Mystery Machine - thoughts?

**darrondb** · 07-27-2018, 06:43 PM

Greetings all,

I've become a bit of a collector of reloading memorabilia and I tend to snatch up unusual pieces when the chance arises. I picked up this beast today from a eastern European fellow that found it among some reloading equipment in a rental house. That is the extent of the machines history as I know it! Here are a few pictures and a link to a video of it in operation.

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Overview video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYl-BYT-_lE

Video of the punches in action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00IGojtaxD4

Video of the left cam and hopper shaker mechanism: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5yGzGswhJw

Video of both cams in action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qgHABoesmQ

It appears to be a semiautomatic sizing machine, but for what, I cant tell. Each turn of the handle move the "hopper" feed over the die, shakes it a bit, move the feed away, lowers the punch from above and then raises a punch from below, knocking out the sized object into the discharge chute. It appears that the "die" can be removed and swapped out. The die that is in it is somewhat larger than .224" as a bullet of this size will freely fall into it. The stroke of the punch is approximately 1/2 inch. The horizontal "gears" on at the bottom of the machine are actually large thumb wheels that adjust the limits of the knock out punch. From what I can tell, it is home/shop built. There are no identifying marks anywhere except for the paper sticker on the front of the base. The all the pieces are steel except for the "hopper" that feeds the "die". This is aluminum. The welding work is fantastic! It is approximately 20 inches tall, 12 inches wide, and weighs nearly 40 pounds!

My best guess is that it sizes large diameter lead shot? The stroke and thickness of the die would prevent it from sizing most bullets as there isn't enough stroke/clearance to fully size.

My alternate hypothesis is that it is a jmorris-built Rolly Polly Roller. You feed un-rolled Pollys into the hopper and it spits out rolled Rolly Pollys.

Does anyone else have any ideas?

Thanks!!

DdB

**woodbutcher** · 07-27-2018, 07:04 PM

Ohhhhhh boy.This is going to be fun.The Cast Boolits detective agency is now open for business.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

**salpal48** · 07-27-2018, 08:38 PM

I have seen This machine before, it is a Fiseminoid sizer for electrical impulse bering

**darrondb** · 07-27-2018, 08:46 PM

Originally Posted by salpal48

I have seen This machine before, it is a Fiseminoid sizer for electrical impulse bering

Hmm...not sure I trust someone from New York....

(If you are reading this, hi Nick P!)

**AZ Pete** · 07-27-2018, 09:16 PM

following

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**SODAPOPMG** · 07-27-2018, 09:39 PM

All I can say is that it is a press for pressing a powder into a pellet
Maybe used to make tracer pellets to load into jackets to make tracer ammo

**JimB..** · 07-27-2018, 09:43 PM

TDP-0 Pill Press

**darrondb** · 07-27-2018, 09:45 PM

Originally Posted by JimB..

TDP-0 Pill Press

Well I'll be gosh darned! That's what it is!

**JimB..** · 07-27-2018, 09:49 PM

Originally Posted by darrondb

Well I'll be gosh darned! That's what it is!

Happy to help.

**lightman** · 07-27-2018, 10:29 PM

I didn't know what it was but its a quality looking piece of equipment.

**dbosman** · 07-27-2018, 10:37 PM

If it came from a rental house, I'd clean it at the car wash before anyone with a badge seizes it to test for residue.

**glockfan** · 07-27-2018, 10:48 PM

in any case,it looks like a quality build.

**Mal Paso** · 07-27-2018, 11:07 PM

Remember that guy who called bullets, pills? Maybe we should have asked more questions.

**backon4** · 07-28-2018, 07:57 AM

For pressing vitamins... er yeah that’s right vitamins officer. I swear.

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**darrondb** · 07-28-2018, 08:31 AM

Originally Posted by dbosman

If it came from a rental house, I'd clean it at the car wash before anyone with a badge seizes it to test for residue.

Agree!!

**Hamish** · 07-28-2018, 08:53 AM

What it looks like to me is $5-600 bucks/new gun,,,,,,.

https://www.lfatabletpresses.com/des...et-press-tdp-0

**Smoke4320** · 07-28-2018, 09:35 AM

A through washing cleaning would be in order.. Then put up for sale ..
you might just get a good sum of cash for other toys

**gpidaho** · 07-28-2018, 10:05 AM

Hamish: Great research. Looks like you found what the machine is meant to be. And yes, put it on Craig's list and meat the buyer in a very busy public place. Gp

**mdi** · 07-28-2018, 11:16 AM

Oh, too bad it's not a reloading press, it looks just too cool! Reminds me of an automatic screw machine; all the operations are cam actuated...

**Wayne Smith** · 07-28-2018, 02:56 PM

I wonder if it would be useful to press homemade BP?

BP	Bronze Point	IMR	Improved Military Rifle	PTD	Pointed
BR	Bench Rest	M	Magnum	RN	Round Nose
BT	Boat Tail	PL	Power-Lokt	SP	Soft Point
C	Compressed Charge	PR	Primer	SPCL	Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP	Hollow Point	PSPCL	Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt"	C.O.L.	Cartridge Overall Length
PSP	Pointed Soft Point	Spz	Spitzer Point	SBT	Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN	Lead Round Nose	LWC	Lead Wad Cutter	LSWC	Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC	Gas Check

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