Making that Bullet Collator

[GWS]

Yup! Let's hope this Frankford Arsenal unit shakes things up. I imagine it will be full of bugs though lol

Gentlemen.....full of bug machines can be de-bugged.....if the company is committed to it. Dillon's machines were not bug free at first and at their high prices they could afford to fix em. The big thing is if the basic frame is strong enough.... I'm not willing to be the FX-10's beta driver.....unless it's free or broken returnable. At least I knew that RCBS made strong frames with a lifetime guarantee. Commitment was lacking at the above RCBS corporate level, but the basic quality is there....RCBS is a good company....not as enamored with their parent company....

[memsu]

Long time lurker of the forum, but now that I have a 3D printer I'm definitely going to try printing the bullet feeder.

I have a Hornady LNL AP press and made a bullet tray. Well my design led to something I think could be used to support the bullet feeder when mounted to the press.

I can change out the dovetail for my bullet tray for something that would support a 1" tube or square tube.

I could make the bottom support solid so the rod has something to sit on and then the upper support could be some type of clamp design. This way the tube would be supported in 2 locations on the frame of the press.

What do you think?

So, will a 1" piece of emt conduit work for the bullet feeder support?

[TylerR]

OK, so I have something of interest to report. Remember how I said above that my motors don't ruin collator plates, they just stop when they jam up? Well I started doing testing on lablovers boolits with my newest feeder which uses the mcmaster motor, the proximity sensor and simple on/off rheostat and on the first jam all I got was "crrruuunnncchh". So now I am not sure if it is the mcmaster motor having more torque, or the different electronics. It wasn't pleasant and I can see how people are destroying plates. So Impala68 please feel free to comment and shed whatever light you can for me.

[TylerR]

This is why I have arduino uno with a motor shield. It is limiting the torque by constantly measuring the power consumption. With the motor shield and the sensor shield stacked on top of the uno it is almost plug and play. If anyone is interested I will do my best to get a parts breakdown and wiring diagram completed.

tanders, please give us some details on the parts needed and any wiring diagrams you can come up with. I am very interested.

[Anuccite]

OK, so I have something of interest to report. Remember how I said above that my motors don't ruin collator plates, they just stop when they jam up? Well I started doing testing on lablovers boolits with my newest feeder which uses the mcmaster motor, the proximity sensor and simple on/off rheostat and on the first jam all I got was "crrruuunnncchh". So now I am not sure if it is the mcmaster motor having more torque, or the different electronics. It wasn't pleasant and I can see how people are destroying plates. So Impala68 please feel free to comment and shed whatever light you can for me.

It's back a few pages, But I talked about building the center of the plate at 100% to help eliminate this....

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...=1#post5087528

[TylerR]

It's back a few pages, But I talked about building the center of the plate at 100% to help eliminate this....

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...=1#post5087528

I am totally going to take advantage of this, but I still don't like the idea of the motor over torquing.

[Anuccite]

I am totally going to take advantage of this, but I still don't like the idea of the motor over torquing.

Agreed if we can negate that with some electronics.... I'm in

[noacess]

All of my jams thus far have only forced the set screw in my hex coupler out (and ripped a few threads out in the process). I think ruining hex couplers is preferable to ruining plates. That being said, I've printed my last few plates with 100% infill around the hex hole. Either way, I'm looking forward to giving tander's solution a shot.

[GWS]

The other obvious option is what I did by using a power supply of less voltage. Granted it makes less torque, and speed. But in my case the motor was a 24RPM with high torque....5 volts made it way better in every way. It even runs cooler, so I'm really not concerned with somehow damaging the motor. But for a slower geared motor like yours, you might, just for fun, try a 9Volt wall wart ... May be just the ticket to tame that beast!

Sorry you're having a bad motor day.....

Jams now are just silent stops just like the little bitty motor on Ammo Mikes base. I still flip the switch as soon as I can on a jamb, but I don't have to hurry to save the plate from wallering out the hex....glad it wasn't the tee pin.

Finding an amp sensing shutoff is worth a try tho. I wouldn't ignore such either.

[djinnpb]

So excited about the new 2mm wall drop tubes. And I did the one in clear and took some pics and a video. kinda cool to see the infill in there. Might try to light them or something fancy to see the goods in there.



Thanks again on those. Made all the difference. I've also got the preferred sensor still on the way.. looking like Friday delivery. But now I see why it's absolutely preferred over the photocell. For me it was dreading the time to make another cable where as these are ready to go.

[lablover]

OK, so I have something of interest to report. Remember how I said above that my motors don't ruin collator plates, they just stop when they jam up? Well I started doing testing on lablovers boolits with my newest feeder which uses the mcmaster motor, the proximity sensor and simple on/off rheostat and on the first jam all I got was "crrruuunnncchh". So now I am not sure if it is the mcmaster motor having more torque, or the different electronics. It wasn't pleasant and I can see how people are destroying plates. So Impala68 please feel free to comment and shed whatever light you can for me.

Please don’t ruin a motor over this. But trust me I know the feeling! Did it several times with the same motor.

[lablover]

So excited about the new 2mm wall drop tubes. And I did the one in clear and took some pics and a video. kinda cool to see the infill in there. Might try to light them or something fancy to see the goods in there.



Thanks again on those. Made all the difference. I've also got the preferred sensor still on the way.. looking like Friday delivery. But now I see why it's absolutely preferred over the photocell. For me it was dreading the time to make another cable where as these are ready to go.

I printer an entire collator with the clear! Got the motor mounted and that’s as far as I got. Too much time at work has put a real crimp (pun intended) in my loading and shooting. It’s pretty slick to see all the infill etc

[onelight]

OK, so I have something of interest to report. Remember how I said above that my motors don't ruin collator plates, they just stop when they jam up? Well I started doing testing on lablovers boolits with my newest feeder which uses the mcmaster motor, the proximity sensor and simple on/off rheostat and on the first jam all I got was "crrruuunnncchh". So now I am not sure if it is the mcmaster motor having more torque, or the different electronics. It wasn't pleasant and I can see how people are destroying plates. So Impala68 please feel free to comment and shed whatever light you can for me.

Sounds like it needs a slip clutch off a tiny brush hog

[bigmike111]

Agreed if we can negate that with some electronics.... I'm in

Are you doing that in Cura? I'm currently using Prusa and thinking about learning cura just for the plates.

I jumped on cura with a plate the other day and the print time was nearly twice as long for .2 detail on the stock settings.

[bigmike111]

On another note, I think this may be Tyler's photo but I wanted to see if anyone had the STL for the adapter pictured below for the dillon casefeeder.

[TylerR]

Sounds like it needs a slip clutch off a tiny brush hog

I think that is my next project. I am going to create a slip clutch for these plates. Always something new to do

[TylerR]

On another note, I think this may be Tyler's photo but I wanted to see if anyone had the STL for the adapter pictured below for the dillon casefeeder.

It is my pic. I have it somewhere. Give me a bit to find it and I will post it up.

[GWS]

No just a single throw on/off, since with the 5volt p.s. it's slow enough to not need a speed control for the rife brass I'm using it for at the moment.

That said, I just ordered another speed control, but this one is just speed control not a switched speed control. Covering my bases. ;_

What I didn't like about the other speed control is that you had to set it just so every time you turn it on. Separating the on/off makes it so I can leave the speed control alone, and just turn the collator power on. But the setup without the s.c. will work fine and maybe I'll use the new one coming or not....depends on if I need it for other uses.......

This is what I just ordered.....

Attachment 275908

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

More expensive than the old one, but I don't want the power switch.....I think it was too weak.

I like eggs, but hate egg on my face..... That new PWM speed control showed up......it was delivered today....I just assumed it was about the size of the other one.....should read the fine print.....geeze....if I use it I will have to find a spot for another box......nuts! Nearly for times bigger....



Maybe I could just make a box for close to where the power supply is and splice the cord from the power supply to the switch.....then again, should it be before the relay or after....? I am not an electronics wiz. What do the electronic wizards think?

[tanders]

Tyler,

I am sorry if I cannot get this all explained tonight. I will try my best.

Electronics
1 x Power switch
1 x Arduino Uno (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
- Cheaper alternative (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
1 x Uno Motor Shield v3 (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
- I believe this is a cheaper alternative I have purchased it but have yet to be able to test it. (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
Uno Sensor shield (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
Connectors for sensor shield (https://www.amazon.com/ZYAMY-Female-...1804953&sr=8-5)
4 x 10k potentiometers (previous purchase no details other than 10k)
2 x leds (previous purchase - I had 3mm leds)
1 x push button (momentary - Normally Open -previous purchase)
Resistors - 2 x 220 ohm, 1 x 10k ohm, and if you are using a proximity sensor you will need to calculate your step down resistor required.


This project can be done without a sensor shield but wiring is going to be a lot more complicated.



I do not have a wiring diagram other than this currently but shows how each of the potentiometers, leds and buttons will hook up to the uno. I will try to come up with something to display the wiring shield and how it greatly assists in this.

The arduino sketch and libraries required can be found at the following link https://drive.google.com/drive/folde...eS?usp=sharing

The following is my todo list with this project:
Sensor Shield Wiring diagram
Create a reverse function to try to unjam without assistance before returning to forward direction.
Possible screen to eliminate the need for potentiometer or led wiring.

I know I missed quite a few items let me know of your questions.

[GWS]

I redesigned my Elect. box for the toggle switch and relay, and gave it lots more air. Printed it last night......and I'm happy to say my warping problems printing PLA is history....finally. I had to lower the nozzle and bed temperatures and I got perfect prints. See how the transition piece fits nicely now? You can barely tell it's a separate part. Dropped first layer nozzle and bed temps from 220/80 first layer, 215/70 second and beyond to 115/70 first layer, 110/60 beyond and all warping became history. Still using and loving the polypropylene bed....it sticks much better now.



Also printed one for my new gun metal base....this version has a sleeve for the relay. In effect, this version is deeper for the relay, and is lots more "holy" for ventilation.