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Thread: Star Lube Sizer Air Feed for Lube Completed & Successful

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy Tmaloy's Avatar
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    Star Lube Sizer Air Feed for Lube Completed & Successful

    Hi all,

    I have finished up all my testing on pressurizing the Star sizer lube cylinder. I have uploaded the videos to youtube in this thread to show my trip down the modification.

    Here is Part 1

    The White Dwarf


    Part 2
    The Dark Star

    Part 3
    The Supernova

    Sorry for the cheesy names but I'm in a cheery mood!

    Here is the list of parts:
    Air Pressure Regulator $16.79
    Male to Male 1/4" air fitting $1.99
    5/8X18tpi bolt $2.75
    Male to Female Swivel 1/4" air fitting with quick disconnect $12.99 (Optional if you already have other fittings)
    Fluidmaster Tank to Bowl Repair Kit Part #6101 $2.99
    O-rings 50¢ for the one inside the lube cap. On the bolt head 23¢ (It would be best to bring the bolt and lube cap and match up for the best fit.)

    Total cost for my current setup came in at around $25 and some machining time. I will stopping by a friends place who has an old air tank that he was offering to me for $10.

    If anyone has any questions feel free to reply or PM me.

    Now I gotta finish up making some parts for the Lyman Lube sizer to give it the air treatment.

    Happy holidays all,

    Troy

  2. #2
    Boolit Mold
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    Just checkedout your Part 3 The Supernova vid.

    Question, does the home made cylinder piston need to be a certain length?
    If you block off the vent hole and make a shorter piston it could hold more lube. Less time between refills.

    It would be interesting to see how much lube you could fit.

  3. #3
    Boolit Buddy Tmaloy's Avatar
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    Hi wired54,

    You can use any size piston you wish if you close up the vent port. I just made a backup piston the same length as the original one so I don't have to use the original and just put it away for safekeeping same as the extractor/plunger stem. One could have a machinist turn and thread a pipe extension to the reservoir and then replace the lube cap with the air regulator and fit 3 or 4 sticks of lube at once depending on the length of the extension.

  4. #4
    Boolit Master


    Walter Laich's Avatar
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    looks great!

    can't wait to see how the Lyman one works out (kinda let's you know the brand I have)

    walt
    NRA Life
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    RVN/Cambodia War Games, 2nd Place

  5. #5
    Boolit Buddy Fixxah's Avatar
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    Excellent ideas. I will look in the plumbing supply house for the fittings that are needed. There may be a cheaper brass bushing to use. Now I have to drill a hole through block and granite to run a hose from my compressor to run the setup.
    Lighten up, life is too short.

  6. #6
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    HATCH's Avatar
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    Excellant video.... some ideas I came up with....

    Make a homemade plunger. Make it about 1 inch in length. Same basic setup as your turnbuckle but only 1 inch long. Basically the size of the metal "bushing" that is on the bottom of the spring.
    Use a 1 1/2inch long bolt.
    Block off the Vent hole with a piece of rubber and a hose clamp.
    Then load the tube up with lube.
    You should be able to get 50% more lube in it.

  7. #7
    Boolit Buddy Tmaloy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Fixxah View Post
    Excellent ideas. I will look in the plumbing supply house for the fittings that are needed. There may be a cheaper brass bushing to use. Now I have to drill a hole through block and granite to run a hose from my compressor to run the setup.
    Fixxah,

    You could get an old air tank and just set it in your sizing area. I went to a business called Firecomm that tests outs and certifies fire extinguishers. He gave me an old body and told me I could pressurize it up to 100psi with air to use.

  8. #8
    Boolit Buddy Tmaloy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by HATCH View Post
    Excellant video.... some ideas I came up with....

    Make a homemade plunger. Make it about 1 inch in length. Same basic setup as your turnbuckle but only 1 inch long. Basically the size of the metal "bushing" that is on the bottom of the spring.
    Use a 1 1/2inch long bolt.
    Block off the Vent hole with a piece of rubber and a hose clamp.
    Then load the tube up with lube.
    You should be able to get 50% more lube in it.
    Here is a mockup of an extended reservoir tube. Might take while to deplete all the lube.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Star with reservoir extension.jpg  

  9. #9
    Boolit Buddy Fixxah's Avatar
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    Just got home from Home Cheapo. Spent $39 for all needed parts.

    The 3/8"x1/4" brass bushing was a hair too big so I tapped the lube cap with a 3/8" NPT tap and all is well. Took about 10 minutes to assemble due to the fact that tapping the cap took 5 minutes. After cleaning out the metal shavings I screwed the cap onto the lube screw and it works as if I never tapped it which I expected.

    I will get an air tank to put inside instead of running an air supply from my compressor.

    I don't plan on making the short piston since the vent hole serves a purpose and adding lube is a snap. Just don't poke your eye out.
    Lighten up, life is too short.

  10. #10
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    HATCH's Avatar
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    so you don't intend to go back to the hand screw again?

  11. #11
    Boolit Master


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    I soft soldered the air hole in my Star that way it is easy to reverse if ever necessary.

  12. #12
    Boolit Buddy
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    Really nice job Troy! Much appreciate you posting this.....

  13. #13
    Boolit Buddy Tmaloy's Avatar
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    One thing that I would like to say in my dealings with other people who are avid shooters is that they are some of the most intelligent, self sufficient, and upstanding people I have met. Most of the people in my club are self employed or skilled tradesman. Most are open to suggestion and are always eager to learn something new, sharing information the old fashioned way and just having a good conversation.

    I learned alot from others and its only right that information that benefits others should be shared, I have done other things like this to help others and it does not bother me when people say I'm an idiot for not making money on things I do and in not finding better employment with the multitude of skills I have learned over the years.

    Everybody says I'm young at 39, but I have had the displeasure of laying my wife to rest after she passed on after a 6yr. battle with a debilitating disease, I sold practically everything I had to help pay for treatments and I took responsibility for raising her 3 children from her first marriage on my $9 an hour income. I had a heart attack a year later, probably from the loss, depression, and job stress. I figured I had better get back to doing something I enjoy. Well I met up with my old club and am enjoying what I used to do. I hope to get off the medications and back in the swing of things.

    Doing things like this keeps my mind going and off other things I don't want to think about. If it helps others, I take that as a simple reward.

    Happy Holidays and Best Wishes to All.
    Troy

  14. #14
    Boolit Buddy
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    Quote Originally Posted by Fixxah View Post
    Excellent ideas. I will look in the plumbing supply house for the fittings that are needed. There may be a cheaper brass bushing to use. Now I have to drill a hole through block and granite to run a hose from my compressor to run the setup.
    Or get a pig, you don't really use any volume of air and a pig is a handy item to have
    ETA: guess I should have read the whole thread before posting

  15. #15
    Boolit Master
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    I did this modification today on my Star . It was very easy to due. Thanks to Tamloy hard work and smart thinking.

  16. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by tinsnips View Post
    I did this modification today on my Star . It was very easy to due. Thanks to Tamloy hard work and smart thinking.
    You're welcome! I'm glad I could come up with the Idea and produce the original drawings.

    Since I can prove I had the idea first, I demand $10 in royalties from all doing this mod.
    Last edited by Frozone; 12-03-2010 at 03:24 PM.

  17. #17
    Boolit Master prickett's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Frozone View Post
    You're welcome! I'm glad I could come up with the Idea and produce the original drawings.

    Since I can prove I had the idea first, I demand $10 in royalties from all doing this mod.
    Can you guys do the RCBS LAM2 next?

    I'd love to adapt mine to a compressor setup.

  18. #18
    Boolit Buddy
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    Can this be made with off the shelf parts? I definitely like to tinker and build stuff myself, but my skills with drilling and tapping are horrendous...

  19. #19
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    I think so. It depends on the threads in the top cap and if you find an air fitting that will fit it.

    The top piston seal can be a second 'cup' from magma.

  20. #20
    Boolit Buddy
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    What threads is the top of the tube? Maybe it'd be easier just to find a top cap or coupler that screws on rather than using the knurled knob that comes with the press?

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