Bore Diameter of Air Cylinder used on Magma Star Air Hop-Up Attachment?

[tommygirlMT]

Working on making a push through nose first sizer --- only that mounts in a press like the Lee sizers --- but that injects the lube like a star.

Why not just buy a star? --- star dies can only take boolits up to about 58 caliber and can't handle anything bigger then that.

So far the best idea I have come up with yet to control the flow of lube is to use a spring return single acting air cylder to push the lube and an air valve so that pressure is only applyed to the lube when you want it to flow --- work press lever to put a boolit in the sizer die --- push momentary air pressure valve to lube boolit --- repeat with next boolit only pushing button when a boolit is in position to be lubed.

I just don't know how big of an air cylinder I need to apply the right amoun of pressure to make lube flow without applying too much presure --- figure the size of the one Magama Star uses would be the right size or at least close


So --- anyone that has one --- is the cylinder size (bore x stroke) stamped on the side of the cylinder or could you measure it for me --- or at least measure the outside diameter of the cylinder --- which would allow me to make an educated guess.

Also --- does the system seem to provide enough pressure to make the lube flow even witht the harder lubes at the rated pressure rang of 20-50 PSI ? Or would just a little bit bigger cylinder bore diameter (little more force per same PSI) be a good idea compared to the one Magma uses?

Much Apprecio

[runfiverun]

on my stars the outside of the cylinder is 1.125 and they have about a 5" stroke. the inside plunger is about 3/4-7/8th's an inch.
the cylinder stickers say smc cylinder on them and probably said more at one time.
i run mine up to 80 psi frequently with very little heat with some dang hard lubes.
the commercial magma lube uses more heat but about 40 psi.
the cylinders push constantly, and the lube flow is cut off by a plunger system thats only opened when the plunger is pushed open by the handle.
the handle cams over to allow the plunger to open. so the system is size,cam over,lube.
you could do the same thing by stopping at top stroke on your press [holes aligned with lube groove]
and opening the flow of lube then closing it.
there is what is called the pope style of lubing that is close but is manual and it may do larger boolits.
the body of star sizers are 3/4" so you should be able to have one opened up to .670 or so i'd think.
magma may not do it but i'd bet lathesmith would.
hope this helps some.

[KYCaster]

I didn't get my air cylinder from Magma, but it works fine anyway. It's 3/4" bore.

I think your length of stroke may take some experimentation....probably the shorter the better. I'd start with 1" stroke and include an adjustable stop to reduce that if necessary.

Just thinkin' out loud.
Jerry

[tommygirlMT]

Thanks guys --- so sounds like I need at least a 3/4" bore air cylinder and bigger would probably be better for the use of harrder lube.

I know the star has a valve between the lube chamber and the die --- but I think it would probably be easier to put the valve on the air then on the lube --- high pressure air valves are an off the shelf component --- a valve for the lube right between the die and the lube source would have to be jurry rigged or made from scratch --- KISS engineering tells me to put valve on the air rather then on the lube. Which is why I want to use air to begin with --- easy to control lube flow when the lube flow runs off of air pressure --- just cut the pressure and no lube flow --- reapply pressure and the lube flows --- simple off the shelf spool valve with exaugst vent should do the trick.

I want to size/lube 73 caliber most of all of the big stuff that I am alredy sick and tired of pan lubbing and I think you ain't opening up a star die that much.

[cajun shooter]

The Star does not use it's air either. My air tank works it just fine at 90 lbs

[tommygirlMT]

Got an idea to make this even more KISS engineering --- what if use a double act'in cylinder as both the lube reservor and the pressure unit?

Lube stick bee --- 1" diameter - 4" long - 3/8" center hole

I thinks that the lube stick would fit inside the rod end of a double acting cylnder that had a 1-1/6" bore - 5" stroke - and 5/16" rod diameter --- then use it as a single act cylinder and put the air pressure on the non rod end --- and pipe the lube out the air inlet hole for the rod end of the cylinder to the sizing die --- the rod would just hang out the end and not push on any thing --- would basically just tell you how much lube was left inside

Something like this:



The 1 main problemw ould be getting the lube inside the rod end half of the cylnder --- some cylinders are easy to open up just unscrew end or end bolts --- others pain in butt but possible --- still others crimped or welded shut and no can open at all --- usually those are marked as "non repairable" --- have to find a good reasonably priced cylinder with an end piece that easily comes apart and back together for filling with lube --- Bimbo brand repairable bell end cap cylinders would work but are expensive --- back to google to look for cheaper options with easily removed end caps

[Frozone]

I know this is going to sound weird but you don't need the air cylinder at all.

Plug that annoying vent hole in the reservoir tube.

Replace the top cap with an air feed sealed by an O ring.

Turn an plug similar to the one in the Lyman sizer. Be sure to use a threaded boss to put in an extractor rod!

add Lube, put in plug, the plug needs to go in 1/2" only, screw on top cap and add air pressure. Waa Laa 2X times the lube capacity and no air cylinder.

Need Pictures?????

[6bg6ga]

I just received my Star (Magma) sizer on the 22nd of Nov and have had time to look at it and also do some research on the internet. I found a video on u tube and it shows a guy converting his star to air assist without a cylinder. The first video shows him taking some rubberized tape and covering up the weep hole in the large lube tube. He then added a o-ring to the black cap that has a 5/8-18 threaded hole on the top its the one you turn to put pressure on the lube now. He then went to the hardware store and purchased a 5/8-18X1.5 bolt. A machinest friend of his cut the bolt drilled it for the 1/4 npt fitting the air regulator needs and he was in business. His second video shows him adding a rear seal to the spring loaded plunger assy to eliminate the need to cover the weep hole in the lube reservoir.

I spent an hour or so looking on the internet and found a special adapter that will screw into the black pressure screw nut PN S109 to eliminate the need for lathe time to machine a special handmade adapter.

In conclusion...with a $18.00 special adapter, several O-rings, (a Fluidmaster toilet tank to bowl kit PN6101 for the added seal to the spring assy), and a regulator one can made an air assist for roughly $38.00-40.00 and have something that will work better than the one offered by the factory. I will have mine running as soon as I receive my adapter that I ordered.

Now to work on the DIY heated base and the bullet feeder assy. I hope that no one resents me jumping in here feet first. I have belonged to a number of DIy boards in the past 10 years and have acquired a passon for reverse engineering things and possibly adding a twist to them. I will supply a PN for the adapter that I found after I test it out completely so that no one will be wasting their money on something that I think might work when maybe it won't.

[crabo]

I know this is going to sound weird but you don't need the air cylinder at all.

Plug that annoying vent hole in the reservoir tube.

Replace the top cap with an air feed sealed by an O ring.

Turn an plug similar to the one in the Lyman sizer. Be sure to use a threaded boss to put in an extractor rod!

add Lube, put in plug, the plug needs to go in 1/2" only, screw on top cap and add air pressure. Waa Laa 2X times the lube capacity and no air cylinder.

Need Pictures?????

yes, that would be great!

[6bg6ga]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04oGf..._order&list=UL

Hopefully this will play

and this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04oGf...eature=related

the second link should have been part II of the series

should be listed under his videos

[garandsrus]

I use a very small compressor that has a valve to regulate the pressure so I just hook the air hose directly to the top of the reservoir with a quick change air fitting. No different than hooking up a nail gun to the compressor. I made a fitting that is threaded for the NPT air fitting and also fits the Star reservoir.

I also turned a plunger with two O rings to seal against the side of the reservoir when pressure is applied. This is much shorter than the spring assembly so the reservoir will hold more lube with each fill up.

As to leaving the lube under pressure, I don’t see any reason to, just disconnect the quick fitting and the pressure is released in the sizer.

The “magic” of the Star is that the lube in/near the lube die is only under pressure at the bottom of the handle stroke, even though the lube in the reservoir is under pressure all the time when in use. This is what allows bullet noses to pass by the die holes without getting lube on them.