor to try? The video was classic, that that's EXACTLY why I had to predrop ALL my bullets. Once I did that no more hangs even at fast speeds.

I know you all are sick of me showing my pre-3d feeder, but I'm feeding .45, .40, .9mm., and .357 using a single plate, a single subplate and a single hole size. The only thing i had to change by caliber was the tubing to the press mounted feed die.

But! I had to pre-drop everything because I had NO speed control and it was quite fast.....and I saw the same binding you are experiencing over and over.

Hey I never get sick of seeing a solution that works. The pre-drop is something I am still playing with, but it is a change to the main body which takes days to print, so anything I come up with I want to be rock solid.

Lablover, I know you are sick of printing the same parts over and over (welcome to the club), but if you want to give it a go I just posted an even longer version of the adapter. It tapers from 7.5mm to 5mm over a 35mm distance. That is a pretty subtle taper. I could go even longer if you want.

The only other thing I can suggest is like what GWS said above. If you need to file a small rounded section right on the outside edge to make sure bullets are not leaning on that right as they fall in the hole that may help as well.

[lablover]

Hey, I’m game to try anything. I’ll print the new adapter and give it a go and see what happens. I like GWS ideas as well. Will try the new adapter first. Hell, I’d print an entire new feeder if I had to. I shoot that .32 a lot in bullseye matches. Damn, 3k gun. I load or try to lots of .32

I’ll report back later today
Thanks for the help Gents

[TylerR]

Hey, I’m game to try anything. I’ll print the new adapter and give it a go and see what happens. I like GWS ideas as well. Will try the new adapter first. Hell, I’d print an entire new feeder if I had to. I shoot that .32 a lot in bullseye matches. Damn, 3k gun. I load or try to lots of .32

I’ll report back later today
Thanks for the help Gents

Hold off before you print anything. I have one more thought I want to try.

OK its back up. I basically made the top come to a completely sharp edge. If you have to use an exacto and make it so there is zero lip at the transition from the drop hole to the spring adapter. I also lowered it so it will sit 1mm below the surface of the main body.

[GWS]

The only other thing I can suggest is like what GWS said above. If you need to file a small rounded section right on the outside edge to make sure bullets are not leaning on that right as they fall in the hole that may help as well.

If you do think that would help, since you might find filler behind it eventually, JB Weld works great as a filler and mender. Just apply and sand to blend it in. On my black base I just used black india ink on a paper towel to color it to blend in.

[TylerR]

If you do think that would help, since you might find filler behind it eventually, JB Weld works great as a filler and mender. Just apply and sand to blend it in. On my black base I just used black india ink on a paper towel to color it to blend in.

I suspect it is part of the problem. If you watch the video the first thing the bullet does when it hits the drop hole is lean inwards away from the outside wall. That tells me it is hanging on a very small lip there, so getting rid of that should at least help.

[lablover]

New print will start shortly..got held up a bit. Should be printing in a few

[lablover]

I suspect it is part of the problem. If you watch the video the first thing the bullet does when it hits the drop hole is lean inwards away from the outside wall. That tells me it is hanging on a very small lip there, so getting rid of that should at least help.

I agree with both of you. I just loaded the new design and by looking at it it was exactly why I tried to acomplish with hacking the top off the one original spring adapter. High hopes. I do notice I have to slow the collator plate quite a bit to give those feather weight bullets time to drop. I'm printing at .12 so may be a few hours but worth the wait. Cant tell you guys how much I appreciate the help. Like I mentioned earlier it's my most loaded round for competition and worst case is I use APP tubes on the Tyler die. BTW, the .32 Die works like a charm.

[TylerR]

I just posted yet another version of the small spring adapter. This one is basically the same as the large adapter, it just funnels down to the smaller spring. So there is no section that inserts up in to the main body.

[GWS]

It's kinda funny.....the hardest one I had to figure out was the opposite end of the spectrum......the stupid giant .45 Gold Dot 230's. Each has it's specific quirks, getting them all to work with one plate was interesting.......don't think I want to try .32 shorts on that one.....but I have to admit I'm curious whether it would work. Good thing I don't own a .32 or I'd have to try.

I'm getting closer to show time for my Case Feeder......redoing the proximity drop one more time. It's shorter, but the tiny .223 insert I did still fits inside.....so I think I'm going to print another for the bullet feeder too since the design is simpler and smaller.

One question for TylerR though: Did you figure out settings on the slicer to reduced stringing inside the vertical twist tube area, or is that just my waterloo to figure out on my specific slicer?

[TylerR]

It's kinda funny.....the hardest one I had to figure out was the opposite end of the spectrum......the stupid giant .45 Gold Dot 230's. Each has it's specific quirks, getting them all to work with one plate was interesting.......don't think I want to try .32 shorts on that one.....but I have to admit I'm curious whether it would work. Good thing I don't own a .32 or I'd have to try.

I'm getting closer to show time for my Case Feeder......redoing the proximity drop one more time. It's shorter, but the tiny .223 insert I did still fits inside.....so I think I'm going to print another for the bullet feeder too since the design is simpler and smaller.

One question for TylerR though: Did you figure out settings on the slicer to reduced stringing inside the vertical twist tube area, or is that just my waterloo to figure out on my specific slicer?

Can't wait to see what you got going on. I am very close to posting all my new APP stuff. It is working out very well so far.

The only time I get stringing on a print is if I forget to bevel a certain area, usually inside the tube, that needs to act as support for anything above it. Stringing will happen then because the printer is attempting to print on thin air. Sometimes I will get a little stringing on internal threads but only if I print at low quality.

[lablover]

I just posted yet another version of the small spring adapter. This one is basically the same as the large adapter, it just funnels down to the smaller spring. So there is no section that inserts up in to the main body.

When this one is done I’ll print the latest..can’t hurt to try em both

Also, GWS, I like your logic on the half moon you carved in the wall of the bowl. I kept thinking if the hole went under the bullet ramp that would solve my issue. I'm afraid to carve it up and then it not work for anything else. I would however have one dedicated to .32 only so I may as well try if the last 2 spring adapters don't work

[TylerR]

When this one is done I’ll print the latest..can’t hurt to try em both

Also, GWS, I like your logic on the half moon you carved in the wall of the bowl. I kept thinking if the hole went under the bullet ramp that would solve my issue. I'm afraid to carve it up and then it not work for anything else. I would however have one dedicated to .32 only so I may as well try if the last 2 spring adapters don't work

I wouldn't be too worried about filing a very small amount at the outside edge of the hole. Just don't go crazy with it. Maybe a mm or two right in the red area. On the latest version I actually made the hole so close to the edge it ends up leaving a small gap there now anyway.

[lablover]

I wouldn't be too worried about filing a very small amount at the outside edge of the hole. Just don't go crazy with it. Maybe a mm or two right in the red area. On the latest version I actually made the hole so close to the edge it ends up leaving a small gap there now anyway.

That’s the plan, thanks for verifying with the red circle. When you say latest version of the base..how long ago did you change that. Might of been a month or better since I printed this base

[TylerR]

That’s the plan, thanks for verifying with the red circle. When you say latest version of the base..how long ago did you change that. Might of been a month or better since I printed this base

I don't remember exactly, but if you look at the one you have is that wall right there continuous, or is there a gap? Even though 3d cad shows it as a continuous wall, it is only .002mm right there, so the slicer just acts like the wall isnt there, creating the gap.

[GWS]

When this one is done I’ll print the latest..can’t hurt to try em both

Also, GWS, I like your logic on the half moon you carved in the wall of the bowl. I kept thinking if the hole went under the bullet ramp that would solve my issue. I'm afraid to carve it up and then it not work for anything else. I would however have one dedicated to .32 only so I may as well try if the last 2 spring adapters don't work

Agree with TylerR, I wouldn't be too worried. Consider that it didn't hurt anything I threw at it, but sure helped 'em drop better. My drop tube (look at the picture is just a hint outward (used clear plastic tube), so required the wall do the same. If your circle is 100% inside then just carve that side just enough to prevent knocking the bullet inward.

But that said grind a little and test, rather than cut a lot at a time. I used a Dremel sanding cylinder on the wall, and a Trim Mate chamfer tool to sharpen the end of the plastic tube outlet. No rocket science in sight.

Again on that build, there was a proximity switch underneath, and the tube was 7/16" I.S. Diameter for everything.

Tyler said, "Maybe a mm or two right in the red area." Mine was 1/8" deep (3mm about), but that's mine. Each will require more or less.....thinking yours may be less, so don't get carried away with one deep cut.

[lablover]

Status update...we are making progress. This is with the first spring adapter Tyler adjusted..the last one he did is on the printer. They are dropping but some get hung up going down the drop tube. Pic and video. Good news is at least they are dropping. Not sure if the last one Tyler posted will be any different...will know in a little over an hour. Maybe the video and pic will help Tyler out.so so close





I cut the video too soon but you see them go sideways half way down the adapter

[lablover]

I don't remember exactly, but if you look at the one you have is that wall right there continuous, or is there a gap? Even though 3d cad shows it as a continuous wall, it is only .002mm right there, so the slicer just acts like the wall isnt there, creating the gap.

I have he gap

[TylerR]

OK, watching the new video, now I am wondering if making the taper slower is adding to the problem, not fixing it. So I just posted one more for you to try. It is a mm shorter them the body, and comes right to a sharp edge, but tapers down very quickly. Until we try it, who knows, right?

[lablover]

OK, watching the new video, now I am wondering if making the taper slower is adding to the problem, not fixing it. So I just posted one more for you to try. It is a mm shorter them the body, and comes right to a sharp edge, but tapers down very quickly. Until we try it, who knows, right?

Love the logic. Appreciate the help. Will see what the 2nd one does soon. Ver 3 may have to wait till tomorrow...wife’s giving me the evil eye....lol

Couldn't help myself....Ver 3 printing now

[TylerR]

Love the logic. Appreciate the help. Will see what the 2nd one does soon. Ver 3 may have to wait till tomorrow...wife’s giving me the evil eye....lol

Couldn't help myself....Ver 3 printing now

If that doesn't work, we will go to plan C. Offset drop hole. Will work perfect, just have to design the part so the offset sits on the outside edge.