Making that Bullet Collator

[TylerR]

With my first printed bullet feeder now excelling at doing .223 for my Pro Chucker 7, it's finally time to print out the big base and see if it will collate .223 and .308 cases for the same Press. That means joining the genuine TylerR big base club. Now I need to go to back pages and see what's the best way to do those calibers. Any tips on the most important posts and prints?

This will be a new test for the collator. .223 cases I am sure will be no problem. It will be interesting to see how it handles the large .308 cases.

It's helps that I'm already good in the pistol bullet collating department with my modified pre-3d-printed flippered Hornady. I want to see you guys match that beginner's luck rendition and print .45,.357,.40, 9mm with one plate! Its easier than you think if you drop bullets to the bottom of the base before you drop them through the down tube hole.......that's the trick.

If I am understanding you correctly, this is where there is basically a ramp down leading up to the drop hole. Is that right? I had put some thought in to that one. I just don't know what un-intended consequences it could have on everything else.

I never showed you guys that mod in Ammo Mike's base for the .223/.45 nose down collator either .... I can take it apart tomorrow and take some more pictures, if anyone's interested......or I can just keep it a secret I guess...

You know me, I am always interested in new concepts...

This is going to be a busiest winter I've had in years............sounds great to me.......even if I don't make a dime doing it.......

BTW......Everybody VOTE tomorrow if you haven't already! That's an order! We're out of time.....

Absolutely!!!!

[Rage 01]

I have been doing some testing with the design, and there are some issues that come in to play in the "real world". I found that when its just the dropper die with the drop tube, everything functions perfectly. Once you connect the spring however it imparts some sideways loading on the dies, which can cause it to bind up and not return to the down position. So o-rings / springs / more weight do seem necessary to help prevent that.

I also realize that on the 45 die using two 4mm bearings is not an option. There is just not enough clearance. One bearing does work, but I may redesign it around 3.5mm bearings. As far as the steel ball bearings breaking down the plastic, I can only see that maybe becoming an issue after many thousands of rounds, if ever.

That is why I used the 3.15 mm or 3.00mm bearing on the 40 S&W. I found the side wall was too thin for my liking.
I don't think you are going to get much out of a 3.5mm in stead of a 4.00. I would go a little smaller.

[TylerR]

I just tested the new ridge only large pistol plate on 230gn RN .45acp boolits and it worked flawlessly. Just started the print on the small pistol plate to test 9mm.

[TylerR]

That is why I used the 3.15 mm or 3.00mm bearing on the 40 S&W. I found the side wall was too thin for my liking.
I don't think you are going to get much out of a 3.5mm in stead of a 4.00. I would go a little smaller.

I might still just stick with the single 4mm in the .45 die. It is working very well for me so far.

[lablover]

I might still just stick with the single 4mm in the .45 die. It is working very well for me so far.

That’s great news. Mine will be printing shortly. I have some very finicky .45 cast bullets I want to try. 160gr swc button nose Hitek coated. Honestly I don’t expect to have much luck. At least I never did with AM version and a DAA die. These bullets are probably as short as they are round. Lol

[TylerR]

That’s great news. Mine will be printing shortly. I have some very finicky .45 cast bullets I want to try. 160gr swc button nose Hitek coated. Honestly I don’t expect to have much luck. At least I never did with AM version and a DAA die. These bullets are probably as short as they are round. Lol

After putting some more thought in to it, I believe I have figured out where to position the ball bearing. In my design there are 4 holes. Pick a hole that is just slightly lower then the height of your bullet.
Also, I used some acetone to smooth out the portion of the insert that slides in the the threaded body, just to help reduce the friction a little bit. And don't forget to use a 4mm nozzle and higher quality print settings. I used a 1.2 layer height and it comes out very nice.

Lablover, how tall are the bullets exactly? I can always add another lower bearing hole. The lowest hole right now is 11mm. So as long as the bullet is longer then that it should work.

[GWS]

I just tested the new ridge only large pistol plate on 230gn RN .45acp boolits and it worked flawlessly. Just started the print on the small pistol plate to test 9mm.

Just for fun, try putting 9mm in using the new .45 plate and see what happens.....I'm curious. You may or may not have to adjust the slider more......I'm guessing not, since the thing is tilted and the bullets are still going to ride on the lower side of the hole.

Little square bullets may not do well in the bigger hole, but then I never use such things.

[TylerR]

Just for fun, try putting 9mm in using the new .45 plate and see what happens.....I'm curious. You may or may not have to adjust the slider more......I'm guessing not, since the thing is tilted and the bullets are still going to ride on the lower side of the hole.

I just tried it and it worked fine. lol. I didn't change the slide plate or anything. It's a little sloppy when hitting the ramp to flip because there is so much play, but it works. This was tested using my 147gn bevel based 9mm boolits.

[GWS]

See what I mean?

Look at my pre-3Dprinter version (pre-powered in testing).......see those big holes?....see those little 9mm bullets?



That is a very mediocre Hornady Pistol Bullet Feeder.......ressurrected....

This one has troughs, because I used a scroll saw on the original plate....but they don't go to the center.....so there's yet another possibility....

[lablover]

After putting some more thought in to it, I believe I have figured out where to position the ball bearing. In my design there are 4 holes. Pick a hole that is just slightly lower then the height of your bullet.
Also, I used some acetone to smooth out the portion of the insert that slides in the the threaded body, just to help reduce the friction a little bit. And don't forget to use a 4mm nozzle and higher quality print settings. I used a 1.2 layer height and it comes out very nice.

Lablover, how tall are the bullets exactly? I can always add another lower bearing hole. The lowest hole right now is 11mm. So as long as the bullet is longer then that it should work.

12.89mm
I dont think the die is going to be the problem, I have to figure a way with the collator plates to stop the bullets from wedging sideways and then getting jammed into the wall of the bowl. Just happened and locked the collator up but good. The pin in the shaft ended up just tearing thru the plate. Time for a new plate. I'll get a picture up in a bit of the jam. Feeder die is printing now at fine setting. I have to do a new collator plate and I'm going to try it on fine setting or try the variable layer height in Prusa.

[GWS]

Gee lablover.......maybe I don't want to use the powerful Dayton Motor on my next one. I don't like to print quite THAT much!
Where does it hang exactly.....picture show it? Is it when the flipper catches the over turned one?

My little motor just stops and waits for me to run over an turn it off, when things jamb.

[TylerR]

12.89mm
I dont think the die is going to be the problem, I have to figure a way with the collator plates to stop the bullets from wedging sideways and then getting jammed into the wall of the bowl. Just happened and locked the collator up but good. The pin in the shaft ended up just tearing thru the plate. Time for a new plate. I'll get a picture up in a bit of the jam. Feeder die is printing now at fine setting. I have to do a new collator plate and I'm going to try it on fine setting or try the variable layer height in Prusa.

Couple thoughts. You could gain .5mm by setting the plate diameter to 180mm instead of 179.5. Also, what are you using for your caliber setting? I would run it as close as possible to the actual bullet diameter. 10.5mm would give you 11.7 mm with the added 1.2mm. That is a pretty tight tolerance for 11.46mm bullet.

[TylerR]

Gee lablover.......maybe I don't want to use the powerful Dayton Motor on my next one. I don't like to print quite THAT much!
Where does it hang exactly.....picture show it? Is it when the flipper catches the over turned one?

My little motor just stops and waits for me to run over an turn it off, when things jamb.

That is what happens for me to with the MBF motor. I have had dozens of jams and never had a serious issue.

[GWS]

What about just wrapping electrical tape around the base where the wheel goes to close it up first.....just to see if sucking up the diameter works. Then if it does do what TylerR suggests. Maybe the plate holes need to be smaller a little....those are the little square things I was just talking about, aren't they?

Tyler, I'm still wondering if there's a amperage turn off on some of these motors.....or they'd hum and burn out.

I think I will test my Dayton before I commit to use it.....is or is there not an amperage turn off.....

[lablover]

I guess thats the good thing about the motor..Id rather have it ruin a plate than mess up the motor. I'm going to try all suggestions above. Honestly as well I'm not completly sold on that bullet and may just stick with the H&G 68 200 gr SWC. Now those seem to feed just dandy thru the feeder.

[lablover]

Gee lablover.......maybe I don't want to use the powerful Dayton Motor on my next one. I don't like to print quite THAT much!
Where does it hang exactly.....picture show it? Is it when the flipper catches the over turned one?

My little motor just stops and waits for me to run over an turn it off, when things jamb.

It is in the picture, the one that is laying sideways. Never made it to the top and got sideways as I was dumping the bullets in.

[lablover]

Couple thoughts. You could gain .5mm by setting the plate diameter to 180mm instead of 179.5. Also, what are you using for your caliber setting? I would run it as close as possible to the actual bullet diameter. 10.5mm would give you 11.7 mm with the added 1.2mm. That is a pretty tight tolerance for 11.46mm bullet.

The 45 plate is the original size you made. Not sure what size it was. I'll revisit the sizes when i go to print another one. I wish I could figure out how to answer each post with quotes in one response...LMAO

[GWS]

I guess thats the good thing about the motor..Id rather have it ruin a plate than mess up the motor. I'm going to try all suggestions above. Honestly as well I'm not completly sold on that bullet and may just stick with the H&G 68 200 gr SWC. Now those seem to feed just dandy thru the feeder.

That's just it......I've had plenty of booboos that bind the motor.....that's what testing is.... You'd think that little motor would burn ...... but it never does.....and I've never heard it hum either.....or is that my dim almost 71 year-old ears?

Tyler? Humming noticed on your big motor?

[lablover]

Another issue might be that plate was done before I figured the shaft diameter issue so that may add to the Boo Boos. I don't mind printing plates they just take forever

[GWS]

Ha! You must be a lot younger than me......I mind, I don't have forever left.....

The 45 plate is the original size you made. Not sure what size it was. I'll revisit the sizes when i go to print another one. I wish I could figure out how to answer each post with quotes in one response...LMAO

1. click "reply with Quote"
2. Highlight the quote in the reply box and click [control]X, which will erase it and put it in Paste...
3. Go to your last post, and click "edit"
4. Paste what was in the reply box.

Try it.