Another Automated Master Caster....!!!

[wymanwinn]

special thanks to HATCH for the automation assistance....8-)

works like a charm....the MC has been casting away as i size and reload what it has cast....

i can now say that i....:castmine:...really fast and easy...8-)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoBCzMvczrw

wyman

[simba]

Wymanwinn
thank you sharing that video with us , If I wonder to ask on behalf of dear folks , how shall we adopt that system with details to our master casters ? evet neither engineer nor electrician...

[HATCH]

Its pretty straight forward to do just the basics.
You need to look at the thread to add air assist to it.
Once you got it then the automation part is easy.

So far I have built 2 full blown setups (mine and Wyman's) and one basic setup.
The basic setup doesn't control pot temp or fan.

If you were more active (you only got 4 post in over a year!!!) or were a sponsor to the board, I would be willing to help you......

[shootinfox2]

Nice looking setup Wyman. Cast about 3000 this weekend while I was cleaning out the shop.
Thanks again to you and Hatch.

Fox

[mktacop]

special thanks to HATCH for the automation assistance....8-)

works like a charm....the MC has been casting away as i size and reload what it has cast....

i can now say that i....:castmine:...really fast and easy...8-)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoBCzMvczrw

wyman

That's just cruel......I'm still trying to save up the money to convert mine. [smilie=b:

Congrats Wyman!

[HATCH]

It really is sweet.

I told wyman about my star automation project but i didnt tell him i am gonna build a flipped for the hornady bullet collator.....

My goal is to leave the manual labor to operating the dillon 550b press. Have the rest automated...

[wymanwinn]

It really is sweet.

I told wyman about my star automation project but i didnt tell him i am gonna build a flipped for the hornady bullet collator.....

My goal is to leave the manual labor to operating the dillon 550b press. Have the rest automated...

Why don't we just size the bullets base first...almost ALL of my bullets are RNFP....so i would be pretty easy....maybe even work with RN like the 230gr 45acp and 180gr 40s&w in harder lead alloy...

BTW, i load my plastic tubes with a Hornady....!!!!

wyman

[HATCH]

I cast 14 different ones.....
I will see what's the best solution.

[HATCH]

Also sent my 180 40 cal mold off to get hp by Erik

[wymanwinn]

Also sent my 180 40 cal mold off to get hp by Erik

HP in an automated MC....this i have to see.......:)

[ReloaderFred]

Erik Ohlen does a pretty slick hollowpoint conversion to the Magma dies. I talked to him about it when he called about a mold I was having him rework for me. If you go to his website, he has pictures posted of his conversion and the Cramer conversion. He does both and the work he did on my mold was excellent. I didn't have him hollowpoint it, though.

Here's his website: http://www.hollowpointmold.com/

Hope this helps.

Fred

[wymanwinn]

Erik Ohlen does a pretty slick hollowpoint conversion to the Magma dies. I talked to him about it when he called about a mold I was having him rework for me. If you go to his website, he has pictures posted of his conversion and the Cramer conversion. He does both and the work he did on my mold was excellent. I didn't have him hollowpoint it, though.

Here's his website: http://www.hollowpointmold.com/

Hope this helps.

Fred

VERY cool......how do they work....???

wyman

[HATCH]

There is a YouTube video on one in action. I will look it up when i am on a computer

[HATCH]

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

[ReloaderFred]

Yep, that's the one. I may have one done later on, but I've got a couple of other molds I need him to modify first.

Fred

[landers]

I just got my 180gr. 40 S&W back from Erik this last week and it is amazing work. He got it to throw exactly 175gr and they pop off the pins on their own. Of the 6 molds he has converted for me this has to be my favorite.

[Doggaroon]

Hatch, wymanwinn,
I like it. After following wymanwinn's posts I was able to make the master caster and the stars air assisted.
Would love to see how to fully automate these....
Now if I can just get most of my bullets to fill out properly.

[wymanwinn]

Hatch, wymanwinn,
I like it. After following wymanwinn's posts I was able to make the master caster and the stars air assisted.
Would love to see how to fully automate these....
Now if I can just get most of my bullets to fill out properly.

mold not filling out...try about 700-725°F and adjust the allen head at the fill lever...my molds fill in about a second or so...not so fast that the lead spills though....

wyman

[HATCH]

Hatch, wymanwinn,
I like it. After following wymanwinn's posts I was able to make the master caster and the stars air assisted.
Would love to see how to fully automate these....
Now if I can just get most of my bullets to fill out properly.

On the automation part for the MC.... I will look at the air valves that automation direct sells and find the same type as i used...
If you purchase the parts (ie plc and air switches), i will build basic setup. That is one that does not have the PID controller on the front. Shootinfox's setup is a basic unit.
On mold fillout, what is your alloy??
I initially used 800 degrees as my temp but i have lowered it to 750 now. I know i can cast at 675 and they will turn out perfect too but because it is a automated process i have found that its best to keep a constant temp as the machine was setup initially at 800 degrees with a ambient temp of 60 degrees.
The timing on the machine has enough 'play' that you are ok if you stick to the normal casting temps 700-750 with ambient being above 50.
I never cast below 45 ambient so this is speculation but at colder temps the timing could be shortened (ie the machine cycles now at 10.5 secs, you could reduce to 6secs). this is because the lead on the mold will harden quicker.
I have run the machine as short as 5 seconds but i prefer to set it for a universal time that works with all molds and all ambient temps.

[Doggaroon]

I will gladly purchase the parts. Just tell me when and where.
Was casting at 650 have move to 700-750 but on a driving band get rounding often(380 and 44 mag both) the 45's come out fine. Have used toothbrush cleaning on all molds.
The 240gr 44 is an older mold but the 95 gr 380 is new, all rcbs molds converted to Magma by magma. Will try up to 800 and see how that works.
For manual timing have been going 15 seconds once i start seeing frosting.

[HATCH]

If you are frosting then you need to increase the amount of time the mold stays open at the bottom with the fan on.

The program I run in my MC is 1 sec at top,5 sec for lead pour, and then 4 secs at the bottom.
The 1 sec at the top is the OH poop pause. Basically lets say you are siting at the machine and you see a stuck boolit or something. You got one sec to hit the stop button or pull the handle. In my setup if you pull the handle it stops everything.
It doesn't pour lead for 5 secs. Then the timer is activated the lead pour happens at the same time. So it may pour lead for a 1/2 second and then sit there if 4.5 seconds more to harden. The draw back with the design (and I tried to fix this but there isn't a easy way) is that on heavier boolits there is actually less cool down time. Example the total is 5 secs. So on a heavy boolit you may pour lead for a full second well now you only got 4 seconds left to cool off. While a lighter boolit may pour lead for just 30 seconds and now you got 4 1/2 mins to cool off. I tried to do a feedback from the pour timer into the PLC so it knew when the lead was poured and would start the timer after that but the design of the timer itself wouldn't allow it.
The 4 seconds at the bottom is just to cool the mold down.

[mktacop]

It really is sweet.

I told wyman about my star automation project but i didnt tell him i am gonna build a flipped for the hornady bullet collator.....

My goal is to leave the manual labor to operating the dillon 550b press. Have the rest automated...

Sooooo, how is the Star automation project coming along?

[HATCH]

to be honest I haven't had time to mess with it lately.
I sent Wyman the prototype. he purchased the air switch for it.
I was hoping he would have it up and running by now.
I still have to hook the pneumatics up to my star.
I am hoping in the next few weeks to get that done.
Its pretty basic to be honest.
You push a button and it cycles for a set amount of time and stops.
The idea is that you have a loaded tube of boolits. Lets say there is 50 of them. So if we say its a 2 second cycle time (1 sec up, 1 sec down, repeat) then you set it to run 100 seconds.
You push the button. It runs 100 seconds which is 50 cycles and then stops. The tube should be empty then. You change tubes and then push the button to repeat.
Keep in mind that I am only tossing figures out there.

[wymanwinn]

about ready to install the box, maybe this weekend after i catch up on the "honey do list"...the damned cold has had me pretty much out of commission for the last three weeks.....

i'll keep y'all posted....

wyman


to be honest I haven't had time to mess with it lately.
I sent Wyman the prototype. he purchased the air switch for it.
I was hoping he would have it up and running by now.
I still have to hook the pneumatics up to my star.
I am hoping in the next few weeks to get that done.
Its pretty basic to be honest.
You push a button and it cycles for a set amount of time and stops.
The idea is that you have a loaded tube of boolits. Lets say there is 50 of them. So if we say its a 2 second cycle time (1 sec up, 1 sec down, repeat) then you set it to run 100 seconds.
You push the button. It runs 100 seconds which is 50 cycles and then stops. The tube should be empty then. You change tubes and then push the button to repeat.
Keep in mind that I am only tossing figures out there.

[mktacop]

Copy that.

Hatch, Do you have the PLC program for it, and could I get a copy if you do?

My Star is already pneumatic like Wyman's original design and I also have a collator to feed it. I'm planning to build a unit similar to the one for the Master Caster to control the Star as well.

[HATCH]

this is old school.
2 relays, a on/off switch. a push button momentary switch, and the air switch.

I have 2 extra sets of everything but the air switches so don't worry. Once we get it figured out you will be taken care of. :-)

[HATCH]

even with a collator you would want to limit the run time of the unit.
Either based on how many boolits your collator can hold or how much lube the star sizer can hold.

its just two timing relays.
I use Veris Industries VTF2P-F50 relays cause they are FREE.
I get them as samples because the company I work for spends 1/4 mill with them last year.
I got 8 samples so that's enough for 4 units.
1 for wyman, 1 for me, 1 for cop and 1 for fox
kinda rhymes doesn't it?

[shootinfox2]

Do you need any parts from me?

FOX

[mktacop]

even with a collator you would want to limit the run time of the unit.
Either based on how many boolits your collator can hold or how much lube the star sizer can hold.

its just two timing relays.
I use Veris Industries VTF2P-F50 relays cause they are FREE.
I get them as samples because the company I work for spends 1/4 mill with them last year.
I got 8 samples so that's enough for 4 units.
1 for wyman, 1 for me, 1 for cop and 1 for fox
kinda rhymes doesn't it?

Very nice! Looking forward to it!

The collator can hold 15lbs of bullets, so it depends on how big they are as to how many it holds. My feed tube from the collator to the Star holds about 50 bullets at a time, so a 50-count cycle would be fine.

[dragon813gt]

So what is a cost estimate for doing this? Are we talking a couple hundred or significantly more?

[mktacop]

So what is a cost estimate for doing this? Are we talking a couple hundred or significantly more?

Are you asking about automating the Star or the Master Caster?

[dragon813gt]

Just the automation part. I know the costs associated with the master caster.

[mktacop]

Just the automation part. I know the costs associated with the master caster.

To go from standard Master Caster to fully automated cost me between $500-$600 dollars. It's not cheap, but the cool factor more than makes up for the cost. :-)

[dragon813gt]

Thanks for the info. That seems like a reasonable cost for what it is. I currently only hand cast but knowing I can automate a master caster makes it that much more appealing.

[Pertsev]

Very nice set up,looks like it works smooth. sounds easier/cheaper than another conversion seen on u tube.

[HATCH]

Do you need any parts from me?

FOX

If it works as planned you would need to buy the air switch which is under $30

[shootinfox2]

Do I need to buy it and ship it to you or just have it waiting to hook into the box? Can yu give me a part number and supplier or is it the same as on the master caster?

Fox

[HATCH]

Its different.
I will get the number or wyman can post it.
Its from automation direct.
I will make it high priority this week to build it.
You buy it the air switch and hold on to it.
You can hook it into the box.
Box requires 120vac. It will have a cord.

[mktacop]

Its different.
I will get the number or wyman can post it.
Its from automation direct.
I will make it high priority this week to build it.
You buy it the air switch and hold on to it.
You can hook it into the box.
Box requires 120vac. It will have a cord.

I'm getting all excited now.

[wymanwinn]

what valve are we talking about....the MC or the Star.....???

wyman


Its different.
I will get the number or wyman can post it.
Its from automation direct.
I will make it high priority this week to build it.
You buy it the air switch and hold on to it.
You can hook it into the box.
Box requires 120vac. It will have a cord.

[HATCH]

Star
While u are at it can u find a suitable one for the MC too.
That way i can update the post.

[HATCH]

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/03/02/esyrerap.jpgThat is the switch