Star automatic bullet feeder

[VHoward]

Hi guys,
My bullet feeder and heated base came today. Got the base mounted onto my bench where I wanted it. Got the sizer mounted to the base and then mounted the bullet feeder. It is working mostly fine except every once in a while a bullet gets stuck in the tube right at the bottom where it enters the shuttle that feeds it to the die. The bullet will drop all the way into the shuttle, but when I go the raise the handle all the way so the shuttle will slide to bullet out into the die, it hangs up. I have taken the feed tube off and used dremel sand cylinder to smooth the edge of the opening on it's bottom, I have tried turning it on way or the other trying to center the opening and have even raised the tube up slightly and tightened the set screw that holds it in. It was hanging up on every cycle, but after all my fiddling, it only hangs up every 10th cycle.

Any suggestions for me to try? :confused:

Thanks, Vance

[ReloaderFred]

I've found with mine some bullets feed smoother than others. I've got a little 105 gr. TCFP .38 bullet that will sometimes get cocked in the feed slide and lock things up. Once in awhile it will fall right out of the slide and get mashed by the bullet punch.

Keep working with the adjustments until it feeds. It usually doesn't take much, so don't get heavy handed with the adjustments. I also use a dry lube on the slide and that helps quite a bit to make things smoother.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[Dennis Eugene]

;-) call Magma I hear there service reps are the best. Dennis :kidding:

[altheating]

Is the bullet feeder made by Magma?

[HATCH]

;-) call Magma I hear there service reps are the best. Dennis :kidding:

I talked to one of the guys that build the master caster and he was nice and knew what he was talking about.

sent from my mobile.

[VHoward]

Is the bullet feeder made by Magma?

Yes it is.

[VHoward]

I will try some more adjustments.

[sergeant69]

would a BB boolit feed better than a PB? thats all i plan on running thru my feeder when it gets here.

[ReloaderFred]

If you're sizing nose first it won't make any difference, since the nose enters the die first. What causes problems in my bullets feeders is the bullet getting cocked in the slide and binding things up. It's important to use the slide that's machined for the proper diameter of the bullet. If it's too small, the bullet won't drop freely into the slide, and if it's too large, the slide won't hold the bullet straight.

The adjustment of the feed tube sometimes is the key to smooth feeding. I have one short .45 caliber bullet that just barely clears the slide. I had to turn the opening in the feed tube to the the rear to keep the bullets from tipping in the slide. Once I did that, they fed smoothly.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[rodsvet]

Having run boolits nose first and base first through the feeder, It is my uneducated opinion that they feed a whole lot better base down. The Perfessor is working on a way to adapt RCBS punches to the Star. If he can do it then we can all buy collators that drop base first for a lot less cash and they should also feed a lot better. Just my .02, Rod

[wymanwinn]

would a BB boolit feed better than a PB? thats all i plan on running thru my feeder when it gets here.

both work very will since the bullets are fed nose down....

[VHoward]

Well, I just sized 500 bullets through the star with the feeder on it. There was only 2 times a bullet got hung up in the slider. Once at the beginning and once half way through. Over all I am happy with it. It was a slight learning curve. I assume I got the right slider since she asked me what caliber I would be using it with when I ordered.

[sergeant69]

what if a bullet isn't perfect, as in slight flashing on the sides etc. will that affect a bullet feeding down the tube?

[ReloaderFred]

sergeant69,

Flashover will definately have an effect on bullet feeding, since it's all gravity feed. The slide will accept a slightly oversize bullet to feed, but not one with a lot of flashover. You'll have to see if they're going to work once you get your feeder.

I load my bullets into both plastic and aluminum tubes for the feeder. Sometimes they'll get hung up, especially if the tube is just about empty and there isn't a lot of weight pushing down on the column. Most times I can just rotate or shake the tube and they'll continue feeding.

I just this afternoon finished sizing and lubing a little over 5,000 105 gr. .38 bullets. Of those, I probably had a dozen or less hangups. The part that takes the most time is filling the tubes.....

Hope this helps.

Fred

[sergeant69]

wow. 5000 bullets? i cast 2,000 today ( 200 gr. 45 acp), 6 at a time and thought that was something. how long did it take you to process all those? 12 hang ups per 5,000 is nothing at all.
VHOWARD.............please let me know any "newbie" tips/tricks/PROBLEMS. mine will be here next week. along w/the air feed for the lube. dam evil twin!

[VHoward]

First off is remove the punch nut and install the actuator collar and bolt assembly. The bolt on the actuator goes to the rear of the ram bolt head up. After you have tightened the replacement nut is a good time to check to make sure the punch is still set for the right depth. After you get the feeder mounted in place there will not be a lot of room to be adjusting punches.

[sergeant69]

i'm thinking (hoping) that'll make a lot more sense when the thing actually gets here. thanks

[6bg6ga]

I never have had one bullet go out of alignment and fail to enter the die for sizing.

[HATCH]

I ordered the bullet feeder for mine yesterday.
Had to get their heater so it would be easier to mount it.
Where are you all getting your tubes from.
there has to be a cheaper solution then $5 a peice??

[wymanwinn]

http://www.mcmaster.com/#8532K13

[6bg6ga]

I ordered the bullet feeder for mine yesterday.
Had to get their heater so it would be easier to mount it.
Where are you all getting your tubes from.
there has to be a cheaper solution then $5 a peice??


So, why did you have to buy their heater? I bought a scrap piece of 6061-T6 aluminum and mounted the sizer and bullet feeder to it. The aluminum cost roughly $20 or so. I purchased a 300 watt heating element, thermocouple, and PID and made my own heater. I probably ended up spending $20 more but my heater stays within + or - a degree and heats up within 10 minutes or less in a 50 degree room.

[HATCH]

I am not a machinest so i would rather just buy what is known to work.
Also i already have a PID on my universal heater

sent from my mobile.

[HATCH]

http://www.mcmaster.com/#8532K13

Thanks

sent from my mobile.

[6bg6ga]

It doesn't take a lot of skill to do and doesn't take a machinest to do it. I would have been more than happy to help you with it. I'm sorry I didn't mean to come off like I was knocking it. Is there a thread on drilling and tapping a plate to make your own sizer base and heater? If not maybe we should start one and see if others were interested in making or purchasing a plate that was ready made for their sizer and an upgraded heater.

Another reason for me using a aluminum plate is that I use C-clamps to attach it to my bench in the garage or in the basement.

[VHoward]

I seem to remember a thread started here where a guy had made a plate that had mounting holes for the sizer. Also had a hole for the cartridge heater he listed a link to and he designed in a die removal feature. It could have been made larger for mounting hole for the feeder.
I can't find the thread. The member who came up with it was Casting Timmy. He could probably be talked into making one for someone for a fee of course.

For the tubes, I just bought a couple of 8 foot legnth of 1/2" pvc pipe and cut it into 2 foot sections. I drilled the ends with small holes and use nails as stops. I ended up with 8 tubes for cheap. The pipe was only 60 cents a foot at the local hardware store.

[John Wayne]

Powdered graphite might be helpful.

[Springfield]

Hatch: TAP plastics. I have enough tubes to hold about 2000 bullets. I have them cut to hold about 30 bullets, any more than that and they get too unwieldy. Drill a hole in the end for a hitch clip, insert end in metal feed tube and pull the pin. Most bullets feed fine but the shorter ones can cause problems, get sideways in the tubes and jam. Just rap it with your hand then they usually keep feeding.

[Springfield]

As for the heater, I must be REALLY cheap. I screwed a thin aluminum plate($2.00) to my wooden sizer mount and then set a small travel iron($5.00, 150 watts) on the aluminum and by moving it I can use it with any of the 3 sizers. It has a temp dial on it that works very well. Any more watts than that and I find irons get too hot.

[HATCH]

Thanks...

sent from my mobile.

[6bg6ga]

As for the heater, I must be REALLY cheap. I screwed a thin aluminum plate($2.00) to my wooden sizer mount and then set a small travel iron($5.00, 150 watts) on the aluminum and by moving it I can use it with any of the 3 sizers. It has a temp dial on it that works very well. Any more watts than that and I find irons get too hot.

I guess you are really cheap...just kidding. My heating element cost $30 but on the bright side it maintains a very close temperature and its worth it from that stand point alone. Another factor is space and the fact that I don't have to worry about either burning something or having something fall on my foot.