Any one using Air to power reloading stuff? Case feeder?

[A pause for the COZ]

Some one recommended I use air to power the case feeder I am making for my LNL AP.
I dont know anything about it.
I have been working on getting a LEE case feeder to work.
Pretty much have the feed part done. Now just working on the actuation.
Spring and rod will be used unless a better Idea show up.

Here is what was recommended for a cylinder.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Festo-Dual-Actuated-Pneumatic-Air-Cylinders-You-Get-4-of-Them-NEW-/201007574748?pt=Pneumatic_Hydraulic_Valves_Parts&hash=item2eccfc2edc

Here is were I am at with the feeder.

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d66/Kelly2215/100_9155_zps0a3b56ee.jpg

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d66/Kelly2215/100_9153_zps8f5e34ef.jpg

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d66/Kelly2215/100_9156_zps2f86dcd1.jpg

[Blanco]

Thats some High Quality backwater engineering you got goin on there

[castalott]

yep-I have. I built an air powered fully automatic bullet making machine many years ago. It uses Lyman four cavity molds and air for everything.

The problems you'll have are:
1 a clean supply of air
2 a regulator to supply air at A GIVEN pressure. Pressure and flow control are what makes an air cylinder move at a reasonable speed and power.
3 The above mentioned 'flow control'. One for each direction the ram moves.
4 An air switch to activate it OR I use electric solonoids and electric switches to activate them. If you go this route you can also use timers to determine how long the ram is in any position.

All of this is doable and quite entertaining. I had a friend who ran a salvage yard that took in "junk" factory machines. I got 95% of the stuff off of him- the rest off of ebay.

I thought about doing what you are wanting to do. Sounds like a fun project.

I'm not sure I would talk much of it on this site. People make fun of what they don't understand and this site is one of the worst in that regard.

Dale

[jmorris]

I used a door lock solenoid to run a case feeder I rigged up for an SD.

Here is a video of it.
http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o213/jmorrismetal/reloading/SDcasefeed/th_MOV02172.jpg (http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o213/jmorrismetal/reloading/SDcasefeed/MOV02172.mp4)

More photos here.
http://s121.photobucket.com/user/jmorrismetal/library/reloading/SDcasefeed?sort=3&start=all&page=1

Air has a habit if being "springy" as it meets and overcomes resistance. The only thing I have used it for reloading is my bullet sizer. This is a video if it.

http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv5/qvideo/th_VID_20131008_114903_441_zpsdb21a12f.jpg (http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv5/qvideo/VID_20131008_114903_441_zpsdb21a12f.mp4)

Why not use a bent wire and spring like the primer system? Isn't that what Hornady uses on the factory version?

[45 2.1]

yep-I have. I built an air powered fully automatic bullet making machine many years ago. It uses Lyman four cavity molds and air for everything.

The problems you'll have are:
1 a clean supply of air
2 a regulator to supply air at A GIVEN pressure. Pressure and flow control are what makes an air cylinder move at a reasonable speed and power.
3 The above mentioned 'flow control'. One for each direction the ram moves.
4 An air switch to activate it OR I use electric solonoids and electric switches to activate them. If you go this route you can also use timers to determine how long the ram is in any position.

All of this is doable and quite entertaining. I had a friend who ran a salvage yard that took in "junk" factory machines. I got 95% of the stuff off of him- the rest off of ebay.

I thought about doing what you are wanting to do. Sounds like a fun project.

I'm not sure I would talk much of it on this site. People make fun of what they don't understand and this site is one of the worst in that regard.

Dale

+1 to Dale's casting machine. I've watched it work making a veritable mountain of boolits. If I could convince him to put a Magma 40 pounder on top instead of the RCBS pot it would be easier. A really neat set-up. And another + to his last statement............

[jmorris]

I'm not sure I would talk much of it on this site. People make fun of what they don't understand and this site is one of the worst in that regard.

There are a LOT of other sites that are far worse. All you have to do is have the gumption to see the idea through and make it a reality.

No one can see light in the dark, it's the "sparks" that make it happen. Go on other sites and look at threads on bullet coating or even casting alone that say its a waist of time or worse.

[blikseme300]

^^^ & +1 to Dale's last statement.

[44Vaquero]

I apparently must be viewing and reading a different sight? I have been on this sight for a few years now and apparently have missed most of the naysayers and criminally ignorant people that Blikseme300, 45 2.1 and castalott clam exist here. Oh I have argued with a jerk or 2 (that's what the ignore function is for) here and there but I have also been supported and defended by more then a few friends. Any sight with over 30,000 members is bound to have a few jerks or trolls lurking about.

I have posted several of my own mods, hacks and builds and generally been well received on each occasion. In as much as being compared to other sights this one is by far the least judgmental when it comes to technical innovations and improvements.

I am actually working on 2 mods for my presses in my spare time and one is a "Air Ram" for use as a case feeder. When I get them working to my satisfaction they will be posted here for all to see! No fear here!

[A pause for the COZ]

I am actually working on 2 mods for my presses in my spare time and one is a "Air Ram" for use as a case feeder. When I get them working to my satisfaction they will be posted here for all to see! No fear here!

Great I cant wait to see it.
I still have a little tweeking to do on the shuttle for this one. Good part is I found a 3 foot by 2 foot slab of the white cutting board I am using.
I have plenty to fix my mess ups.

[ROGER4314]

I'm comfortable with manual operation. in another thread, a post showed a guy's finger that got tangled up in a press and it pushed a straight sided case completely through his finger. It was ugly and I could have done great without seeing it! It did point out that these presses are designed to produce tremendous force and anything in the way will get munched.

Flash

[lancem]

Having a Hornady case feeder myself I guess I don't see the need to add to the complexity by using air cylinders and what not. The factory method uses a simple bent wire to act as a cam with a spring action which works extremely well. Being a retired engineer I can understand the want to tinker and "do it my way" but in my experience KISS wins out over complex every time.