Automating bullet sizer?

[jmorris]

My challenge comes to the motorizations of the action. Either mechanical or air. I’ve searched but can’t find much in measurements of drive rod etc.

Ok, that’s the easy part, air just has to move the ram above the unsized bullet and shove it down far enough to clear the die or at least far enough it won’t deform it or another bullet that finishes pushing it through.

If you are using the Lee, upside down rig, I can give you numbers. It’s actually pretty easy as the throw at the press linkage is infinitely adjustable, the diameter needs to be the same as the factory handle obviously.

[6bg6ga]

Mine is a Bodine motor with speed control box. The motor is rated at 42 RPM at full speed. I figured it would have the torque needed to run the sizer with the speed that I could keep up with keeping the tube full for the feeder. Probably not exactly the fastest but the price was right. I picked 2) motors and speed controllers at different times on ebay for a song and a dance. The first motor I purchased had a bearing problem so I contacted the seller and received a free replacement motor. Once I had the replacement motor I disassembled the noisy motor and went on the quest to find the correct bearing ( roller bearings). I found out there were different OD's and the motor took a special size so I finally found what I needed and ordered it. I replaced both bearings and now have a quiet motor.

The speed controllers were a learning curve in that I had to find the schematic in order to repair them. An easy fix with the replacement of a sand resistor and the adjustment of the torque and current adjustment controls. In all in just 1) motor and speed control I have the equivalent of $1100 worth for roughly $40

[mozee]

Mozee.
Boston Gear, Dayton, SEW, Motovario.
Any of these companies can supply a 1/4 HP motor and worm drive gearbox.

I use Motovario 1/4HP 1phase motor with Motovario gearbox 20:1 ratio. The motor is 1440 RPM. this gives 1 bullet sized per second on my sizer.

Thanks AusGlock, I will see what I can find here. A quick google search has found some places that resells them. Not sure on pricing just yet.

[mozee]

Ok, that’s the easy part, air just has to move the ram above the unsized bullet and shove it down far enough to clear the die or at least far enough it won’t deform it or another bullet that finishes pushing it through.

If you are using the Lee, upside down rig, I can give you numbers. It’s actually pretty easy as the throw at the press linkage is infinitely adjustable, the diameter needs to be the same as the factory handle obviously.

I have a star resizer, Its going to be a big learning curve, but will see how I fair. Hope everyone doesnt get bored with my questions

[Tazza]

I have a star resizer, Its going to be a big learning curve, but will see how I fair. Hope everyone doesnt get bored with my questions

We all started somewhere, that's how we learn, questions.

Everyone does their own style of automation, when working, none are wrong, they are just different.

[Ausglock]

Mozee.
Ask away, Mate.
Always glad to help.

[Cue]

I found a new motor and gearbox on Ebay that was within the specs of the others I have seen here and have now converted it to Electric. It is much better than that air cylinder and faster as well, now I just need to find a project for the air cylinder, maybe a can crusher? I dont drink anything in cans though, oh well.

Still needs a few tweaks and then hook my Bulletfeeder up to it, but it runs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDk1JUBeNK0

[Ausglock]

Good job... Well done..

[Cue]

Thanks! and thanks again for the motor/gearbox info.

[Gatch]

That's prerty damn sweet. I might end up building something similar myself.

[Tazza]

Awesome job, you'll have to let us know how it goes when you give it a bit more work. The issue i see that you may have over time is the pivot points from the motor to the ram is wear. I installed bearings at my pivot points to prevent wear.

I still need to fine tune mine, as it does jam up from time to time at the slider, either from the tube "magazine" or dropping from the slider into the sizing die. I think the hole in the slider might be a little too snug, but if i open it too much, i run the risk of the projectiles leaning over and not dropping correctly, causing jams again, so it might be a fine line to get it right.

My connections from the ram rod to my slider are fixed, without springs to absorb the energy if something does catch. When it catches, it stalls the motor and the VFD shuts down. Very handy addition to have is the current sense, it detects the motor stalled ad stops instead of trying to keep pushing and burning out. I hope to fix this stalling "issue" for the slider part by installing some sort of break away linkage like i saw on another commercial machine on youtube.

[igolfat8]

Cue,
Can you share the nameplate info from the motor and gearbox?

[Cue]

Here are pictures of the motor and gearbox plate.

The linkage has a Heim joint on each end which has a sort of bearing in it, not ball bearing though. It will probably last me a long time, if they wear out I can just replace them since they were only $7 on Amazon or add a bearing like you did. The VFD does have over current protection and does shut down if it jams as well, think they all have that? My tube magazine is vinyl and if a bullet gets in upside down it has some give to it so that helps, thats about the only time I had a jam while running it manually. I have about 10k ran threw the machine before automating it.
Do you have the link to the youtube video showing the break away linkage?

[Tazza]

I thought over current would be in the VFDs, but i guess not everyone sets the correct value for it to be effective?

I looked around for the sizer, but can't find it. It was a different style that didn't use a slider as such, it sort of brought it in on an arc i thought, not much movement, but it seemed to work well

Th linkage was kinda like O ) ( O

The O looked like a ball from a bearing, the ) ( was a piece of steel with divots in t to accept the round parts of the balls to hold it in place but allow it to disengage if something stuck

sorry i can't be more help with finding the video

[Ausglock]

Tazza... The one you are thinking of was the Hardline sizer.
The sizer made by Northern Valley is similar.

[Tazza]

Ausglock - I did see that one in my searches for videos last night, it's a good way of doing it to prevent jam ups, as the slider is done with air and not a direct link, but the one i remember had a break away style linkage. I can't seem to find pictures of a commercial linkage like that though.

Do you have issues of jams at all? or is it pretty reliable?

[Ramjet-SS]

Try Surpluscenter.com

[Ausglock]

Mine very rarely jams. Only if a bodgey pill slips through the feeder. But then the motor stalls out and doesn't do any damage.

My new one I intend to build will have electric solenoid powered feeder. No air or mechanical linkages.

[Tazza]

That is what happens to mine too, i think i need to open the holes for the slider a bit more to help with reliability, but i don't want to go too large and cause issues.

Electric sounds like a good idea, i was thinking of altering mine to run off air, but i really don't need to have to hook up another power source (air) to it. What sort of solenoid do you have in mind? the ones i am thinking of don't have a long enough throw..... I'd use a SSR to run it too, hopefully less power spikes as i thought they can only shut off on the zero crossing on the sine wave, so less interference (in theory).

Looking forward to hearing how it goes when you get to it

[Ausglock]

Solenoid is a 240 Volt, 20mm throw, 2.5Kg unit.
Hook it up the a horizontal "L" lever to feed the sizer die.
Going to use Lathesmiths Short Magma type of die. Far better than the Lee dies.
But.. I have a 1 1/2" thick steel plate and a 7/8x14 tap to thread the hole for a Lee die, just incase..